Baskin Robbins in Japan has partnered with Nintendo again to bring us another great game collaboration this time featuring Pokémon as they continue to take over for their 30th anniversary celebrations this summer. Titled the 31 Poke Summer Campaign it is full of everything from Pokeball sundaes, spoons featuring the Kanto starters, and even a Pikachu themed ice cream flavor!
When I first arrived at the Baskin Robbins just outside Akihabara Station there was already a lineup but the store had just opened up an hour earlier so the staff was still getting the hang of things. By the time I returned a few hours after my lunch I was able to walk right in and get my order. This store was quite small so those of us who ordered the Pokeball sundaes or multiple scoops waited outside while the staff sorted out each order. I didn’t have to wait more than a few minutes though so overall I think the staff have really improved their flow for these campaigns.
Also Baskin Robbins took some measures to prevent the possibility of selling out at all locations and overwhelming the staff by setting some restrictions for the first nine days of the campaign. From August 1 to 9 customers will only be allowed to order 3 Pokeball sundaes per group purchase. While it is just day one of the campaign I do hope that supplies last throughout for everyone to enjoy because this is a scorcher of a summer and everyone deserves to cool down with yummy ice cream and their favorite Pokémon.
The Menu
This month’s newest exclusive flavor for the Pokémon campaign is none other than Pikachu’s Volt Tackle ~Pineapple Squash~ which is a pineapple and white cider flavored sorbet mix with popping red candy. The combination of the flavors and popping candy element join together to give fans the electric type Pokémon move.
There’s a bunch of great menu items and extras you can get with each different type. They even have two special cakes on sale as well. Be sure to check out the official website or your local Baskin Robbins for more details on all of them.
My goal was to get one of the Pokeball sundaes especially since I missed out on the Present Box sundaes from the Animal Crossing collaboration last month. Each Pokeball sundae comes with one of the three Kanto starter Pokémon (Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle) decorative picks and plastic spoons at random. It’s the Pokémon starters so of course they had to add an interactive gacha element! It would have been interesting if they let people choose their starter but for ease of the staff and supply I can see how logistically that would be a bit of a nightmare even if the concept sounds fun.
Fun Fact: Did you know that Pokeballs are actually called Monster Balls in Japan? So this menu item is actually called the Monster Ball sundae when you plan to order it at the store. A lot of the names in the franchise for items and Pokémon are different but universally Pikachu has the same name everywhere.
For those who want a bit of a smaller or cheaper option the regular ice cream cups in a single or double scoop feature a random cup with the grass, fire, or water Pokémon starters of all generations, a random Kanto starter plastic spoon, and a special sticker. In total there are 30 sticker designs one of each of the starters from the games to the current generation, Pikachu, Eevee, and Mew.
There’s also a soda float option featuring Ditto called the Ditto Crush Soda. The drink is inspired by Ditto’s ability to transform and is red grape and blue pineapple flavored syrups mixed together to turn purple just like Ditto. There’s also grape flavored jelly to add a bit of texture and you can choose the ice cream you want to top it off with. It comes with a clear pick of Ditto you can place around your straw.
My Gacha Luck
As I mentioned above the service was so quick and I was honestly just happy to get a Pokeball sundae period. I had to choose the Pikachu Volt Tackle ~Pineapple Squash~ flavor to try since it’s limited to just this campaign month. It was a really refreshing combination of flavors and the red popping candy added a fun energy to the experience. I really could imagine Pikachu using its signature electric attack with each bite. The added touch of whipped cream and sprinkles as just enough to bring everything together in that cute sundae flavor and the cherry on top was actual a chocolate Pikachu!
The Pokeball container is already bringing so many fans joy. Just like with the Animal Crossing present boxes fans have discovered there are certain sized plushies that fit perfectly in them and they’re going off with adorable pictures.
I also had to give it a shot and was very happy to see that a lot of the smaller Pokémon plushies fit perfectly. My favorite Pokémon, Rockruff took a bit of posing but ended up fitting just right in the cup with its paws out. This will definitely be its new home when I’m here typing at my desk.
Overall I would happily order the Pokeball sundae again but next time maybe with a different summer exclusive flavor like the new Chocolate Mint Cookie or Rainbow Sherbet. I think the Summer Watermelon would go great with the Ditto Crush Soda. Maybe I’ll have to go back to test them out later. The campaign just started today so there’s still a whole month left to check it out!
Which Pokemon Baskin Robbins collaboration menu item do you want to try? What Pokemon would you put in the Pokeball sundae cup? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Check out my last article about the Baskin Robbins and Animal Crossing collaboration from July 2026 below.
Useful Links
PR Times Article: https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000349.000023547.html
