New Pokemon Masters Trailer Offers Glimpse at 3-on-3 Battles, Sync Moves

DeNA and The Pokemon Company released a new trailer for Pokemon Masters recently, outlining some of the features players can expect when the game launches on mobile devices sometime this summer.

First up is more information about Sync Pairings. Trainers will team up with various famous figures from Pokemon‘s storied past, like Claire and Kingdra from Johto or Iris and Haxorus from Unova, along with plenty of others.

We’ve known for a while now the game will feature 3-on-3 combat, but the new trailer finally gives a good look at what that’ll be like.

Players team up with two other Sync Pairs or friends via global co-op and take on AI-controlled opponents. These 3-on-3 matches aren’t like Rotation Battles from Gen V or even the staple double battles. Attacks like Razor Lead that normally affect more than one opponent seem to be restricted to targeting just one in Pokemon Masters.

The real centerpiece of combat is the powerful Sync Move players can unleash with their partner Pokemon, moves that are essentially like slightly altered Z-Moves.

Players can unlock their partner Pokemon’s levels and teach them new moves as they progress through the game. Additionally, with Sygna Suits, some Sync Pairs can even change to include new Pokemon. For instance, Brock’s Sygna Suit changes his partner to Tyranitar instead of Onix.

The goal of all this battling is similar to almost every other Pokemon game: defeat powerful trainers, earn Badges, and become the Champion of the Pasio Masters League.

It doesn’t seem like Masters will offer new Gym Leaders. However, according to Serebii, there is a new professor, Professor Bellis, who researches Sync Stones, along with Pasio’s Prince Lear who set up the Masters League, and his assistants Rachael and Sawyer. What role these all play in the game still isn’t known, though.

Another unknown factor is how players will go about forming Sync Pairs. There’s some suggestion in a batch of new screenshots that other trainers are assigned ranks via stars, which could mean Pokemon Masters will take a Fire Emblem Heroes approach to acquiring new Sync Pairs — in other words, that Masters will be another gachapon-style game.

As of yet, Pokemon Masters is still without a firm release date, but expect more information to come along before summer’s end.