The latest Pokémon game to be announced is Pokémon Friends, a small-scale puzzle game built for mobile devices and Nintendo Switch. Instead of a new mainline entry or Black and White remakes, the franchise’s latest release focuses on full-scale edutainment territory. While the game offers cute education tools with a hidden cost, it raises concerns about microtransactions.
Pokémon Friends is essentially Big Brain Academy with pocket monsters. Each day, players get a set of three puzzles that can be quickly solved with touch controls and gyroscope support in some cases. The challenge comes when puzzles you’ve already played reappear and bump up the difficulty level, turning them into better brain games. However, this isn’t new for Pokémon; the series has been pushing towards edutainment for a few years.
The prize for completing daily challenges is colorful yarn that can be turned into Pokémon plushies. Those can then be used to decorate a little bedroom and fulfill quests, giving the game an appeal for kids. The package also includes microtransactions, where you can buy more puzzles and yarn for $10-$15.
While the microtransactions might seem harmless, they come with strings attached. Players will essentially pull a digital slot machine handle on the Plush-o-matic to get their desired Pokémon. Even if that’s just behind math puzzles and spatial reasoning games, is this really the best digital teaching tool available?
Pokémon Friends aims to create a full-on lifestyle brand for kids still too young for complex RPGs. With its cute design and educational content, it has potential. However, the inclusion of microtransactions raises questions about The Pokémon Company’s ability to make responsible edutainment.
Source: https://www.polygon.com/impressions/615088/pokemon-friends-hands-on-impressions-nintendo-switch-2