Bastion
LQ: 9.15
Recommended Age: 10+
Skills Used: Planning, Working Memory, Mathematics, Reading
Pokemon Unite is a MOBA strategy game where you and four other players battle five opponents in order to score the most points within a certain amount of time. Points are earned by dropping Pokeballs into the opponent’s three goals and protecting your own side of the arena against the opponent’s attacks. Defeating wild Pokemon in the arena or knocking out an opponent will drop Pokeballs to be collected to drop into the goal areas. When a goal reaches its capacity, it breaks down, opening new areas for you to explore and easily defeat the enemy.
In Pokemon Unite, you are working with four other people in an online multiplayer scenario; you can communicate with them using pre-written chat options or by using the voice chat function. When all players have accessed the Unite move, you can unleash a much more powerful attack by combining your efforts, making it easier to defeat your opponents or turn the tables in a battle you are losing.
Money earned in battle can be used to purchase licenses for new Pokemon to fight with and new items that can boost your success in battle. Challenges can also be completed in order to earn more money or items.
Pokemon Unite is currently available for the Nintendo Switch but a release for mobile devices is expected soon. It is free to play but certain features require in-app purchases.
Self-Awareness: Participating and cooperating with other people.
Because so much of Pokemon Unite takes place with real people online, the player needs to use their self-awareness skills to effectively participate within a team. Trying to accomplish everything on your own will not work in this game, and the player needs to listen to the cues of the other players and determine what role they will play within the group in order to ensure the greatest possibility of success.
Players also need to be able to use self-awareness to determine whether other team members are cooperative and participating as well. If the player is on a team with people who are not willing to work together, they need to be able to determine whether they want to continue playing or try another team who might be more cooperative.
Planning: Problem solving and dealing with obstacles.
Because Pokemon Unite is a strategy game, having a plan for attack and defense will significantly increase your chances of success in battle. Each Pokemon has a specific strength that can help determine what their role is within the battle and what the player will focus on during the fight. For example, if you are playing with Pikachu, you may be focusing on attacking while your teammates focus on defending your side’s goals from the enemy. Players who struggle with planning should try to pick a Pokemon they used in the training sessions until they feel comfortable branching out and trying new things; this can help plan your attack or defense based on what you know about the Pokemon you are already comfortable using.
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