Imagine how it would feel to have Pokémon stepping into grid-based battles with team-fight tactics gameplay the same as Fire Emblem or League of Legends. It would take the turn-based nature of the usual Pokémon battles and add the kind of strategic mind you need to be a military general to the equation. That's what you'll get with Kanto Tactics, a new fangame from José Luis.
The premise is simple - it's a PvE game where players will build their own team of Pokémon and work to collect the badges from gyms, eventually defeating the Elite Four in TFT-style battles. You'll pick your starter Pokémon, place your team members on specific places in the field, and manage the battle from a tactical perspective, rather than just using Fire Spin until your PP runs out and hoping for the best.
The battles look very cool and a lot more fast-paced than the original games. It looks like you set up your characters and 'let battle commence', with auto-attacking as you watch over proceedings and move Pokémon around as and when needed. Pokémon evolve as you battle too, increasing your team's overall power.
I know what some of you might say - it's a little like Pokémon Auto Chess, but with more of a 3D feel than the original 2D top-down, SNES-esque feel that Auto Chess has. The arenas also look more polished than when Auto Chess first released years ago; think of it like a spiritual successor.
I like this tactical element to the usual formula, and the fact that the game is going to run in your browser, both on laptop and mobile, is another nice touch. It means you'll be able to log in and play no matter where you are without having to run an emulator. The reaction from users on X has been incredible, and José has said that the game will be released for free for everyone to play once he has a decent version of Kanto Tactics that he's happy with.
It's looking great so far, however, and this will be the perfect game to pair with Pokémon Arena for anyone looking for some alternative adventures to the mainline games! Keep checking back here for more information as and when it arrives!
