Have you ever heard of Pokémon? I’m willing to bet that you have. Between the cards, video games, and anime, you have probably had some experience with Pokémon. But, have you ever heard of Pokémon VGC, also known as Competitive Pokémon? Pokémon VGC is something that very few people know about. Despite this, the amount of possibilities in a single game of VGC are nearly endless. In this article, you will learn what VGC is, why it is such a fun and exciting game, and how to get started.

What is VGC?

VGC stands for Video Game Championships. However, unlike the regular 1 on 1 battles that you have likely experienced, Pokémon VGC uses double battles, which is 2 versus 2 at any given time. If you played the Pokémon video games, then there is a good chance that you’ve experienced double battles before, as each video game features some.

Every team in Pokemon VGC features 6 pokemon; however, you can only bring 4 to each battle. This adds an extra layer of strategy to the game, as you need to choose the 4 Pokémon that you think would best combat what your opponent might be bringing. Along with this, choosing your 6 Pokémon is no simple task. With over 1,000 Pokémon, you need to make your team by using the team members that you think would best combat any other team that you may face. You also have to have synergy between your Pokémon. A popular strategy in VGC involves thePokémon Maushold and Archaludon. Maushold is able to hit its ally Archaludon with weak damage, activating Archaludon’s ability, making it incredibly powerful.

Statistics also play a major role in Pokémon VGC. While you probably paid no attention to the stats when playing through the basic video game, the statistics of your Pokémon are vital in competitive Pokémon. Some of the best at VGC are able to calculate the rough amount of damage that their move will do and plan accordingly. One of the most used Pokémon of VGC is called Amoongus. Amoongus’ viability comes from its stats, as it is able to stay on the field turn after turn, helping the rest of your team. Amoongus would be horrible if its stats didn’t make it so bulky and tough to remove.

You have also probably heard of Pokémon types. Every Pokémon has a type which determines the effectiveness of moves against themselves. Some Pokémon have typings that allow them to resist most attacks thrown at them, and make otherwise horrible Pokémon very useful. However, not all of your Pokémon can simply take hits. You also need to be able to deal damage, meaning that you need to determine a balance of damage takers and dealers. Another popular Pokémon in VGC is known as Urshifu. Urshifu thrives due to its typing. Its type allows it to deal humongous damage to most Pokémon making it an offensive staple due to its type.

An example of these aspects is the Pokémon known as Annihilape. Annihilape sees success in Pokémon VGC due to its stats, typing, and synergy with other Pokémon. It is able to synergize with Pokémon like Maushold who can make it stronger using its weak attacks to boost its stats beyond belief. Its base stats are already fantastic, allowing it to be used as a fast attacker even without Maushold. Its typing makes it resistant or immune to all of the common counterplay to Pokémon similar to it. Annihilape is able to use everything given to it to be a threatening Pokémon with many different uses on many different teams.

Every Pokémon can be used in VGC. With over 1000 Pokémon, the options of who to put on your team are nearly endless. Every team is different, and yours is always unique. The Pokémon that you decide to use are entirely your own with stats, nicknames, moves, and more that allow your team to take victory.

Why Should I Try VGC?

Pokémon VGC is a deeply strategic game, as discussed in the VGC Guide Article on the topic. Thus, it shares many of the same benefits of other strategy video games. Arguably, the largest benefit of playing strategy games is that you develop long-term thinking skills. Competitive Pokémon is no exception to this. In VGC, you need to enter each battle with a strategy for achieving victory, plan around your opponent’s team and their potential strategy, and then plan your strategy around defeating theirs. You often need to use all available turns and Pokémon in order to win a battle. You also might need to readjust your strategy if you begin losing.

Studies have shown that strategy games also help you make decisions under pressure, along with assessing risks, as reported in this Medium Article. In competitive Pokémon, you must assess the risks of your moves, and make decisions that could win you the game. Some moves may be safer than others, but you also might need to go for risky moves in order to have a chance at winning the game.

Strategy games have also been shown to increase a person’s adaptability to dynamic situations, discussed in HearnsHobbies’ Article about the benefits strategy games. Unexpected challenges, such as your opponent bringing a different 4 Pokémon than you expected, force you to make decisions that you simply didn’t plan for. These unexpected changes force you to adapt your strategy mid-game, promoting your ability to adapt to unexpected situations, a skill very useful in essentially all types of work that you may do later down the line.

So far, all benefits talked about have been true across all strategy games, so you may be wondering, “what’s so special about competitive Pokémon?” Well, competitive Pokémon takes the monsters that you grew up with, and places them in a deeply strategic game. This allows you to feel much more connected to the game, as opposed to other games like “Risk”, where you have no real connection to the pieces you are using. Competitive Pokémon also requires very little money to begin playing, as will be covered more deeply in the next section.

How do I Start Playing VGC?

You don’t need much to begin playing competitive Pokémon. In fact, it is one of the few games that requires essentially no extra money to play. This is due to a website called “Pokémon Showdown”. Pokémon Showdown is a completely free, browser game, where you can build teams of Pokémon and challenge people from around the globe. While it is not the main place that Pokémon VGC is played, Pokémon Showdown does host tournaments of its own that allow for you to dive into the world of Pokémon VGC.

However, these tournaments aren’t run by the Pokémon Company. If you want to play in the official Pokémon VGC tournaments, then you will need a Nintendo Switch 1 or 2. You need to collect the Pokémon yourself, in the game, and train them up. You will then be able to enter online competitions where you battle other people’s teams from all around the world.

You can also enter in-person competitions that are run by the Pokémon Company International. These competitions range from local, best of 3 tournaments, to the Pokémon World Championships where only the best are invited. These in-person tournaments happen all over the place, as almost anyone can set up a local tournament. If you are interested in entering one of these tournaments, then you can go onto Pokémon’s official website to find tournaments near you.

Maybe you don’t own a Nintendo Switch. If that’s you, then you are in luck. Official Pokémon VGC currently takes place on the Pokémon Scarlet and Violet games. However, coming later this year, the Pokémon Company is releasing “Pokémon Champions”. This game has been confirmed to be completely free on release day, and available on Nintendo Switch 1, 2, and all mobile devices. It was later confirmed, at last year’s Pokémon World Championships, that Pokémon Champions will be used for official VGC upon release.

Pokémon Champions will provide a free way that you can enjoy the Official Competitive Pokémon tournaments, even if you don’t own a Nintendo Switch. So, if you are interested in challenging and intense strategy games, check VGC out.