Pokémon Champions is now available to download for free on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. The multiplayer battler is also coming to mobile later this year.
Champions may be a free download, but also includes optional in-game purchases. Notably there’s the $6.99 Starter Pack, which is presented as the default game entry in the Nintendo eShop. The Starter Pack includes 30 Teammate Tickets and 50 Training Tickets, and expands Pokémon storage by 50.
Without the Starter Pack, the free version include 30 slots for Pokémon, which is enough to field five full teams of six.
Teammate Tickets allow trainers to permanently recruit Pokémon. Normally, Pokémon are provided through a roster of daily randomized Pokémon, and rented for a trial period of one week. Permanent recruitment can also be obtained via VP, which is awarded in game.
Training Tickets are used to train up permanently recruited Pokémon’s stats (which can also be done via VP).
Pokémon Champions also has the Premium Battle Pass, and Membership.
The Premium Battle Pass ($9.99) features unlockable cosmetic outfits, specific Pokémon, VP, and additional tickets and coupons to purchase Pokémon.
Membership runs $4.99/mo or $49.99/yr, unlocking 1,000 box spaces (oye!), 15 battle teams, exclusive missions, and exclusive battle songs. Missions are the primary way to earn VP and Quick Coupons in game.
Quick Coupons allow players to overcome the daily recruitment limit for new Pokémon, without spending VP.
When starting a new game, players can pick one of the following Pokémon to permanently recruit for free:
- Charizard
- Tyranitar
- Armarouge
- Palafin
- Pikachu
- Lucario
- Gardevoir
- Absol
- Altaria
- Snorlax
Most importantly, Pokémon Champions also connects to Pokémon Home, the cross-platform storage app that can hold traded Pokémon from across several generations.
Note that any Pokémon obtained through Champions cannot be sent to Home, however. And only Pokémon that appear in Champions can be sent over.
If you play Pokémon Champions at any point before August 31, you can claim a free Dragonite, and 100 Quick Coupons, from the in-game mailbox.
New players are also given a gift of 10,000 VP.
Pokémon Champions is available now on Switch and Switch 2, and rated E for Everyone. It’s also coming soon to mobile devices.
