Pokemon Tower Defense 2: 1 vs 1 Mode

Now, since we have reached the development ceiling in our dizzying ascent through the wonders of story mode, I feel it is only appropriate to continue providing you with more useful information about the game’s other mode, which strives desperately to try and keep to the most purist form of Pokémon battling as is possible. This mode enters you into a series of one on one battles that contain an increasing number of challengers, each with increasing numbers of Pokémon of escalating variation. As if that wasn’t difficult enough, these increasing numbers of Pokémon are at increasingly harder levels to beat, so the challenge becomes more difficult with each battle you undertake. Each collection of fights are split into levels for the purpose of this guide in order for you to more easily track your progress and quantify your journey through the wonderful world of the Pokématrix, which is apparently entirely virtual and doesn’t correspond in any way with the real (Story Mode) world. 1vs1 mode is extremely fun, and just because it isn’t said to take place in the real world, it doesn’t mean that it is any less challenging, as you will soon find out.

I am composing this section of the guide under the assumption that you are starting at the one and only true beginning, by clicking on ‘New Game’ and starting with being able to scrape together just enough money to purchase your first Pokémon. Due to the sad fact that your finances are lacking (to the tune of ten coins), you are severely limited in the Pokémon that you can buy; you are also limited by the fact that you are still in the early stages of the game and you haven’t yet had the chance to unlock the more formidable creatures to add to your arsenal, and even if they were available, you simply couldn’t afford them on your amateur Pokémon trainer’s salary.

Though there are many ways you could go about making progress and eventually completing 1vs1 mode, I will largely be covering the way that I and I alone got through it; due to the nature of the game, you are able to choose to buy whichever Pokémon are available to you with whatever money you may have. You are equally as able to choose to not buy certain Pokemon in favour of spending your money on inventory items, or to save your money for a Pokémon which tickles your fancy with more enthusiasm than the ones currently available to you. With its variations being exponential in nature, and the word counts of my articles and reviews being absolutely finite in nature, I am offering you an account of my own actions, and not that of each and every path that is possible for the player to choose in the game.

You begin the game under the guidance of Professor Oak, a familiar and welcome face in the world of Pokemon. He gives you a detailed beginner’s tutorial about the ins of the game, and is kind enough to show you the outs as well. Since even beginners have to learn sometime, you are given ten measly coins and are pretty much left to fend for yourself. Since this walkthrough is now all you have, I suggest you purchase your first Pokémon!

As you can see in the screenshot below, you are asked to choose between Caterpie and Weedle: a Pokémon fan would know that this is like being asked to choose between the two worst cars at the worst car dealership you can think of. These Pokémon are neither glamorous nor formidable, but at this early stage, you must swallow your pride since you simply cannot be a chooser.  I went for Caterpie based purely on his width: he has very slightly wider dimensions than Weedle and in my opinion has the thickness of a champion. This is not the only criterion I used to determine his worthiness to be my first Pokémon, however; since Pokémon is often all about the long game, my suggestion to purchase Caterpie is based on my prior knowledge of what Pokémon you will be facing later, and having a Caterpie in your collection will benefit you in the long run, since he evolves into Beedrill, and you will be in requirement of his super effectiveness against rock Pokémon later in the game. Hand over your money like I did (or purchase Weedle if you prefer to be at a disadvantage; free will is a marvellous thing) and with your first Pokemon in hand, click ‘Start Battle’, drag your Caterpie into your ‘current team’ collection and enter into your debut Pokébrawl with (ahem) confidence.

Go to 1 vs 1 Mode: Levels 1, 2 & 3