It’s no secret thatPokemonis one of the biggest franchises in the world, as has been the case since nearly the day it debuted. This privilege comes with plenty of perks, including the video game equivalent of a national holiday.Pokemon Dayarrives on February 27 every year, and just like every other year, this year’s Pokemon Presents showcased plenty of exciting announcements regarding the future of the franchise.
The announcement ofPokemon Championswas undoubtedly one of the event’s biggest reveals, surpassed only byPokemon Legends: Z-Aending its near-year-long radio silence. Although the teaser left some details up to the imagination, the information revealed so far does more than enough to sell the concept of the game. In fact, the presumed design ofPokemon Championsinvites a strong comparison with one ofPokemon’s biggest fan projects.
Pokemon Champions Could Be Exactly What Showdown Fans Have Been Looking For
What is Pokemon Showdown?
Pokemon’s vibrant community is a key part of what has kept the franchise going strong for all this time, with plenty of fan projects created duringPokemon’s decades-long existence.Pokemon Championsbears a striking resemblance toPokemon Showdown, which stands toe to toe with theNuzlocke as one of thePokemoncommunity’s most lasting and beloved inventions.
Pokemon Showdownis a battle simulatorthat includes monsters and mechanics from every generation, all in the same place. This was mostly meant to satisfy players who felt it was too difficult to build teams in-game, and allow fans to show their love for competitive battling.Showdownhas always existed in a bit of a gray area as an unofficial work, but has continued to be a major function of the community in making older generations more accessible for team-building.
Pokemon Champions Could Be an ‘Official Version’ of Everything Showdown Has to Offer
Pokemon Champions' announcement trailerwas marketed with two primary features. For one, it seemingly allows players to access multiple Generation gimmicks at once, with one scene depicting a Mega-Evolved Pokemon facing off against a Terastallized Pokemon. There is currently little to indicate whether other mechanics like Dynamax will make a return as well, other than the implication thatChampions' battle system would be incomplete without it.
With the inclusion ofMega Evolutionsbeing shown as a prominent feature, it’s possible thatChampionsis usingLegends: Z-A’s Pokedex as a foundation. If developers were to reveal that Terastallization will come back inZ-Aalongside Megas, this seems even more likely. However, it is worth including that the brief looks atChampions' in-game HUD appears to feature a more traditional battle system than has been seen in theLegendsseries so far. Likewise,Pokemon Championscurrently appears to only be compatible withPokemon Hometransfers fromPokemon Scarlet and Violet, as well asPokemon GO.
Pokemon Championshas yet to reveal anything resembling the team-building functions found inPokemon Showdown, but some of its battling features seem remarkably similar. After all, while the mixing of certain battle gimmicks would be a first for officialPokemongames, this has been a staple ofShowdownfor years.
Either way, this first look is already looking promising for the countless fans ofPokemon Showdown. IfPokemon Championsdoes turn out to be a sufficiently complete battle simulator, it may very well change the landscape ofcompetitivePokemonforever.
