
Despite the game making it clear from the outset that it can be played to its fullest without the transactions, it’ll be the younger players getting stuck, burning through the power-ups and special abilities. Pokémon Café Mix, from aesthetic to difficulty and platform availability, is targeting younger audiences.
#POKEMON CAFE MIX RECIPES REAL LIFE FREE#
Other titles in the franchise’s range, most notably Pokémon Go, have a broader market appeal, with more mature players free to decide whether to exchange their real-world cash for in-game benefits. However, this defence then throws up the problem of microtransactions. Some defence can be made here that Pokémon Café Mix is not for adults, and many of the levels may pose a challenge to younger minds. An example of the transactions available, hoping to entice Once you’ve become accustomed to the look of the game, which is admittedly adorable, it rapidly descends into tedium. The linkable faces are free to move around, allowing connections to be made with ease, and other than the occasional pause for minor tactical thought, there is absolutely no skill involved in the game whatsoever. The game is controlled via touchscreen, with poking and dragging making up the extent of the move-set and setting the tone for its difficulty. The main gaming screen, home to many a Pokemon face and a few items to purchase in-game On occasion, a squad of Timburr’s might come by to extend the café’s capacity.

Progression unlocks new equipment, new recipes, and new gimmicks (the game’s phrase, not ours). The better you perform, the higher your reward. Extra abilities, earned by effort or in-game purchase, can be activated to help proceedings. All of this is a cutesy preface to the main crux of the game: linking up Pokémon faces to reach specific recipe targets, such as attaining certain combo lengths or the freeing of ingredients. To build up a business reputation, you need to serve visiting Pokémon their drinks and meals – in time, building friendships that see these customers eventually come into your employ, bringing with them their skillset to help in the meal preparation efforts. The game’s setup is that you, the player, have just taken over a café. This genre is typically the preserve of Candy Crush and its battalion of clone apps, so can Pokémon Café Mix bring anything to the table other than a fresh skin? In short… no.

Pokémon has never been afraid of branching into new gaming genres, and Café Mix sees the franchise take a step into the world of match-up puzzle games.

Platform: Multi | Developer: Genius Sonority | Released: June 2020
