Pokémon Friends: the new daily logic game that’s dividing opinions

The Pokémon Company continues to expand its catalog with free and accessible experiences, such as Pokémon GO, Pokémon Unite, or Pokémon Masters EX. This year, Pokémon Friends joins the line-up, a logic title available on mobile devices and Nintendo Switch, which aims to become a daily routine for fans.

The concept is simple: three consecutive challenges each day, with a time limit of one and a half minutes to solve them. The faster they're completed, the more bonus points are earned, which are useful for the game's social component.

A story focused on Pokémon plushies

In Pokémon Friends, the goal is to supply a city with Pokémon plushies. After completing the challenges, players receive different types of thread to use in a machine that delivers one or two plushies. Each one has a degree of rarity and is linked to a specific type of thread.

The plushies serve to:

• Complete story mode missions by delivering specific models to the residents.
• Decorate the personal room, displaying the collection and purchasing additional items to customize it.

A brief yet consistent experience

The game's structure is designed so that the daily session doesn't exceed 15 or 20 minutes. Additionally, there is an option to pay to unlock challenge packs with no time limit, granting access to more than 1,200 minigames that will be expanded with future updates.

Pokémon Friends operates more as a service than as a traditional video game, just like Pokémon Café Mix, integrating into an ecosystem that receives constant updates during each Pokémon Presents.

The controversy on Nintendo Switch

The main focus of criticism is on the Nintendo Switch version, which is paid and doesn't include the challenge packs, which must still be purchased separately. This decision has been questioned, especially considering that The Pokémon Company is mostly owned by Nintendo and that the launch coincides with the arrival of Nintendo Switch 2, in a context of a shortage of confirmed titles.

The strategy seems to have steered players toward the mobile version, where it's free, but the move left a bitter taste among console users.

A title that won't convince everyone

Pokémon Friends fulfills its goal as a daily dose of entertainment and logic for the most loyal fans, but it will hardly be considered a complete video game. For those who have access to mobile devices or tablets, it's advisable to choose these platforms and avoid paying for the Switch version.