Pokémon Champions: First Impressions – A stepping stone for the competitive battles

When people think of Pokémon, the first thing that usually comes to mind is capturing creatures and going on grand adventures to collect them all. However, one of the pillars that has been central to the series since its birth 30 years ago is battle and competition. Beyond the challenge of trading with friends and strangers to complete the Pokédex, there has always been the desire to prove who the best Trainer is—through battles that reward balanced teams and deep knowledge of which Pokémon truly excel in combat.

Pokémon tournaments have existed for many years, with the pinnacle being the Pokémon World Championships. Since the Nintendo DS era, the current mainline title has been used as the competitive platform, evolving from battles displayed on DS and 3DS screens to more defined 3D visuals on Nintendo Switch. However, despite technological advancements, not every Pokémon could participate in these battles, often causing the competitive meta to stagnate until the next generation or the arrival of DLC in more recent entries.

All of that is about to change thanks to Pokémon Champions, a title designed to streamline certain aspects of competitive play while bringing much-needed freshness to the scene, all while expanding accessibility through a free-to-play model. That is precisely why, a few days ago, we visited the offices of The Pokémon Company International in Bellevue, Washington, to get our first hands-on experience with this new release.

How to train your Pokémon

Pokémon Champions is a game built specifically for the competitive Pokémon scene. If you are old enough to start counting gray hairs, think of Pokémon Stadium on Nintendo 64—but without the minigames and fully focused on battling.

Although our playtime was limited, we were able to grasp the core foundation of the game. We started with a fairly basic tutorial covering battles, type advantages, and attacks. After that initial training, it was time to build a Pokémon team for the demo.

To begin, there is a mode where you visit a ranch to obtain your Pokémon. Think of it as renting a team, similar to opening player packs in a sports game. You might not get your favorite Pokémon right away, but you are presented with a total of 10 options with considerable variety. You can choose to keep them permanently or rent them on a weekly basis. Once selected, it is time to train them.

If you are already familiar with the competitive scene, you know just how deep it can get, and no lengthy explanation is needed. If you are not, one key thing to understand is that not all Pokémon are obtained—or trained—the same way. Building a truly competitive team traditionally requires an in-game breeding process involving trial and error, optimization, and a lot of numbers.

In Pokémon Champions, training plays a central role, with the ability to adjust nearly every aspect of your Pokémon: stats, nature, abilities, and even move selection, similar to what we have seen in Legends-style entries. All of this comes at the cost of Victory Points (VP), the in-game currency earned through battling.

Float like Jigglypuff, sting like Beedrill

Once your Pokémon are trained and ready, it is time to battle. You assemble your team and can equip items to each Pokémon you choose, including Mega Stones for Mega Evolution. If you are new or unsure about optimal setups, the game offers an option to automatically build a team using your available Pokémon and items, streamlining part of the process. Before the match, you can also customize your avatar’s appearance and clothing, though options were somewhat limited in the demo—understandable given the preview nature of the build. Then it was time to face off against a colleague, after wishing each other good luck.

Our match followed the official tournament format: Double Battles. In this mode, players select four out of their six Pokémon to enter the arena. As with any other Pokémon battle, the core gameplay revolves around decision-making—choosing the right move at the right time. The experience is very direct, offering just two main options: attack or switch Pokémon. This is where both your strategic choices and your training decisions truly shine through.

Visually, Pokémon Champions delivers a much-needed upgrade. We played an enhanced version on Nintendo Switch 2, and the visual leap compared to previous generations is immediately noticeable. Pokémon models have been refreshed, with particularly notable improvements for some older species. Arenas feature well-crafted reflections, and attack animations are flashy and satisfying—ensuring the game looks strong where it matters most.

That said, expectations should be tempered. Pokémon, while animated, remain mostly stationary during battles, and some animations—whether for better or worse—evoked memories of playing Pokémon Stadium. Additionally, the stadium crowds, though distant, appear quite simplistic and contrast with the more detailed environments. This is understandable, especially considering the game will eventually come to mobile platforms, requiring a consistent visual standard across devices. Pokémon Champions is not trying to dazzle; it prioritizes competitive clarity and accessibility above all else.

One feature we would have liked to see was a Spectator Mode. After attending the Pokémon World Championships for several years, seeing static camera angles or losing the free camera options present in more recent games felt unusual. Still, this choice makes sense for a title designed exclusively around battling.

Pokémon Champions is shaping up to be a far more focused experience for players looking to step into the competitive Pokémon world, while also offering veterans an ideal space to practice and refine their skills. While some questions remain—such as integration with Pokémon HOME or how easy it will be to earn in-game currency—it is clear that this is an experience aiming to be more accessible rather than narrowly niche. Without a doubt, it has the potential to breathe new life into competitive Pokémon battles.

Pokémon Champions launches on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 on April 8.

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