A wild puzzle game appeared! Recently announced ”directly to you”, Pokémon Link: Battle takes the Pokémon franchise in a puzzling direction.
Bringing the world of Pokémon to life outside the main series has been done plenty of times with varying results. Sometimes the Pokémon feel like an afterthought and game could have done without them without losing anything. Other than the sales that come with attaching the Pokémon name to a game that is. Pokémon Link: Battle manages to steer clear of this trap. This is because the Pokémon are what make the game interesting and eventually challenging.
Like most puzzle games – and anything Nintendo touches these days – it starts out very easy as you are introduced to the dynamics of the game. I assumed that Pokémon Link: Battle was going to be an easy, casual game. To my surprise, it starts to ramp up the difficulty quite quickly. I have always wanted the Pokémon franchise to be difficult, but to no avail. Think about it: how often do you blackout and scurry back to the Pokémon Centre with your tail between your legs?
Not enough.
Pokémon Link: Battle is pretty different from an actual Pokémon game. Its not deviously hard, but its tougher than I would have guessed. For those familiar with the franchise things will be a little easier when it comes to type match-ups. If you’re unfamiliar with Pokémon – what planet are you from, by the way — each has a type, which governs what moves it can use. It’s basically a more complicated version of rock, paper, scissors, and on a far larger scale.
Every stage is home to several Pokémon with a kind of boss Pokémon at the end. You must defeat them all in a row without losing to advance to the next level. Every Pokémon you KO counts as a capture, meaning you’re able to add them to your collection. Once caught, you have the opportunity to take them into battle as support Pokémon.
Each level will generate certain Pokémon in your Link Box on the lower screen. You have to use all your smarts as a potential Pokémon master to take down and catch the opponent Pokémon. Choosing the right one with which to launch your attack is the key to victory. Beginning an attack with a Pokémon that has a type advantage is a good place to start. Continuing your attack chain as long as possible helps, but you’need some serious power to take down some of the legendary Pokémon.
The real core of the gameplay comes when you make two or more matches in a row. This triggers link chances where you will only need to match two Pokémon together rather than the standard three. You have to be as quick as you can to make the most of the link chance to do as much damage as possible. I love how quickly things become frantic and disorganised.
The real challenge comes with attempting to catch ‘em all. Some Pokémon are only available by meeting certain requirements in a specific stage. Using a super-effective move on a lower evolution of a Pokémon can sometimes bring the next in the evolutionary line out of hiding. That’s not always the case though, and trying different strategies is the best way to find that next elusive Pokémon. With the national Pokédex clocking in at almost 720 in Generation 6, this is no small task and will take a long time. Even for a Pokémon master.
Some Pokémon have special abilities and can perform other moves rather than just a standard attack. Dittos act as a wild card and will help clear any leftover Pokémon when you’re almost finished a link box. Chansey can use as healing move restoring some of the health you may have lost tackling the tougher Pokémon. There are many others with different abilities and some with extra abilities that go with their attacks. If you start an attack with five Darkrai, for example, you can do more damage if five are matched.
The Safari Jungle changes which Pokémon is available each day, creating an incentive to play long-term and check in every now and then. Streetpass allows you to gain the favorite Pokémon of others playing Pokémon Link: Battle. The game isn’t huge, but its an eShop only title and as such won’t send your accountant into a frenzy. If you have an interest in both Pokémon and puzzle games, its certainly worth a look. The game is definitely geared toward the casual gamer and can be a great game to pick up and play for short periods. In the words of nurse Joy: we’ve restored your Pokémon to full health. We hope to see you again.
