Nintendo finally throws their hat into the NFC ring with Pokemon
Pokemon Rumble U at times plays like all the other Rumble games and at times plays differently. You still befriend Pokemon to fight with you. However Rumble U plays more like a multiplayer where you compete against the other toys for most attacks and coins collected. (And other stuff like that) While fighting, you can complete challenges, such as using a fire type move or collecting a certain number of Poke-toy capsules. If you complete all the challenges, you’ll get a crystal capsule and a powerful Poke-toy to use.
The other games in the series have more of an adventure-like feel to them whereas Rumble U has more of that multiplayer aspect to it. The other games would have you go from location to location and search for your next Pokemon to fight. Rumble U has you stay in one place and brings the Pokemon to you to fight. Rumble U plays like the Battle Royale in the Original Wiiware game. The game is easy to pick up and the music works perfectly with the action going on onscreen. The game also drops items throughout battles such as capsules that you can throw at a Poke-toy that you want to catch.
Now with every good game, there are good points and then there are not so good points. Pokemon Rumble U is no different. It feels like the game loses something if you’re playing by yourself. Unfortunately, most multiplayer games have this problem. It doesn’t hurt the game but if you had 3 other people to play with, the competition factor would be way higher than just playing by yourself. Another issue with this game and it goes for the whole franchise is the “have to replay factor.” Rumble U has a high-replayability but it feels like it makes you replay levels over and over. Completioners will have their hands full with befriending all the Pokemon as well as completing all the challenges. It’s these reasons that I give Pokemon Rumble U for the Nintendo Wii U an 8.5/10. The game hits a home run at times but takes a swing and misses at times too.
To Conclude, Pokemon Rumble U is just the start of Nintendo going in the right direction in terms of the Wii U. The NFC figures give the game something Nintendo hasn’t done before for one of their heavy hitter franchises but it makes perfect sense. The Poke-toys come in capsules in the game so why not have capsules and toys to buy for the game. The music goes perfectly with the action on screen at times and I didn’t feel overwhelmed with onscreen action. However, the replayablity is there but it feels forced. The multiplayer aspect without online play kills playing it solo. Nintendo needs to learn that multiplayer games need online play so everyone can play with actual people. It will be interesting to see how Nintendo takes the NFC toys into other franchises but Pokemon Rumble U is a good first step. My only question is “Why no Squirtle?”
Score: 8.5 / 10
