While the Pokemon franchise is best known for its titular fantastical creatures, its music has also struck a chord with many fans. Numerous composers have lent their talents to Pokemon games, from old-guard developers like Junichi Masuda, who was a founding member of Game Freak; to individuals like Toby Fox, who composed a song for Pokemon Sword and Shield after the breakout success of Undertale. The music of Pokemon has also played a big role in DeNA's gacha-based mobile game Pokemon Masters EX, which is a celebration of mainline entries in the series.
In Pokemon Masters, players accumulate (or purchase) a currency called Gems that can be used to "scout" new characters who can be used in its real-time 3v3 battle system. Each of these scouted characters are part of a "Sync Pair" with one Pokemon that has a specific moveset and list of passive abilities, and each come from a mainline Pokemon games - with the exception of Team Rocket's Jessie and James, added for an anime movie crossover event. For example, the most recent scouting addition as of this writing is Sword and Shield Gym Leader Raihan, who comes paired with Duraludon.
Because all the Gym Leaders, Elite Four members, Champions, Rivals, and other unique characters in Pokemon games are associated with a musical track, those also carry into Pokemon Masters. Whether the player is taking on a Hoenn Gym Leader in a training area to earn items or fighting Ghetsis and Kyurem as part of a Legendary Event, a remix of their battle theme plays during the encounter. Though one would assume a mobile spin-off should take ideas from mainline games and not vice verse, The Champion Stadium mode in Pokemon Masters utilizes music in a particular way that should be emulated by future Pokemon games.
Pokemon Masters' Champion Stadium
The Champion Stadium mode was introduced on August 27, 2020 as part of the game's one-year anniversary where it changed its name to Pokemon Masters EX. This name change signified a general overhaul to the mobile game's mechanics following backlash early on, as well as referenced the newly implemented six-star "EX" rating. Before that update Sync Pairs could either be scouted or upgraded to five-star potential using a Power-Up item, but the inclusion of EX forms for certain characters meant higher stats, upgraded Sync Moves (an "ultimate attack" that needs to be charged during battle), and an unlockable alternate color scheme.
To make it easier for players to get EX characters, Champion Stadium mode offers Power-Up Tickets that can be traded for upgrade items. Each week it resets to give players five difficult battles against the Elite Four and Champion from a Pokemon region; though as of this writing only Kanto, Johto, and Unova have been cycled in. While these trainers are weak to specific typings so players can plan out their run, there are also special parameters for each fight such as physical moves being more powerful or field effects like weather lasting indefinitely. A "Master Mode" where players can add extra modifiers to earn additional rewards is also unlocked once a region's Elite Four has been defeated using each of the 18 Pokemon types at least once.
While there is undoubtedly an excessive grind to earn these items in what feels like a long trading quest, particularly for new players who may not have the strongest Sync Pairs released over the last two years, Champion Stadium is also notable for its presentation. The reward signifying players can access "Master Mode" is a medal for each region based on the games in which that Elite Four originates. Music on the preparation screen is also pulled from those original games, for instance using the Indigo Plateau theme from HeartGold and SoulSilver during a Johto challenge.
However, the most interesting musical fanservice delivered by Pokemon Masters' Champion Stadium is that each battle with the Elite Four members uses a different, unique remix of the original games' battle theme. This is especially prominent during a Unova challenge, when one can hear the jazzy music and coin flipping sound effects for obsessed gambler Grimsley versus the more somber and spooky song played underneath novelist Shauntal; interspersed with the sounds of spirits giggling.
A Precedent of Musical Remixes
A future Pokemon game can and should adopt the concept of using the same musical motif with personalized touches for different trainers who have similar titles like Gym Leader. Despite this specific idea coming from a mobile game, it's not completely unprecedented in the mainline series. Pokemon Black 2 and White 2 had unique takes on the overworld Pokemon Gym theme for each facility, ranging from a diegetic rock concert being played by Virbank City's Roxie to a more chill, relaxing tune for Marlon's seaside Gym in Humilau City.
The franchise has also remixed battle themes for new situations, though not typically within the same game. Remakes like Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire offer one example of this, though characters have also re-appeared in games following their initial introduction. Black 2 and White 2's Pokemon World Tournament feature used Gym Leaders and Champions from the four prior generations, each with a new take on their battle themes. That's not to mention Diamond and Pearl's Champion Cynthia, a fan-favorite character who appears in numerous games.
Songs for battling, town and city themes, item collection jingles, and more are an integral part of the Pokemon franchise's identity. The Pokemon Company is clearly aware of this, as it has released a digital "Super Music Collection" album for every generation of games up to Sword and Shield. It would undoubtedly be a lot of extra work to compose unique variants of battle music for every Gym Leader or Elite Four member in a region, but doing so would go a long way toward giving those characters more personality than ever. Whether Generation 9 follows in Pokemon Masters' footsteps will have to be seen when the time comes, but Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl could give developer ILCA a chance to go above and beyond in the meantime.
Pokemon Masters EX is available now on Android and iOS devices.