Getting Started in Pokémon Shuffle

New to Pokémon Shuffle? Here is what you need to get off to a good start: how a stage works, the resources to keep an eye on, the first Pokémon to catch and the mistakes to avoid. Everything is covered in detail on the other pages of the guide, but these pointers are enough for your first few areas.

How a stage plays out

1. Choose your team of four Pokémon (three in some stages). The Auto button builds one for you, but it is better to choose based on the opponent’s type, shown before the battle.
2. Optionally buy items with your coins: Moves +5, Mega Start, Exp. Points ×1.5…
3. Line up at least three identical Pokémon by moving one Pokémon to any square on the grid. Each match, or link, deals damage.
4. Knock out the opponent before you run out of moves. A Poké Ball is then thrown: the more moves you have left, the better the chance of a successful catch.

Resources

Resource	What it is for	How to get it
Hearts	One heart per game	One every thirty minutes (five at most), gifts, jewels
Coins	Buying items and Great Balls	After every battle, daily login, the Meowth stage
Jewels	Buying hearts or coins, replaying certain special stages	Certain stages, rewards, purchase

The first Pokémon to catch

• #0531AudinoNormal

  Mega Stone at stage 10: your first Mega Pokémon

• #0001BulbasaurGrassPoison

  Stage 2, 75% catch rate

• #0004CharmanderFire

  Stage 4

• #0007SquirtleWater

  Stage 3

• #0133EeveeNormal

  Stage 5, a jewel on victory

• #0025PikachuElectric

  Stage 23, grid with three species

Puerto Blanco offers easy catches: Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Charmander and Eevee. Stage 10 pits you against Mega Audino; beating it gives you Audinite, and with it your first Mega Pokémon. Put it at the head of your team: only the first Pokémon on the team can Mega Evolve.

Ten tips for beginners

1. Play the type: a super effective Pokémon doubles its damage.
2. Aim for links of four or five, which multiply damage by 1.5 and 2.
3. Play from the bottom of the grid to trigger falls and combos.
4. Save your moves: they increase the catch rate and earn the S rank.
5. Aim for S ranks: they unlock the EX stages.
6. Come back later to a stage that is too hard: your Pokémon will have grown stronger.
7. Check the Special section every week for legendary Pokémon and items.
8. Complete the Mission Cards, which are easy at first and rich in rewards.
9. Keep your jewels for important occasions rather than using them to buy back hearts.
10. Log in every day on mobile for coins and login bonuses.

Going further

Understanding damage: Mechanics and Damage. The opponent’s disruptions: Items and Disruptions. The complete run, stage by stage: stages 1 to 60. Our article from the time, Gameplay Changes, also covers what sets Shuffle apart from Pokémon Link: Battle!.