Pokémon Champions

This game is free! However, considering its online features, let’s see if Pokémon Champions requires a Nintendo Switch Online subscription. Pokémon Champions NSP ROM is a strategy game for the Nintendo Switch and a spin-off of the Pokémon series that emphasizes teamwork.

If you’ve played any of the main Pokémon games, Champions will evoke feelings of nostalgia. You and your opponent can form two teams of six Pokémon for 3v3 solo battles or 4v4 duo battles (apologies to those expecting four-player team battles). You select attacks simultaneously and battle until one team is completely defeated. It’s a truly nostalgic experience, and the combination of anticipating your opponent’s moves, clever strategy, and a bit of luck—the hallmark of Pokémon games—is one of the main reasons I’m going back to the game almost 30 years ago.

In addition to the lack of many popular Pokémon, a large portion of the gaming community was disappointed by the limited selection of Pokémon and equipment. For example, of the 22 Pokémon that make up the various teams in the 2025 Pokémon World Championship, only three are currently available in Champions mode. Similarly, specially equipped items are also insufficient: most are healing berries or items that enhance specific attack types (excluding Mega Stones), with a few exceptions such as Zoom Lens, Light Ball, Mind Grass, and the indispensable Comb Bell. Power Grass, Choice Points, Balloons, and many other powerful items used by more experienced players are missing from the game, making it difficult to evaluate Champions mode at this time.