App Name | Pokémon UNITE |
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Latest Version | v.1.12.1.1 |
Last Updated | Aug 24, 2023 |
Publisher | The Pokémon Company |
Requirements | Android 4.4 |
Category | Action |
Size | 444 MB |
Mods | Unlimited Gems |
Google Playstore |
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The core gameplay of Pokémon UNITE will be familiar to anyone who has played a MOBA before. Two teams of 5 players compete on a three-lane map. Each player controls a Pokémon character and must work with their team to defeat opponents, level up, and score points by dunking energy into the enemy’s goals.
Here are some key gameplay elements that make Pokémon UNITE unique:
Instead of destroying towers or a base, points are scored by dunking energy into goals located on the enemy’s side of the map. This creates a fun back-and-forth dynamic as teams invade each other’s territory to score.
As your Pokémon levels up during a match, it will evolve into its next stage, gaining stat boosts and upgrading its moves. This creates an extra layer of strategy and progression.
Each Pokémon has a powerful Unite Move that charges over time. Using these abilities at key moments can turn the tide of a battle.
Points scored in the last 2 minutes of a match are doubled, and defeating the legendary Pokémon Zapdos grants a huge team-wide buff. This keeps things intense right up until the end.
Overall the gameplay is fun, accessible, and fast-paced. Matches only last 10 minutes so they are great for quick sessions. The mechanics have enough depth for serious competitive play but are easy for casual players to grasp as well.
Pokémon UNITE leverages the Pokémon franchise’s iconic visual style to great effect. All of the playable Pokémon look, sound, and animate just like their main series counterparts. Their moves and abilities are colorful and impactful.
The map environments are vibrant and varied. Remoat Stadium has a bright, summery aesthetic while Auroma Park at night has a more mysterious vibe. Visual effects like grass rustling to indicate hidden Pokémon add nice details.
On high graphics settings, the game runs smoothly at 60fps on supported devices, making everything look crisp. The game has a bright, saturated color palette that fits the upbeat Pokémon style.
There are some minor graphical issues like pop-in during matches, but overall the visuals are great, especially for a mobile MOBA. The ability to customize your trainer with fun outfits adds flair.
Pokémon UNITE offers players a good degree of customization when it comes to controls and settings. Here are some of the key options:
You can choose between two main control schemes:
You can also customize the position and size of the buttons to your liking.
Auto-targeting prioritizes low health enemies or can be switched to manual. You can also enable move aim assist and snap-to targeting.
Quality can be set to Low, Standard, High, or Ultra. Resolution can be optimized for battery life or high FPS.
Separate sliders for master volume, music, sound effects, and voice chat.
Motion controls, minimap position, camera follow speed, tutorials, and more can be tweaked.
The settings allow you to tailor the controls and experience to your preferences. Players who are new to MOBAs will appreciate the auto-targeting and aim assist. Veterans can enable advanced options for maximum control.
There are a variety of progression systems that allow you to unlock items, level up your Pokémon, and gain cosmetic rewards:
The starting roster is limited, but you can purchase new Pokémon with earned in-game currency (Aeos coins) or real money. Prices range from 6,000 to 10,000 coins.
Held items and battle items can be leveled up to 30 by spending item enhancers to boost their effects. This provides a sense of continuous progression.
A rotating battle pass offers cosmetic rewards like outfits and Holowear for your Pokémon. You advance through its levels by playing matches and completing missions.
You earn energy with every match based on your performance. This energy can be exchanged for fashion items and other cosmetics.
Your overall account levels up from Beginner to Expert as you play matches, unlocking higher tiers of ranked play.
There are plenty of goals to work towards through gameplay. However, progression can feel slow for free players.
As a free-to-play mobile game, Pokémon UNITE uses several monetization methods:
The Premium Battle Pass costs 575 Aeos Gems (~$10) and awards premium rewards. The free version awards less.
New Pokémon cost between 460-790 Aeos Gems (~$8-$14). This allows you to quickly expand your roster.
Holowear outfits, skins, etc. can be purchased directly instead of waiting to earn them through progression.
Use real money to buy item enhancers and upgrade held/battle items faster.
The premium currency used for most purchases. Prices range from $1 to $100.
The monetization feels fairly aggressive at times. Playing for free means slower unlocks and progression. However, no content is fully locked behind paywalls, just delayed.
Pokémon UNITE provides players with a few social features:
Add friends via your Unite Squad ID or other platforms like Nintendo Switch to easily group up.
Form or join a dedicated team with its own profile, chat, and tag. Useful for competitive players.
During matches, you can send pre-set callouts and messages like “Let’s attack Zapdos!”
If enabled, you can voice chat with teammates during a match. Helpful for coordination.
Request to friend recent allies or opponents to potentially play together again.
The social tools are fairly barebones but provide enough functionality to meet and play with others. The lack of open text chat reduces toxicity.
Pokémon UNITE runs well on most modern Android devices, but performance can vary depending on your phone’s specs:
The game requires Android 5.0 and 2GB of RAM at a minimum. More power is recommended for high settings.
With graphics set to High, devices with high-end chipsets can achieve 60fps for smooth gameplay. Weaker phones are capped at 30fps.
Expect moderate battery drain over long play sessions. Turning down graphic settings helps improve battery life.
Playing over WiFi is recommended whenever possible. Cellular connections may experience lag and disconnects.
Overall, the game is well optimized for mobile. Players with newer devices will get the best experience, but even budget phones can run Pokémon UNITE smoothly at lower settings.
Let’s see how the Android version of Pokémon UNITE compares to the Switch and iOS releases:
The Switch version has higher quality textures and effects. iOS has graphics on par with Android. All versions run at 60fps on capable hardware.
The Switch’s physical controllers offer more precision. Touch controls on mobile work well but lack tactile feedback.
Android provides the most portable experience. The Switch’s bigger screen is nice when mobile.
Generally all versions receive updates simultaneously, keeping content and features aligned.
The Android and iOS player base is larger overall, but the Switch skews more competitive.
Pricing is identical across platforms. Progression speed feels slightly faster on mobile.
Pokémon UNITE plays great on all platforms. The Switch offers the best gameplay experience while Android provides maximum portability.
So, is Pokémon UNITE worth playing on Android? Here is our final verdict:
Pokémon UNITE on Android delivers an excellent casual-friendly MOBA experience with satisfying gameplay and tons of Pokémon fan service. Just be prepared for a grind if you don’t plan on spending money. Overall, it’s a great game for Pokémon fans and newcomers to the genre.
This review was written by [YASIN MOROL], an avid gamer and reviewer with over 10 years of experience playing MOBAs and RPGs. All impressions are based on playing Pokémon UNITE extensively on Android and other platforms.
Review based on experience playing Pokémon UNITE on a Samsung Galaxy S10, OnePlus 7 Pro, and Google Pixel 5. Additional research done via official website, developer interviews, and other reviews.
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