Fun that doesn't break the bank

For some, the Nintendo Switch can be an expensive investment. Once you've purchased the console itself, there are additional Joy-Con controllers, the Nintendo Switch Online membership, and, of course, first-party titles like Super Mario Odyssey tha?t almost never seem to g??o on sale, even years after their release.

Thankf??ully, there are some awesome? games on this system that cost absolutely nothing to play and are most certainly worth your time and attention. Here are the 10 best free-to-play games on Nintendo Switch you can enjoy right now.

Asphalt Legends Unite

Those missing the Burnout series may want to check out Asphalt Legends Unite by Gameloft. The intense speed, the outrageous tricks, and the decent graphics all go a long way in this racing experience. Performing tricks to increase your boost me??ter is satisfying, and being able to ram opponents into the walls is even more so. If you can ignore the micro-transaction-heavy side of Asphalt Legends Unite, you’ll find a?n underrated gem of a racing title for free.

Deltarune

Toby Fox’s follow-up from the Undertale series Deltarune is entirely free-to-play with no microtransactions in sight. The story is suitably entertaining, while Toby Fox maintains the much-loved, oddly-natured lore of the Undertale world and characters. As you’d expect from the series, there is some stellar battle music and a unique pixel art style. If you’re a fan of Undertale, this is a must-play.

Fall Guys

One of the most adorable free-to-play games you can play on the Nintendo Switch is Fall Guys. Against 59 other players, you’re competing to get the crown at the end of several mini-games. You’re goin?g through tough obstacle courses with the silly physics of the game, scoring goals by heading a ball into the net or trying to outlast other players from disappearing platforms. It’s a lot of fun. I’ve only ever been able to get a crown once, but when I finally got it, I felt like a million Show-Bucks.

There are cosmetic items you may want to buy in Fall Guys, but the good thing?? is that they don’t affect the stats of any player.  This isn’t pay-to-win. Something to keep in mind is that?? developer Mediatonic organizes free events, giving you costumes for finishing tasks.

Fortnite

Some hate it, and others love it, but no matter where you stand you can’t deny that Fortnite is a smash success. Epic Games brings out compelling maps and guns that keep its fanbase entertained. The battle pass every season provides a lot of value, and the quests the developer provides are entertaining enough to keep you invested in the chaos of the game. I personally disliked the building elements of the original concept, but there is now a popular Zero Build mode that has consumed my gaming schedule.

F-Zero 99

F-Zero 99 brings the ch??aos of the original SNES game and puts you in a race against 98 other players. Similar to?? Tetris 99, you’ll need to survive as they bash into you and in some cases, self-??destruct around you on purpose. The controls are stellar as you drift around each corner and spin to dish damage to your foes. It’s a phenomenal take on the classic game. You’ll need Nintendo Switch Online to play this free game, however.

Brawlhalla

If you’re getting tired of playing Super Smash Bros. Ultimate after all these years, you might want to try Brawlhalla for free. It has a charming comic-like art style and a simple yet engaging battle syst?em that has you constantly switching between two combat styles. The game’s cross-play, so you can check it out with all your pals on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and even mobile. 

There are also pop culture icons who’ll never join Smash, like the WWE’s? John Cena and SpongeBob SquarePants fighting each other. They’re available as skins via paid DLC.

Pokémon Unite

Pokémon Unite is an absolute delight. It takes the MOBA mechanics of a game like League of Legends and places it into a thri??lling 3v3 battle arena. The action is frenetic as you master each Pokemon's specific moves and work together to defeat the enemy team. The graphics are quite delightful, despite the game being available on both mobile and the Nintendo Switch. Like the previous entry on this list, there is also crossplay between those two platforms.

Something to keep in mind is that there are multiple microtransactions in the game. There are cosmetics such as costumes for your Pokémon and trainer, a battle pass, and other purchases that your wallet should be scared of. You can earn in-game rewards, however, through the free battle pass and performing well in R?anked.

Rocket League

Rocket League is a simple concept that works so well on the Switch.?? You drive RC cars on a football/soccer pitch, flipping and turbo-boosting in order to score goals. If you need help as a beginner, on the other hand, you can enlist your friends from all platforms and still have fun on the field, There are car skins, antennas, rocket trails, and more to unlock through paid content, but some rewards are given to you periodically as you play.

Smite

With over 100 gods to choose from and a console-friendly third-person perspective, Smite is one of the best MOBAs out there. There are beginner-friendly modes like Arena and Joust (3v3) to get you started and accustomed to learning your favorite characters. Then there's the Conquest mode with an expansive map and 5v5 combat. Each move adds a strategic element to t??he battle; for example, Cupid's Heart Bomb is a ranged attack that slows enemies on impact, while Hades can pull in his foes towards him with Pillar of A??gony. Like most other free-to-play games, there are real money cosmetics to purchase.

Tetris 99

One of the best free games on Nintendo Switch, Tetris 99 is engrossing as you survive to be the very last player standing. You have to keep up with the ever-increasing tempo of the gameplay and finish lines to send them to an opposing player. The action gets pretty intense at times, but is always worth it thanks to the compelling and rewarding gameplay. Thankfully, there are no microtransactions in Tetris 99, and you unlock new skins for yo?ur playfield by finishing in-g?ame tasks.

Tetris 99 comes free with your?? Nintendo Switch Online subscription.

Palia

The world of Palia is expansive, and it’s completely free to dive in and explore. As with many cozy games, there are a selection of NPCs who can be befriended or even romanced, and they all have a seemingly endless number of quests for you to complete. Palia ??also benefits from almost monthly updates, which add new side content, item??s, and activities to take part in. 

The only thing that will cost you anything in Palia is p?remium store outfits, t?ool skins, or glider skins. But choosing not to hand over your cash has zero effect on your gameplay, so it’s easy to ignore if you don’t want to spend anything. 

Disney Speedstorm

Disney Speedstorm is like Mario Kart if it was free, and all of the drivers were beloved Disney characters with cars themed around them. You can drift, charge up your Nitro Boost and even knock other racers off the road by side swiping them. Again, presumably heavily inspired by Mario Kart, r??acers can also pick up sprites a?long the track to give them power ups, which can then be used to gain an advantage in the race. 

Sky: Children of the Light

Sky: Children of the Light is a social game in which you can meet and befriend other players. In Sky, your only task is to ex??plore the seven realms, unlocking new cosmetics and increasing the level of your Cape. This Cape is your means of transportation, as it allows you to fly through the skies of the realms, taking you further into the wilds. You can chat and send gifts to friends, play musical instrume??nts, and a whole lot more. 

My Hero Ultra Rumble

Ultra Rumble is a MOBA fit for any fan of the Anime or Manga, and sees you grouped into parties of three in order to take out the rest of the 24 players in a match. The map you play on shrinks over time, leaving just two teams of three battling it out against each other. There is a Gacha element to Ultra Rumble, but don’t let that put you off. You have?? six characters unlocked by default, so you’ve got plenty to work with right of?f the bat. 

Pokémon Café ReMix

If any of the games on this list are perfect for simply relaxing and zoning out, it’s Pokémon Café ReMix. Using the touchscreen capabilities of your switch, you need to swipe at a pool of Pokémon faces in order to fulfil the orders of other Pokémon, who will then ev??entually come and work for you and unlock new recipes. It’s weirdly addictive, and also adorable on top, so definitely worth it given the lack of payment needed. 

Guardian Tales

If you want a dungeon crawling game with cute graphics, then Guardian Tales is very much recommended. Originally released on iOS and Android back in 2020, and then coming to Nintendo Switch in 2022, you need to use all the tactic??s at your disposal to lure enemies int??o the open so you can complete each area. It can get a little frustrating at times, but it’s immensely satisfying and you can join guilds with other players, allowing you to take on even bigger and stronger enemies. 

Angry Bunnies: Colossal Carrot Crusade

If you’ve ever played Angry Birds, then you’ll have a good idea what to expect from Angry Bunnies. It’s the same concept with some slight twists �you fire bunnies out of a hop-powered cann?on to try and take down structures at the other end of the playing arena, which have been constructed by wildlife critters. I stumbled across this by accident, and then quickly racked up? more hours playing than I’d care to admit. 

Tricky Doors

Tricky Doors is a puzzle-??game-meets-escape-room experience that will really make you think outside the box, but it’s not too difficult that it becomes ultimately frustrating. There are a long list of mini-games and small quests to complete, and the different rooms in which you find yourself trapped are absolutely jam-packed with detail, so you’re unlikely to ever find yourself beco??ming bored. 

The Elder Scrolls: Blades

Compared to the Elder Scrolls titles that you may be more familiar with, Blades is much more linear and you’re essentially forced into one-on-one combat situations in order to progress. However, that doesn’t detract from the fun experience that this game offers. There are three modes: Abyss, which is an endless dungeon to test yourself against, Arena??, which is player versus player multiplayer, and Town, which is a town for you to rebuild and upgrade. 

Hamster Playground

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a hamster whose sole purpose in life is to navigate various mazes and competing with other hamsters? No? Just me? Well if you haven’t wondered, then perhaps you should, because Hamster Playground is just that. Not only are you playing as a hamster, but you can? also dress up your hamster in a huge variety of costumes. It’s adorable and incredibly fun, as ??long as you don’t take it too seriously. 

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You can even Mega Evolve into Mega Mewtwo X

Pokemon Unite is celebrating its two-year Anniversary with the release of the Legendary Pokemon Mewtwo.

The mysterious Pokemon will have two different Unite licenses, Unite License X: Mewtwo and Unite License Y: Mewtwo. The former will focus on melee attacks and one-on-one combat while the latter is all about ranged attacks and mobility. A license for Mega Mew?two X is available now, as part of the Crystal Cave Challenge event that is currently taking place. The license for Mega Mewtwo Y will arrive in mid-august.

Players can fill Mewtwo's Mega gauge via basic attacks and mov??es. Once the gauge fills up, Mewtwo can Mega Evolve into Mega Mewtwo, gaining new attacks and increased stats before changing back into his normal form.

Mewtwo will join Zacian as the only Legendary Pokemon in Pokemon Unite. (Mew is in the game, but falls under the Mythical classification.) The Pokemon Company reiterated they plan to continue gradually increasing the number of Legendary Pokemon in Unite.

[caption id="attachment_392941" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via The Pokemon Company[/caption]

New battle type & Battle Pass 17

A new type of battle is also coming to Pokemon Unite as part of the Anniversary event. Panic Parade ditches the standard 5v5 battle format and tasks players with wor??king together to protect Tinkaton from a horde of panicking Pokemon.

Battle Pass 17 is also l?ive now and will run from July 21 until September 11. The primary rewards from the pass are Captain Style: Greeden and Captain Style: Zacian Holowea??r. There are also some Captain Set Trainer fashion items you can acquire from this season's pass.

The new ranked match season is also und??e?rway and will run through September 11. Players can also predict the top teams for the Pokemon World Championships 2023 and win some cool rewards for doing so.

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Theia Sky Ruins

A new Pokemon Unite map is on the way, according to a tweet from the gam??e's official account.

While Unite has experimented with extremely uneven events, minigames, or quick maps (five minutes), this is the first time a real new core mode (10 m??inutes) map has been teased. On paper, it looks like it'll have the same basic two-lane layout as the core one, but with a few changes.

What's different about the new Pokemon Unite map Theia Sky Runs:

• Rayquaza is the boss in the middle
• Jungling will be different, with new layouts
• It has a new aesthetic

It's not a complete departure from the norm, which is honestly OK. When Unite tries to go for far-out wild pitches, it can often miss. So having a layout that's mostly the same but has a complete visual reboot is likely for the best. Af??ter a year of playing on the same ti?red arena, it'll be great to finally get another option.

Of course, details are very slim, as is customary for the game. The only tease we're given is to "stay tuned for future information," so it's unclear how this map will rotate, or if it'll completely take over the or?iginal battlegr??ound for a while.

As usual, the Japanese Pokemon Unite site has a page upfront beyond the sole twee??t from the English acco??unt.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdmbokV5qak

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It goes away on August 21

Pokemon Unite has been out for a full year, and the team is celebrating with some anniversary e??vents. Quite a few events, actually! Whenever I've logged in during this period I've had a heck of a time delving into various menus to accept all of the login bonuses. But by far my favorite element of the event is the Pokemon Unite boss rush mode: a limited-time almost "MMO raid-like" set of encounters against three boss??es in a co-op format. I hope it sticks around permanent??ly.

So amid the introduction of Glaceon (July 21), Buzzwole (August 3), and Tyranitar (August 15), there's a bunch of different campaigns and bonuses going on. You have several team-up/friend/invite-a-friend schemes meant to entice people to invite acquaintances into the game, the aforementioned login bonuses (which are tied to getting Glaceon for free, as well as anniversary cake bonuses); but the one that's had the biggest i??mpact for me is boss rush.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=noFwSGb3iA8

As a short five-minute diver??sion (or less, if you can clear it fast enough), you'll jump into a game with four other players and take on three waves of bosses to get the best clear time/score. The game takes from a pool of five bosses for the first two rounds, with a final showdown against Regigigas.

Interestingly, Unite boss rush has MMO boss fight elements

A lot of typical MMO conventions apply, and some are taken directly from World of Warcraft or Final Fantasy XIV. One mechanic involves hiding behind a block of ice during the Articuno battle to avoid a blizzard wiping the party. Another has players strategically spread out to dodge shocking other players, with a giant area-of-effect ring emanating out of your character to denote said ability range. Although there has been ??a bit of telegraphed dodging and PVE fighting against bigger enemies in the regular game (like Zapdos), it's never been shown off quite on this scale: and I'm intrigued.

Even against the smallish pool of enemies, I found myself wanting a full-time PVE mode to tackle whenever I'm feeling the fatigue of competitive play (which, in Pokemon United, is often!). I have a lot of characters, costumes, and items at this point, and getting to use them against something other than the sam?e old competitive far?e is a great way to keep a lot of people invested in playing.

Maybe this mode is a test at the moment, but I hope it passes. You actually have two more chances to partake in it, as the fir?st boss rush period has ended. The next one starts on July 31.

Here are the full dates and times for the Pokemon Unite boss rush mode:

• July 21, 2022, at 12:00 a.m. PDT to July 24, 2022, at 4:59 p.m. PDT
• July 31, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. PDT to August 7, 2022, at 4:59 p.m. PDT
• August 14, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. PDT to August 21, 2022, at 4:59 p.m. PDT

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Unite is celebrating its first year with a heap of new content

It's been one year since the launch of Pokemon Unite, and the team is celebrating. Over the next few weeks, Pokemon Unite is getting new playable Pokemon, cosmeti??cs, and more to celebra??te its first anniversary.

The celebration starts next week, with the release of Glaceon, the icy Eevee evolution. Glaceon joins on July 21 alongside a challenge, which will let pla??yers earn a free Glaceon Unite License.

Two more are expected to join the fray, too. The gigantic Buzzwole enters the arena on August 3. And on August 15,??? Tyranitar lumbers into battle.

Alongside the new playable Pokemon, a new mode is also debuting. Boss Rush will have players team up to take on powerful bosses and earn rewards. Those who finish with higher scores will earn more. The Boss Rush will be avai??lable for three periods of time.

Pokemon Unite Boss Rush windows

• July 21 at 12:00 a.m. PT to July 24 at 4:59 p.m. PT
• July 31 at 5 p.m. PT to August  7 at 4:59 p.m. PT
• August 14 at 5 p.m. PT to August 21 at 4:59 p.m. PT

New duds for the new year

A new Battle Pass season will also start rolling out on July 21. Season 9 will have new rewards and levels to pursue, all for the goal of having the coolest-looking Pokemon on the Pokemon Unite field.

There will also be a festive log-in bonus for the first anniversary of Pokemon Unite. Logging in for five days between July 2??1 and October 12 will net you reward?s for each day:

• Day 1: Pikachu and Fashionable Style: Pikachu
• Day 2: Lucario and Concert Style: Lucario
• Day 3: Blastoise and Firefighter Style: Blastoise
• Day 4: Snorlax and Bedtime Style: Snorlax
• Day 5: Sylveon and Checkered Style: Sylveon

With those, plus a festive anniversary reward chain to chase too, seems like a lot of freebies are up for grabs in Pokemon Unite. The first anniv??ersary might be a good time to log back in if you've l??apsed over the last year.

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The first premium membership skin is underwhelming at best

The Pokemon Unite membership program is now live, and sadly, it wasn't really tweaked from its original leaked incarnation.

Now live worldwide, the Pokemon Unite membership program (called the "Unite Club") costs $9.99 per month, which is a r??ather large disconnect compared to what other subscriptions offer. ?Here's what you get:

• A "first time membership benefit" of a trainer outfit
• 40 gems a day (more on that later)
• One premium skin a month (more on that in a moment)
• Additional unite licenses each week (read: a few more "free rotation" characters, which is useless if you own them all)
• Trial Holowear (skins) each week
• Special portrait frames and speech bubbles
• 10% off new fashion items

Don't all cheer at once!

Naturally, these sorts of programs (like a similar one for Fortnite) come with a marquee monthly skin. And really, this is one of the most front-facing disappointing aspects of the Pokemon Unite membership. Like many Unite skins, this Greedent Holo?wear outfit can barely be considered a tweak from the original model.

Also, note this proviso: "you will receive 40 Aeos gems daily as a login bonus." Digging into the FAQ, it's important to note that even the membership program is a method of getting you to log in every day: "If you log in and forget to claim the bonus or if the bonus resets without you logging in, you will not be able to receive Aeos gems for the missed day." The Fortnite membership service by comparison provides the equivalent of $10 worth of ??V-Bucks ??no questions asked, on a monthly basis (that isn't drip-fed).

One more caveat to keep in mind: "Club memb??ership benefits can only be received on the platform used to join.??"

You can find a full FAQ on the membership here, if you are planning on getting it.

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Two teams of two Sylveon + Espeon

A Pokemon Unite Espeon update is arriving soon, and has been dated for May 15, 2022.

The psychic-type will be a ranged attacker in Unite parlance, which aligns with the current Eeveelution situation; also a ranged attacker. At the moment, Sylveon is also in the game, which evolves from Eevvee into the fa?iry-type. That means both teams can presumably start with ??two Eevee's each: not confusing at all!

We sort of knew this was coming, as Espeon was recently datamined (alongside of Delphox), but it's nice to have confirmation with this firm Pokemon Unite Espeon update. Further datamining claims that there will be an event to pick up Sylveon for free, similar to how Hoopa was released. ??It stands to reason ?that eventually every Eeevee-lution will make it in, given how popular the branching Pokemon is in general. Can a speedster Jolteon be next? Maybe with a speedster rework?

As far as how the bigger picture is going, the news comes directly after Pokemon Unite decided to "postpone" thei??r unappealing subsc??ription service, potentially to retool it after user reactions. Right now the game is on Season 7 of its battlepass, which adorns a Japanese aesthetic, and is ac?companied by a "challenge series" that rewards floral currency that can be spent on rewards.

It's not super exciting! Fundamentally Unite has things ??to like about it still, but it's failed to hook me content-wise outside of the occasional new character drop that I resonate with. A subscription service would actually push me further from the game if anything.

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Sub of the month club

A Pokemon Unite subscription ser?vice is coming to town, and it d??oesn't sound great on paper based on what they're offering.

Here's what a whopping $8.99 per month (the current estimate off of 1,150 yen, which will be finalized) will get you with the upcoming Pokemon Unite subscription (thanks to info from Dotesports), which is m??ore than? some streaming channels' monthly fees:

• 40 gems (premium currency) per day (at the lowest purchase tier, it's $1 for 60 gems).
• A "Holowear of the month" (a character skin â€?this month it's for Greedent).
• Two licenses to try out skins each week.
• Two license trials for characters each week (Wigglytuff and Absol are shown for the first month).
• New portraits and quick-chat cosmetics.
• 10% off trainer cosmetics (and a bonus Hoopa day one trainer outfit).

As a whole, it feels like a pricey way to get people to spend more money rather than a bonus. This is on top of the microtransaction system (which still feeds into gameplay via held item level boosting: a practice some have come to terms with) and the season pass mechanic, which has a premium track. With convoluted trials worked in as "perks," it feels like a first draft.

Pokemon Unite has been struggling to deliver hard content for a while outside of new premium characters to buy, login events that provide cosmetics, and gimmicky seasonal modes that all feel the same. Even many of their skins are underwhelming, including the monthly premium Pokemon Unite subscription cosmetic: which is just Greedent wearing a bow and a berry hat (which would adm??ittedly make Malibu? Stacy jealous). Currently there is no start date.

I'm still occasionally going back to check out each seasonal meta, but this Pokemon Unite subscriptio?n servi??ce as-is is doing nothing for me.

[Update: The Unite Twitter account claims the May?? 1 date was an error and it has b?een "postponed."]

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The game is still free-to-play

Pokemon Unite downloads have hit a whole new high, as The Pokemon Company reports that over 70 million people worldwide have grabbed the game. While the figure wasn't broken down (and of course, does not denote active players), the number comes from a new Japanese YouTube ad (below), with the subtext that the 70 million Pokemon Unite download??s mark includes both the mobile and Switch editions.

As a whole, Pokemon Unite hasn't changed much in the past few months. For the most part we just get a new character every so often (Azumarill is the latest), a typically polarizing limited-time event mode, and a whole bunch of login bonuses for some type of currency (music notes, cowboy paraphernal??ia, Easter eggs).

Because of that, like many seasonal games, I wander in and out depending on how fun the meta is at that current time. The excitement of nearly everyone I know playing it has gone, w?hich is typical of free-to-play games like this that require less of an ongoing investment.

Still, Pokemon Unite does its job. It's easy enough to jump ??back in, and I still log in regularly to get free rewards, which I've used to pick up new characters after they've been nerfed/buffed and settle into the meta. MOBA characters are premium real estate fo??r free players!

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7elQQ3qTdM

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Duraludon is out on March 14

[Update: Duraludon is now live in Pokemon Unite, and here are the accompanying patch notes. There are a f?ew minor changes, including alterations to Mr. Mime's Guard Swap, and Ninetails' Auror?a Veil.]

Last week The Pokemon Company unveiled a new fighter making its way into Unite on March 14, and now we have the Duraludon character spotlight video to make it official.

Duraludon is an attacker, which will feel right at home to a large number of MOBA players who just want to trigger abilities and see numbers fly across the scr??een. Interestingly it employs a turret-like strategy with its ranged attacks, and has access to AOE (with a damage over time effect) with stealth rock.

As per usual (and this applies to cross-regional patch notes for Pokemon Unite as well), the six-and-a-half-minute Japanes??e spotlight video is actually more educational, providing an actual rundown of the character with commentary and text. The English version is a 30-second gameplay drop that forces you to glean every bit of info without specifics.

You can find both below, but Sivalus ??over on Reddit actually translated most of the former for stat-hung??ry players. The gist is that Duraludon is a tanky attacker, with the power to cancel a knock back or knock up once every 30 seconds (heavy ?metal), and has the ability to "mark" enemies to deal more damage to them.

This mechanic is commonly known as a "hunter's mark," and could add?? a lot more depth to Duraludon than we first thought. Duraludon also?? adds quite a bit of utility as stealth rock can slow, and it seems fairly resilient.

English Duraludon character spotlight:

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvtomYyB60E

Japanese Duraludon character spotlight:

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHe-mCVu7wI

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Bank error in our favor: skip multiple days of challenges

If you want to finish the Pokemon Unite free ?Hoopa challenge early, just log in and check your mail. You're going to be a lot closer.

In case you haven't signed into Pokemon Unite in a while, there's currently a "Hoopa Special Event" running right now. The pot of gold at the? end of the rainbow? Hoopa itself: via a full character license (which will save you 1000+ coins).

Right now, the best way to finish up Hoopa's event is to play at least one game, and complete the ??special quest at the top of the "g??et ingredients" menu (usually it's something easy like scoring three times in a match, or use your unite move twice: but it's something you need to be aware of and actually do). If you log in each day and simply do one round and that quest, you'll actually finish two quests (one of them is "play a game"), and you'll be on your way to getting Hoopa.

Of course, you can just skip a lot of the pageantry and get it early, then forget about logging in if you want, as a result of a new mailer from the Unite team. The letter notes, as a notice of apology and compensation: "We sincerely apologize for the recent inconvenience our users have experienced. Please accept the attached ite??ms as compensati?on." To access the letter, click on your character portrait in the top left, then go to "mail."

The "inconvenience" dealt with the Hoopa event being bugged a bit. And the "comp?ensation" is 200 ingredient r?eagents: which translates to roughly 10 levels for the Hoopa challenge.

While the ingredients are set to expire in 29 days via the mailer, the actual event is only?? running for around 13 more days. So log in, claim the ingredients, play a few games here and there, and get your f??ree Hoopa.

Hoopa has been shaking up the meta since its arrival a few days ago, mainly with its ability to warp between lanes with hyperspace hole. It's one of the most powerful traversal powers yet in Pokemon Unite, so?? with a coordinated team, it can be incredibly effective.

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Due this week

A Pokemon Unite Aegislash update is on the way, and it's due out on February 10. The news comes directly from the development team, who provided a new loo??k at the edgy all-rounder.

In case you haven't been keeping track, here is the rundown on all post-launch DLC for the game:

• Gardevoir
• Blissey
• Blastoise
• Mamoswine
• Sylveon
• Greedent
• Tsareena
• Dragonite
• Trevenant
• Aegislash

That's roughly 10 characters in six months, several of which are going fo?r 10,000 gold a pop. If you're already juggling one or more similar games, it feels like a lot. But it is a MOBA after all, so the initial injection cadence is going to be high to help sustain an interesting meta; and there generally doesn't seem to be many costs associated with these characters, given the complete lack of voice acting and some basic animations in several cases.

As for the Pokemon Unite Aegislash rundown, it'll actually level up as? Honedge, then Doublade at level five, and finally Aegislash at level seven. As an all-rounder, Aegislash has the appealing option of flexing into a more tanky or damage-dealing build, as evidenced by their first ability choice of Shadow Sneak (damage) or Iron Defense (shield). I really hope they nail this concept because it has a lot of potential, especially in competitive play.

I h?aven't been this interested in a character literally since the launch of the game. I low-key love this Pokemon, and it's one of my favorite designs in recent years. The flex playstyle and formidable nature of the design really sell it for me.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpDVY3cZhSc

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Worlds is back and better than ever

The Pokémon World Championships is one of the biggest events in esports, and this year, it sounds like it's getting an upgrade. After the tournaments were canceled for the past few years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Pokémon Unite will finally be making its debut at Worlds in August of 2022. If that wasn't good enough news, The Pokémon Company also disclosed in a producer letter that Unite will also be getting a new tournament mode to prepare for the game??'s debut at Worlds that will "even the playing field for players, regardless of their held item grades."

This isn't the first time the event has seen changes, as the original Worlds only featured the Pokémon trading card game. Mainline Pokémon video games were added in 2009 (with a different game being played every year), while Pokkén Tournament got its own championship series in 2016. It was also announced last year that Pokémon Go would be added to the 2022 World Championships as well, along with Unite,?? so it sounds like this year, the event is going to be bigger than ever.

In addition to the news about Worlds and the tournament mode, the producer letter also announced that Pokémon Unite will soon support additional languages, includin??g Bahasa Indonesia, Brazilian Portuguese, Hindi, Russian, Thai, and Turkish. The Pokémon World Championships already welcomes players from all around the world, so hopefully these language updates can help even more players be part of the franchise's largest event of the year.

This is all we know so far, so make sure to keep an eye out for any more updates about Worlds and Pokémon Unite's new tournament mode. And of course, jump in-game and start practicing, because qualifying rounds are just around the corner, and August will certainly be here before we know it??.

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Get it after the December 9 update

[Update: It's live now! You just need to log into the game and you'll net your free Pokemon Unite Tsareena license. You don't need to wait until the reset, get it while it's convenient, and keep ?in mind that?? there are more holiday events going on.]

Even if you aren't actively playing Pokemon Unite, but intend to come back one day, you may as well try and log in daily. The game always has some sort of bonus going on, including the current Pokemon Unite Tsareena promo.

That promo is straight-up getting the character for free. If you log in after the planned December 9 update, you'll earn the license to play it right away. No timeline?? for the promotion was given officially, yet.

Described by the team as "a powerful All-Rounder that will dance around the competition," Tsareena has been fully revealed, with all its animations and moves on display in the trailer below. The fact that this character is an all-rounder is pretty important, as it's the first DLC addition from that?? classification.

Movement seems to be key for the new addition, as do auto-attacks. I'm getting big Zeraora vibes based on the trailer, and the Unite move looks to be a killer direct takedown. Like many MOBA characters before it, at f??irst glance, Tsareena could be a "duel" Pokemon that excels in one-on-one matchups. That sort of style is perfect for solo queuing, as you can potentially carry your team by picking off enemies. We'll find out how things actually play out once Tsareena is in the mix this week.

No matter how you feel about the new character choice, make sure you take advantage of the Pokemon Unite Tsareena promo come December 9. Also don't forget that you can claim a ?bunch of Aeos Tickets for free unt??il December 31. You just need to log in two separate days to grab two sets of 2,021 ticket bonuses. This is on top of all of the aforementioned "weekly" login bonus pr??omos, and the Tsareena bonus itself.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdHgbuI-sZ8

The post PSA: Pokemon Unite is getting Tsareena this week, and you can unlock?? it for free (Update) appeared first on Destructoid.

The Unite arena will be filled with holiday cheer, and also snowmen

Pokemon Unite will be celebrating the season from this month into next, and a beefy slew of updates are on the way to make it all happen. Alongside the previously announced Tsareena, Dragonite will also enter Pokemon Unite as a playable Pokemon later this month.

From Dec. 15 through Jan. 16, 2022, players can log on to get special gifts and rewards in Pokemon Unite. Of particular interest will be a free Pokemon: Tsareen?a's Un??ite license will be available for free between Dec. 9 and Dec. 31.

Then, on Dec. 20, Dragonite arrives in Pokemon Unite. Both a??re melee-focused All-Rounders, s??o congratulations to those holding out for some new brawlers to play.

//t??witter.com/Po??kemonUnite/status/1468566852641206275

If you aren't looking for an All-Rounde??r, there's still plenty to do. The Illumination Challenge, running De??c. 15 through Jan. 16, will let you complete missions to light up a holiday tree and earn rewards. Likewise, the Photo Challenge (running Dec. 24 through Jan. 6) will add more challenges and rewards too.

Another Quick Battle map will also ?arrive, similar to the pumpkin-flinging Halloween event. In the Snowball Battle in Shivre City, you'll be able to snowball other Pokemon to turn them into snowmen. (Snow-Pokemon? Snow-mon?) It sounds a little frustrating, but Delibirds will also appear in the arena, rewarding special one-time battle items to use. Plus, Ava??lugg gets replaced by the legendary bird Articuno.

There are also a bunch of log-in gifts you can read about on the Pokemon Unite blog here too. Basically, it sounds like there are a lot of reasons to be logging onto Pokemon Unite for the holiday season. You know, aside from avoiding family time or something??.

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Celebrate 2021 with 4042 Aeos Tickets

'Tis the season to be giving, and TiMi Studio Group is giving away a ton of Aeos Tickets in Pokemon Unite. Right now, you can log in and scor?e two free batches of 2,?021 Aeos Tickets for a limited time.

Shared on the Pokemon Unite Twitter account today, players can log into Pokemon Unite and get a free batch of 2,021 Aeos Tickets between now and Dec. 31. You can claim Aeos Tickets once a day on two separate days, so you can accumulate a total of 4,042 Aeos Tickets overall, just for logging in. It's all in celebration of Pokemon Unite winning the Google Play "Best of 2021" Users' Choice Awar?d in multiple regio??ns.

//twitter.com?/PokemonUnite/status/14661204341?68975360

With more Pokemon arriving and seasons bringing in plenty of new cosmetics, a few extra tickets is a pretty good deal. Plus, over 4,000 tickets is a whole lot of Item Enhancers. Time to boost up whatever items you didn't already max out from the previous Item Enhancer surge.

I've been pretty surprised at the amount of support still rolling out for Pokemon Unite as the months have rolled on. Granted, Pokemon Unite was already pretty enjoyable at launch. But little updates like this give me a decent reason to take a Halo break and log back in. All the w?hile, I'm still crossing my fingers for an Umbreo??n or Arcanine addition to the game.

Pokemon Unite i?s currently available for Ninte?ndo Switch and mobile devices.

The post PSA: You can get a ?bunch of free Aeos Tickets in Pokemon Unite right now appeared first on Destructoid.

The archer flies into battle

The next Pokemon arriving in the Unite arena is set to land next week. Decidueye joins the lineup of Pokemon Unite on Nov. 19, 2021.

After being teased and leaked earlier this week, the Pokemon Unite Twitter account officially confirmed the addition today.

//twitter.com/PokemonUni??te/status/1459144194966966279

The Arrow Quill Pokemon first appeared as the final evolution of Rowlet, a Starter Pokemon in Pokemon Sun and Moon. It's likely that Decidueye will, like other Starter Pokemon, evolve up from Rowlet during the course of a Unite match.

From the short overview shown above, Decidueye seems like what you'd expect: a ranged character with an evasive, poking playstyle, constantly peppering opponents with quills. The design of Decidueye in Pokemon Unite reminds me a bit of the League of Legends character Xayah, honestly.

The new Pokemon will debut next week, and continues to build up on the lineup of Pokemon Unite. Since launch, the roster's included new and old Pokemon, from Blastoise and Blissey to Mamoswine and Greedent. God, Greedent. That little squirrel was the bane of my Pokemon Unite existence for a solid week.

It's surprising that the next Pokemon joining the lineup isn't from the upcoming Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, given those games launch on the same day. Feels a bit like a missed opportunity, but considering the pace at which Unite has been adding Pokemon, there's certainly still a window? for mo??re Gen 4 to land in.

Pokemon Unite is currently available on?? both mobile p??latforms and Nintendo Switch.

The post Decidueye flies into Pokemon Unite on November 19 appeared first on Destructoid.

Season 3 removed a few things and didn't add much

So far, Pokemon Unite has solidified itself as an uneven, but bite-sized take on the MOBA genre that I liked to dabble in on a weekly basis. But so far based on Pokemon Unite's new season, the newly launched Season 3, I'm findin??g it a bit harder to log in.

Inexplicably, without communication (crucial to every live service game in 2021, much less MOBAs), several elements were removed. Daily missions are now elimin?ated: one of the better reward-earners for casual fans who just logged in for 30 minutes or so per day. Many of the quests are now tethered to playing with ??a friend like last season, which is a detriment to anyone who plays solo or just wants to get on for a bit and unwind.

Several skins were also removed from the in-game storefront without warning. Stakeout Garchomp (the detective-style trench ??coat costume), the big one of the lot, is now completely gone. The vast majority of M??OBAs, if not all in the modern era, provide a heads up to fans if something is going to be removed from the game to avoid obvious counts of FOMO. But given developer TIMI's past, it makes sense.

My other big issue is with the lack of personality with the season pass. The first one was basically a mulligan, but in the end, gave us a striking skin for Cinderace: who's still a popular character at all ranks. Season 2 was a huge step up, going all-in on the "space" theme, providing your trainer with a really fun astronaut outfit to match the Space Gengar skin reward. But Season 3's "Sun, Sun, Sunshine" isn't doing it for me. The theme just makes zero sense since it's taking place in November, like it was planned for a future spring or summer season and thrown in last minute. The skins for Charizard and Venusaur are also mediocre t??o the point where I would consider not buying them with the in-game cosmetic currency (fashion tickets).

In a few weeks, we could see a Pokemon Diamond and Pearl tie-in character (all info points to Decidueye though) and more quality of life upgrades (we are getting an incredibly small balance upda??te tomorrow, after the season ar?rived). But for now, this celebratory season ring-??in has made the game feel more stale.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=EF_ewpXtlZU

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Don't get sucked in

The Pokemon Unite Halloween mode is here, and there's a lot of stuff to unpack here. In addition to Chanseys everywhere dominating the Halloween map through Safeguard, we also have the opportunity to unlock a free character, and potentially partake in the sheer slot machine that is Pokemon Unite pumpkin boxes.

The thing is, it's pure gambling. While the idea of a "box" seems like it would grant a random cosmetic, Unite isn't quite there yet. Yes, you can buy the new Lucario skin that's worth the equivalent of $40 in gems (that Ninetails skin set a bad precedent), but the pumpkin box racket is actual??ly more insidious somehow.

The shor??t of it is that players will accrue pumpkins as a secondary currency to unlock several Halloween-themed rewards. The big prize is the aforementioned Greedent character for 70 pumpkins, but you can also grab cosmetic things for your trainer for less. Or, you can buy a pumpkin box for two pumpkins, and gamble. Here's how it works.

Breaking down the Pokemon Unite pumpkin boxes percentages

• x1 Pumpkin - 63.27%
• x2 Pumpkin - 31.64% (read: break even)
• x5 Pumpkin - 3.16%
• x10 Pumpkin - 1.58%
• x20 Pumpkin - 0.32%
• x50 Pumpkin - 0.03%

So that drops off quite a bit yeah? To be clear, there is a 63.27% chance that you will actually lose money gambling on more pumpkins. There is a 5.09% chance that you will get anything better than breaking even. The hous??e always wins!

It's baffling that Tencent made this system so opaque in such a big franchise, and it's kind of crazy that The Pokemon Company and by proxy, Nintendo, are hitching their wagon to this. I mean, I get why they might want to throw some franchises to the gacha wolves for quick cash: that makes sense. But Pokemon? This feels like poking the bear, akin to how major general news outlets picked up the Star Wars Battlefront loot box controversy.

I can only describe this whole scheme as a social experiment. Ignore the boxes, just accrue pumpkins the old-fashioned way and get what you can get. Remember that if you do buy Greedent before y?ou get it via pumpkins, you will get the coin [in-game cash] equivalent if you acquire the license through the pumpkin menu.

As another tip, if you're having issues earning the "win games in the new Halloween mode" pumpkin rewards, you can swap to CPU Matches in a little purple menu near "start" [match] and clean up that way. The Halloween map is extremely? swingy, so this is actually preferable, and you can just get it out of th??e way and coast on login pumpkin bonuses.

The post The scammy Pokemon Unite pumpkin bo?xes are? the most Tencent move yet appeared first on Destructoid.

Get a free squirrel by completing tasks and logging in

The Halloween Festival has kicked off in Pokemon Unite, adding a new currency and turning the main screen into a fiendishly festive landing page. But it isn't just about costumes and candy, as Pokemon Unite playe??rs can also pick up a free Greedent license this ??week if they save up their pumpkins.

As announced on the Pokemon Unite Twitter, Greedent is one of the rewards available during the Halloween Festival. It's also the newest Pokemon in Pokemon Unite as of this writing, so it seems like a good opportunity to bolster your roster with some n??ew 'mons.

//twitter.com/PokemonUnit??e/status/1450601504583217154

You can earn a license for Greedent (a.k.a. the ability to pick Greedent) by trading in pumpkins. The new pumpkin currency is part of the Halloween event, and you earn it by either p?laying and winning games in the spooky new stadium variant or through daily log-ins during the event.

TiMi Studios also notes that for the upcoming Festival, not all players will be able to obta?in all rewards by event's end. So while there are a few different cosmetic rewards alo??ngside Greedent, you might want to save your pumpkins until you know exactly what you want.

Greedent's playstyle sounds fairly unique for the Defender class. He uses belly flops and berries, and overall, isn't quite what you'd expect when put up alongside other beefy Defende?rs like Blastoise or Snorlax. But as a Defender player myself, I welcome the newcomer to the fold, and will definitely be saving up to add some variety to my rotation.

The Halloween Festival has also kicked off, with the aforementioned Mer Stadium variant and a bunch of new cosmetics for both Pokemon ??and their Trainers. Hopefully there are some scary Ghost Pokemon set to arrive soon too, just to really round out the October atmosphere.

The post PSA: Pokemon Unite players can get Greedent for free during the Hal?loween Festival appeared first on Destructoid.

They've been there since the last big update, whether you realized it or not

So I've been playing a lot of Pokemon Unite since launch across all three modes, and have been gravitating toward some of the more meta picks to better understand the game. And I don't just mean which characters to pick: ability and held item builds as well. The thing is, instead of relying on an outside "winrate API" like a lot of other MOBAs, there are a chunk of tools right in the actual game that you can peruse first. Here's a Pokemon Unite spectator build guide.

Pokemon Unite spectator build guide

See that image above? It's a master list of the held item builds for every Pokemon in the game, made by top players. That's where you're going to start really honing in on what the pros are playing. And it's right there in that held item menu you've probably? gone to a billion time?s! Let's access it.

Head to the "held item" section of the updated master me??nu. Then select "change Pokemon" and pick the character you want to investigate. On mobile you can just hit "example sets" to get to the above menu. Scroll past the "recommended" non-meta developer picks and stop once you get to the third entry and beyond: ??those are used by top players.

You might find Buddy Barrier and Focus Band are being u??sed a lot, which should clue you into the fact that both?? are very meta right now. You might also see that several builds are basically the same or are 66% the same: that's normal. In any case, it should give you a decent idea of what held items to level up, and which ones to hold off on (until the next potential game-changing balance patch).

If you take some notes, you can find several items that line up between a?ll of your f??avorite characters, and finally use those level 30 item boosters with confidence.

The other side of this coin is specta??ting. Again, the option is right there on the main menu, you may have breezed past it.

Here, you can check out a menu for "to?p-ranking trainers" across multiple modes to get an idea of how they're using certain characters: or the fact that they're using specific characters at all. You might? notice that Lucario is heavily utilized for instance, which would lead you down the path of checking out builds using the above method, as well as watching these in-game replays.

The thing is, these replays are extremely info-heavy, in a good way. You get to see everything in the match, from the opening rotation to the abilities chosen. Ju??st?? open the scoreboard (on mobile you click the little "list" with dots and lines in the upper right-hand corner) and you can see all of that information. You can also fast forward or pause.

Another low-key boon is the chance to swap freely between everyone on both teams. Yep, if someone is doing very well on either side?? and you want to get a look at them, you can do that in the replay. This level of control is a massive upgrade from the complete lack of an in-game spectator mode in the past, so take advantage of it!

Aeos Clubhouse podcast member Mochrie is actually going through some of these top-ranked replays themselves, and compiling them on YouTube. It's ??a great resource if you can't access the game but want to see what the pros are doing.

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Another Pokemon, more Holowear, and a Halloween map makeover are coming soon

Pokemon Unite has a new playable Pokemon and some fabulous fall costumes lined up for an in-game Halloween event that's running from October 20 to November 7. There's enough here �from Charizard's beanie-with-?a-scarf Bonfire Style, to the seed-firing squirrel-esque critter Greedent, to Wigglytuff in pajamas �that I want to show up.

What exactly I'll accomplish in Pokemon Unite remains to be seen. But I'm interested!

//youtu.be/5haVduDbCpw

I like that the map itself will get in the Halloween spirit with visual changes, and I'm generally into the idea of taking a less noteworthy or "cool" Pokemon �in this case, Greedent �and getting me to care about them. The rapid-fire seed attack is a good start. That's my kind of MOBA move. So, as a super-casual Unite fan, I like what I'm seeing.

About once a week, I remember that I'm not playing Pokemon Unite even though maybe I should be, and then ??it hits me that I've fal??len off the constant check-in schedule, which keeps my "Ehh, not today!" energy going indefinitely. Limited-time events, particularly ones centered around a holiday, can be the cure for that kind of procrastination.

I completely missed this, but nothing gets past the internet: there's a (potential) teaser for Decidueye, who was data-mined, in the YouTube thumbnail. Look at the pumpkins!

Before becoming a badass? archer, Decidueye starts out as Rowlet, aka that happy little jack-o'-lantern on the right side of the image. That sure seems like a ?nod.

Will Halloween mark your return to Pokemon Unite, or is the October event going to be business as usual? I wonder how many of us have fallen off (and been easily replaced). On the one hand, I genuinely do want to stay invested enough to stay competitive against the average player, but I'm als??o happy to be "free" from the live-service-game treadmill.

The post For ??Halloween, Pokemon Unite is getting Gre??edent and a smug Charizard appeared first on Destructoid.

And it's expensive

Pokemon Unite has taken the mobile arena by storm lately, thanks to its mobile port that gives it life off of the Switch pla??tform. But now Sylveon is the main event, and it's all due to a very swift stealth update.

Eevee is a major part of the Pokemon universe, thanks to a heavy history due to the anime and the obviousness of the Let's Go Eevee success. So it's no wonder that Nintendo would make a big deal of it, and Sylveon is part of the Pokemon Unite family as of today.

Sylveon is extremely expensive, clocking in at 10,000 coins, or 575 gems if you're opting for the premium route. It's very i??nteresting, as the character kind of swooped in at an unprecedented cost without warning, at an off time.

Start??ing off as Eevee, Sylveon was destined for fame. But even with modest held items, Sylveon is powerful, able to answer multiple calls, with heavy damage and the chance to slot into several roles.

What's interesting about Eevee/Sylveon is how powerful it is early game, as the quick evolution potential allows for strong lane/Drednaw control. I noticed that it's very easy to evolve quickly, swapping into Sylveon with a Hyper Voice/Calm Mind build. With three level 30s in tow, I was able to quickly accl?im??ate. Unlike Mamoswine, which is fun, yet, slow (with lots of animation windup issues), Sylveon is strong out of the gate.

Although the meta will no doubt even out, it's a very strong case for balancing around ranked play; pulling the Overwatched style of letting the meta play out for a few weeks before im??plementing new characters. Only time will tell, but for now, Sylveon seems like a win with the community?.

The post Sylveon is live in Pokemon Unite, without fanfare appeared first on Destructoid.

TiMi's streak continues

Earlier this year, the folks over at Riot Games released the long-awaited mobile version of their hit League of Legends game titled Wild Rift. It's been, by all accounts, a huge success, with more than 40 million downloads worldwide generating somewhere in the ballpark of $67 million in its first couple of months. If it's anything like?? its PC counterpart, it's on its way to becoming one of the biggest games in esports.

With Tencent all but abandoning its Arena of Valor MOBA in the west, Wild Rift's release was the perfect opportunity for me to try and get back into the genre. But try as I might, I just couldn't do it. Whether it was the world or the characters or the fact that I just couldn't be bothered to research the best builds for my champions, something about Wild Rift just didn't click for me, and after a few weeks of really giving it my all, I cleared it off my phone and didn't look back. Without a proper gaming PC to give Heroes of the Storm a shot, the next best chance I'd have at getting back into the genre would be with Pokémon Unite, the much-reviled-up??on-reveal free-to-play MOBA from The Pokémon Company, Ten??cent, and the latter's highly touted TiMi Studio Group. The game was first released over the summer for Nintendo Switch, and just last week, it finally made its debut on mobile.

If you haven't tried Pokémon Unite yet, give Chris Carter's review of the Switch version a read to see if it's something you might be interested in. Like many here at Destructoid, I jumped on the bandwagon day one and found what I consider to be the best MOBA I've played. Or, at the very least, the MOBA that most easily gels with the rest of my life. The 10-minute limit on matches makes it perfect for lunch breaks at work, and the simplicity of the gameplay creates something of a laid-back, low-key experience. Seeing how I get with games like Overwatch and Knockout City, it'??s nice to have a competitive game I can chill out with.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDdPqBuw0MU&t

If you have played Unite and are wondering how it works on mobile, you really only need to look at who's developing the game to find that answer. TiMi Studio Group is arguably the most reliable mobile developer in the business, creating games that run great on high-end phones as well as those mid-range devices I tend to stick with. It's no different with Unite. On my Google Pixel 3A, it's exactly the same experience I have on Switch, just on a smaller screen and with touch controls. And those mobile controls are legitimately good even if some interactable icons can be a bit s??mall. As for how it runs, I haven't experienced any drops of the framerate or slowdown running the game with the second-best graphics option. That's true even in situ??ations where all 10 competitor Pokémon are on screen at once trying to kill each other over that Zapdos.

If your phone can only run Unite on its lowest setting, you'll be happy to know the art direction is vivid enough that you'll still be able to see everything clearly despite a reduced resolution. While the game will automatically pick the ideal settings for your device, you're free to experiment with them as you please. If you are well-versed with mobile MOBAs, you'll probably want to experiment with some of the available control options as well. While Unite is not as customizable as I'd like it to be in this regard, there are some options I found that improved my player experien?ce, such as opting for Advanced Controls and switching the scoring mechanism to a button press rather than a but?ton hold.

Of course, the best thing about Pokémon Unite on mobile is it has cross-play and cross-progression with the Switch version. As more and more games release on mobile as well as console/PC, this needs to be standard practice. The lack of cross-progression between mobile and PlayStation is certainly what killed my interest in Genshin Impact earlier this year before the feature was ultimately? added to t??he game. By having cross-progression available right from the get-go, I am fully vested here and I don't foresee anything that's going to get me to stop playing.

Now, Pokémon Unite on mobile does carry over the problems that have already been well-documented on Switc?h. That scummy pay-to-win scheme with held items is still around, the weekly limit on coins earned negatively affects players who don't put any money into the game, and the menu system is in desperate need of some streamlining. Also, I keep getting teamed with people who want to give up too quickly, but that's something I can hardly blame on the game.

Despite all that, I'm not going to stop playing. In fact, I might actually spend money on Pokémon Unite should some cute outfits arrive during the holiday season. That's how much I'm enjoying it. It's, as our own Jordan Devore described it, a MOBA where "the stakes feel low in a great way," and honestly, that's a?ll I've ever wanted from this genre.

The post Sorry, Wild ??Rift, bu?t Pokemon Unite is my favorite mobile MOBA of 2021 appeared first on Destructoid.

If you don't need a free Zeraora, you'll get coin compensation

Remember the free Zeraora promotion for Pokemon Unite? Well that one is over. And a new one has begun.

While the previous promo was one of the easiest ways to get a character in Unite to date (you literally just redeem him from your mailbox), this one is a little more involved. Now, you can still get a free Zeraora! Bu??t it'll take a bit more work.

Now that the mobile edition is out, you can earn him by winning 32 battles in any mode. After winning two battles on the same track you'll get 100 Aeos Tickets, then 450 Aeos Coins for eight wins, 50 item enhancers for 16 wins, then Zeraora for 32. You can fi?nd that promo on the new event menu in the reworked UI, where all of your challenges are stored.

Note that you're in a favorable position if you already got your free Zeraora, as you can still "unlock" the license for it at 32 wins, and you'll just get a free cash (gold) equivalent. Remember that quick match is always an option for grinding out wins, as they take half th?e time of a normal match.

In the second season there's a very similar trick for Pikachu, which was added for free as part of a mobile launch promotion. As a tip, you can get your Pikachu at the cheap starting price if you're a new player, then redeem the free Pikachu on the event menu. You'll actually get? coin compensati?on based on the full pricing of Pikachu in the storefront and come out richer.

The post PSA: You can still get a free Zeraora after the P?okemon Unite mobile launch appeared first on Destructoid.

September 29

Recently, Pokemon Unite has undergone some big changes: you can read all about them here! The game launched on mobile, a bunch of things were tweaked, the UI got an overhaul, and we have the ability ???to earn three level-30 item enhancers. It's an improvement overall, even if a few other things need changing (cough Zapdos). In the meantime, you can look forward to a fresh Mamoswine release date: September 29.

Over on Twitter, the Unite team lets us know the full Mamoswine release date, and we can expect it to arrive like??ly in the early morning. Mamoswine was datamined as a tank, and it looks incredibly ferocious based on the footage. Pretty much everything shown, including their unite (ultimate) move seems to be crowd control ??(CC)-based, which can allow a team to capitalize on an indisposed enemy.

T??he whole "lift/grab" ice move in the video below looks especially effective, as that's a fairly long window that the enemy is completely incapacitated. ?In most MOBAs, those types of moves are deadly with a coordinated team. On top of that he also has a charge and stun, and his unite charges, stuns, and stomps.

Note that this addition is ahead of Sylveon, who was also revealed as an upcoming characte?r, and is probably next up.

//twitter.com/??PokemonUnite/sta??tus/1441749332135333888

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I can't get 'Pokemon...UNITE!' out of my head

Pokemon Unite is still chugging along with some low key updates, and high key character additions (like Blastoise recently). It's also entering the mobile fray this month, at which point the playerbase will skyrocket with new blood. But right above it, developer TiMi Studio Group and The Pokemon Company are planning the first big post-launch Pokemon Unite tournament.

It's going to be held on September 19 (Japan time), and "entry acceptance" starts today, provided you fill out this form. Note that a grasp of the Japanese language is required, as you'll need to coordinate with tourna??ment organizers, as well as chat over a Discord channel created for the event itself.  You also need to be 16 years or older (if you're under 20 you need a guardian to consent), and of course, have a Switch.

The team is going to take entries from today through September 13, though that period might be "shortened" if they fill the cap of 256 worthy entrants before that time. If more than 256 qualify for the Pokemon Unite tournament, then a "lotter?y" will be held to narrow it down??. Yikes! That's so much pressure.

As far as broadcasting goes exact plans haven't been provided, but entrants are allowed to record and distribute footage, so long as? it falls within the guidelines they provide; and it has a delay of five minutes or more on a stream.

Good luck if you decide to join in. I ho??pe your tri-level 30-held-item Lucario ?wrecks.

The post Pokemon Unite just got its first official tournament in Jap??an appeared first on Destructoid.

Blastoise is 8000 coins, 460 gems

So we knew Blastoise was finally coming to Pokemon Unite today, and the stars have aligned, he's not delayed, and he's in! Wait, finally? The game is still pretty new! Well,?? i?t's all a matter of perspective.

Blastoise was front and center in the mobile beta, and was pretty much ready to go already; but two other Pokemon (Gardevoir and Blissey) made it in ?first. Now the big blue tank is getting it??s revenge.

As a n??ote, Blastoise arrives with a new outfit ("fashionable style," which a few other creatures sport too), and will run you 8?000 coins (in-game currency) or 460 gems. This is inline with the other two post-game addons, so we can expect this to be the baseline going forward.

In case you're wondering, there is no major balance patch at this time. Blastoise made it int??o the game and the store has been updated (mostly for that outfit), and there are "bug fixes," but they haven't been widely determined yet.

So what's next? As we know from the recent Pokemon stream, Mamoswine and Sylveon are going to make it in at some point. But who knows! Maybe some newer new character could be announced soon and swoop in before them. Such is life in the fast lane with Pokemon Unite??, which caps your weekly coin intake and charges 8000 coins for characters.

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The post Blastoise is live in Pokemon Unite appeared first on Destructoid.

You can pre-register now

Pokemon Unite mobile now has a date! It's set for September 22, 2021, as revealed on the Pokemon Presents presentation this morning. While the initial Twitter post noted that the team was going to talk about the Diamond and Pearl remakes and Legends, it appears they snuck in? a few quick updates on other games, too.

Depending on how many people pre-register for Pokemon Unite mobi?le (pre-registration is live today on iOS and Android), there will b??e bonuses, including free Pikachu characters (unite licenses are characters) and "Special Festival Style" holowear (in-game skins). It's very likely that the game will hit this mark, as it seems to be a worldwide goal, and the game is still massively popular.

Oh, and Mamoswine and Sylveon are confirmed to be coming to the game at some point, while Blastoise waits in the wings to shake up the tank meta. Blastoise was part of the mobile beta, and has been waiting for a home for a long time. We eve?n have his full move set! One day.

This is all on top of the new Blissey patch today, which brings in some balance changes.?? T?he studio has been busy!

Pre-register for Pokemon Unite on mobile here

The post Pokemon Un??ite launch??es on September 22 on mobile, two new Pokemon confirmed appeared first on Destructoid.

Here's the full vague notes

[Update: So the Pokemon Unite patch is live now, and over on the Japanese site, the notes are a little less vague. The eject button has been nerfed for an "increased cooldown," with several other items [fluffy tail, X-Attack] getting "strengthened," and goal-getter having a reduced cooldown. You can find the improved notes here. Blissey costs 8,000 coins, or 460 gems.]

Pokemon Unite has had a few major lingering talking points since launch: Zapdos and held items are the big ones. But beyond that forest there's a bunch of annoying trees, namely the fact that at high ranks, just about every player takes the eject button (teleport battle item). That might change as of this new patch, which was revealed after Blissey's announcement.

So first things first, the eject button was vaguely nerfed, and we'll see soon enough when the Blissey patch hits whether or not it's still the de facto item. Since the goal-getter, fluffy tail,?? and X attack battle items were buffed, it might help.

From a character standpoint, Crustle, and Garchomp were buffed, while Snorlax (one of the kings of tanks) was nerfed across the board, with his two most-picked talents getting stat decreases, and his unite [h??eroic] move seeing nerfs. Several other characters had midrange balance sweeps, including buffing underpicked talents while nerfing popular ones. A few are getting nothing but bug fixes, like Wigglytuff, Ninetails, Gardevoir, and Cramorant.

The Pokemon Unite patch is set to g?o live on August 18 at 7:00 UTC.

Pokemon Unite patch details

• Bug Fixes
• Text Fixes
• Shop Updates

Changes are being made to some Pokémon stats and moves to adj?ust the balance of Unite Battles.

Crustle
Stealth Rock:

• Cooldown reduced.
• Damage dealt to opposing Pokémon increased.

Rock Tomb:

• Damage dealt to opposing Pokémon increased.

Garchomp
Movement speed changed.

Bulldoze:

• Damage dealt to opposing Pokémon increased.

Dragon Rush:

• Cooldown reduced.

Slowbro
Surf:

• Duration of effects on opposing Pokémon decreased.

Scald:

• Bug Fixes
• Damage dealt to opposing Pokémon increased.

Snorlax
Heavy Slam:

• Damage dealt to opposing Pokémon decreased.

Block:

• Duration of effects on opposing Pokémon decreased.

Flail:

• Move Upgrade

Unite Move: Power Nap

• HP restoration decreased.

Greninja
Smokescreen:

• Move Downgrade
• Cooldown lengthened.

Water Shuriken:

• Cooldown reduced.
• Damage dealt to opposing Pokémon increased.

Double Team:

• Cooldown reduced.

Wigglytuff
Unite Move: Starlight Recital

• Bug Fixes

Cinderace
Basic Attack:

• Bug Fixes

Alolan Ninetales
Snow Warning:

• Bug Fixes

Aurora Veil:

• Bug Fixes

Gardevoir
Basic Attack

• Bug Fixes

Psychic:

• Bug Fixes

Cramorant
Hurricane:

• Bug Fixes

Wild Pokémon
Avalugg

• Stat Decrease

Battle Items
Eject Button

• Stat Decreases

Goal-Getter

• Stat Increases

Fluffy Tail

• Stat Increases

X Attack

• Stat Increases

The post Pokemon Unite’s Blissey patch finally nerfs eject button (Update) appeared first on Destructoid.