Pokémon Masters EX

Pokémon Masters EX puts Trainers at the centre of its Pokémon collection. Familiar Gym Leaders, Champions and other characters arrive with partner Pokémon as sync pairs, letting you build combinations that cross the boundaries of the main games' regions. Three-on-three battles give those teams a place to work together.

Character stories provide another reason to collect beyond the next fight. Special outfits come with their own stories, and the Trainer Lodge offers interactions that develop your connection with particular characters. Egg hatching adds another route to bringing Pokémon into your team.

It suits fans who want more time with favourite Trainers and enjoy assembling a roster around them. Expect a mobile collection RPG rather than an open-world catching adventure. Pokémon Masters EX includes optional in-app purchases, and its store listing discloses random items.