One of the biggest surprises to come out of the Pokemon Day presentation was the announcement of the brand-new titlePokemon Champions. While details about the game are still scarce,Pokemon Championshas been confirmed as a new way for players to compete against one another using mons both from the game and ones transferred in fromPokemon Home. While this title sounds like it could reshape the future of competitivePokemonbattles, it also seems to mark the revival of one type of game that’s been missing since Gen 4.
Side games and spin-offs have become just as much a part of thePokemonfranchise as the mainline games, but the forms these games take have changed over the years. While recent years have seenPokemonspin-offstake off in the mobile space, there was a time when the hand-held-only main series was complemented by side games on home consoles.Pokemon Championsseems to be combining the best of these two eras, taking a battle simulation game likePokemon Stadiumand bringing a twist to the formula in a way that hasn’t been seen sincePokemon Battle Revolution.
Pokemon Champions is the First Battle Simulator Since Gen 4
Pokemon Battle Simulators Were Popularized With the Stadium Series
Some of the earliest spin-off games thePokemonfranchise saw were thePokemonStadium games. Originally released for the N64,Pokemon Stadiumand its sequel helped players to view battles in a whole new way, taking the sprites of the Game Boy games, translating them to 3D models, and allowing players to battle against one another in local PvP. WhilePokemon StadiumandPokemon Stadium 2lacked the same level of story and exploration as the main series, their emphasis on cinematic battles created a popular new subseries of battle simulators.
ThePokemon Stadiumseries has a third, original game that was only ever released in Japan. What the West got asPokemon Stadiumwas actually titledPokemon Stadium 2in Japan.
Pokemon Colosseum and XD: Gale of Darkness Put a Twist on the Franchise’s Battle Simulators
After Gens 1 and 2 popularized the battle-simulator style games withPokemon StadiumandPokemon Stadium 2, Gen 3 took this type of game in a new direction.Pokemon Colosseumand its follow-up,Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness, featured the same battle simulation mechanics of the previous games, including the ability to transfer mons from the mainline games. However, these games featured a more robust narrative, as well as a unique mechanic that allowed players to snag and purify Shadow Pokemon from other trainers.
Pokemon Battle Revolution Was the Last True Battle Simulator
Gen 4 saw the release ofPokemon Battle Revolutionfor the Wii, which walked things back a bit from the previous games.Pokemon Battle Revolutiondidn’t have the same type of story asColosseumandXD: Gale of Darkness, instead opting for a more strict battle simulation style of gameplay. A major feature ofBattle Revolutionwas the ability to battle against other players over Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, taking the best parts of the Stadium games to the next level.
Despite the love these spin-off games received from fans, a new battle simulator hasn’t been released since Gen 4’sBattle Revolution. Now, it seems likePokemon Championsis returning to what made these battle simulation games so beloved, with an emphasis on battle mechanics as well as the ability to transfer critters fromPokemon Homefor use in online PvP. While it’s unclear ifPokemon Championswill feature aColosseum-esque story mode, the fact that it will allow players a new avenue for online battles is something worth getting excited about.
