Pokémon Champions is another free multiplayer game joining the growing selection of online and free-to-play titles available from Game Freak's famous franchise. It is therefore sure to attract the attention of millions of fans around the world who will, at the very least, want to see what it has to offer.
But what exactly does Champions offer its community? The game focuses exclusively on the series' classic turn-based battles, much like Pokémon Stadium, for example, so do not expect a traditional RPG adventure. To clear up any doubts, this section of our guide explains all the available game modes you can access if you decide to download the game on consoles or mobile devices.
First of all, it is important to clarify that all the main game modes in Pokémon Champions support both Single Battles, meaning 1v1, and Double Battles, meaning 2v2.
You can therefore battle another player on your own or, if you prefer, team up with another player as your ally and face two opponents together.
In either case, the game allows you to build teams of up to six Pokémon.
The main game mode in Pokémon Champions is Ranked Battles. These battles pit you against Trainers from around the world whose skill level is roughly similar to your own, making this the ideal mode for players who want to compete seriously and put their abilities to the test.
During each season, you can climb the ranks based on the number of victories you achieve, earn special rewards, and aim for the highest positions on the global competitive leaderboard. Taking part in Ranked Battles also allows you to earn Victory Points (VP) based on your results. If you are looking for a challenging experience, this is undoubtedly the mode for you.
Want to enjoy Pokémon Champions without worrying about the outcome? Casual Battles are designed for players looking for a more relaxed experience, whether they want to improve without any pressure or try out new strategies without affecting their competitive record, since winning or losing does not matter here. In short, if you simply want to play without any pressure, choose this mode.
If you are looking for something more personalized, Pokémon Champions also features Private Battles. This mode lets you create a private room and invite friends or family using an ID code so you can have fun finding out who is the best Trainer. Naturally, the results of these battles do not affect your global ranking, and you can also choose from various rules to tailor each match to your preferences.
Finally, Pokémon Champions also has a mode dedicated to Online Tournaments. This multiplayer mode gives you access to official worldwide competitions held on specific dates throughout the year, featuring special rules that may change over time or from one season to another, depending on the developers. In short, this mode is intended for competing at the highest level and proving what you can do.
At launch, Pokémon Champions does not feature any single-player modes. This means there is no story mode or any additional PvE content in which you can battle against the CPU.
The game's tutorials are the only occasions when you are not competing against other real players.
As far as we know, the Pokémon Champions developers have no plans to add PvE content or a single-player story mode at a later date. However, they may change their minds over time and include something of this kind in a future update. If enough players request it, the developers could eventually decide to add it. Even so, this does not appear particularly likely given the game's overall focus on online multiplayer.
