By Nintendo’s library of mobile games increases again with the release of Pokémon Masters. (Here are download links for iOS and Google Play Store) Another game following the gacha formula, it appears Nintendo is just as addicted to putting out gacha games as some people are to playing them. Developed by DeNA Co. in collaboration with The Pokémon Company, the gameplay for Masters is actually pretty solid. I mean, aside from the pseudo-gambling.
A Quick Review
Taking place on the artificial island of Pasio, players will team up with two other characters and face an opposing team in real-time strategy battles. The combat feels a lot like Final Fantasy’s active time battling system. Players will have the option to attack, heal, or boost stats, and taking actions will deplete your energy bar.
The games interface is pretty good too! Character models all look nice and polished, and the battle screen is well animated, especially when you whip out one of your special moves.
More RNG than an Actual Pokémon Game
Sadly, that’s where the fun stops. The abilities and pokémon you’ll use are dependent on the characters you’ll pull, the characters being gym leaders and champions from all the different game generations. I have nothing against the gacha formula, but the way it was implemented here feels particularly scummy.
The game organizes your currency in two categories; Non-paid, and paid. (See where this is going?) Some pull events are only available to you if you’re using paid gems, so being free-to-play automatically puts you at a disadvantage. But maybe that wouldn’t feel as bad if the price for gems wasn’t astronomical! Even with the launch sales taking place, buying enough gems for a ten character pull is gonna burn a serious hole in your wallet.
You would think with the extra scrutiny that loot boxes and gacha games have been receiving lately, with Belgium outright banning Fire Emblem: Heroes and Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, that they would’ve taken a more subtle approach to the game’s monetization system. Especially when this game’s target demographic is young children.
Well those are my thoughts. Pokémon Masters is free to download, so go ahead and try it yourselves. Just be careful when thinking about spending your money on gems. If you’re looking for a Pokémon gacha type mobile game, I personally think that Pokémon Duel is much more entertaining.
