Yesterday was a good day to be a Pokémon fan, as two exciting new announcements came down from Nintendo of America and The Pokémon Company International.
The first concerns Pokémon Duel, a free-to-play mobile strategy game available now on iOS and Android platforms. Released last year as Pokémon Co-Master in Japan, Pokémon Duel challenges players to collect, power-up, and deploy Pokémon figures onto a virtual game board:
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By strategically assembling their team of six Pokémon, each with its own strengths and a set number of steps it can take, players can take different routes to rush toward the goal or block the opponent’s Pokémon from advancing.
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When two Pokémon from opposing teams meet, a battle commences, and the players spin each Pokémon’s Data Disk to see which Attack each Pokémon will use.
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In addition to moving Pokémon and battling, players will also be able to use a plate at the start of their turn. These plates have various effects, including swapping positions of Pokémon in play and giving their Pokémon various battle enhancements for that turn.
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The player who reaches their goal first wins the duel.
While the game is free to download, additional plates (which can supply your Pokémon with helpful buffs) and Boosters (containing both random Pokémon figures and plates) can be purchased via the in-app Shop. However, you can also earn Gems—the game’s currency—by playing Pokémon Duel daily and completing specific missions.
For those more interested in dedicated handheld gaming, a brand new New Nintendo 3DS XL will be arriving on American shores on February 24th.
This special Pikachu Yellow Edition comes complete with all the standard functionality improvements of the New 3DS line—more stable 3D face-tracking, on-board amiibo functionality, a faster processor, and additional control options—with the added bonus of a delightful exclusive cover design featuring the beloved Pikachu himself. This new addition to the 3DS family will arrive at a suggested retail price of $199.99.
