Pokemon Unite is a Pokemon-themed MOBA developed by TiMi Studios. The game officially launched for the Nintendo Switch on July 21, 2022. Meanwhile, the game will launch on smartphones in September 2021. Pokemon Unite will eventually have cross-play and cross-saves, so don't worry about starting now on the Switch and carrying on your smartphone later on. So, if you're ready to begin your Pokemon Unite journey, here's everything you need to know about Pokemon's MOBA.

How to play Pokemon Unite

In Pokemon Unite, players will squad up in teams of five. Once the match commences, a ten-minute timer starts counting down. The goal of the game is to score more points than the opposing team when the timer runs out. To score points, players will defeat wild Pokemon and shoot some hoops at the enemy goalposts. Additionally, if you manage to knock your opponents out, you can steal the points that they've accumulated.

Pokemon Unite focuses on skill, timing, team coordination, and movement prediction. Unlike traditional Pokemon games, players will no longer have to worry about type advantages and weaknesses.

Leveling Up your Pokemon and Abilities

Just like any other MOBA game, your Pokemon will begin the match at level one. As you continue to level up, players can then learn new moves for their Pokemon. What makes Pokemon Unite both unique and interesting is the evolution system. Pokemon will evolve in the match by knocking out wild Pokemon and your opponents – making this the first MOBA where your character change forms throughout a match.

There will be two basic moves that you can select from at the beginning of the match. Players will then be able to unlock the other move at Level 3. As you level up further, each basic move will eventually become upgradable into one of two options. The level-up system for abilities allows players to have a total of four different ability builds. When your Pokemon reaches Level 8, they will then learn their Unite Move. The Unite Move is your Ultimate Ability. These abilities will gain additional effects as your Pokemon levels up. 

Map Overview

There are four maps in Pokemon Unite: Remoat Stadium, Shivre City, Auroma Park, and Mer Stadium. These maps consist of two lanes and a jungle area. Ideally, there should be two players per lane and one jungler. 

Each lane has two goals: one inner goal, and one outer goal. Players will have to score a certain amount of points before the goals break. Once you’ve destroyed the first two goals per lane, players will have to score their points in the infinite goal located at the spawn. 

The jungle lane in Pokemon Unite contains wild Pokemon which can give players temporary in-game buffs. If you defeat Ludicolo, for example, a player will acquire the blue buff which allows you to deal more damage to opposing Pokemon with low health. If you defeat Bouffalant, you will receive the red buff which gives you the power to reduce an enemy’s movement speed. 

Once the game hits the three-minute mark, neutral objectives will spawn in the match. If your team defeats Rotom located at the top lane, it will then move towards the enemy goal. The moment Rotom reaches the enemy goal, your team can instantly score on the goal for fifteen seconds. In the bottom lane, you will find Drednaw. If you defeat it, Drednaw will give the entire team shields and EXP.

In the final two minutes of the match, both Rotom and Drednaw will disappear and Zapdos will take over as the neutral spawn. The legendary bird Pokemon will spawn in the middle of the arena just waiting for teams to battle it. If your team defeats Zapdos, the player who got the last hit will gain 30 points. Not only that, but players from the enemy team will also receive massive damage. 

Pokemon Roles and Classes

Following traditional MOBA standards, Pokemon Unite will have five different classes:

  • Attacker – this is basically the carry role in MOBA games. Attacker Pokemon deal high damage. However, they are also very squishy making them something like a glass cannon. Attackers also have a wide range of attacks. 
  • All-Arounders – this is a more balanced role compared to the others. These Pokemon have the perfect balance of damage and defense. All-arounders can also play an initiator role for their team. 
  • Defenders – this is your dedicated tank role in a team. Defenders have great crowd control which can be a huge contribution in team fights.
  • Support – they are basically your guardian angels in the team. Supports have the capability to provide buffs and healing to their allies. Although they can also deal damage during fights, they mainly focus on healing, shielding, and buffing their allies instead. 
  • Speedster – Pokemon classified in this role have high movement speed and scoring ability. This role best suits the jungle lane since they can roam around the map faster than anyone else. Speedsters have burst damage but are also squishy at the same time. 

Choose your Pokemon!

Attackers:

  • Pikachu – don’t be deceived by this cute little mouse Pokemon’s looks. Pikachu is a good Pokemon to use for peeling. Accompanied by high burst damage, Pikachu can back allies up especially in crucial encounters. The electrifying yellow mouse is a great pick for beginners.
  • Greninja – this frog Pokemon can be really sneaky. Greninja’s playstyle fits perfectly with its’ name since it focuses more on ninja-like movements. Greninja has good kiting capabilities, perfect for stealthy kills. 
  • Venusaur – the colossal plant Pokemon who hits hard. Venusaur is a powerhouse thanks to his long-range nukes. It also has really good crowd control which gives it the ability to take charge in a fight.
  • Alolan Ninetales – it seems to be the most all-around attacker compared to the others. Alolan Ninetales has good team utility in her arsenal alongside its’ powerful long-range abilities. 
  • Cramorant – a burst mage with a high skill ceiling. Spamming its’ skills is what makes this Pokemon very effective. Although Cramorant is easy to kill in terms of his HP, players could possibly have a difficult time eliminating it too. 
  • Cinderace – the Pokemon who is easy to learn but difficult to master. Cinderace has the highest mobility in the Attackers class.

All-Arounders:

  • Charizard – basically the savior of the team. Charizard’s skillset allows area denials. This is great for stopping the enemy team’s momentum. Charizard also has the ability to become a diver bruiser Pokemon, swooping in team fights to change the outcome of the battle. 
  • Lucario – an all-arounder with very high mobility. Lucario specializes in 1v1s which only means you do not want to mess with this Pokemon when you’re alone. 
  • Machamp – the four-armed monster that can knock you out. Machamp is a high damage bruiser who is also immune to crowd control. 
  • Garchomp – aside from Lucario, Garchomp brings the intensity in 1v1 situations. It can close gaps which gives it an edge in 1v1s.  Grachomp also has effective crowd control skills. A really powerful Pokemon to use if you ask us.

Defenders:

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  • Snorlax – you may think this Pokemon wouldn’t do much given its’ laid-back personality. Well, technically it doesn’t do much in terms of the type of abilities it has. However, the effect of its’ abilities is a huge contributing factor to team fights. Snorlax has great crowd control while dealing high damage as well. 
  • Crustle – this Pokemon is very flexible in terms of build. Crustle can become an efficient defender no matter the build. It is also a great backup for team fights since Crustle’s abilities are perfect for area denial. 
  • Slowbro – this Pokemon is the perfect defender. Slowbro’s abilities mainly focuses on crowd control. It can even take a huge amount of damage because of its’ self-healing ability.  Get ready to stack up on those assists with low death rates.

Support:

  • Eldegoss – the most straightforward support in the game. Eldegross’ abilities heal, shield, and buff allies. It can also slow the enemies which is perfect for cornering your team’s prey.
  • Mr. Mime – one of the most difficult Pokemon to learn. Mr. Mime focuses more on crowd control rather than giving blessings to the team. According to some players, Mr. Mime’s playstyle is a bit unorthodox.
  • Wigglytuff – the singing support Pokemon can be more useful in team sights because of its’ area of effect crowd control and high damage. 

Speedsters:

  • Talonflame – compared to the other Pokemon in the game, Talonflame has the highest mobility of them all. Talonflame is perfect for scoring goals and running away from enemies. 
  • Absol – a really easy-to-use burst assassin. Absol can instantly eliminate its’ foes in a blink of an eye. It’s also very easy to grasp its’ kit.
  • Gengar – the goofy yet horrifying Pokemon with a high damage poke. Gengar will continuously hunt you down no matter how much you try to run away from it.

After laying all these cards on the table, no doubt by now you’re fully equipped to join the fray in Pokemon Unite. It’s a really fun and unique game to play. Are you ready for a completely new Pokemon experience? Pokemon Unite is free-to-play and is available now on the Nintendo eShop. Download yours today!