It’s been a few years since WayForward and Warner Bros. Games dropped Bakugan Champions of Vestroia on the Nintendo Switch, and honestly, the reception was... well, it was loud. If you were hanging out on Reddit or Twitter back in late 2020, you probably saw the initial backlash. Fans were expecting something massive, maybe a console experience that mirrored the depth of the original Battle Brawlers game from the Wii and PS3 era. Instead, we got something that felt different. Some called it too simple. Others felt it was a "mobile game" ported to console.
But if you actually sit down with it today, past all the launch-day drama, there’s a weirdly specific charm to it.
The game doesn't try to be Pokémon Scarlet or Shin Megami Tensei. It’s a brawler. It’s an action-RPG. It’s a weird hybrid that focuses on the "Big Monster" fantasy while making you, the human player, do most of the cardio. You aren't just standing behind your Bakugan barking orders. You are literally sprinting across a field like a madman to collect energy cores. It’s frantic. It’s occasionally frustrating. It is definitely unique.
The Core Loop of Bakugan Champions of Vestroia
Most people dive into this thinking it’s a turn-based strategy game. It isn't. Not really.
The heart of Bakugan Champions of Vestroia is the Core Combat System. When your Bakugan is out there duking it out with a giant Haos or Pyrus beast, your job is to run around the arena and pick up glowing hexagonal plates called BakuCores. These cores fuel your abilities. If you don't pick them up, your Bakugan just stands there like a giant, decorative paperweight.
This creates a high-pressure environment. You’re trying to keep an eye on your Bakugan’s health, the enemy’s move telegraphs, and the placement of cores on the ground.
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There is a layer of strategy in how you build your team, though. You get three Bakugan. Each can be customized with different "Brawl Gear" and special abilities that you unlock as you progress through the story. The game uses a standard elemental rock-paper-scissors mechanic: Pyrus (Fire), Aquos (Water), Ventus (Wind), Haos (Light), and Darkus (Darkness). If you bring a full team of Pyrus into a fight against a heavy Aquos user, you’re going to have a bad time. Basically, it’s about preparation before the fight and agility during it.
Why the Art Style Caused Such a Stir
Let’s talk about the visuals for a second. WayForward is a studio known for incredible 2D sprite work—think Shantae or River City Girls. When they announced they were doing a 3D Bakugan game, expectations were sky-high.
When the game actually landed, the world felt a bit... sparse. The human character models are very "Saturday Morning Cartoon," which fits the Bakugan: Battle Planet aesthetic, but the environments like San Jose and the various parks can feel a little empty. It doesn’t have the dense, lived-in feel of a Persona game.
However, the Bakugan themselves look great. When a Dragonoid or a Hydorous evolves and hits the field, the scale feels right. They look powerful. The animations for the "Special Abilities" are flashy and satisfy that itch for giant monster combat. It’s clear where the budget went. They prioritized the monsters over the trees in the park, which, for a game about giant monsters, is probably the right call, even if it makes the exploration bits feel a bit dated.
Mastering the Ability Deck
If you want to actually win the later tournaments, you have to stop button-mashing. You’ve got to think about "Ability Costs."
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- Low-cost moves: These are your bread and butter. They don't deal much damage, but they keep the pressure on.
- High-cost finishers: These require a ton of BakuCores. If you miss, you’ve wasted thirty seconds of sprinting.
- Buffs and Debuffs: Seriously, don't ignore these. Increasing your movement speed as a human player is often more valuable than a slight attack boost for your Bakugan.
The gear system is where the "Expert" players separate themselves from the casuals. You can find gear that changes how your Bakugan behaves or how quickly you gather energy. It adds a light RPG layer that keeps the grind from feeling too repetitive. Honestly, the grind is there—you’ll be doing a lot of side quests for NPCs who lost their backpacks or need help with random errands—but the payoff is always more power for your team.
The Reality of the Story and Vestroia
The plot is... well, it’s a Bakugan story. You’re a customizable protagonist who discovers a Bakugan and gets swept up into a quest to save the world from a mysterious threat. It follows the reboot continuity (Battle Planet), so if you grew up with Dan Kuso and Drago from 2007, things might feel a bit "off."
The "Champions of Vestroia" title refers to the ultimate goal of the tournament circuit. You aren't just fighting for fun; you're fighting to prove your worth and protect the link between Earth and Vestroia. It’s straightforward. It’s accessible for kids. But for an adult player, the dialogue can be a bit grating. You’ll find yourself skipping through text boxes to get back to the actual brawling.
The world is split into several districts. You'll spend a lot of time in the Downtown area, the Waterfront, and the more industrial zones. Each area has its own set of brawlers to challenge, and finding hidden chests is the main reason to explore. It’s not an open world in the modern sense; it’s more of a series of interconnected hubs.
Is It Worth Playing Now?
The game launched at a full $60 price point, which was a huge sticking point for critics. At that price, it felt thin. But in 2026, you can usually find physical copies in bargain bins or digital sales for significantly less.
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At a lower price point, the value proposition changes. It’s a solid 20-30 hour experience if you’re a completionist. The multiplayer mode allows you to take your custom team online, though the community is much smaller now than it was at launch. If you have a friend to play with locally, the "Core-collecting" mechanic actually becomes a lot of fun. It turns into a physical race as much as a tactical battle.
One thing people forget is that this was a "Switch Exclusive." It was built specifically for the hardware. It runs smoothly for the most part, though you might see some frame drops when the screen gets cluttered with too many BakuCores and particle effects.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Playthrough
If you’re picking up Bakugan Champions of Vestroia today, don't just rush the main story. You'll end up under-leveled and frustrated by the time you hit the mid-game spikes.
- Talk to everyone: NPCs often give you Gear or Ability cards that are way better than the ones in the shops.
- Diversify your elements: Don't get attached to just one Bakugan. You need a balanced team of three to handle the diverse AI decks.
- Practice your pathing: In battle, learn the patterns of how BakuCores spawn. Don't just run to the nearest one; look for clusters.
- Upgrade early: Spend your money on upgrading your favorite abilities rather than buying every new one you see. A high-level basic move is often better than a level-one "super" move.
Basically, treat it like a sports game mixed with a monster collector. You have to manage your "athlete" (the human) just as much as your "star player" (the Bakugan). Once that rhythm clicks, the game becomes way more enjoyable. It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s a fascinating experiment in how to make a monster battler feel active rather than passive.