Pokémon Champions: Is This The Battle Arena We’ve Been Waiting For, Yaar?

Ever since the days of Pokémon Stadium, we’ve all dreamt of a game that cuts straight to the chase: pure, unadulterated Pokémon battles. No long quests, no endless grinding for badges, just strategic showdowns. Well, 26 years later, Pokémon Champions has arrived, aiming to fulfill that dream as a “free-to-start” (that’s Nintendo’s fancy term for it) turn-based online PvP experience. It’s all about the classic combat system, but after diving in, we’re left with some serious questions. Is this the ultimate battleground, or does it fall short?

If you’ve spent any time with the mainline Pokémon games, jumping into Champions feels like slipping into your favourite pair of comfy shoes – but maybe a slightly slimmer version. You and your opponent pick teams from a roster of six, then duke it out in either 3v3 single battles or 4v4 double battles (sorry, folks, no four-player team matches here). The simultaneous move selection and classic turn-based combat are pure nostalgia fuel. That mix of predicting your opponent, clever strategy, and a dash of luck is precisely why we keep coming back to Pokémon battles generation after generation. Despite a few bugs here and there – which, credit where it’s due, the developers have been actively fixing – the core battling in Pokémon Champions is a solid foundation. We often found ourselves saying “just one more battle” only to realize hours had flown by. The combat system itself is addictive, even without the usual catching and leveling up. But here’s the catch: that’s pretty much all there is, and the available content at launch feels, dare we say, a bit… empty?

For a game solely focused on battling, it’s genuinely surprising how few options you get. Beyond choosing between 3v3 or 4v4, there’s not much else. You can’t even bring your full roster of six into every fight! And where are the single-player challenges? No Gym Leader Castle gauntlet? No epic battles against super-powered Legendaries? Nothing to play offline or just test out new strategies? It’s strictly online PvP, or bust. This lack of variety is a major bummer.

The disappointment extends to the Pokémon roster itself. Champions currently features a rather small pool of just 186 Pokémon. It feels like only the “popular kids” made the cut – think Charizard leading the charge, or Sylveon cheering him on. But where are the fan favorites like Rillaboom, or iconic Legendaries like Mewtwo and Mew? Many early evolutions are also mysteriously absent. This limited selection is a huge blow for the competitive scene, as many top-tier Pokémon and strategies from tournaments like the 2025 World Championships are simply not available here. We’re hoping for more additions via live service updates, but for now, the roster feels incomplete. The held item selection is equally uninspired, mostly offering healing berries or basic type boosters. Many competitive staples like Power Herb or Choice Specs are missing, making the current meta feel quite restrictive. It’s a tough pill to swallow for serious trainers.

Then there’s the undeniable mobile game vibe. Getting new Pokémon involves either transferring them from Pokémon HOME (which is thankfully straightforward) or recruiting them from Champions’ in-game “farm.” This farm operates like a gacha system: a rotating pool of Pokémon, a free daily pull, and the option to spend Victory Points (VP) to either permanently add them to your collection or rent them for a week. You can even shorten cooldowns with special tickets. From the UI layout to the multiple currencies and timers, Champions screams mobile game. While it’s only on Switch right now (with a mobile launch planned later this year), its DNA is clearly mobile-first. Thankfully, for now, playing the free version hasn’t felt overly restrictive thanks to generous beginner gifts. And since ranked and casual battles are free, we haven’t felt pressured to spend money. Plus, VP can only be earned through missions and ranked battles, which is a relief compared to the predatory monetization of some other mobile titles.

Visually, for a game all about battles, Champions really misses the mark. The Pokémon models lack texture and detail, hardly looking like the stars of the show. While some move animations are decent (Hyper Beam looks cool, for instance), others are surprisingly bland (Body Slam just looks like the Pokémon is floating up and down). And seriously, in 2026, can attacks please originate from somewhere that makes sense? Seeing Bullet Seed just appear out of thin air a few feet in front of your Pokémon is just… odd. We weren’t expecting a graphical masterpiece like some other modern titles, but for a game centered on combat, a bit more effort to make the battles look epic would have been appreciated. Comparing the models to even older games like 2018’s Let’s Go Pikachu/Eevee, it’s hard to spot any significant improvements. The thrill of seeing Pokémon in 3D has worn off, and Champions does little to reignite that excitement.

However, there’s one shining light: the Training Room. This feature lets you use your VP to not only boost a Pokémon’s stats but, more excitingly, swap out their moves, special ability, and even their nature. These changes are locked to Champions, meaning they won’t transfer if you send your Pokémon back to HOME. But this deep customization is fantastic for theory-crafting and strategy. Our only concern is that requiring VP for these changes could become problematic if Nintendo ever allows direct VP purchases, potentially leading to a pay-to-win scenario.

In conclusion, Pokémon Champions has a rock-solid core with its engaging turn-based combat, but it’s wrapped in a package that feels surprisingly bare-bones. The limited content, small roster, uninspired visuals, and strong mobile game influences dampen what could have been an incredible, dedicated battle experience. While the Training Room offers some strategic depth and the current free-to-play model isn’t overly aggressive, the game needs significant updates to truly become the champion it aspires to be, especially with the Pokémon World Championships just around the corner. For now, it’s a fun distraction for quick battles, but far from the ultimate Pokémon battle simulator we’ve been dreaming of.