Review: Pokémon Champions - New Competitive (Mostly) Free-to-play Feels a bit Lacking

Pokémon Champions is a battle-focused game released on April 8, 2026, with the goal of becoming the official competitive VGC platform.

In theory, for the first time, competitive Pokémon is accessible on both mobile devices and Nintendo Switch 1 and 2, although the mobile version has not been released yet.

To properly review and analyze the game, it is important to first understand its "money" system:

Pokémon Champions Money

What are VPs (Victory Points)?

Pokémon Champions introduces the Victory Points (VPs) system, which are earned through Ranked Battles. You can use VPs to customize your Pokémon’s stats, abilities, and moves.

This means you no longer need to spend hours breeding perfect Pokémon, as in the main series games, or go through specific training against particular opponents. As a result, building competitive teams is more accessible than ever.

VPs can be obtained through daily missions, ranked battles, tutorials, and the Battle Pass.

What are Quick Coupons?

Quick Coupons are used to instantly reduce recruitment time in the Roster Ranch, allowing you to skip waiting periods and find new Pokémon. Each coupon removes one hour of waiting time, helping you gain faster access to new recruits.

What are Teammate Tickets used for?

Teammate Tickets allow you to permanently recruit a Pokémon without using VPs.

What are Training Tickets used for?

Training Tickets allow you to train a Pokémon without using VPs.

As mentioned earlier, you can obtain Pokémon using VPs or Teammate Tickets. You can also import them from Pokémon Home into Champions, which is free as long as you already have Pokémon stored in Home.

To get Pokémon within Champions, simply go to the Main Menu, select “Recruit,” then “Recruit Pokémon,” and you will be able to recruit new Pokémon with Kitt. You can recruit new Pokémon using VPs by choosing one from a random selection.

You can check a new batch of Pokémon without spending VPs every 22 hours, or you can use Quick Coupons if you want to speed up the process and refresh the lineup. The available lineup is completely random, which means it may or may not include Pokémon you want.

You can add a Pokémon to your team either temporarily or permanently by selecting your preferred option. However, if you choose a temporary Pokémon, you will not be able to modify its stats or abilities.

Through Pokémon Home, you only need to link your account to Champions and have Pokémon stored there. If you do not own other games in the franchise, you can connect Pokémon Go to Pokémon Home and transfer your Pokémon from Go to Home, and then from Home to Champions, allowing you to obtain new partners "for free".

However, Pokémon transferred from Go and Home often come with abilities that are incompatible with Champions, and you will need to change at least two of them using VPs to make them viable in battle. In addition, they come with no upgraded stat points, unlike Pokémon recruited in Champions through Kitt, which already have preset upgrades. In another article, I will explain step by step how to complete these transfers.

In other words, importing Pokémon is free, but if you want to make them competitive, you will inevitably need to spend VPs or Training Tickets to improve their stats, abilities, and nature. If you are inexperienced, in a hurry, or just experimenting, you may run out of resources very quickly, and playing strictly for free may put you at a disadvantage over time.

Additionally, the game launched with a roster of only 186 Pokémon and a limited number of Held Items, which some players criticized. Others believe this may be beneficial for the metagame, as it allows it to develop more gradually. However, the game clearly has the potential to include many more species, considering there are already over 1000 different Pokémon.

On the other hand, having fewer available Pokémon may not be entirely negative due to the recruitment system, which only offers six random options at a time. With a larger pool, this randomness would become even more unpredictable.

Some players also compare the recruitment system to gacha mechanics, mainly because of the need to spend resources to reroll and the randomness involved.

It can certainly be frustrating to want a specific Pokémon and have no direct way to obtain it within the game. However, since it is still possible to transfer Pokémon from other games via Home, it is not impossible to get them, even if additional training and VP investment are required to make them competitive.

“Breeding” is the term used when players try to obtain a Pokémon with perfect Nature and IVs. In Pokémon Champions, fortunately, this is no longer necessary.

Using VPs, you can fully customize your Pokémon through the “Training” system, including individual stat values, abilities, moves, and even its nature.

This makes the competitive scene much more accessible for players who do not have time to breed or do not own other games in the franchise, while also presenting all information in a cleaner and more user-friendly way.

It also makes competition fairer overall. Player skill, team composition, timing, and decision-making become the defining factors. There are no hidden variables anymore. Everything is adjustable, and in the end, your choices and your build are what truly matter.

On one hand, this is positive because it creates a more balanced environment. On the other hand, it may feel less exclusive since previously hidden information is now fully accessible. The focus shifts more toward understanding the metagame, building effective teams, and predicting your opponent’s moves.

Personally, I see this as a positive change. I have always wanted to participate in VGC competitions, but the time investment required to obtain perfect Pokémon held me back. Now it feels possible. Of course, there is still the issue of needing more VPs if you run out, which requires patience and good resource management.

Battle Modes

Ranked Battles feature two formats: Single Battle and Double Battle. Casual Battles also offer both formats, and the same applies to Private Battles and Online Competitions.

In Single Battles, each player brings a team of six Pokémon and, after matchmaking, selects three to enter the battle based on the opponent’s team, which is revealed beforehand.

In Double Battles, you choose two pairs, totaling four Pokémon, from your team of six, also based on the opponent’s lineup.

One common complaint from players is the absence of a 6 vs. 6 format, where all Pokémon from both teams participate, allowing for deeper strategy. This option is not available even in Private or Casual matches, which is frustrating for some players.

I have mixed feelings about this, since 6 vs. 6 has never been an official VGC format. However, considering there is a casual mode, it could easily be included to satisfy more players.

Graphics and Audio

The graphics follow the same 3D style seen in recent entries in the franchise. They are not particularly impressive or realistic, although there are some decent visual effects during battles.

Overall, it feels somewhat underwhelming. Many players expected better visuals, especially since the game initially launched only for Nintendo Switch 1 and 2, and because it is meant to be the official competitive VGC platform.

There is also a limited selection of music tracks. While there are some options, players expected a wider variety. However, the main complaints focus on the graphics and visual bugs, which could be improved in terms of quality, polish, and optimization.

Champions launched compatible with Switch 1, with backward compatibility for Switch 2. This means it has not yet been fully optimized for the newer system, and there are still noticeable FPS issues.

Additionally, the requirement to stay connected to the internet, along with the lack of a story mode or any offline content, can be frustrating.

- A “free” Pokémon game, which is already rare.

- A free competitive experience that gives anyone a chance to participate.

- Easy customization of Pokémon stats and moves.

- The “almost gacha” system can be frustrating.

- Requires a constant internet connection.

- Mobile version has not been released yet.

- Optimization issues at times.

- Spending money still provides significant advantages.

The game is free to download, and at the beginning you receive a good amount of VPs along with a Pokémon and its team to help fill your slots and start battling right away.

In addition, Daily Missions, Weekly Missions, and Starter Missions allow you to earn VPs and Quick Coupons for free.

There are also “Membership Missions,” which require purchasing a Membership to access, along with additional perks such as extra Box space and exclusive battle music.

These paid missions provide Teammate Tickets and Training Tickets, resources that free missions almost do not offer. These are valuable items that clearly make progression easier.

There is also a Battle Pass that is technically free, but about half of the rewards are locked behind the Premium Battle Pass. To access all rewards, you need to pay.

In summary, with patience and careful resource management, Champions can be played for free. It is free to download, free to enter battles, and free to use in-game currency to upgrade your Pokémon, recruit new ones, or purchase new skills and Natures.

However, over time, these free resources will likely run out, and spending money can provide significant advantages within the game.

If you enjoy Pokémon battles, then yes, it is worth giving the game a try, especially since it is free to download. It is still a Pokémon game from Nintendo, so it is always worth checking out.

If you prefer exploring maps, catching Pokémon in the wild, or building your own world, this may not be the right game for you, as it focuses exclusively on battles.

Either way, it is a new experience, and I am testing it to bring you feedback. A beginner's guide with tips will be available soon. See you in the next article!