Pokémon Shuffle
- Shuffle redirects here. For the random mixing of cards, see Appendix:Glossary (TCG) → Shuffle.
Pokémon Shuffle (Japanese: ポケとる PokéToru) is a freemium puzzle game first released for the Nintendo 3DS through the Japanese, Australian, European, and North American Nintendo 3DS eShop on February 18, 2015. Major version updates are also downloaded from the eShop, but minor updates may occur within the game itself while it communicates with the server during "check in".
Pokémon Shuffle ポケとる | |
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Logo of Pokémon Shuffle | |
Pokémon Shuffle Mobile ポケとる スマホ版 | |
Logo of Pokémon Shuffle Mobile | |
Basic info
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Platform: | Nintendo 3DS, Android, iOS, iPadOS |
Category: | Puzzle |
Players: | 1 |
Connectivity: | Nintendo Network, StreetPass (3DS) |
Developer: | Genius Sonority |
Publisher: | Nintendo/The Pokémon Company |
Part of: | Generation VI and VII spin-off series |
Ratings
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CERO: | A |
ESRB: | E |
ACB: | G |
OFLC: | N/A |
PEGI: | 3 |
GRAC: | N/A |
GSRR: | N/A |
Release dates
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Japan: | February 18, 2015 (3DS) August 24, 2015 (Mobile)[1] |
North America: | February 18, 2015 (3DS) September 1, 2015 (Mobile)[2] |
Australia: | February 18, 2015 (3DS) September 1, 2015 (Mobile) |
Europe: | February 18, 2015 (3DS) September 1, 2015 (Mobile)[3] |
South Korea: | January 20, 2016 (Mobile)[4][5] |
Mainland China: | September 28, 2015 (Mobile) |
Hong Kong: | September 1, 2015 (Mobile) |
Taiwan: | September 1, 2015 (Mobile) |
Websites
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Japanese: | Official site (3DS) Official site (Mobile) Nintendo.co.jp |
English: | Official site (3DS) Official site (Mobile) Pokémon.com (3DS) Pokémon.com (Mobile) Nintendo.com (3DS) |
Japanese boxart
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Pokémon Shuffle operates on a free-to-play model—the game is free to download and play, although with a limited number of stages playable in quick succession. Players start with five Hearts and spend one Heart per stage played. Hearts will recharge for free as time passes at a rate of one Heart every 30 minutes, with no more regenerated if players already have five Hearts. Optionally, more Hearts or Coins (which are used to play certain stages or can be used to purchase power-ups in stages) may be purchased with Jewels, which are bought with real money or occasionally given as free prizes, to allow players to immediately resume their game. One Heart is also given for free when Stage 11 is played for the first time, even if the player has Hearts remaining.
A version for iOS, iPadOS, and Android called Pokémon Shuffle Mobile (Japanese: ポケとる スマホ版 PokéToru Smartphone Version) was released in Japan on August 25, 2015, in North America, the United Kingdom, and Australia on September 1, 2015, and in continental Europe and South Korea on January 20, 2016. It was originally scheduled to be released in South Korea on January 14, 2016.
In February 2018, both the 3DS and Mobile versions of the game received their final content update: special stages now automatically repeat on a 24-week schedule until 2037, with holiday-related events set to occur at the corresponding times every year. Genius Sonority has no plans to add more content to the game.
The 3DS version of the game became unavailable after the discontinuation of the 3DS Nintendo eShop on March 27, 2023 at 12:00 AM UTC. On March 31, 2023 at 6:00 AM UTC, the 3DS version's servers were also shut down, disabling check in rewards and competitive stages. Since special stages automatically cycle after just a single download, non-competitive stages can still be played after the shutdown if they are already downloaded. However, if the system's date and time settings are changed, then these stages are blocked off - checking in would normally restore them, but that will no longer be an option.[6] Standard stages do not require an additional download or internet connection to play, and will remain available.
Blurb
Get ready for the latest Pokémon puzzle game! Match three or more Pokémon to clear them from the screen and damage the opponent Pokémon. But watch out—your moves are limited, so use them wisely! With no time limit, you can create the best matches to deal out maximum damage. With many popular Pokémon, including some Mega-Evolved Pokémon, this is the perfect puzzle game for fans and for new players who want to get in on the Pokémon fun.
Pokémon Shuffle Mobile
Pokémon Shuffle Mobile is a separate implementation of the Pokémon Shuffle game for iOS, iPadOS, and Android. It was released after Pokémon Shuffle for the 3DS and took many version releases before it reached feature parity. There are several minor game elements that differ between Mobile and 3DS versions in addition to having a slightly different user interface. The version history tracked in this article follows the Android system. iOS is often a few versions behind Android due to the more time consuming nature of the iOS app store review process.
Pokémon Shuffle Mobile can only be played with an Internet connection. Unlike on the 3DS, it will not fully load otherwise. Regular server maintenance is scheduled on Tuesdays from 5:00-6:00 AM (UTC), meaning the game is unplayable during these hours. According to the official support website, Pokémon Shuffle Mobile requires iOS 7 or later or Android Jelly Bean (4.1) or later and requires on-device storage of approximately 200 MB, although periodically updates will require additional on-device storage. Rooted and jailbroken devices are not supported. When using Android 1GB of free memory is required.
Game data may be transferred between Mobile devices, but not to/from a 3DS or shared between multiple Mobile devices at the same time. Once a transfer code is issued under "Issue a transfer code" in "Options", it can be entered along with the client number when the game is first launched on the new device. Jewels will not be transferred between different OSes. Transfer codes expire after 30 days from being issued and cannot be issued again for 30 days after the last transfer.
Differences from the 3DS version
- Graphics are higher resolution.
- Stages scroll vertically instead of horizontally.
- Players who use older devices to play the app may experience severe lag and audio muffling. The Nintendo 3DS version performs the same on all variants.
- An Internet connection is required.
- The check in function occurs automatically when the application launches. Players must exit and restart the game in order to check in again.
- Notifications, which can be turned on and off under "Options" and then "Settings", are sent to the phone or tablet notifying players when their Hearts have regenerated.
- StreetPass is not available. Facebook integration, or player "Friend Codes" for non-Facebook users (since Version 1.6.0), is utilized instead. Through these features, mini Hearts can be sent to and received from each of the player's friends once per day. Each mini Heart sent or received fills a bar called the Friend Gauge slightly; sending a mini Heart fills a quarter of the bar, while receiving one fills a tenth.[citation needed] When the Friend Gauge fills completely, an extra Heart is obtained. This feature is disabled for players under 13.
- The first successful completion of a battle against Trainers with Mega Evolved Pokémon at the end of each Main stage area earns 5 Hearts instead of a Jewel.
- A number of early stages had adjustments to their stage data, including the total amount of experience available, the Pokémon's catch rates, and the types of disruptions.
- Prior to July 2016, special stages were not always held on the same schedule, and some had different rewards or costs per play.
- Competitive stage rankings are counted separately. Additionally, rankings and prize tiers are not separated by region.
- Gifts are received under the "Gifts" tab.
- In countries outside Asia, players who are younger than 13 years old cannot make in-app purchases.
- Players may not purchase more than ¥10,000 (or equivalent) per month.
- Prices for items and Jewels differ, as noted in their respective sections of this article.
- Passcodes are incompatible.
Gameplay
Pokémon Shuffle is a puzzle game in which players match three or more of the same Pokémon icons in a six tile by six tile Puzzle Area to defeat wild Pokémon, in a similar style to Pokémon Battle Trozei. Players try to capture Pokémon by defeating them. To defeat a wild Pokémon, players must cause damage equal to or greater than the opposing wild Pokémon's Hit Points (HP) and do so within a certain number of moves or within a certain amount of time. Players may then use their newly captured Pokémon as Support Pokémon to help them capture more wild Pokémon. Damage done to an opposing wild Pokémon depends on the Attack power of the Pokémon whose icons are matched, the number of icons matched, the Skill the matching Pokémon possesses, and a number of additional factors. Each Pokémon has a Skill that is activated when the Pokémon is matched in a battle, as long as the specific skill criteria is met (sometimes at random) and the match is not the second or later match in the combo (matches that immediately follow one after the other without all icons coming to rest). During move-limited stages, the icons representing a Pokémon can be moved anywhere in the Puzzle Area, but will immediately revert their positions if they do not cause a match. Once a match has been made, no icons can be moved by the player until the combo and the wild Pokémon's subsequent disruption (if any) have ended. In time-limited stages, no-match moves are eligible, and icons may be moved as long as time remains on the clock. Breakable-rock, unbreakable-block, and any icon trapped under a barrier disruption cannot be moved directly in either stage type.
Catching Pokémon
This section is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it. Reason: Chance a Pokémon will run, Super Catch Power numbers confirmation |
Whenever an uncaught Pokémon is defeated, the player gets a chance to catch that Pokémon. The chance to catch a Pokémon varies and is split into two primary components — a base catch rate that does not change and a bonus, which increases the catch rate slightly for each extra move (or time, in increments of three seconds) left unused at the end of the stage. If the player purchased a "Moves+5" or "Time+10" item before beginning the stage, the additional Moves or Time will not be factored into the bonus. However, the bonus will factor in Moves or Time gained if the player ran out of moves or time on the stage and used a Jewel to gain more. If the initial Poké Ball fails, a Great Ball, which doubles the current catch rate, may be purchased for 2500 (3DS) or 3500 (Mobile) Coins. If the Great Ball fails, additional Great Balls may be purchased, though the catch rate is not increased further. Additionally, after the first Great Ball, there is a chance that the Pokémon may run away automatically. If a Pokémon has been caught, a small Poké Ball icon will appear next to its icon on the stage selection screen.
In Version 1.2.0 (3DS) onwards, or from the start (Mobile), if the initial Poké Ball fails, the Pokémon may become nervous, triggering "Super Catch Power". After the listed catch rate is doubled by the Great Ball, Super Catch Power will randomly add between 20% and 50%[citation needed] to the capture rate. This does not increase the cost of the Great Ball.
Attack Power, level, and experience
- Main article: List of Pokémon by Pokémon Shuffle list number
A Pokémon's Attack Power is the primary variable that determines how much damage a match of its icons will do to opposing Pokémon, represented by a number between 30 and 120. A Pokémon's Attack Power increases as its level increases. All Pokémon initially have a maximum level of 10, though some Pokémon may have their maximum level increased by using Raise Max Level Enhancements. A Pokémon's level is increased by earning Experience Points, which can be obtained by battling almost any Pokémon or through Exp. Booster or Level Up Enhancements. For details on individual Pokémon Attack Powers, see List of Pokémon by Pokémon Shuffle list number.
Each stage gives out a different amount of experience, but generally, Main Stages give an amount of experience equal to their number of moves, Expert Stages give 10 experience, and most special stages give 5 experience. Full experience is earned when players defeat their opponent, while a proportion of this is awarded if the player runs out of moves or time, based on the proportion of the opponent's HP that is remaining (this can award full experience even when the player loses if the opposing Pokémon has very little HP remaining). Generally, all Support Pokémon brought to the stage earn an equal amount of experience, but if the stage is cleared, one Pokémon will receive a crown, which doubles the experience gained from that stage. The crown is given to the Support Pokémon whose icons were cleared the most. Icons cleared by Skills or Mega Effects do not count, but icons at the intersection of a T, L, or +-match are counted twice. If two or more Support Pokémon had an equal number of icons cleared, the crown will be awarded to the one in the leftmost position on the Support list.
Damage
Damage for each match is equal to the Attack power as shown in the Pokémon List for the given level of the Pokémon and then modified (multiplied) by the following factors.
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Special cases:
- Certain skills will deal damage equal to 5% or 10% of the enemy's current HP before the match, rounded down. This damage is not affected by the Pokémon's attack power or any multipliers, and cannot KO the opponent (dealing 0 damage if necessary). If facing a foe that does not have an HP bar (such as in competitive stages), these skills will always deal 0 damage. Applicable skills: Absorb, Big Eater, Downpour, Hyper Drain, Poisonous Mist, Vitality Drain.
- Certain skills will add flat damage that is not affected by the Pokémon's attack power or any multipliers, however the base damage of the match is still affected. Applicable skills: Counterattack (+), Crowd Control (+), Crowd Power, Flash Mob.
- The skill Brute Force sets the effectiveness multiplier to normal effectiveness, or 1×, for attacks that would normally be not very effective.
- The skill Swat sets the effectiveness multiplier to super effective, or 2×, for Psychic type attacks against Flying , Bug , or Fairy type enemies.
- Mega Evolved Pokémon calculate damage using their attack power, as well as additional damage using their Mega Effect. The Mega Effect damage is affected by type effectiveness, status conditions, and skills that affect combo damage.
- If the effect targets only unbreakable-blocks (not breakable-rocks or coins) or only barrier-covered icons, then each of those icons erased adds +100 damage.
- If the effect targets unbreakable-blocks, breakable-rocks, and coins, then each of those icons erased adds +50 damage.
- Otherwise, each icon erased adds (attack power of the Mega Pokémon) × 0.2 damage. This is additionally affected by the Attack Power ↑ item.
Disruptions
- Main article: Disruption
Disruptions are special icons or effects on tiles found in most Stages that are usually meant to hinder the player's ability to do damage to the opposing Pokémon. They are most frequently placed on the stage by the opposing Pokémon, but may also be present in a set pattern at the start of the stage or appear randomly as a forced 5th Support icon. There are a number of conditions that may trigger an opposing Pokémon to place disruptions, but the most common one is having the opposing Pokémon's disruption counter reach zero.
Many Skills and effects have an effect on the disruption counter.
All disruptions can be erased by Mega Effects. A Stabilize or Swap Skill can remove or replace most disruptions.
Let's shake things up!
If at any time during a stage there are no valid moves available to players (that at least result in a match of three Pokémon icons), the game will say "Let's shake things up!" and restore the Puzzle Area to its initial state. Any pre-set icons and disruptions will be replaced as they were, but other icons will be placed randomly again. The opposing Pokémon's disruption counter is not reset, however. Play then resumes as normal. The clock during time-limited Stages will stop while the initial state is restored. If this happens when moves or time have run out, no matches will occur on the reset Puzzle Area, should they be present, unless a Jewel is spent.
Mega Evolution
- Main article: Mega Evolution (Shuffle)
Mega Stones are given out throughout the game, typically awarded when players defeat the corresponding Mega Pokémon used by a Trainer, through Mission Card rewards, or as prizes on special stages. When players capture the corresponding Pokémon (always on a different stage from the Mega Pokémon stage), they can only activate its Mega Evolution by placing it in the leftmost Support position when setting up for a battle. Mega Evolution is activated by matching a minimum number of the Mega Evolving Pokémon's icons. Each matched icon slightly increases the Mega Gauge, found to the left of the Puzzle Area (above on Mobile). Pokémon of the same type that have the Mega Boost(+) Skill can also fill the Mega Gauge. Once the Mega Gauge is full, the Pokémon will Mega Evolve. While Mega Evolved, the Pokémon's regular Skill is replaced by a Mega Effect that activates whenever it is matched.
Ranks
When a stage is completed, a Rank (C, B, A, or S) is given based on the number of moves or amount of time left at the end of the stage. The highest rank ever earned on a particular stage is displayed in the overworld, next to the stage. On certain types of special stages, ranks are not given or displayed in the overworld, usually because the stage played may constantly change or a different ranking system is in place.
- For most Main Stages and Expert Stages, if the number of moves or amount of time remaining upon competition of the stage is greater than or equal to half the total number/amount of moves/time available (rounded down), an "S-rank" is achieved. All "Puzzle" Main Stages (which usually only have a single solution) will always give an S-Rank upon completion.
- While a "Moves +5" or "Time +10" item does not affect catch rate percentages, it does affect Rank.
- S-Rank requirements for special stages tend to vary greatly based on the specific stage.
Expert Stages are unlocked depending on the total number of S-ranks players have achieved on the Main Stage path. S-ranks earned in Expert and special stages have no impact on gameplay, including contributing towards the unlocking of new Expert Stages.
Skills
- Main article: Skill (Shuffle)
Skills are special abilities that Pokémon activate when they are combined in a match. There are a wide variety of skills available in Pokémon Shuffle. Typically, the specific skill associated with a specific Pokémon never changes in Pokémon Shuffle. Players may adjust a limited number of Pokémon skills by using "Skill Swapper" Enhancements. The list of skills that may be swapped are unique to each Pokémon.
Support Pokémon
Captured Pokémon that are chosen to be taken into a battle against opposing Pokémon are referred to as Support Pokémon. Only the Pokémon placed in the first, or leftmost, Support position in the selection menu will be able to Mega Evolve. Most stages allow players to choose up to four different Support Pokémon, but in 3-Pokémon Stages, only three may be chosen.
Each stage has four default icons that are used in place of Support Pokémon if the player owns fewer than four Pokémon, or chooses to bring three or fewer Support Pokémon into a stage. Some stages have additional forced Support icons found within the stage. If one of the chosen Support Pokémon is the same as a forced Support Pokémon, the first Pokémon from the stage's default Pokémon list that isn't one of the chosen Support Pokémon is used instead. If a "Complexity -1" item is used, the Pokémon that is in the right-most Support Slot (or would fill in the case of defaults), or the last forced Support Slot, is completely removed from the Puzzle Area (excluding those placed as disruptions).
For most stages, the default Support Pokémon are Pidgey, Happiny, Azurill and Pichu in that order.
Optimize
The Optimize button, located below the chosen Support Pokémon when a stage has been selected on the overworld, is designed to speed up the process of choosing Support Pokémon. Clicking on it will automatically choose four Support Pokémon based on several criteria. A random Pokémon that can Mega Evolve and has the greatest type advantage (i.e. super effective, then normal effectiveness if there are no super effective Pokémon capable of Mega Evolution, and so on) against the selected stage's Pokémon opponent will be chosen for the leftmost slot. The remaining slots will be filled by the Support Pokémon that currently have highest base damage (taking current Attack power and type effectiveness into account, but no other factors). If multiple Pokémon have the same base damage, they will be chosen randomly from within that group. If the player has no Pokémon that are able to Mega Evolve, all four slots will be filled in this way instead.
Type
- Main article: Type
Like most Pokémon games, each Pokémon in Pokémon Shuffle has a specific type, which broadly categorizes their background and abilities. In Pokémon Shuffle, Pokémon can only be 1 of the 18 Pokémon types. Each Pokémon's type in Pokémon Shuffle matches one of their two Pokémon types in the main video games. See the List of Pokémon by Pokémon Shuffle list number for Pokémon Shuffle specific type information.
Effectiveness
In Pokémon Shuffle, Pokémon type affects gameplay by determining how effective the matchup of any two Pokémon will be. Any given matchup can be "Not very effective" (½× damage), Normal effectiveness (1× damage), or "Super effective" (2× damage). See the chart below for more information. (This chart is the same as the Generation VI type effectiveness table, except that 0× effectivenesses become ½×.)
Immunity
- Main article: Status condition → Pokémon Shuffle
Some types are not affected by certain status conditions:
- Asleep (Caused by the Skills Nap Time or Sleep Charm): Dark, Dragon, Fighting, Ghost, Grass, Ice, Rock, Steel
- Burned (Caused by the Skills Burn or Burn+): Dragon, Fire, Ghost, Ground, Poison, Rock, Water
- Disruption Delay (Caused by the Disruption Delay item, as well as the Skills Astonish, Chill, Constrict, Crushing Step, Daunt, Fascinate, Flap, Sand Sport, or Whirlpool): No immunities.
- Frozen (Caused by the Skills Freeze or Freeze+): Electric, Fairy, Fighting, Fire, Ghost, Ice, Poison, Psychic, Steel
- Paralyzed (Caused by the Skills Dragon Shriek, Lightning, Paralyze, Paralyze+, Quake, or Shock Attack): Dragon, Electric, Fairy, Flying, Ghost, Poison, Psychic, Steel
- Poisoned (Caused by the Skill Poison): Ghost, Ground, Poison, Rock, Steel
- Spooked (Caused by the Skills Spookify or Spookify+): Bug, Dark, Dragon, Fighting, Grass, Ground, Ice, Poison, Rock, Steel
This is also summarized in the chart below, where an "X" indicates an immunity.
Status condition effectiveness | ||||||||||||||||||
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Condition | Defender's type | |||||||||||||||||
Asleep | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ||||||||||
Burned | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | |||||||||||
Disruption Delay | ||||||||||||||||||
Frozen | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | |||||||||
Paralyzed | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ||||||||||
Poisoned | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | |||||||||||||
Spooked | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ||||||||
3-Pokémon Stages
Pokémon Shuffle Stages that allow players to only select three Support Pokémon are known as 3-Pokémon Stages. The Complexity -1 item is not available in 3-Pokémon Stages. Due to there usually being fewer types of icons in the Puzzle Area, large combos are much more frequent.
Check in
Nintendo 3DS players can use the "check in" function once per day (server days end at 6:00 AM UTC the morning after the day ends in UTC time), which connects the player's game to the Internet and gives them a reward for doing so. This normally grants Coins ×500, but will instead grant Coins ×1,000 every 10 times players check in. Checking in more than once in a 24-hour period does not contribute toward 1,000-Coin rewards.
If the player checks in after not doing so for 30 days, the check in reward is changed to Coins ×10,000 and Hearts ×30 as a welcome-back bonus. This welcome-back bonus was later updated to Coins ×5,000 coins and Hearts ×30 instead.
Checking in also checks for any patches that players may not have already installed. If there are any minor patches, the game asks 3DS players if they wish to download extra data. If they do, it automatically downloads and installs it. This is the only way to install minor game patches. If there are any major patches, the game provides a link to a page on the Nintendo eShop to download it and requests that players do so. If there is a major patch that players do not install, players cannot check in. If a patch is released part way through the day and the check in function has already been used, the patch can still be downloaded on that day by checking-in again.
Checking in also synchronizes the system's copy of UTC time with the server, regulating when special stages appear. If the system time is changed, players must check in again to regain access to any active special stages they have, thereby resyncing with the server. Special stages that do not begin on the day a new version is released can be accessed even if players have not checked in that day, as long as the system has the version of the game with the stage programmed (for example, the Hoenn Legends stages appeared at the start time for anyone who had updated the game to the version released on that Monday, regardless of whether or not they had checked in on or after the release time).
Pokémon Shuffle Mobile does not have the "check in" feature, but instead has "Data Update" functionality that runs automatically when the application is loaded. This "Data Update" installs minor and major updates automatically and requires an Internet connection. If no Internet connection is available to perform the "Data Update", Shuffle Mobile will not finish loading.
Starting in January 2018, the rewards for check in were expanded to include Hearts, Items, and Enhancements. Different rewards are given for each time players check in for up to 15 times, after which the rewards will cycle back to those of the first time. The rewards of 500 and 1,000 Coins are still present, but operate independently of this reward cycle.
Celebration Challenge
The Celebration Challenge is an event that began in August 2017 and concluded in February 2018. In it, players are given rewards if they check in on enough days during a given month. The rewards are distributed near the beginning of the following month.
Check in ten times!
"Check in ten times!" is an ongoing event that began in February 2018. Similar to Celebration Challenge, this event offers a Pikachu (Celebration) as a reward for logging in 10 or more times within a month. However, unlike Celebration Challenge no Hearts or Mega Speedups are given as rewards, and the Pikachu (Celebration) is awarded immediately upon the tenth check in instead of at the start of the following month.
Players who check in 10 times in a month but have already received that month's Pikachu (Celebration) will receive Level Up ×1 instead.
Stages
- Main article: Stage (Shuffle)
Stages are the individual puzzles that the player can challenge. Stages are split into three game modes: main stages, expert stages, and special stages. There is also a Survival Mode. Stages can also be differentiated by their win condition: time-limited (win within a certain amount of time) or move-limited (win within a certain number of moves).
Stages typically cost a Heart to play. Some stages may cost more, while certain special stages require Coins instead. Clearing a stage awards Coins, experience, and often extra currencies or items.
Main Stages are essentially the game's story mode and offer the chance to catch a wide variety of Pokémon. These stages are move-limited and there are 700 in total, subdivided into thematic locations. Usually the final battle is against a Mega Evolved Pokémon that rewards a Mega Stone. The first 11 stages make up the tutorial. Harder UX stage versions of the main stages can also be unlocked.
Expert Stages consist of 53 time-limited stages. As more Pokémon are defeated in Main Stages at S-rank, more Expert Stages are revealed.
Special stages are stages that are available for limited time periods. They are unlocked after completing the tutorial and consist of a mix of move-limited and time-limited stages. Special stages are downloaded during the check in process.
Survival Mode is a marathon challenge involving 50 of the early main stages, wherein the player cannot alter their initial selection of Support Pokémon. Survival Mode is unlocked after defeating the first 150 Main Stages. Certain milestones in the challenge garner rewards. Starting Survival Mode costs three Hearts.
Tutorial
The first 11 Main Stages act as the game's tutorial. The player must first complete the tutorial in order to have full access to all game features. Throughout the tutorial, the player is guided by Amelia, a journalist who is looking to write a report on the player's journey. The player starts the game with 5 regenerating Hearts, 0 bonus Hearts, 0 Coins, 0 Jewels, and no Support Pokémon.
During the first stage, Amelia directs the player's moves, guaranteeing that Espurr is caught. In Stage 2, she introduces Support Pokémon, Coins, and items in a battle against Bulbasaur. Stage 3 establishes type effectiveness and the OPTIMIZE button by sending Bulbasaur against Squirtle. In stage 4, which is a battle against Charmander, Amelia explains Skills. Stage 5 has an Eevee, but the Poké Ball on it is guaranteed to fail so that Amelia can introduce Great Balls and catch it using one. There is an aside after this stage where the Eevee drops a Jewel, introducing Jewels and the shop. (In Mobile, the Jewel is required to be spent to buy six Hearts.)
Stage 6 has Pidgey and introduces disruptions. Stage 8 features a Pichu and explains 3-Pokémon Stages. Stage 9 has a guaranteed Audino capture. This sets up Stage 10, where the player faces a Trainer with a Mega Audino and is introduced to Mega Evolution. After completing it, the player is given an Audinite, which is used to perform Mega Evolution in Stage 11 against Happiny. After stage 11, Amelia gives the player a free Heart (5 regenerating Hearts in Shuffle Mobile). In Shuffle for 3DS, she explains the purpose of the check in button. In Shuffle Mobile, she talks about Special Stages and some of the social features. Afterward, Amelia leaves to write the report.
Mission Card
- Main article: Mission Card
Mission Cards are a feature that were added in Version 1.3.0 in the 3DS version and Version 1.6.0 in Pokémon Shuffle Mobile. Each Mission Card specifies a number of missions, each of which will earn the player a specified amount of Stars for completing it. A mission's requirements must be completed within a single attempt of a stage. Once specified amounts of Stars are earned within the current Mission Card, the player will receive rewards. Only one Mission Card may be active at a time, but different Mission Cards may be swapped to at any time without losing progress on the current one.
Currencies
- Main article: Currency (Shuffle)
Hearts are the game's limiting resource. Starting a stage consumes a heart, and one heart is gained every 30 minutes (to a maximum of 99). Extra hearts may be obtained through other means (up to an independent limit of 99).
Coins are rewarded for completing stages (much less on repeat clears). Coins can be spent on in-game items and are required to access certain special stages (instead of Hearts). The maximum number of stored Coins is 99,999.
The game's microtransactions are focused around Jewels. Jewels can be obtained in-game by completing Trainer Mega Pokémon stages (first time only, 3DS Shuffle only), rarely as prizes or rewards in certain special stages, for obtaining StreetPasses, and occasionally as gifts. They can also be purchased. The maximum number of Jewels is 150.
Jewels can be spent to gain time or turns on stages. They can also be exchanged for Hearts or Coins.
Items
- Main article: List of items in Pokémon Shuffle
There are broadly three types of items in the game:
- Items that affect a single stage. These cost Coins, or can be obtained from special stages or check-in bonuses.
- Items that affect the game for a period of time (bought from the Special Shop). These cost Jewels.
- Items that affect Pokémon permanently (Enhancements). These can be obtained from later main stages, Survival Mode, or special stages.
The maximum number of any one type of stored item is 99.
Passcodes
The game includes a Passcode function, where players can enter an 8-digit code that grants a reward in-game. It is similar to the "Receive via code" option of the Mystery Gift feature found in the Generation VI core series Pokémon games.
Common codes
Passcode | Reward | Period |
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20150007 | Mega Start ×2 | March 8 to April 30, 2015 |
04482045 | Exp. Points ×1.5 ×5 | April 30 to June 1, 2015 |
06150503 | Moves +5 ×3 | June 15 to September 14, 2015 |
20150917 | Jewel ×1 | July 13 to September 30, 2015 |
07080704 | Disruption Delay ×1 | August 7 to September 4, 2015 |
08645601 | Mega Speedup ×1 | August 24 to September 30, 2015 |
86010010 | Coins ×100 | August 24 to September 30, 2015 |
08620009 | Coins ×200 | August 24 to September 30, 2015 |
08630007 | Coins ×300 | August 24 to September 30, 2015 |
86040006 | Coins ×400 | August 24 to September 30, 2015 |
08650005 | Coins ×500 | August 24 to September 30, 2015 |
86100002 | Coins ×1,000 | August 24 to September 30, 2015 |
08601003 | Time +10 ×1 | August 24 to September 30, 2015 |
86000504 | Moves +5 ×1 | August 24 to September 30, 2015 |
20160123 | Coins ×3,000 | January 23 to February 23, 2016 |
20150218 | Coins ×5,000 | February 19 to April 20, 2016 |
Passcode | Reward | Period |
---|---|---|
65607110 | Lucarionite | August 25 to September 30, 2015 |
20160123 | Coins ×3,000 | January 23 to February 23, 2016 |
Unique codes
Source | Reward | Period |
---|---|---|
April 2nd and 9th issue of Famitsu magazine | Jewel ×1 | March 19 to May 1, 2015 |
Jewel Set DLC purchased from Startselect.com | Jewels ×1, 6, 12 | Feb 18, 2018 onward |
StreetPass
- Main article: StreetPass
If StreetPass is enabled for Pokémon Shuffle, whenever players StreetPass another player with StreetPass enabled for Pokémon Shuffle on their Nintendo 3DS they will share data with each other. The last 10 players StreetPassed are added to the "StreetPass List", which will display their most recently used Pokémon, their total playtime, their number of stages cleared, their number of Pokémon caught, their number of previous StreetPass tags, and the furthest stage they have cleared in Survival Mode, as well as the time they were last StreetPassed.
Additionally, players receive rewards based on the number of StreetPass tags they have gained.
Number of Tags | Reward |
---|---|
First StreetPass tag | Jewel ×1 |
5 StreetPass tags | Heart ×1 |
Every 10 StreetPass tags (Unless the player would receive a Jewel due to it being 100 StreetPass tags) |
Heart ×1 |
Every 100 StreetPass tags before 10,000 tags total | Jewel ×1 |
Further rewards are earned if the same system is met via StreetPass multiple times in a row. These rewards are in addition to any earned for the total number of hits. If multiple Streetpasses are checked at once, these rewards will be nullified, regardless of the order of the Streetpasses.
Tags | Reward |
---|---|
3-4 | Heart ×1 |
5 | Heart ×2 |
Finally, if there are no StreetPass tags received in a long enough period, more rewards may be earned upon receiving a new tag. This is in addition to any rewards earned for the number of tags. It is currently unknown if this resets the counter of multiple tags from the same system in a row. StreetPass tags are not counted by the game until the menu is opened.
Days between tags | Reward |
---|---|
5 Days (120 hours since the last tag was counted) |
Heart ×2 |
In Pokémon Shuffle Mobile, Facebook integration or "Friend Codes" (Version 1.6.0 onward) is used instead of StreetPass.
In the 3DS version from Version 1.4.0 onward, if a StreetPassed player has not updated to 1.4.0 then they will not be added to the StreetPass List and the pass will not count towards Heart or Jewel rewards. However, the 3DS home menu icon will still display a green dot, and the records tab visible on the world map will still display a blue dot if such a pass is received.
Version history
- Main article: Pokémon Shuffle/Version history
For a full history of all content released in Pokémon Shuffle, please see Pokémon Shuffle/Version history.
Post-shutdown functionality
As of March 31, 2023 at 6:00 am UTC, the servers for the 3DS version have been shut down. This impacts several of the game's functions.
Check in
Check in and its associated item rewards are no longer available. By extension, the monthly "Check in ten times!" costumed Pikachu are also no longer obtainable by legitimate means.
Updating
The version of Pokémon Shuffle available on the eShop was version 1.5.0. Updates 1.5.1 - 1.5.11 could only be obtained by checking in - these updates are installed as "extra data", rather than the update format used by other 3DS games.
Due to check in no longer being available, a copy of Shuffle is unable to update its version after the shutdown.
Version 1.5.0 lacks a substantial amount of data from later versions, including:
- Main stages 641-700, EX stage 53, and UX stages 1–700
- All special stage data, including the automated 24-week cycle.
Time offset lockout
The 3DS's time used in games and on the home menu is determined by its internal RTC time (determined when the system is manufactured), combined with a user-entered time offset.
When Pokémon Shuffle is first opened, it creates a save file and records the current user time offset. Whenever the game is opened again, it checks to ensure that this offset has not changed.
If the system clock is changed in system settings, the system's time offset is changed, while RTC remains the same. Upon opening Shuffle again, the mismatched offset will be detected, and special stages will be inaccessible until the player checks in to the game's servers to update the save file's offset. This lockout is also activated if the system's battery is removed or replaced. However, the data for special stages is still installed, just not accessible.
During the game's life, data for two weeks' worth of stages would be downloaded at a time, with the stages moving in or out of availability according to the system clock. This offset-checking would prevent users from "time traveling" to the latter week earlier than intended.
Since check in is no longer possible after the shutdown, it is not possible to undo this lockout by legitimate means. However, the lockout is controlled by a single value in the save file, which can be edited through hacking to undo the lockout. The lockout can also be avoided by using a hacking tool to change the offset back to its prior value before opening Shuffle again - or by changing the RTC time directly, which would change the 3DS's time but leave the offset unchanged.
Special Stage availability
Starting with version 1.5.7, special stages cycle automatically on a 24-week schedule, according to the system clock. Additionally, certain events will occur on specific days of the year, such as around Halloween or Christmas. These events occur without requiring any additional check in to the game's servers, as long as the time offset lockout is not active.
Competitive stages still appear in the cycling schedule after the shutdown, but since they require connecting to the server in order to enter them, they can no longer be played after the shutdown. The items from these competitions, some of which are exclusive Mega Stones, are therefore no longer obtainable by legitimate means.
Jewels
It is no longer possible to purchase additional Jewels, due to the closure of the 3DS eShop. Since check in is no longer available, there is also no longer a renewable source of free Jewels.
The Shop and Special Shop do not use an internet connection, so any already-owned Jewels can still be spent there.
Staff
- Main article: Staff of Pokémon Shuffle
Gallery
Trivia
- Pokémon Shuffle Mobile was discontinued in Vietnam on January 31, 2020.[7]
- While the final content update was released in February 2018, the last Pokémon, Marshadow, was not obtainable until July 2018 due to its placement in week 23 of the 24-week schedule.
- With 802 species of Pokémon included, this game has more Pokémon obtainable than any other Pokémon game without the use of other games.
- It ranks fourth for most Pokémon included in a game, tied with Pokémon Sun and Moon, and behind Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon (807), Pokémon Bank (807), and Pokémon HOME.
- The 12 "Celebration" Pikachu are based on the Pikachu Celebrations line of plush toys, where each toy celebrated a specific month of the year. In Shuffle, each of these Pikachu are obtained by checking in 10 times during the corresponding plush toy's month.
- When damage is dealt, the damage number is displayed in three different places, all of which have different display caps: at the site of the match on the bottom screen (cap of 9,999), on the enemy Pokémon when the projectile from a match hits it on the top screen (cap of 99,999), and added to the score on the top screen (cap unknown).
- The "time remaining" counter rounds differently on special stages and in the Special Shop: special stages will round the amount of days down, while the Special Shop will round the amount of days up by 1. For example, if special stages would say that 3 days are remaining, then the Special Shop would say 4 days are remaining, even though both are counting down to the same time (Tuesday at 6:00 AM UTC). In the last 24 hours of a rotation week, the two counters switch to a format of hours, minutes, and seconds, and they are synchronized.
In other languages
See also
References
- ↑ Pokémon Shuffle Mobile official site (Japanese)
- ↑ Pokémon Shuffle Mobile on Pokémon.com (United States)
- ↑ Pokémon Shuffle Mobile on Pokémon.com (United Kingdom)
- ↑ Official Korean site
- ↑ Pokémon Korea KakaoStory account
- ↑ https://www.pokemon.co.jp/info/2022/08/220819_at01.html
- ↑ Pokémon Shuffle mobile" sẽ ngưng hoạt động tại Việt Nam từ thứ sáu 31/01/2020 | Ứng dụng | The official Pokémon Website in Vietnam (Vietnamese)
External links
- American Miiverse community (archive)
- European Miiverse community (archive)
- Japanese Miiverse community (archive)
This article is part of Project Sidegames, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon Sidegames. |