If you’ve ever looked at Pokémon Go and wished for less walking in your mobile game, Pokémon Duel has got a pleasant surprise in store for you.
At this point your reaction should be “Pokémon Duel? What’s that?” And that’s the right response, because The Pokémon Company has sneaked out this mobile game without making much of a big deal out of it. That’s unusual, because we’re sure that Nintendo fans will scramble to play this turn-based Pokémon title.
Players are tasked with setting up teams of six Pokémon (represented as little digital figures), customising their abilities and attacks and then using those teams to take on other players on a grid-based board. The gameplay, seen in the video above, reminds us a lot of the Hitman GO style of tactical game, mixed with a spot of chess. The point is to get your Pokémon to your opponent’s side of the board while fending off enemy Pokémon. Games can take place online, in real-time. Best of all, there’s no walking.
There are also micro-transactions to be had for players who don’t like to wait, covering everything from buying to upgrading your Pokémon team using in-game gems. These gems can be collected while playing or… you could buy them in bulk. We’re sure the publisher would prefer the latter.
The game is available now for both iOS and Android but South African iPhone users (without an international account) are in for a spot of waiting. It’s not available on the local App Store as yet. Android gamers can get their download going here.
Source: Polygon