Pokémon Champions was supposed to be a groundbreaking addition to the Video Game Championship format, but it was released with many glaring issues, most of which have been patched out in recent updates.

While the last iteration of a Pokémon game solely focused on turn-based battling, Pokémon Champions offers a free-to-play start that prioritizes online battling without requiring gym badges or beating the game. It sidesteps the mindless grind of catching, nature hunting, leveling, and EV training, allowing things to be easily swapped by clicking menu options and providing an easy way for the average person to get into battling. Champions offer singles (6 vs. 6) and double battles (4 vs. 4) in both ranked and unranked modes. It lets you do a mix of reading your opponent, battle strategy, and clever niches to be the very best. It’s currently only available on the Switch, but they plan to roll out to IOS and Android in the future.

For a game marketed as the next generation for competitive Pokémon battle, it’s surprisingly limited. Pokémon Champions offers a lackluster cast of Pokémon to choose from, with a roster of 187 Pokémon and 59 Mega Evolutions, not to mention the appalling lack of held items, half of which are Mega Stones. Many fans have noted the lack of competitively used items such as Choice Band, Assault Vest, and Life Orb. Pokémon veterans can import from Pokémon Home, a cloud-based storage system, but the available options are similarly limited.

The restricted offerings might feel more welcoming to new trainers, but the tutorial is shallow at best. It explains basic concepts with instructions for beginners, but doesn’t go beyond that. It doesn’t cover team building, item usage, or what Pokémon are good. Sure, the answers can be found on the internet, but Champions offers a bare-bones guide.

However, as a game marketed as “free-to-play,” it certainly doesn’t stop the microtransactions shoved into your face. Not only is there a paid version of the free battle pass, but there are also other purchases, such as a Starter Pack and membership to the game. The game’s main currency, Victory Points (VP), is needed for just about everything. Cosmetics are understandable, but you also have to purchase held items for VP. You’re able to collect a Pokémon once a day for free; however, keeping them permanently also costs VP. Wanting them to have different moves or stats also costs VP. The only way to earn VP is by battling, which means a lot of grinding for everything.

Getting into competitive Pokémon has never been easier. Champions is designed in a way that tries to appeal to new players, people who are familiar with competitive play, and seasoned battlers. However, it fails to satisfy all three sides.