Pokemon Unite has only been out for a short time, and it has already taken the world by storm. The franchise's first foray into the MOBA scene has been met with relative praise since launching on the Switch, and with even more being added to the game soon, time will tell just how big this title will become.
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But in spite of all of the good, Pokemon Unite has its fair share of oddities. There are certain aspects of the game that, while not game-breaking, are certainly strange when analyzed further and worth discussing. Here are five of them.
Where Does Aeos Energy Even Come From?
Aeos Energy is integral to Pokemon Unite. It is an energy that you accumulate during a match by defeating wild Pokemon and stealing it from fallen opponents, and can be used to score in goal for points. In the opening cinematic for Pokemon Unite, it is also shown that Aeos Energy seems to be able to make Pokémon devolve at the start of a match and evolve as it goes on.
But one question that Unite does not address is where this energy even originates from. Looking at the cinematic, it appears the energy is simply taken from wild Pokemon on Aeos Island, but that still does not explain how or why only they possess it, or how it is capable of forcibly making Pokemon either evolve or devolve. In reality, Aeos Energy really only serves as the main gimmick of Unite, but its canonical origins are still wrapped in mystery.
Why Do Some Pokemon Devolve While Others Don't?
Unite Battles are all about teamwork and accumulating Aeos Energy from both wild and enemy Pokemon to score goals before time runs out. But another notable feature of these battles is that the Pokemon you choose begin the battle in an undeveloped state and evolve over the course of it to their later forms. Well, most Pokemon do anyway.
Strangely, this rule does not seem to apply to Snorlax, Mr. Mime, Lucario, or Pikachu, as these Pokemon each have pre-evolved forms that they simply don't start a Unite Battle in. While some Pokemon like Pichu may be rather weak in a Unite battle, it almost doesn't matter as it'll evolve anyway. The game provides no real explanation for why these Pokemon are the exception, especially because stronger Pokemon like Snorlax are harder to take down at the beginning of a match.
Why Doesn't Pikachu Evolve Into Raichu?
In addition to Pokemon that don't devolve, Pikachu is a bit of a double whammy because it both doesn't devolve into Pichu and doesn't evolve into its final stage, Raichu, either. While changing into Raichu does require Pikachu to be exposed to a Thunder Stone, there is evidence that specific evolution requirements need not apply in Pokemon Unite.
Both Machamp and Gengar are examples of Pokemon that require specific conditions to evolve — i.e. being traded — yet still change into their final stages during a Unite Battle. While it is true that Pikachu is far more popular than Raichu as the face of the Pokemon franchise, Raichu would still be a more powerful and versatile option.
Aeos Coins
Pokemon Unite shares many characteristics with other games in the MOBA genre, one of which is microtransactions. While most MOBAs are totally free-to-play, players are usually given quite a few options for how they wish to obtain different items, features, or characters that include in-game currency and special currency that can be bought with real money. Unite is no different, as players have the option to purchase different Pokemon with either Aeos Coins, which are free, or Aeos Gems, which require purchasing with real money.
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While it is not a bad thing at all to have these options, for some players it may not be as balanced. Although players can choose to use either Aeos Coins or Gems to purchase different Pokemon, the cost in Coins is much higher than the cost in Gems. You can earn Coins for completing matches, but the number rewarded can vary from 20 to 40 on average, while most Pokemon average 6000 to 8000 Coins to purchase. Additionally, the Holowear accessories that allow you to customize can't be purchased Coins at all. While this does not break the game entirely, it is odd that the accumulation of the Coins seems so much more difficult than simply buying Gems.
Where Is Everybody?
The roster of Pokemon Unite is quite large. With about 20 different Pokemon to choose from, including the Mythical Zeraora, you certainly have no shortage of options for characters to main or experiment with. While some are better than others, each one appeals to different tastes, and there are already more coming to join the battle. But when taking a closer look at the roster itself, it's hard to ignore that something seems to be missing.
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Although most Generations of Pokemon are present in Unite, creatures from Generation II — which covers the Johto games — seem to be missing entirely. Additionally, nearly half of the roster is made up of Pokemon from the first generation of the series, with the rest of them being more spread out. With the recent addition of Gardevoir, it's clear that more 'mons are coming to Unite, so we'll see if the roster also grows to better represent the series as a whole.
NEXT: Pokemon Unite Complete Guide and Walkthrough
