Earlier, I had mentioned that as part of the second anniversary celebrations for Pokémon Unite, a new map had been added to challenge Trainers and their Pokémon anew. It's not a regular battle map, however, even though it's placed in the Quick Match section... and come to think of it, the battle isn't exactly quick either, unlike the other maps in the section. It's also radically different, though most of the battle framework still utilizes what Pokémon Unite is already known for, as a way of battling together with others - but they'll have to be rather defensive regardless for this one.
The map is called "Panic Parade", and it has the structure of a main area with three arms radiating from it. Wild enemy Pokémon appear from the ends of the three arms, and they make their march into the main area. Meanwhile, in the main area, there is Tinkaton, who needs to be protected as much as possible. As with any map, the team has to attack the wild Pokémon to defeat them, level up, and stave enemy attacks - including from possible bosses. And all this occurs in "waves" that progress over the course of the battle.
If this sounds like an implementation of what is called "tower defense", that's because that's exactly what it is. It might be a little strange for a MOBA game to include such a mode, but then Pokémon Unite isn't quite like other MOBA games, and it just continues to prove that the mechanisms of the game are expansible in other ways - as if Boss Rush from last year hadn't already done so. And indeed, this one requires a good deal of strategy in addition to the action that is usually demanded from other maps in Pokémon Unite.
Also like Legacy Trainer Challenge, this map and mode has four difficulty levels from Casual to Extreme, and the easier ones go through less waves, while the harder ones go through more of them (up to 15 on Extreme) with fiercer Pokémon. The victory condition is having defeated all enemies with Tinkaton still having health; if Tinkaton is fully drained of its health, the battle ends with a loss. And unlike other modes, this one has an elapsed time counter since the enemy wild Pokémon are not time-dependent - although those of the defending team may be, and not in the battle itself.
Currently, the map has disappeared for a "break", but it will return throughout the anniversary celebrations, which are still set to go on. I've had the chance to play through it only with random matchups, and my team always fails at the end of the Intermediate difficulty (up to Wave 10). This experience if anything underscores the importance of strategic coordination for this play mode, if at all possible with those closer rather than farther away. When it returns, that is something I may need to consider.
With the addition of Panic Parade, Pokémon Unite continues to make its mark - particularly on its second anniversary this year - as a MOBA of a wildly different character that befits the globally popular franchise. The map and resulting play mode are in stark contrast to the rest of what the game has to offer, but the essence remains the same: to link up, plan out, attack, and most importantly defend - together. That should speak for the keyword that defines what this popular Pokémon game is all about, especially now.
One year ago: A Nintendo Switch Lite Story: Making Concessions
Two years ago: Pikachu and Squirtle Donuts
Three years ago: On Growing Up with (and Out of) Pokémon
Four years ago: Shadow and Purified Pokémon in Pokémon Go
Five years ago: Type Logic
Six years ago: Fun at the Beach... or Water Park
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