| Pokémon Shuffle | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer | Genius Sonority |
| Publishers | Nintendo 3DS iOS/Android The Pokémon Company |
| Director | Shunsuke Takagi |
| Producers |
|
| Composer | Tsukasa Tawada |
| Series | Pokémon |
| Platforms | Nintendo 3DS,Android,iOS |
| Release | Nintendo 3DS
|
| Genre | Puzzle |
| Mode | Single-player |
Pokémon Shuffle[a] is a 2015puzzle game developed byGenius Sonority and published byNintendo andThe Pokémon Company. The game, which is aspin-off of thePokémon series and is similar in gameplay toPokémon Battle Trozei (2014), was released worldwide on theNintendo eShop for theNintendo 3DS on February 18, 2015.[1]Pokémon Shuffle Mobile, a version forAndroid andiOS devices, was released in August 2015.[2]
Pokémon Shuffle, similar toPokémon Battle Trozei, is apuzzle game in which players fight against various Pokémon by matching three or more of the same Pokémon from the Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, Kalos and galar regions on their bottom of their screen. Players accomplish this by swapping around Pokémon on the bottom of their screen. Players can take up to four support Pokémon with them, some of which can deal additional damage depending on their type (e.g. matching water-type Pokémon causes extra damage to fire-based opponents). Players progress through each stage by defeating the opposing pokemon within a set number of moves, after which the player receives in-game coins and their Pokémon gain experience. Upon clearing a stage, players will have a chance to catch the Pokémon; the quicker the player defeats a Pokémon, the higher probability they have of catching it. If the player fails to catch it with their first Pokéball, they can spend coins to use Great Balls with a doubled chance of success, or retry the stage at a later date. Defeating Pokémon trainers earns Mega Stones, which allow certain Pokémon (if they have been successfully caught) to undergo Mega Evolution once a player has matched enough of them during a stage, granting bonus effects when matched. Players can also unlock Expert levels, which require the player to defeat a Pokémon within a time limit using unlimited moves.
The game follows afreemium format in which the player requires hearts to attempt each stage, with the player able to recover up to five hearts by waiting a certain amount of time.[3] Players can also use coins to purchase power-ups, such as extra moves, prior to entering a stage.[3] Extra hearts and coins can be purchased with jewels, which are either earned by defeating trainers or purchased usingNintendo eShop funds.[3] The game supports internet connectivity which offers bonus items and special limited-time stages to those who check in, as well asStreetPass functionality.[4][5]
On January 14, 2015,Pokémon Shuffle was announced by Nintendo as a free-to-play game for theNintendo 3DS.[6] The game was developed by Japanese studioGenius Sonority.[7] The title was released on February 18, 2015, via download through theNintendo eShop.[8] In June 2015, a mobile version of the game was announced forAndroid andiOS.[9] It released in Japan on August 24, 2015,[10] and other territories on August 31, 2015.[11] Post-release, the game has been supported with updates adding new stages and obtainable Pokémon.[12][13][14]
In July 2018, the last Pokémon,Marshadow, was released. Genius Sonority has no plans to add more content.[15]
As of April 8, 2024, following the shutdown of the3DS andWiiU's online servers, it is no longer possible for 3DS players to purchase Hearts and Coins from the shop, buy Jewels, receive daily bonuses, or participate in ranked cups. Although, items can still be received through Special Stages or any unplayed Main Stages.
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | 3DS: 56/100[16] iOS: 62/100[17] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Destructoid | 3.5/10[3] |
| GameRevolution |    [18] |
| Nintendo Life | [19] |
| Hardcore Gamer | 3.5/5[20] |
Pokémon Shuffle received mixed reviews from the media, scoring 56/100 onMetacritic.[16]
Chris Carter fromDestructoid was critical of the game, rating it 3.5/10. In particular he criticized the Hearts system, which requires 30 minutes for a single heart to regenerate. He also criticized themicrotransactions, saying, "Anything truly enjoyable about the game is ruined by the microtransactions."[3] Jacob Whritenour ofHardcore Gamer gave the game a more mixed review, scoring it a 3.5 out of 5 and saying "It’s fun and challenging enough to keep Pokémon and puzzle fans entertained," while also criticizing the microtransactions.[20] Morgan Sleeper ofNintendo Life was relatively praising of the game, stating it as "a fantastic match-three puzzle game marred by an uncharacteristically sleazy suite of microtransactions", explaining that "they're simply not worth buying". He did, however, praise the strategy element of the game.[19]
As of July 2017[update],Pokémon Shuffle has been downloaded 6.5 million times.[21]
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