You control a single Pokemon in one-on-one fights, moving freely in open 3D arenas before duels shift into flatter 2D-style clashes for finishing blows. Every fighter uses different attack strings and specials, so learning a few characters well matters more than skimming the whole roster. Underneath the friendly mascot cast is a fairly technical fighting game that rewards blocking, spacing, and punishing mistakes.
Gameplay video
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Screenshots & review notes
Overall
It's a genuinely solid fighter buried under a mascot-brawler reputation it never quite shook off, which is a shame given how much technical depth is actually here.
Moment to moment
Switching between field phase and duel phase keeps matches from feeling repetitive, and there's real strategic nuance in support Pokemon picks and burst timing.
Art and atmosphere
Character animations are full of personality, capturing each Pokemon's attitude well, even if the arenas themselves are fairly plain by fighting game standards.
Worth your time?
A worthwhile pick for fighting game fans willing to look past the branding, especially with local multiplayer. The single-player content thins out fast once you've cleared it once.
Frames captured from the gameplay video above; notes are our own take on the game.
What it's like to play
You control a Pokemon like Pikachu, Charizard, or Lucario in one-on-one duels that switch between two very different camera views, a wide field phase where you circle around at a distance using ranged attacks and dashes, and a tighter close-range duel phase where the camera locks in and you trade punches, kicks, and special moves more like a traditional fighting game. Basic attacks come from a couple of buttons, grabs beat blocking opponents, and countering an incoming attack at the right moment can turn a fight around in an instant. Before a match you can bring along a support Pokemon that provides a helpful one-time effect, like healing or a stat boost, adding a small layer of preparation before you ever throw a punch.
A single match is short, usually two to three minutes, decided across a couple of rounds, and your goal each round is simply draining the opponent's health bar further than they drain yours before time runs out. The single-player Ferrum League mode strings matches together into a light tournament structure with cutscenes and rival characters, giving you a reason to keep playing beyond just versus battles, while online ranked matches let you test yourself against real opponents from around the world. Locally, two people can each grab a single Joy-Con and jump into a match in seconds, making it an easy game to pull out with a friend on the couch.
The switch between the two camera phases takes some getting used to and can interrupt the flow for players coming from more traditional fighting games, since it briefly pulls you out of close combat. Outside of the League and online modes there is not a huge amount of single-player content to chew through. If you like Pokemon and are curious about fighting games, or you already love fighting games and want something with a distinctly different rhythm, this is a welcoming, good-looking way in.