Pokémon Unite is an online fighting game where you battle Pokémon in an arena and try and score points against an opposing team. Its short, frenetic matches are similar to DotA or League of Legends but here, you score points by catching wild Pokémon and getting them into the opposing team's goal, which adds a greater element of defence. There's also a greater focus on power-up abilities that can turn battles one way or the other. It's a blend of classic Pokémon gameplay and online battle mechanics that results in a surprisingly compelling play experience.

You start by choosing your Pokémon and exploring the map to find wild Pokémon, which you then fight, catch and deposit in the other team's goal. This gains you some the energy you need to accrue to win the game after the 10-minute match is complete. You can also attack other players to disrupt their attempts at scoring points. In the final minutes of a match, a strong wild Pokémon appears, which offers a huge amount of energy to the team that successfully defeats it, potentially turning the tide of the game.

Each Pokémon has two regular moves, each with two different variations, as well as an ultimate move. This range of attacks encourages you to develop both offensive and defensive strategies. You can build on these by upgrading collectable items between matches that offer further power-ups, such as an increased critical-hit rate, increased movement speed, and more powerful attacks. These mechanics combine to give you a wide array of options in each fight and finding a strategy and pairing that suits you is crucial to success.

It's a unique take on the multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) genre that adds new mechanics and offers a more accessible entry into it for less experienced players but still offers a challenge to more experienced players through a wide variety of tactics, items, Pokémon, and attacks that makes it a worthwhile offering.