Title: Pokémon Shuffle
Platform: 3DS Family (eShop exclusive)
Genre: Match-3 Puzzle
Developer: Genius Sonority
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: Feb 18th, 2015 (worldwide)
Price: Free with IAP (in-app purchases)
StreetPass: Yes (exchange records and get occasional bonus rewards)
Official Website: http://www.pokemonshuffle.com/
Isn't this just a F2P version of Pokémon Battle Trozei/Link Battle?
No. While the games share similar mechanics, they play very differently most of the time. Pokémon Shuffle is much more strategical and slow-paced (except for the EX stages, which do play closer to Trozei.)
How bad is the paywall?
It varies. The game uses the dreaded stamina bar model, and your Hearts, which you must spend to start a level, only auto-fill up to 5. It takes 30 minutes to generate 1 heart, so from 0 to 5 hearts takes 2.5 hours. In general, you should be able to play the game for around 20 minutes every 2.5 hours or so without spending a penny. Some of the EX stages seem to really skew toward impossible without using items, but if you play smart you can still get items without paying.
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Gameplay Basics:
Pokémon Shuffle is a Match-3 style puzzle game in which your goal is to create matches and combos of 3 or more Pokémon in order to reduce an opposing Pokémon's HP to 0 in a limited number of moves.
Gotta Catch 'Em All:
Upon successfully completing a stage, you will have a chance to catch the Pokémon you were fighting. Each Pokémon has a base catch chance, which is then increased by the number of remaining moves you had. At launch there are currently 159 Pokémon in the game.
Teams, Types, and Abilities:
Before starting each stage, you can form a team of four of your captured Pokémon, which will serve as the primary tiles in the puzzle game. Each Pokémon has a type, and using the correct types against your opponent will give you an advantage. Each Pokémon also has an ability, which is a special effect that Pokémon can trigger. These range from dealing extra damage in combos to occasionally dealing extra damage, dealing more damage in a 4-match, and more.
Power and Levels:
Each Pokémon also has a base Attack Power, which varies, with earlier Pokémon typically having lower values. As you use Pokémon on your team, they will gain experience, level up, and increase their Attack Power.
Mega Evolution:
Certain Pokémon are capable of Mega Evolving. Once you've captured that Pokémon and acquired the corresponding Mega Evolution Stone, setting it as your team leader will add a meter to the side of the screen, which fills up as you match that Pokémon. When the meter is full, your Pokémon will Mega Evolve, dealing extra damage and adding an additional ability to help clear stages faster.
Jewels, Coins, and Items:
The game uses a dual-currency system. Coins are an in-game currency used to buy items that make stages easier. Jewels are a second in-game currency that can be spent to buy Coins or Hearts. You can have up to 150 Jewels at a time, any extra earned while you have 150 will be lost.
You can (but shouldn't) buy Jewels with real money at the following price points (really, don't):
1 Jewel - 100¥/$0.99/£0.89/€0.99
6 Jewels - 500¥/$4.99/£4.49/€4.99
12 Jewels - 950¥/$8.99/£8.09/€8.99
35 Jewels - 2500¥/$24.99/£22.49/€24.99
75 Jewels - 4800¥/$47.99/£42.99/€47.99
There is a monthly spending limit of 10,000¥/$100/£80/€100, with some countries only imposing this limit if you're under 18 years of age.
You can buy the following items with varying amounts of Coins:
Attack Power Up
Complexity -1
Disruption Delay
Exp. Points x1.5
Mega Start
Moves +5
You can also spend Coins after a failed capture to buy a Great Ball for a second chance at an increased capture-rate.
Events and Checking In:
Pokémon Shuffle has a Check In feature, which you can use once a day to connect to the internet, get a bonus reward, and check for active events. Events will be held periodically and allow you to face off against Pokémon that aren't otherwise capturable in the game, or play special modes to earn extra Coins, etc.
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You can find the latest active events on the website at http://www.pokemonshuffle.com/en-us/connectivity/
Currently Known Events as of Mar 9, 2015:
Celebrate Launch with Mew! - February 18, 2015 - 05:59 UTC March 9, 2015 - Extended to 06:00 UTC 3/23/2015
To commemorate the release of Pokémon Shuffle, a special stage featuring the Mythical Pokémon Mew will be available from February 18, 2015, until 05:59 UTC, March 9, 2015. This special stage offers the only way to get Mew on your team in Pokémon Shuffle! The "Celebrate Launch with Mew!" stage will appear between February 18, 2015, and 05:59 UTC March 9, 2015!
Meowth's Coin Mania - February 21 - March 16, Weekends
Play the Meowth's Coin Mania daily challenge stage from 6:00 AM UTC on Saturdays to 5:59 AM UTC on Mondays, from February 21 until March 16, 2015. In Meowth's Coin Mania stage, you can earn a great deal of Coins! There are Coins mixed in among the Pokémon on the lower screen, and you can obtain Coins for yourself by clearing them. You can challenge this stage just once per 24-hour period.
A Rotom a Day! - February 23 - March 21, Weekdays
Challenge Rotom in the Daily Pokémon (#1) daily challenge, available between 06:00 UTC on Mondays and 05:59 UTC on Saturdays, from February 23 until March 21, 2015. In this stage, Frost Rotom, Heat Rotom, Wash Rotom, Mow Rotom, and Fan Rotom each appear on different days. If you are victorious in your battles against them, you will have a chance to catch these Pokémon. There is no limit to how many times you can attempt this stage.
-Monday, starting at 06:00 UTC: Frost Rotom
-Tuesday, starting at 06:00 UTC: Heat Rotom
-Wednesday, starting at 06:00 UTC: Wash Rotom
-Thursday, starting at 06:00 UTC: Mow Rotom
-Friday, starting at 06:00 UTC: Fan Rotom
Kyogre Makes a Splash - 06:00 UTC 3/9/2015 - 06:00 UTC 3/23/2015
This is your chance to take on the Legendary Pokémon Kyogre. This powerful foe can only be encountered in this stage. Don't let this one pass you by!
You will be rewarded with a Jewel the first time you clear this stage!
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Finally, resident GAFfer JoeM86 has been dedicating his time and money to compiling all the in-depth info he can on the game, so if you want to see which Pokémon are in the game along with a wealth of other info, you can check that out on his website.
