Thursday, August 18, 2022

Hard Times, Fun Times in New Unite Battle Arenas

In the progression of the anniversary event for Pokémon Unite, which is still ongoing, two new battle arenas have been introduced. One of them represents a fun arena that may be considered an epitome of Pokémon, and the other represents a hard arena that really tests one's skills in a unique team-based manner. I've decided to collate their discussions not only for the festivities of the event but also for the spirits that they represent.

The first battle arena is called Pika Party. Here, everything is all about Pikachu: the Pokémon on the field are Pikachu, and everyone plays as Pikachu (one may still select Holowear to differentiate). The base of the arena is a Quick Battle in Mer Stadium with the change above, and the center "boss" is Gigantamax Pikachu, appearing up to twice with the expected bonus of making goal zones defenseless if defeated, in lieu of the non-appearing Rotom. It may sound like a one-note arena, but it can be rather dynamic - and then there's the fun aspect.

It is obvious that the key to success in Pika Party is the selection of pre-battle items and in-battle moves that suits one's play style and team needs. Since everyone plays as the same Pokémon, which cannot be the case in regular battle arenas, one has to adapt to certain "virtual" roles (including but not limited to the usual ones attributed to Pokémon) while given the only Pokémon to play, and certainly deal with the boss in the middle as soon as possible to get an advantage. The new arena could be considered a "learning tool" of sorts.

The second battle arena is called Boss Rush. Here, instead of being pitted against another team of five Pokémon, the team is pitted against a selection of three "boss" Pokémon from other battle arenas. The arena's appearance is partially based on Auroma Park but set in the evening, and it too is a Quick Battle, meaning five minutes to defeat those three bosses. This battle arena may be played directly with random opponents from the Quick Battle menu, or together with a Unite Squad for ranking purposes of those groups.

As Boss Rush is a departure from the usual format, team cohesiveness has a good deal of further importance. That may be why it was implemented for Unite Squad ranking; it tests the cohesiveness of members within it and is strongly recommended as such. The option to play from Quick Battle remains available but may become more difficult over time, so it may be more reserved for playing with friends who aren't part of the same Unite Squad. The arena is also rather offensive in nature, which is something to consider for technique.

After one year of existence, it seems that Pokémon Unite can play a little more loosely with battle arenas, and that's rather evident for the two new ones above. The results are arenas that are uncommonly fun and festive as well as uncommonly challenging and demanding. Then again, Pokémon Unite is an "uncommon" MOBA of sorts, so the "uncommon" treatment may be deserved for its first anniversary and beyond.

Two years ago: The Power of Stories
Three years ago: Cosplay: STARNIFEST 2019
Five years ago: Battle of the Masters

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