Pokémon Unite has been taking the hearts of fans and also several MOBA players by storm since its release on 21 July. Because of the already existing characters and with an eye on games like Dota 2 and League of Legends, the new game from Nintendo uses several basics.
Fast, short-lived and dynamic is how Pokémon Unite presents itself. Two weeks after its release, the free game developed by TiMi Studio has established itself. It is followed on platforms such as Twitch and evokes the feel of a classic MOBA title like industry leaders League of Legends and Dota 2.
In some ways, Pokémon Unite even has advantages over the two Esport titles, but there is clear room for improvement in some areas.
Positive: Simple controls with a short-lived fun factor
Game duration and dynamics
While matches in LoL and Dota can last over 40 minutes, Pokémon Unite always ends after ten minutes. These fast rounds result in a higher game dynamic and the certainty that a match can be played out completely even during a short break in between.
Even if a match does not go as desired, after the few minutes the mental lever can be switched again in another match. This fast-paced nature adds freshness and variety to Pokémon Unite.
Introduction and comprehensibility
Pokémon Unite is a simple variation of the well-known MOBA giants. In addition to the classic five-on-five matches, learning the game requires no long tutorials or multiple games. Because in Pokémon the roles of attacker or defender are directly given and the positions are also recommended, it is easy for newcomers to find their way around.
Directly in the first game it is possible to learn the basics within the first minutes. This is due to both the simple controls and the items that can be selected before the start of the match. On the other hand, the premature item selection is also a criticism.
-selection is also a point of criticism, which will be explained later. Nevertheless, complicated procedures are deliberately kept within limits for this conceived mobile game in order to please the target group, which primarily appeals to young people and families.
Identity and Marketing
Independently of the gaming aspect, the awareness of the Pokémon brand is relevant. Well-known characters and an already globally established brand automatically help Pokémon Unite gain more attention. With Pikachu and Glurak, two of the best-known and globally marketed fictional creatures are available as figureheads and arouse initial attention even among MOBA muffleheads. This kind of real-time combat, as in Pokémon Unite, also remains rare in the turn-based role-playing games that have helped Pokémon to success.
Due to successful marketing and the already existing structures of the Pokémon universe, which stretches from classic role-playing games to TV series, Pokémon has become the world’s leading media franchise – even ahead of top brands like Star Wars or Mickey Mouse. This is a direct advantage for many Pokémon connoisseurs to be able to immerse themselves in the new MOBA game. In the games LoL and Dota 2, the historical structures have only developed along the way and are still in the background, which outsiders are less able to identify with.
Negative: Little tactical flexibility and an unfair boss fight
Flawful statistics
Every MOBA player familiar with titles like League of Legends and Dota 2 is literally bludgeoned with statistical facts about characters, items and runes. In this case, however, the abundance of information is positive because calculations of attack damage, teamfight combinations and defensive options are important for successful play. In Pokémon Unite, this information is incomplete or sometimes completely missing.
There are no statistics on the playable Pokémon, no development of the power point display or the evolving attack potential. Thus, the game is deprived of the complexity that is eminently important for common Esport titles.
Items only at the beginning of the match
Similarly to the missing stats, items to be equipped are limited. Apart from one combat item and three portable items per match, there are no possibilities to change the tactical alignment during the match.
Mostly because the opponent Pokémon are only displayed after the selection of the items, a setup can quickly degenerate into a 50:50 choice. The lack of opportunities to adapt to a match progression and counter an opponent with tactical finesse is not present in the game and is a thorn in the side of passionate strategists and MOBA veterans in particular.
Bosskampf Zapdos – A Shadow of Roshan vs Nashor
Whether in the esports.com editorial team or on social media platforms, the voices are the same and the players agree: the decisive phase in Pokémon Unite is like a game of chance that can turn the entire course of the game upside down. What on the one hand leads to suspense until the end and great comebacks, on the other hand amounts to a cancellation of the first eight minutes.
Because Zapdos doesn’t appear in the map centre until two minutes before the end of the match, there is little time for tactics. The buff
for defeating the boss automatically gives the successful team 20 points and opens all the opponent’s Goal Zones, where points can be scored without delay. This usually leads to the trailing team needing the buff to make a comeback. The leading team, meanwhile, wants to prevent the opponent’s plan and thus defend its lead.
However, it is very possible to steal the boss with a smite. Because only the last hit that defeats the boss counts, the final phase is like a coin toss that often decides the end of the game. Because of the points doubled in the last two minutes anyway, a team that didn’t hit anything before can score over 500 points within a few seconds. Insofar as the previously dominating team is defeated in this time and has to spend over 30 seconds in spawn, the game is practically decided.
Similar to Zapdos, Boss Roshan and Baron Nashor are also game deciding in Dota 2 and League of Legends. However, the power plays made possible by defeating the boss monsters are statistically less influential than defeating Zapdos in Pokémon Unite. Accordingly, a change in the buff of the legendary Pokémon is conceivable or the time at which the creature appears on the playing field.
