Mar 12, 2017

Pokemon Duel – a digital board game with Pocket Monsters

A Pokemon Duel tutorial bo beginners
Thanks to the fantastic success of Pokemon Go, the whole series of games with those Pocket Monsters has got a boost of popularity. 

Those, who have the Nintendo 3DS console, can enjoy the Pokemon Sun and Moon game – it has been made in a classic RPG style. 

Those, who have Android or iOS devices, can play the Pokemon Shuffle Mobile puzzle game to make a bit of training for their brains and to create a collection of virtual creatures.

And that’s not all! The Pokemon Company has released a new official game for smartphones and tablets – Pokemon Duel! It’s more similar to original series than Shuffle but still it is rather unusual. 

The game seems to be an exciting one, so we in Very Good Games have it tried and in fact have it played a lot. On the base of our experience, we’ve prepared several Pokemon Duel tutorials for you, guys. 

Let’s figure out what the game is about, how to play it, and how to succeed in it!

To install the Pokemon Duel game, visit an appropriate marketplace:
                  

A virtual version of the real board game

The idea of a board game with Pokemon figures is not new at all. There was a real Pokemon Trading Figure Game, but that project has been closed in 2009. And now it has been moved to the virtual reality.

We need the game application to be installed, and this allows playing with real people from all over the world. The multiplayer feature makes the Pokemon Duel especially interesting!

Also there are training battles with a virtual instructor and quests, which are an analog of a single mode.

To understand game modes and ways of in-game progress, read the tutorial “How to play Pokemon Duel: All the game modes” - it will be ready soon.

How to play Pokemon Duel

The Goal Point – it’s our goal!

In the Pokemon Duel game, we have a board with stand points and routes between them. Player put their Pokemon figures onto the board from two enter points. And try to reach the Goal Point of the opponent. If this is done – the victory is achieved.

We should think about defense too! When a player leaves his Goal Point without any protection, he really risks losing before approaching the opposite side of the board.

A duel can be finished with a victory in two other ways: 
  • when an opponent can’t make a move;
  • when he or she ran out of 5 minutes time.

Pokemon Duel rules

To win a duel in Pokemon Duel, players should think about their game strategy. Soon, we will talk about this in the tutorial “How to play Pokemon Duel: let’s win a duel!”.


Movements and battles

Most of Pokemon can move on the board only if they have free space in front of them. Numbers near every Pokemon show how many step a creature can make. 

If Pokemon come close to other figures, players can begin battles! In them, disks with different marked moves spin on a screen. And when we tap, they stop and actions of our Pokemon become chosen. Actions of opponents will be compared automatically – this determines results of battles.

All the actions are divided into four types. They have different colors of zones on Pokemon disks:

  • Whites are usual attacks. Numbers show their power;
  • Purples are special moves with different influences. Their power is shown by stars;
  • Blues are defensive actions. They can stand any attack; 
  • Reds are for misses. Pokemon do nothing to an opponent.

    Pokemon Duel tutorial about movements in duels, and about battles of Pokemon


    A figure can win a battle and push an opponent out of the board to the Pokemon Center, or P.C.(temporary). Or some effects can be activated on a defeated Pokemon: confusing, sleeping, poisoning... Or there can be a draw situation, and figures will just stand on their places.

    Only two Pokemon of a team may be locked in the Pokemon Center. Knocking out of a third one allows returning a previously defeated creature. Knocking out is possible not only after a battle but just as the result of a surrounding, when two opponents’ Pokemon stand close from both sides.

    The battle disks, or Data Disks, vary from Pokemon to Pokemon. And they are worth of players’ attention. If you know disks of your Pokemon, you can develop a nice game strategy!

    As in other Pokemon games, every creature in Duel is unique. They differ from each other not only by their appearances and their battle disks but also by the quantity of their moves. Read more about them in the tutorial “How to play Pokemon Duel: What should we know about figures”.

    Plates, cubes, gems, coins…

    During a battle, we can use special cards, named “Plates” in Pokemon Duel. They add extra power to a figure, activate some abilities, or allow changing Pokemon. Choose a plate before your turn! One plate can be used only once in one battle. For more information, read our tutorial “Plates in Pokemon Duel” – it will be ready soon.

    Pokemon Duel - tutorial about Plates, Cubes, Gems, and Coins

    There are three types of Cubes in the game. Using them, we can get coins (from Gold Cubes, or Ingots), raise experience of our figures (by fusion with Blue Cubes, or Rare Metal), and raise figures’ Chain Level (by fusion with Green Cubes). There can be confusion with these Cubes. To avoid it, read the tutorial “Cubes, ingots, and metal in Pokemon Duel”.


    Gems are an in-game currency, which can be used in different ways. We get gems by completing missions. And we can buy them for real money. We talk about these crystals in the tutorial “How to get and how to spend gems in Pokemon Duel” – it will be ready soon

    Coins are necessary for fusion of our figures with Cubes and with other figures. This process gives experience points. We explain this topic in the tutorial “Coins in Pokemon Duel”.

    The game seems to be a bit complicated. But this is true only for beginners! The more you play the better you understand all the features. And you may boost your progress, following Pokemon Duel tutorial on Very Good Games.

    Of course, it’s better to try all our advice on practice! 

    Pokemon Duel Logo


    You may get more detailed information about Pokemon Duel clicking or tapping the links inside of this article. Or move to the next step of our explanations – the tutorial “How to play Pokemon Duel: Tips and tricks”, which we will post soon.

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