Game Information
**Game Title**: Pokemon UNITE
**Platforms**:
* Nintendo Switch (Jul 21, 2021)
**Trailer**:
**Developers**: TiMi Studios, Tencent
**Publisher**: The Pokemon Company
**Review Aggregator**:
[**OpenCritic – 68 average – 40% recommended – 16 reviews**](https://opencritic.com/game/11721/pokemon-unite)
[**Metacritic – 71 average – 19 reviews**](https://opencritic.com/game/11721/pokemon-unite)
Critic Reviews
[**Destructoid**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/90/destructoid) – [Chris Carter](https://opencritic.com/critic/431/chris-carter) – [7 / 10](https://www.destructoid.com/reviews/pokemon-unite-review/)
>I can’t stop playing Pokemon Unite and chain-queuing games because it’s so fun, but these issues are going to drive some people away and need to be addressed. It’s a shame a few of these problems exist with the monetization skeleton because they’re so easily fixable, and while targeting whales is a classic mobile strategy, I don’t think the general audience for Pokemon is going to stand for it long term.
[**Digital Trends**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/124/digital-trends) – [Emily Morrow](https://opencritic.com/critic/8399/emily-morrow) – [3 / 5 stars](https://www.digitaltrends.com/game-reviews/pokemon-unite-review/)
>While Pokémon Unite’s core gameplay is fun, strange design choices and a convoluted microtransaction system complicates a simple MOBA.
[**Everyeye.it**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/425/everyeye-it) – [Giovanni Calgaro](https://opencritic.com/critic/2986/giovanni-calgaro) – *Italian* – [6.5 / 10](https://www.everyeye.it/articoli/recensione-pokemon-unite-moba-gratis-switch-non-aspetti-53839.html)
>Pokémon Unite starts from an excellent idea: to appropriate the main characteristics of the most popular genre ever, to shape it and give life to something new or, at least, endowed with a certain autonomous dignity. In addition, of course, there are Pokémon: we wonder why this idea had not been revealed before, but, evidently, it took the intervention of Tencent and TiMi to push on the accelerator. Pokémon Unite is still an intriguing and, at first, addictive proposal. The mechanics work very well and the title is a lot of fun.
[**Game Informer**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/35/game-informer) – [Alex Van Aken](https://opencritic.com/critic/8402/alex-van-aken) – [8 / 10](https://www.gameinformer.com/review/pokemon-unite/pokemon-unite-review-a-thunder-shock-to-the-system)
>Recognizable Pokémon, distinct move sets, stylish animations, and easy-to-understand objectives make this a good introduction to the MOBA genre
[**GameSpot**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/32/gamespot) – [Jason Fanelli](https://opencritic.com/critic/325/jason-fanelli) – [7 / 10](https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/pokemon-unite-review-a-micro-aggressive-moba/1900-6417707/?ftag=CAD-01-10abi2f)
>Pokemon Unite tries something new with the Pokemon brand and mostly succeeds, albeit with some overzealous microtransactions.
[**GameXplain**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/315/gamexplain) – GameXplain – [Liked-a-lot](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGuCcknGKug)
>Video Review – Quote not available
[**Gameblog**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/450/gameblog) – [Eva Martinello](https://opencritic.com/critic/5910/eva-martinello) – *French* – [7 / 10](https://www.gameblog.fr/tests/3901-pokemon-unite-switch)
>Pok’mon Unite is an easy to play and well-designed MOBA that inventively translates mechanics of its license to adapt them to the genre. While Pok’mon fans will enjoy playing this game, MOBA enthusiasts aren’t the primary target since its casual aspect prevails.
[**GotGame**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/657/gotgame) – [David Poole](https://opencritic.com/critic/5725/david-poole) – [8 / 10](https://gotgame.com/2021/07/28/review-pokemon-unite/)
>Pokémon UNITE may have its weaknesses, but it definitely offers an addicting experience. There’s definitely room to grow and evolve into something greater, and it seems like that may happen here. Combining the Pokémon franchise with the successful MOBA genre seems like a hit, and it’ll likely be here to stay a long while. Even now, I still continue to move up the ranks online, enjoying my time as I advance my player level. With future Unite licenses becoming available and likely more maps and content on the way, this will surely be a huge success.
[**Metro GameCentral**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/75/metro-gamecentral) – GameCentral – [6 / 10](https://metro.co.uk/2021/07/23/pokemon-unite-review-gotta-buy-em-all-14976298/)
>An addictive and accessible MOBA which takes advantage of the Pokémon license to great effect but is hampered by an abundance of free-to-play irritations.
[**PCMag**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/314/pcmag) – [Jordan Minor](https://opencritic.com/critic/1666/jordan-minor) – [3.5 / 5 stars](https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/pokemon-unite-for-nintendo-switch)
>Pokemon Unite’s familiar faces and approachable mechanics let everyone enjoy the otherwise inscrutable MOBA genre.
[**PPE.pl**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/642/ppe-pl) – [Wojciech Gruszczyk](https://opencritic.com/critic/5528/wojciech-gruszczyk) – *Polish* – [7.5 / 10](https://www.ppe.pl/recenzje/11264/pokemon-unite-recenzja-i-opinia-o-grze-switch.html)
>It’s worth trying Pokemon Unite. This is not a proposal for everyone, but if you want an interesting network with Pokemon in the main roles, then you may find that you spend many hours with the title.
[**Rice Digital**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/513/rice-digital) – [Conor Evans](https://opencritic.com/critic/7004/conor-evans) – [Unscored](https://ricedigital.co.uk/pokemon-unite-is-actually-good/)
>Overall though, the game is a genuinely pleasant experience that I have been really enjoying both on my own and with friends.
[**Screen Rant**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/664/screen-rant) – [Laura Gray](https://opencritic.com/critic/7941/laura-gray) – [2 / 5 stars](https://screenrant.com/pokemon-unite-game-review/)
>While Pokémon Unite offers a new way for fans to enjoy Pokémon battles together, the frustrating limitations created to encourage microtransactions make gameplay less about having fun and more about completing missions for currency. While it may appeal to fans of mobile app-style games with a similar structure, those who want the ability to experience everything Pokémon Unite has to offer without spending money will need to sink a large amount of time into grinding before having the means to truly access most features. With improvements to the ability to earn currency and a better item level system tied to use in battle instead of paid upgrades, Pokémon Unite would be a more enjoyable experience for players.
[**Shacknews**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/62/shacknews) – [Sam Chandler](https://opencritic.com/critic/2622/sam-chandler) – [7 / 10](https://www.shacknews.com/article/125809/pokemon-unite-review-a-divisive-battle)
>For long-time Pokemon fans, Pokemon Unite will be an enjoyable, if simple, adventure into the world of MOBAs. Even those who are intimately familiar with MOBAs may find Unite’s quick and approachable matches to be a nice palate cleanse. Unfortunately, at launch, it’s limited roster, simplicity, and hidden pay-to-win nature leaves it not being the very best.
[**TheGamer**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/731/thegamer) – [Cian Maher](https://opencritic.com/critic/5862/cian-maher) – [4 / 5 stars](https://www.thegamer.com/pokemon-unite-review/)
>Pokemon Unite is weird. It both feels everything and nothing like Pokemon and nothing and everything like a MOBA. It’s not necessarily a balanced meeting point between these two ostensibly incomparable concepts – instead, it’s its own thing entirely. And, for the most part, this new, strange, messy hybrid works. Its misunderstanding of what makes it special in the first place is an unignorable aspect of an otherwise remarkable effort, and there will be people out there who are turned off by the overbearing presence of microtransactions, even if they don’t technically make the game pay-to-win.
[**WayTooManyGames**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/742/waytoomanygames) – [Aaron Price](https://opencritic.com/critic/6944/aaron-price) – [8.5 / 10](https://waytoomany.games/2021/07/27/review-pokemon-unite/)
>Overall, Pokémon Unite is actually a ton of fun, way more than expected at the very least. While the roster could definitely use a good injection of new monsters, there’s enough variety in the base game to keep you busy for a while. Plus, the sprites look great, so it is hard to moan too much about it. The different maps are great as well, all having their own wild pokémon and legendaries to defeat as you battle. Hopefully the player base sticks around, as with the right amount of love and care, Pokémon Unite could be a huge boost for the franchise as a whole.