Last year, activity on smartphones spiked at an all-time high. People were developing new apps for their phone, providing new methods and innovative ways to creatively use their phones to make their lives better. While the apps that made lives better were at large, last year's spike in activity didn't come just from the developments of new apps but rather a new game. It was a game that, when it was released, got people to get up and go outside. It got them to communicate with other people who had the same game, who had the same love for the same thing. If you were many other kids who grew up with the franchise, it allowed you get one step closer to living out one of your childhood fantasies. The game I speak of that got a whopping 100 million downloads last year is none other than Pokémon Go, and it seems it's not done yet.
Pokémon Go may have dominated the charts, but this is a new year, and the franchise, based on its track record, will not be dying anytime soon. Pokémon Duel, a new game that's out now, is a free strategy game that doesn't quite have the same system as its predecessors. According to Polygon, the game is inspired by board games, letting players construct decks of up to six Pokémon figurines that can be used in a race against the opponent. The goal of the game is to get a Pokémon on the opponent's side of the board through the use of the players taking turns to advance their while stopping their rival from doing the same to them.
Engadget reports that during the match, when your Pokémon lands on a space next to an enemy, a duel begins. Players will spin a data disk to determine the moves they can use against the opponent's Pokémon. It can be played against real people online or against AI, and the more you play, the more powerful your Pokémon get. Though this game has in-app purchases, it differs greatly from the usual mold of games that belong to the franchise. If there's one thing it does share with its predecessors, it's that the game also got hit pretty hard with the downloads, and so the last time it was checked the servers were down. Still, Pokémon continues to spread its love and influence and will continue to stand out in the smartphone world.
