When comparing Pokémon Shuffle Mobile vs Hoplite, the Slant community recommends Hoplite for most people. In the question“What are the best one handed Android games?” Hoplite is ranked 7th while Pokémon Shuffle Mobile is ranked 16th. The most important reason people chose Hoplite is:
You must plan your movements and attacks, paying attention to all enemy positions and their attacks. This makes for a game that the player can pore over their options, for as long as they like, which can be pretty enveloping.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Strategic gameplay
Depending on the Pokemon one picks for their team the player is able to mix and match in order to plan ahead for what type of match they will be up against. Sometimes this takes a bit of trial and error but for the most part is a deep way to add strategy to what is basically a match 3 game.
Pro Graphics are better over the 3DS version
Originally this free-to-play title was released for the Nintendo 3DS but has since been ported to mobile. The port offers better graphics over the original due to the game now being able to be played on stronger hardware with higher resolution screens. The graphics are all high res now and look quite sharp.
Pro Deep gameplay that harkens back to chess or other grid based games, where planning and strategy take a front seat
You must plan your movements and attacks, paying attention to all enemy positions and their attacks. This makes for a game that the player can pore over their options, for as long as they like, which can be pretty enveloping.
Pro Easy to understand the rules as any pertinent info is relayed before a move decision is needed
Someone called it "Chess, the roguelike". You have all the information before you move, every time. Enemies follow a simple ruleset, with no variation. There is almost no randomness. You know that you will die the turn before you do, and you will die because you painted yourself into a corner.
Pro Great replay value thanks to the roguelike random generation
There is a good list of achievements, which creates a high replay value. It encourages the user to play very differently in subsequent replays. Which is great for keeping the game fresh.
Pro Can be played at your own pace thanks to the turn based nature of the title
Hoplite is a turn based game, making for something that people can take their time with, deciding on their strategy for each move.
Pro Extended gameplay when you finish the title, with the fun but difficult game+ gameplay mode
Starting on level 16, the altars get replaced by a portal. The player has the choice to "win" the game by exiting through the portal, or to ignore the portal on that level and venture deeper, aiming for higher scores on progressively more difficult floors. This is great for those that enjoy more challenge and extra content past the regular ending.
Pro Well-balanced
Other, more popular, mobile roguelikes are far too random. A lot of people associate roguelikes with randomness, but a lot of effort goes into making sure that they provide consistently winnable games. When you lose a game it should be because you did something dumb, not because the RNG didn't deign it today. Hoplite nails this.
Pro Large assortment of enemies keeps the gameplay and strategies required fresh
There is a wide array of enemies to encounter and fight, which keeps encounters fresh as well as the strategies needed.
Cons
Con Some slowdown due to high resolution graphics on older devices
Older devices may have slight problems playing the game due to the high res graphics and flat out just being underpowered.
Con New players at disadvantage
Nintendo often has giveaways and events that allow players to gain hard to get Poekemon. Users who have been playing since the release of the game will have a slight advantage by having these hard to gain Pokemon on their teams, which for new users will be a bit of a hurdle for multiplayer and single player.
Con Short game
Hoplite does not take that long to complete as it can be finished in an average playthrough in around an hour.