Pokemon Cafe ReMix

Genre: Unlimited Pattern Puzzle

Players: 1

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Review:

WARNING: THIS GAME HEAVILY PUSHES MICROTRANSACTIONS

Hey, didn’t I already review this game? Why, yes I did. But then Nintendo went and re-released the game with a different title. As far as I can tell, there’s new content, but for the most part, the game seems the same to me… so if they’re re-releasing the same game, I’m re-posting the same review. Enjoy!

Pokemon Cafe Mix, released on the Nintendo Switch in 2020 and then re-released on the Nintendo Switch in 2021 as Pokemon Cafe ReMix, is a free-to-play Unlimited Pattern Puzzle that requires the touchscreen to play – this game cannot be played in docked mode. This game has a theme of preparing meals and drinks in a Pokemon cafe, but in reality what you’re really doing is connecting chains of icons that look like the faces of various Pokemon, hoping to move them around on the play field in a way that meets specific clear conditions.

The theming here is cute, but the connection to the gameplay definitely feels a bit forced. I think the hand-painted Pokemon artwork used in the game’s menus and lighthearted story snippets are lovely, and the artwork of different foods is creative and even a bit enticing at times, but then I’m looking at a screen full of Pikachu, Charmander, and Squirtle heads, and I find myself wishing the game went further with its cafe theme. At the very least, the game keeps an overall pleasant tone with its light music and plucky sound effects.

As for the gameplay, there’s a physics-based element here as the icons you’re connecting are all not only affected by gravity, but the shifting movement of your chain as you connect the icons up. However, this frequently results in the game feeling like it has less to do with strategy and more to do with swirling the icons around until you hopefully get them in a position you like. It’s not terrible – I can see this being an okay time-waster, but it’s not likely to win over serious Puzzle game fans.

For those wondering about the microtransactions here, players can spend real money to unlock expendable bonus items, as well as in-game currency that gives players extra turns if they fail to meet goals in the limited turn numbers they’re given. Not the worst I’ve seen in free-to-play games by far, but still something to bear in mind when considering the free download, and absolutely a consideration if you were thinking of getting this as a cute free game for your young kid.

In the end, Pokemon Cafe ReMix is a lot like the sugary treats served in the game’s establishment – it looks lovely and full of charm, but you can tell the saccharine appearance is just obscuring empty calories. For what it is, it’s fine, but if it wasn’t free-to-play, there wouldn’t be any reason to bother with it.

tl;dr – Pokemon Cafe ReMix is a touchscreen-only free-to-play Unlimited Pattern Puzzle game where players slosh around Pokemon characters to try to link them up to meet specific goals in each puzzle. The presentation here is very appealing, but the gameplay is shallow and lacking in skill. It’s a decent time-waster, but not a game you’ll likely get hooked by.

Grade: C

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This game has been nominated for one or more of eShopperReviews 2020 Game Awards:

Runner-Up: Worst Microtransactions

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