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.

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.

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

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

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

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