Parents' Guide to Pokkén Tournament DX

Both seasoned and newbie Pokémon players should get a lot out of the fun arena battles between these Pokémon characters -- and there's a nice assortment of modes available. That coupled with the fact that you can take this game to go makes Pokkén Tournament DX a stellar pick. That said, those who bought last year's Pokkén Tournament for Nintendo Wii U might not get as much out of this, as this Nintendo Switch game is essentially the same, except for a few more characters (and Mewtwo and Shadow Mewtwo being playable right from the start), a Daily Challenge mode, a three-vs.-three arena option, and a new online leaderboard. There's also split-screen local play, but we'll get to that in a moment. As with the Wii U version, this game is very accessible. It's a cinch to pick up using the JoyCon controllers -- even for those who haven't played a fighting game previously -- yet the combat still has enough depth for more experienced and/or demanding players. For example, most special moves -- which are unique to your Pokémon -- can be performed with a single button press. But you'll need more timing and multi-button skills once you want to take advantage of some advanced moves and chaining moves/combos. On the new content, the Daily Challenge mode is a nice addition, as you're given a specific Pokémon and assist team each day, and rewarded with some skill points you can redeem. But more interesting is the new three-vs.-three mode.

As a Pokémon trainer, you must decide who joins the fight and when, based on your Pokémon characters' skills and your opponent's strengths. Don't expect as much depth as other fighting games, of course, but for a Pokémon game, it's quite meaty in both the gameplay and game mode department (though it would be great to offer more Pokémon characters to choose from). One mode to pass on, though, is Split Screen, as the gameplay area is too small to look at (with large borders around the edges), and more importantly, the game slows down dramatically. Finally, Pokkén Tournament DX also looks great, which will be a treat for fans playing on the small screen or big screen. Between the high definition and smoothly animated characters, arena environments, and special effects, this is by far the best-looking Pokémon game to date. Overall, this fighting game is accessible and fun and has lots to do -- and having it portable is an extra treat.