Pokémon Masters EX

Pokémon Masters EX builds its story on an unusual idea – trainers from every generation of Pokémon games, from Red to Alola and Galar, converge on the artificially created island of Pasio and pair up with their signature Pokémon for turn-based battles of three pairs against opponents. Controls are simple taps on abilities, while the synergy of types, powers, and so-called sync moves between trainers and their Pokémon forms the main tactical layer that the player works out already when assembling a team before battle. The game was released in 2019 by studio DeNA, which has experience with mobile Pokémon titles from other projects for the brand as well.

The fan value lies chiefly in the meeting of trainers who would never cross paths in the main game series – Red next to Diantha, Marnie next to Cynthia, Ash next to the newest champions – and in how the game serves up this cross-generation nostalgia through story chapters and regular seasonal events. The visuals keep a stylized, colorful look close to modern Pokémon games, the music draws on themes from individual regions, and battle animations faithfully replicate the typical attacks known from the main game series, accompanied by each trainer's characteristic voice lines.

New trainers and their powered-up versions arrive through gacha draws, so collecting favorite pairs without paying takes considerably longer, and the player has to make peace with randomness or extra spending.

Why play it: Pokémon fans who enjoy the idea of trainers meeting across generations, even at the cost of gacha-paced collecting of new pairs.