When Pokémon UNITE was announced, some fans were skeptical about whether a Pokémon MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) could work. The results will become clear when Pokémon UNITE is released later this month, but a recent leak points to at least one aspect of the game being high quality: its Pokémon character skins.
The Pokémon UNITE MOBA's gameplay allows players to embody a Pokémon in a five-on-five stadium battle on the island of Aeos. Each player will also be able to create a trainer avatar, since, technically, the trainer is the one giving the commands to the battling Pokémon. While this means UNITE will have cosmetics for trainers and Pokémon alike, its Pokémon skins revealed so far are particularly delightful.
Every Pokémon skin available in the Pokémon UNITE beta has been leaked online, and Dextero compiled the full collection. There will be more than 20 playable Pokémon at the game's launch, and a few - such as Pikachu - will already have more than one skin to unlock. UNITE's beta was only available in Japan, but fans everywhere can get a look at some of its best costumes in the images below.
Pokémon UNITE Skins: Blastoise The Gentleman
The golden, flower-shaped button and neatly-tucked pink handkerchief make this politely threatening Blastoise skin really soar, turning the beloved starter into a well-respected 1900s NYC neighborhood boss. Its well-tailored vest is particularly impressive, considering how difficult it must be to get clothes on a Pokémon with a shell (and to maintain that outfit's just-starched look in battle).
Pokémon UNITE Skins: Slowbro On Vacation
Slowbro's preference for relaxation is evident in its very name, but never has Slowbro made relaxing look so stylish. With huge sunglasses that scream, "Don't bother me while I'm lounging," and a cooling towel to stave off the heat, this Pokémon UNITE Slowbro skin looks ready for its own take on the intensity of battle.
Pokémon UNITE Skins: Snorlax The Pineapple
The left Snorlax skin, with its innertube and star-shaped sunglasses, radiates summer energy, but the pineapple Snorlax shows a true commitment to fashion. It simply does not care if its bold, full-body style choices inhibit its ability to move in a stadium battle, ensuring above all else that any match it enters gets a dash of tropical, fruity freshness.
Pokémon UNITE Skins: Mr. Mime On The Job
Mr. Mime's titular talents make it a natural fit for vaudeville, and its Pokémon UNITE skin's golden tuxedo and shorts appear to be dressing it for the job. Similarly, its other skin has it clad in the unmistakable scarf and apron of a seasoned sushi chef, demanding respect from teammates and opponents alike.
Pokémon UNITE Skins: Lucario The Phantom Thief
This Lucario skin would look right at home among Persona 5's Phantom Thieves. Its black, wide-brimmed hat and matching jagged cape - capped off with a stylish leather fanny pack - let its opponents know it's here to steal hearts. The outfit also appears to be an homage to Riley, a dapper trainer from Diamond and Pearl who prominently featured Lucario on his team and sported a similar, spikey-backed hat.
Pokémon UNITE's design team has done a great job with these and the others in the game so far. If it follows the path of other MOBAs, it will feature many post-launch content updates, likely including more well-crafted skins like these.
Pokémon UNITE comes to Nintendo Switch in July 2021 and to Android and iOS in September 2021.
Source: Dextero