Near Field Communication

Pokémon Rumble U is the first Pokémon game on the Wii U, and as such, has access to some of the Wii U's special features. Specifically, the NFC chip in the GamePad. Using this chip, you can scan various Pokémon figures released and have them appear within your game

These Pokémon are not exclusive to the figures, being able to be obtained within the game, but the figures will provide a stronger form of the Pokémon, but with an extra boost in strength. When used in combat, these Pokémon have a special Aura around them, signifying that they are figures.

Alternate NFC

In addition to the NFC figures, the game also has got a feature that allows you to scan in any NFC technology while you play. This ranges from transit cards to bank cards. When you scan these, a random Pokémon will appear and you may receive a random effect such as being increased in size or a stat boost

In addition to using those features as helpers, you can also scan in a figure in the middle of play and that Pokémon will appear and help, as well.

Upgrading Pokémon

Another difference with the figure Pokémon is that they are customisable. Using the money you earn in the various battles, you can purchase various improvements to the Pokémon. This ranges from the Pokémon's strength, to a change in the moves it has.

With these customisations done, you can then send the newly customised Pokémon back into the figure. This will allow you to take the figure with you in order to go to a friend's place and use it on their version of the game!

Once each Pokémon is scanned in, you have the ability to select the Pokémon and create essentially a shopping list of upgrades and purchasing of abilities, items and power upgrades

Upgrading Moves

You can also change the moves you want your Pokémon to have, selecting between the move on the A button and the move on the B button. This replaces the move currently in the slot. Many moves are unavailable to the Pokémon unless the Pokémon is of a certain strength. Moves vary in cost

Upgrading Abilities

Abilities make a return in Pokémon Rumble U, but not in a complete entirity. Only several abilities are available for the Pokémon to use when obtained through the figures. These abilities have to be purchased first, unless the figure comes with it, and can then be upgraded over and over. These upgrades come at a cost, however. There are only five abilities available: Punch, Hardy, Speedy, Slugger and Snappy

Upgrade Cost
Initial 2000
Ability+ 10000
Ability++ 50000
Upgrading Stats

Unlike Pokémon in any of the Pokémon Rumble games, you have the ability to fully upgrade your Pokémon's strength. This can be done incrementally or in one big block. Whenver you purchase an upgrade, the cost of the future upgrades gets reduced to the point that you would spend the same amount. The actual strength increase varies depending on the Pokémon's starting value, so the list below just centralises the possibility

Upgrade Cost
253~650
310~1300
354~2000
400~2700
462~3450
508~4200
560~5000
606~5800
651~6650
701~7500
760~8400
807~9300
869~10280
911~11260
952~12310
1005~13360
1054~14490
1112~15620
1162~16820
1202~18020
1253~19300
1326~20580
1361~21930
1402~23280
1465~24710
1526~26140
1550~27640
1610~29140
1666~30720
1715~32300
1752~33950
1821~35600
1851~37330
1900~39060
1952~40860
2014~42760
2056~44760
2106~47260
2152~50260
2215~53760
2256~57760
2327~62760
2361~68760
2422~76760
2454~86760
2518~98760
2565~112760
2603~130760
2660~155760
2744~195760
2766~255760
2800~355760

The Figures

The Pokémon figures are not all released in one go, but in various series. Each set is placed within a gachapon machine, allowing for you to get a random figure from the set. Below is a list of the sets, selectable to see which figure is obtainable in which set. There are also promotional figures which differ from others in a variety of ways. These cannot be purchased.