Pokémon Rumble World looks like a simple action game: you steer a toy Pokémon and chain fights against hordes of other toys. A few mechanics make all the difference, though: guaranteed capture of dazed Pokémon, traits, moves, Mega Evolution and Primal Reversion. Here they are.
Battling
In each destination, you steer one of your toy Pokémon and fight waves of wild Pokémon, followed by a boss at the end of the stage. Every Pokémon has two moves, A and B. Defeated Pokémon may befriend you and join your collection. When your Pokémon is knocked out, you pick another one to carry on.
Dazed Pokémon
Sometimes an enemy Pokémon freezes and trembles in the middle of a fight: it is dazed. If you knock it out at that moment, it is sure to befriend you. This is valuable against bosses and legendary Pokémon. Several things raise your chances of dazing an opponent: a tree sold in several levels at the Shop, the Go-Getter trait, certain moves such as Focus Energy, Spacial Rend, Frost Breath or Storm Throw, and False Swipe, which deals no damage but can daze.
Traits
A trait is a special power a Pokémon can have when it befriends you, much like an ability: improved stats, extra coins, automatic healing… You can spot Pokémon that have one by the golden circle on the ground, and by a yellow halo when they are knocked out. A trait can be neither changed nor improved: you have to keep capturing to find the best Pokémon with the best trait.
| Category | Effect |
|---|---|
| Pink | The basic traits; the “+” sign strengthens them as the adventure goes on |
| Blue | They combine the effects of two to six pink traits |
| Purple “Epic” | It always combines Super Quick, Super Lively, Go-Getter and Splendid, plus two other traits |
From level 50 onward, new traits with combined powers appear. Our article from back then, Traits, lists them all.
Moves
Each move has a number of stars that reflects its power. The Move School, unlocked by the “Mayhem in the Gardens” mission, lets you teach your Pokémon new moves for in-game money or Poké Diamonds, and swap moves A and B for free.
Mega Evolution and Primal Reversion
Pokémon Rumble World is the first game in the Rumble series to offer both Mega Evolution and Primal Reversion. First you have to unlock the Jeweler, then buy the Pokémon’s stone there (5 Poké Diamonds, the first one being free), the Blue Orb for Kyogre and the Red Orb for Groudon. In battle, you trigger the transformation on the touch screen: the Pokémon Mega Evolves, sending out a shock wave that hurts nearby enemies. The effect ends when the battle does. Once attached, a stone cannot be removed.
Forms
All 719 Pokémon from the first six generations are present, except Hoopa and Volcanion, along with their different forms: the twenty patterns of Vivillon, the trims of Furfrou, the four forms of Deoxys, the letters of Unown… Seeing or capturing every form of a Pokémon unlocks titles. Our article Pokémon with different forms gives the list.
