Why the 3rd Anniversary Is the Perfect Time to Jump Into Pokémon Masters EX

On August 28, Pokémon Masters EX will be celebrating its third anniversary, and there are big plans for the mobile game that features an ever-expanding original story, team-ups between the most iconic Pokémon and Trainers of all-time, and so much more.

While all of the exciting details on Pokémon Masters EX’s third anniversary have yet to be revealed, we do know that it will finally let Trainers play as the Pokémon anime’s protagonist Ash & Pikachu. With that spectacular news and all the expansive updates added to the game over the years, it is the perfect time to jump into Pokémon Masters EX. If you need a bit more convincing, we’ve gathered everything you need to know about Pokémon Masters EX below and why it's well worth a download.

What Is Pokémon Masters EX?

Pokémon Masters EX is a free-to-play mobile game for iOS and Android that brings all of your favorite Pokémon to life in a new way with 3-on-3 team battles. The adventure takes place on the island of Pasio and has Trainers working to win the Pokémon Masters League (PML), which includes Gym Leaders, Elite Four members, Champions, and other all-stars from every region.

The ever-expanding story begins with the Pokémon Masters League story arc and tasks players with battling to earn the five Pokémon Masters League badges in Tranquility, Freedom, Patience, Harmony, and Pride. Pokémon Masters EX has also seen the addition of the Villain story arc that has players facing off against villains from Pokémon’s storied past like Team Rocket.

There are no wild Pokémon in Pokémon Masters EX, but instead Trainers enter the PML with the Pokémon they’ve formed a sync pair with, which we will get into more detail in the next section. However, this means players will be able to form a party of three sync pairs (three Trainers and three Pokémon) to adventure through the game with and battle others with familiar and new moves from the mainline games. After Chapter 10, Co-Op is unlocked and you can play with your friends to add even more variety and fun to the gameplay.

Play as the Pokémon Anime’s Ash & Pikachu and Other Legendary Pairs

As previously mentioned, Pokémon Masters EX’s third anniversary will let players play as the Pokémon anime’s Ash & Pikachu via its sync pair format. The definition of sync pairs consist of a trainer and a Pokémon that is linked to them, and they can take on one of three roles - the attack-focused Strike sync pairs, the defense and healing-focused Support sync pairs, and the tactics and status-focused Tech sync pairs.

Ash & Pikachu may be a big selling point for the upcoming third anniversary, but Pokémon Masters EX already features over 200 incredible pairings that will warm any Pokémon fan’s heart like Professor Oak & Mew, Blue & Blastoise, Blue & Pidgeot, Red & Charizard, Red & Snorlax, Leaf & Venusaur, Lance & Gyrados, Giovanni & Mewtwo, and many more.

Hatch Eggs Through Battling and Build Your Ultimate Pokémon Team

Despite Pokémon eggs not launching with Pokémon Masters EX, it has been one of the most welcome new additions to the game. After obtaining an egg, players will be able to hatch it after a certain number of battles. After it hatches, Trainers will be able to name their Pokémon if they so choose and can pair them with their main character to form a sync pair.

At the start of the game, Professor Bellis will gift players an egg containing either Bulbasuar, Squirtle, or Charmander - one of the three starters from Pokémon Red and Blue - to get them on their way. As players progress through the story, they will have the chance to acquire eggs containing such Pokémon as Vulpix, Growlithe, Lickitung, Lapras, Igglybuff, and more. If luck is on their side, they can even hatch a shiny version of these Pokémon.

Pokémon Sword & Shield’s Dynamax Forms Have Joined Pokémon Masters EX

Pokémon Masters EX has added more than just Trainers and Pokémon to its repertoire, as it has also brought in other beloved features from previous entries in the franchise like PokémonSword & Shield’s Dynamax forms. When a Pokémon enters its Dynamax form, it grows to an unbelievable size and becomes extremely powerful for a short time. It also gains access to unique moves only available when in Dynamax Mode.

In Pokémon Masters EX, Dynamax is very much the same as it is in Sword and Shield, and a sync pair can Dynamax once per battle and use a devastating attack called a max move. For example, Sygna Suit Leon & Eternatus can use Dynamax and utilize a Max Move called Eternabeam that deals heavy damage to the opponent while refreshing the player’s move gauge.

These are some of the biggest features that make Pokémon Masters EX what it is today, and it serves as a foundation for many more additions in the future. They also join other features in-game, including the Champion Stadium that lets players battle the Elite Four and Champions from other regions to the Legendary Arena that pits players against Legendary Pokémon,that prove there is something for everyone.

The future is bright for Pokémon Masters EX and a glimpse of that future will be given soon when details of the game’s third anniversary are revealed. However, there is no better time than now to start your adventure in Pasio and embark on the Pokémon adventure of a lifetime on iOS or Android.