Pokémon Café Mix 2020

Nintendo LifeChris ScullionJun 20207/10 stars

A decent start. The microtransactions aren’t massively intrusive, the energy system isn’t too debilitating and the stages aren’t Candy Crush Saga-style efforts where it’ll take you 70 goes to get lucky enough to eventually clear them. These are all qualified by the word “yet”, though, and that’s the thing to bear in mind as this game evolves on a fortnightly basis. It’s yet to be established whether this is the sort of mobile game that lulls you in with a false sense of security and then, later down the line, hits you with ridiculously difficult stages that will almost certainly need power-ups to clear (we see you, Dr. Mario World). For now, though, we’re happy.

But Why Tho?Derrick PittmanJun 20208/10

As a gamer who loves mobile gaming, not a lot of games keep my interest. I really enjoy Pokémon Cafe Mix because, for the most part, I love Pokemon. I have been a fan of the franchise since its inception in the 90s. Also, I have a love-hate relationship with puzzle games, from not wanting to think but to also strengthen that main muscle we use every day. Cafe Mix creates this relaxing atmosphere that allows me to think out of the box, even if the object of the game is just swirling icons around. It’s great to see the little monsters I have grown up with, in another capacity other than battling. And what better way to experience that, in making food, something that brings everyone together.

Pure NintendoJul 20205/10

Pokémon Cafe Mix has a great aesthetic to it. Still, the imprecise nature of its physics leads to equal parts fun and frustration.