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What Is Pokémon Unite? Find Out Here! (Free Multiplayer Fun)

Find out what this free multiplayer focused Pokémon battle arena game is all about.

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A close-up of Pikachu
A close-up of Pikachu

Today, I’ll be explaining what Pokémon Unite is.

Pokémon Unite is a battle arena game featuring the globally popular Pokémon creatures. Players select a character and do battle online in teams of 5 versus 5. Best of all, Pokémon Unite is totally free for console and mobile devices.

Now let’s jump in and explain the main core tenants of Pokémon Unite.


If you are interested in checking out the most popular Pokémon plushies, you can find them by clicking here.


1) Pokémon Unite Is A Battle Arena Game

Two Pokemon battling (pokemon unite nintendo switch screenshot)
Image: The Pokémon Company

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Pokémon Unite is a genre of video games commonly referred to as M.O.B.A—multiplayer online battle arena.

Popular M.O.B.A. games include League of Legends, Defense of the Ancients 2 (DotA 2), and Smite.

M.O.B.A.s require players to team up and battle other teams inside pre-designed areas.

Gameplay focuses on

  • action-oriented strategy
  • online matches
  • scoring points
  • characters with unique abilities
An overhead view of a tropical island arena
Image: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon Unite shares all of the characteristics of a battle arena game: it’s multiplayer centric, exclusively online, and focused on team battles inside multi-route arenas.


2) Pokémon Unite is A Pokémon Game

A blue Pokemon standing in front of a clouded sky (pokemon untie screenshot)
Image: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon Unite is also a Pokémon game, after all.

  • Players choose a Pokémon to battle with
  • Each Pokémon has its own set of moves, strengths, and weaknesses
  • Pokémon evolve and learn new moves as they gain experience points over the course of a fight
  • Players can collect an assortment of Pokémon in various manners
A yellow pokemon hunched over (pokemon unite nintendo switch screenshot)
Image: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon Unite also looks and sounds exactly how a Pokémon game should. The game includes familiar vibrant 3D visuals and sound effects Pokémon fans will enjoy.

Fans of Pokémon will also enjoy seeing items found in the main series such as Potions, held items, trainer cosmetics, and more represented in Pokémon Unite.


3) Pokémon Unite Is An Online Game

A orange dragon and its trainer in the lobby (pokemon unite screenshot)
Image: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon Unite is exclusively an online game for Nintendo Switch and mobile devices.

An internet connection is required to play and a Nintendo Account is required to play the Nintendo Switch version.


Learn how to make a free Nintendo Account by following this detailed step-by-step guide on Bucket List Games.


Additionally, Pokémon Unite is very much a modern online game that is reminiscent to popular online games such as Fortnite, Overwatch, Paladins, and Warframe in its modes and features.

You’ll feel comfortable playing Pokémon Unite if you ever played any of these other games.

A menu screen of a Pokemon untie shop (pokemon unite screenshot)
Image: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon Unite includes modern online features such as

  • login bonuses
  • daily and weekly missions
  • a Battle Pass
  • cosmetic options and optional skins (alternate costumes that change a Pokémon’s appearance)
  • friend lists
  • customization features
  • multiple modes
  • and more

A wealth of features and customizable settings are available, allowing players to get the most fun out of this online Pokémon experience.


4) Pokémon Unite Is A Team-Based Game

A screen of Pokemon during the loading screen (pokemon unite nintendo switch loading screenshot)
Image: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon Unite focuses on teams of 5 players battling teams of 5 players.

Other modes are included that alter the amount of members of teams (sometimes it may be 4 versus 4 or even 3 versus 3), but the primary battle modes are 5 versus 5 bouts.


Pokémon Unite Match Process:

A) POKEMON SELECTION

Each player selects a Pokémon before battle and each team can only have one of each Pokémon on its team.

  • A team cannot have two Pikachu or Charizard, for example.
  • You’ll have to select another Pokémon if a teammate chooses the one you want
  • Play with multiple Pokémon so you are comfortable and skilled with more than just one

B) ITEM AND MOVE SET SELECTION

Players can also select a Battle Item for their Pokémon to use during the bout, held items that’ll boost a Pokémon’s stats, and even change their monster’s move sets all before a fight begins.

Pokemon battling in an arena (pokemon unite screenshot)
Image: The Pokémon Company

C) DOING BATTLE

Matches themselves revolve around defeating computer-controlled monsters and player-controlled Pokémon to earn points (called Aeos Energy).

  • The aim of the match is to score points by depositing the energy into the opposing team’s goal zones
  • The team with the most deposited energy by the end of the game wins

Pokémon Unite also includes additional levels of depth and strategy that makes battles even more challenging and exciting to play.


5) Pokémon Unite Is A Free To Play (Start) Game

Pokemon Unite downlaod page with a yellwo arrow poinitng at the Free Download button

Last but no least, Pokémon Unite is an entirely free-to-play game.

Pokémon Unite can be downloaded for free on the Nintendo Switch and mobile devices as long as there is enough storage space available.

Luckily, the Nintendo Switch version of Pokémon Unite only requires 928 MB at a cost of zero dollars.

And you are never obligated or required to spend money to play the game. Ever.

Specifically, you are never required to buy

  • new Pokémon
  • cosmetic items
  • the game’s Battle Pass progression system (which includes free rewards as well as paid rewards)
  • or the various in-game currencies required to purchase items
Pikachu running at the camera (pokemon unite nintendo switch screenshot)
Image: The Pokémon Company

You can experience all the game has to offer—from battling opponents in arenas with your teammates to completing the wealth of missions available to you—without paying a cent.

Of course, gaining access to everything Pokémon Unite has to offer (which includes optional cosmetics and items among other things) will require spending money.

But many of the game’s items can be unlocked over time, and the game can be enjoyed just  as it is for free.


Follow this step-by-step picture guide I created explaining how to download Pokémon Unite for the Nintendo Switch for free.


Read More Great Articles

Now you know what Pokémon Unite is and the main tenants that make up the game.

Bookmark this site to stay up to date with even more Pokémon Unite guides, tips, and tricks.

Check out all exciting Pokémon Unite articles on Bucket List Games.


(Screenshots taken by me. Images sourced from product pages, websites, or social media and are credited appropriately. Logos, images, etc. belong to their respective owners. All information current at time of publication.)

SOURCE: Pokémon Unite website | Nintendo / Creatures Inc. / GAME FREAK inc / Tencent

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Wally GX

Writer, creator Bucket List Games

Bucket List Games