Nintendo Switch Critic Reviews

Pokémon Champions is the perfect starting point for anyone who wants to be the very best, making competitive Pokémon so much more accessible.

Pokemon Champions feels like a title that suddenly had to launch due to chasing a specific quarterly report. While otherwise nearly perfect as a platform, lacking a multitude of very important items on release makes the game feel fundamentally incomplete. The paywalled quality-of-life additions are also a major deterrent, especially for those who expected a way to engage with VGC without owning the mainline games. It's still a wonderful attempt at making competitive Pokemon more accessible, though, and is definitely something that'll only improve in time.

Pokémon Champions is what I've always dreamed of getting my hands on. An official way to play competitive Pokémon that eliminates all the unnecessary hassle that used to exist.

All things considered, Pokémon Champions is exactly what we expected—barring a few too many rough edges. In fact, looking at the game’s monetization and other titles within the Pokémon ecosystem, one is almost tempted to say we got off easy. At least, for now.

To keep interest levels high, however, the Japanese developer will need to demonstrate responsiveness and agility in meeting the audience's needs—specifically through rapid balancing adjustments, patches, and a healthy dose of creativity to add variety to, but above all to expand, an experience that currently feels rather sparse. The decision to focus on competitive play is perhaps *Pokémon Champions'* greatest calling card—the one area where this project simply could not afford to stumble; yet, in doing so, it seems to have somewhat neglected everything else, from offline modes to—perhaps—a dedicated section for watching or re-watching the most spectacular battles.

Pokémon Champions scores points with a strong combat system and stable online matches. Technically, however, the game exhibits several weaknesses that tarnish the otherwise positive overall impression.

Right now, though, Pokemon Champions provides two different experiences for seasoned players and newcomers respectively--and unfortunately for newcomers, it's an uneven one that will require a lot of their own dedication and time to improve. Perhaps the barrier to entry for competitive Pokemon can never be smashed entirely, but Champions wears it down, and those willing to push through it will find one of the most thrilling competitive games on the other side.

The intent to lower the barrier to entry is clear, and improvements to competitive Pokémon preparation and in-battle information are noticeable. However, persistent frame drops, the lack of a replay feature, and an unstable Pokémon acquisition system leave this battle-focused platform feeling unfinished.

Pokémon Champions, at launch, is a solid start to the new Pokémon battling experience on Nintendo Switch. Robust, flexible mechanics for newcomers to enter the battle scene and customisation for more seasoned players. As a free-to-play game, there is a surprising amount on offer - full battle modes and rental Pokémon, with paid content primarily reserved for cosmetics/time savers and storage. Pokémon Champions isn't without its choppy performance in areas and missing content, but it is a strong start that's bound to... evolve over time.

If you play Pokémon competitively or want to get into it, Pokémon Champions is a great platform for that. I won't deny that this app rekindled my passion for the game. However, if none of this appeals to you, the best thing you can do is simply steer clear.