Pokemon Duel – a previously Japan-only free-to-play mobile game – has been released on the Apple Store and Google Play store.
Announced by the Pokemon Company, the surprise release is a competitive digital board game that sees players using teams of six Pokemon figurines to reach a space on the opponent’s side of the board. Pokemon battle using a new system (but using familiar techniques) and players can use “plates”, essentially one-use power-ups.
The game offers booster packs for winning against other players, but more can be bought using real-world currency.
Released as Pokemon Comaster in Japan last year, the game was developed by a company that builds advanced artificial intelligence.
It’s not clear why the game has been released with so little build-up or fanfare, particularly after the enormous success of fellow free-to-play game, Pokemon Go last year.
It’s the latest in a line of Nintendo-branded mobile games, which will continue with the release of Fire Emblem Heroes on February 2.
Joe Skrebels is IGN’s UK News Editor, and this artificial intelligence will mean that a Slowpoke is cleverer than him. Follow him on Twitter.