If you thought the only thing The Pokémon Company had in store for you this month was a new way to get frustrated while brushing your teeth, you’re sorely mistaken. Pokémon Café Mix is another free (well, free-to-play) title for Pokéfans to wet their whistle with, and this one’s an actual game rather than an app that forces you to ruthlessly scrub your wordhole until it gleams.
As soon as you hear the phrase ‘free-to-play puzzle game’ you’d be forgiven for immediately closing this tab, opening the window and screaming “noooooo” in your best James Earl Jones impression. Not so fast, though: this one’s been developed by Genius Sonority, who are no stranger to Pokémon puzzlers (such as Pokémon Battle Trozei and Pokémon Shuffle).
As the name suggests, Pokémon Café Mix puts you in charge of your own eatery. Starting with a fairly basic establishment, a skeleton staff (not literally) and an extremely limited menu, your job is to serve the Pokémon customers who visit by crafting a variety of dishes and beverages. Accompanying you on this ambitious business venture is Leah, a cheery bespectacled young lady who talks you through the basics and continues to help throughout.
Each time a Pokémon makes an order, it’s presented to you in the form of a puzzle stage that has to be cleared to successfully prepare the dish. These puzzles are packed with the faces of numerous Pokémon. The central mechanic revolves around using the touchscreen to choose one of these faces: you then have a limited time to drag it around the screen, touching as many other matching faces as you can to create a big chain. When you let go (or when the turn runs out), all the chained faces disappear.
Things are complicated a little with the addition of ‘gimmicks’, various food-based obstacles that get in your way and almost always have to be destroyed as part of a stage’s clear conditions. These start off fairly straightforward: sugar cubes and whipped cream swirls (the former is static, the latter moves around) can be cleared by matching a chain next to it three times, while tomatoes have to be guided into a basket to remove them. As you make your way through the initial 100 stages, though, more complex ones appear, such as the marshmallow jars that open and close after each turn and can only be cleared when they’re open.
There are 100 stages available at launch, and roughly every time you clear five of them (with a few exceptions) you unlock something. This is usually either a new dish, or a new addition to the cafe’s decor. The latter isn’t just cosmetic; they also bring new Pokémon to the cafe. Every time you clear a Pokémon’s order, you’ll earn a star. Collect enough for a specific Pokémon and it’ll be recruited as an employee at the cafe. Having a sizeable roster is useful, because there are different types of dish – sweets, small plates, drinks and so on – and each Pokémon specialises in one of these dishes, meaning their unique special moves are more suited to those particular puzzles.
If it’s starting to sound a little convoluted, it isn’t really; it’s actually fairly straightforward as far as free-to-play mobile games go. Speaking of which, you’re probably wondering how intrusive the free-to-play mechanics are. In terms of its ‘energy’ system, it isn’t quite as harsh as it is in some other mobile games, and acts more like a lives system than energy. Essentially, you have five hearts, and as long as you continue to clear stages they’ll never go down. Fail a stage, though, and you’ll lose a heart: each takes 30 minutes to replenish, so if you run out you’re talking two-and-a-half hours before you’ve got a full set again.
As for the inevitable microtransactions, the game has a shop where you can buy golden acorns; these are a multi-purpose currency used to buy power-ups, replenish your lives, give you extra turns when you fail a stage and the like. You don’t have to buy them; you’re given some as a reward every time you beat a level and there are a series of achievement-style challenges that pay out acorns if you clear them. Obviously, though, dropping some hard cash – bundles range from £0.99/$0.99 to £49.99/$49.99 – will let you spend acorns on the power-up assists and heart refills that will get you through the 100 levels quicker.
Once you manage this you unlock Master Cafe mode, where you get to build up your friendships with the Pokémon you’ve collected by taking on a series of harder puzzles and collecting more stars. The stars you get in this mode are then converted into Master Points, which… actually, we don’t know what they do yet. In a fortnight’s time (and every fortnight after that) some extra normal stages will be added, the Master Cafe mode will reset and you’ll bank your Master Points, at which point we’ll hopefully find out what they’re used for.
There's another slightly concerning thing to note when it comes to the microtransactions: there's an introductory deal where you can buy a 'Special Pikachu Pack' for £3.99/$3.99. This gives you a few thousand golden acorns, a couple of power-ups and a unique 'Sweets Pikachu', who's dressed in a little blue ice cream shop outfit. The standard Pikachu is a login bonus after five days of play, but it appears that Sweets Pikachu may have different moves or be better suited to a different type of dish. If this ends up being the case (we won't know until the game is five days old and standard Pikachu is unlocked), that instantly sets a worrying precedent of putting exclusive variant characters behind a paywall, forcing you to cough up the real cash if you want a complete set of Pokémon.
Mechanics aside, this is a generally pleasant little game. The art style is lovely: the Pokémon designs are ruddy charming (especially when you recruit them and they get their uniforms) and the dishes you prepare are clever; the Fluffy Eevee Pancakes and Cheesy Rowley Pizza look particularly appetising. The main exception, though, is the pasta dish, which is apparently designed to look like a Yamper but it appears to be lying face down, as if it’s inviting you to tuck into its backside. We think we’ll just skip straight to dessert, thanks.
It's worth noting, in case you weren't already aware, that Pokémon Café Mix can only be played in handheld mode, as it requires the use of the touchscreen. If you're the kind of person who only plays on the big-screen TV, you might begrudge having to actually remove your Switch from the dock.
Conclusion
A decent start. The microtransactions aren’t massively intrusive, the energy system isn’t too debilitating and the stages aren’t Candy Crush Saga-style efforts where it’ll take you 70 goes to get lucky enough to eventually clear them. These are all qualified by the word “yet”, though, and that’s the thing to bear in mind as this game evolves on a fortnightly basis. It’s yet to be established whether this is the sort of mobile game that lulls you in with a false sense of security and then, later down the line, hits you with ridiculously difficult stages that will almost certainly need power-ups to clear (we see you, Dr. Mario World). For now, though, we’re happy.
Comments 33
I thought you got the pikachu for free after a week, that's pretty lame. I guess I misread then.
Still, 7/10 is about what I would have given the game. It's not a bad game, it's a decent time waster.
This is the first Pokemon game for me and I'm really enjoying it alot.
Gotta say if this had been a proper game rather than a free to play id of bought it.
I got it yesterday and enjoyed it. I agree with this score.
@CowCatcher Yeah that's kinds silly. I mean, from. A business standpoint it's smart, I just don't like it.
I bet they have the same moves but no one can know for sure yet.
I went into this game thinking I would delete it immediately, but I am pleasantly surprised. The charm and mechanics have kept me playing.
I started playing it but it lacked a challenge so I just deleted it straight away.
I might actually try this. I'm still working through Pokémon Picross as funny as that sounds. Never gave it a dime, and still have a good time with it.
@CowCatcher Sure, I don't like the idea of O2W mechanics. I still rather they let you get them without cash.
Them again, I'd rather they just sold the game outright too.
I will confess I was pleasantly surprised by this. Whereas I don't like to game on mobile, after ploughing hours into Zoo Keeper on DS, I would be disingenuous to say there a no good games (even though Candy Crush Saga is such a rip off lol).
And this game reminds me of Zoo Keeper. Not it's gameplay, but more in the sense that I haven't played a puzzler like it. The swirling mechanics are spot on and there are plenty of mechanisms within the game play to stop it feeling random. Good review. I was worried it would be easily dismissed.
This is reviewed before Episode 1 Racer?
The gameplay looks kind of dull to me, but the artstyle is indeed nice. For some reason, though, when I clicked Nintendo on the eShop page for Cafe Mix, it was the only game that showed up as being published by them. At least Cafe Mix shows that Nintendo Switch Has Games(TM)
No Pro Controller play no download.
I've spent some time with it. It plays better than I thought it would. I like the visuals and premise but I can't really say it's been fun yet. The stages have been so easy so far and it lacks combos which make these kind of games more interesting. On other hand I hope it never gets as frustratingly difficult as Pokémon Shuffle.
''Already has an exclusive variant that can only be bought with cash''
Immediate no.
The presentation is very nice.
The gameplay not so pleasant for me...but I only try once.
I will give another chance!
Welcome to the Mobile invasion on Switch. This is 100% a Mobile game first.
"As for the inevitable microtransactions... You don’t have to buy them"
That is true for tons of game people blindly complain about having them on games from other publishers also. This point needs to be Universal to any game it applies, not just when convenient to base A or B. If you can ignore it, do so and let it be.
if they want my money and time, they'll sell me a game outright. If a game is freemium, that means it doesn't respect my time or wallet and I'll pass
@Agramonte microtransactions here are time-related, so you don't need to wait artificial periods of time to keep playing to unlock things.
If we're going to take aim at Overwatch or SW Battlefront, those are cosmetics. I hate loot boxes with a passion, but its also not at all the same kind of scummy thing
@Agramonte I criticise Dr Mario World in this very review for being unfair and strongly encouraging players to buy power-ups to proceed. Your implication is that because this is a Nintendo game I'm going easier on it, when that isn't the case.
It won't surprise me if this goes the same way as Pokémon Shuffle did.
They'll introduce more Pokémon and stages over time, but the later stages could get so frustrating that monetisation or grinding is essential to playing.
The initial release of Pokémon Shuffle was highly palatable, but past that, things get really unfun.
@Mando44646 Why carpet bombing "microtransactions" is illogical.
I have no problems with someone buying (in any mechanic, nobody needs to buy a loot box) a gold viewfinder for their riffle in BF or a USA trucker cap in Division 2 or a new 1975 Livery in F1 2019 (they all 100% cosmetic or can get in-game) but I understand people getting upset that WarFace lets you buy a top end Gold Weapon pack on day 1. It can be a loot box or not - that microtransactions impacts every other player.
What is the impact on the game is the key factor in if a Microtransaction is awful or not. We need to see them individually.
I think in general this statement sums it up nicely (mechanics used in general)
"Mechanics aside, this is a generally pleasantly little game"
@scully1888 Hmm. Was intended to be more general, just using a sample point made in the review (ill check/edit). Not sure if I read that review. If based on how the mechanics affect the game - or do not - goes to my point. You Judged it based on the impact on the game. Not just because it has it.
@Yosher it sucks but I'll take this over loot boxes. At least you know what you're paying for. But then again that says a lot about the state of the mobile game industry.
The microtransactions here are really, REALLY light compared to other mobile games. Your energy only drains if you fail to complete a level. 5 energy, 30 minute recovery period. I'm on level 40 and have lost one energy so far. Haven't spent a penny.
yeah no im not interested, thanks.
I'd rather pay for the game and have all the content unlockable through playing the game.
It's the same problem I have with all "free to start" games.
No TV, no thanks...
This is just a mobile game for Switch, but at least this actually looks better than blades, BUT IF ONLY THE HAD THAT BRUSHING TEETH GAME AAAAAAAA
Downloaded it...it isn't that bad. Its pretty fun, just as Pokemon Shuffle was pretty fun. And it has a very soft and friendly look. I can see myself spending some hours in it. But of course they never will get a single dime from me.
As for the other upcoming free-to-play Pokemon game: No thanks! Its a online-game and its made by the evil company Tencent. No download from me!
Excuse me for being a killjoy but I don't believe "Monetisation isn't too intrusive yet" is a compliment nor a pro point towards a video game. That's like saying "there isn't TOO much poison in this food" like cool but I'd still rather the poison not be here.
Also before someone tells me, I KNOW that free games have to make their money somehow but it's the intrusiveness I'm ragging on. Anything that spoils the enjoyment of the main game is a downside imo. Carry on.
This game needs to stop disabling my ability to press the home button. I gotta turn power of press power on, then press home 3 times, ever time I want to close it.
100% trash. I've given it a good amount of time. I got all the Galar starters, Grookey was far too easy to get. Grookey kept appearing like every other level. I have deleted it. Tired of the dumb gimmicks like the black olive. Not worth it.
@Ari718 Yeah I gave this game some time and came back to it recently and it's just an extremely dull experience. Seems like it's totally tailored for young kids and the type of people who normally don't play video games. As far as puzzle games go there isn't much in the way of strategy to it and I honestly just found it kind of annoying after a while. Seems like it would work better as a mindless phone game to play for a few minutes while I am out somewhere and need to kill some time while in a waiting room or something than it does as a Switch game as the gameplay really lacks depth.
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