Pokémon Rumble Rush review

It’s yet another project of Pokémon universe released in May 2019. Pokémon Rumble Rush is an adventure where you don’t have to go out and hunt, yet encountering other players is still an important part of it all.

Gameplay

In this game, you will have to explore islands for Pokémon hunt. The expedition, you’re off for, gets you to the islands with multiple areas inhabited by various Pokémon. No surprise first you’ll encounter Rattata, Pidgey, Bulbasaur, or Meowth, the most common types.

With your first Pokémon you go out, fighting the minor wildlings and capturing eggs. A boss is waiting for you at the end of each search. Sometimes you will encounter superbosses that become available, as you reach the minimum level. Defeating the superboss unlocks new areas with new species and increases the maximum level of your Pokémon.

As you catch more Pokémon, you get bonuses and you can control their evolution, getting bigger and stronger specimens. Each Pokémon you have can be strengthened by adding summon gears and power gears. They let you summon other Pokémon or use powerups. It will be useful as soon as you finish the tutorial.

As you succeed, you get higher ranks, with more features (say, more slots for Pokémon or gears). You also unlock powerups and collect ore dropped by defeated bosses

Something is still unclear: say, there are no obvious ways of spending tickets and diamonds. Maybe it’s only so in the beginning, but most players are just beginners, as the game was published just a week before writing this Pokémon Rumble Rush review. Well, after some updates it may have to be rewritten.

Visuals

It’s done in 3D, with bright colours, and in traditional Pokémon style. With over-the-shoulder view (strange to say that when it comes to this franchise), you see your Pokémon marching through enemies.

Though the game is published by “The Pokémon Company”, the content is obviously approved by Nintendo, and it shows in the visuals as clearly as in connected accounts. The developers didn’t try to outshine the classical games; they leave the evolution to Pokémon themselves, showing a little progress, but not as stumbling as in other classical series.

Instead, they care much about details. Say, the forest on the first island you explore is Pikachu-shaped. The Pocket Monsters themselves differ a bit from how they appear on old Nintendo consoles, or, say, in Pokémon GO, but are very recognizable. The battles are fast, but they still let you see who’s who and what.

Controls

This is probably the simplest Pokémon game. No need to learn complicated gestures or combos; to hit opponents, you just tap, and to hit them stronger you need to hold a finger. The game is fast-paced, and hitting the wrong place in the wrong time can hold you back for too long. The precious seconds matter when it comes to Superboss fights, and “simplest” doesn’t mean “easiest”.