{"id":142610,"date":"2023-09-01T19:18:38","date_gmt":"2023-09-01T13:48:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dripp.zone\/news\/?p=142610"},"modified":"2023-09-01T19:18:38","modified_gmt":"2023-09-01T13:48:38","slug":"champions-arena-is-an-addictive-mobile-battler-with-crypto-rewards-crypto-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dripp.zone\/news\/champions-arena-is-an-addictive-mobile-battler-with-crypto-rewards-crypto-news\/","title":{"rendered":"Champions Arena Is an Addictive Mobile Battler With Crypto Rewards – Crypto News"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Champions Arena, a free-to-play, turn-based role-playing game (RPG) with optional <\/span>NFTs<\/span><\/a>, launched to the public on mobile and PC this week, offering players a fun and mobile-first experience with a colorful cast of characters.<\/span><\/p>\n

Developed by OneUniverse\/Uniflow and published by Gala Games, <\/span>Champions Arena<\/span><\/a> is now fully released for iOS on the App Store, for Android on the Google Play Store, and for PC users via Gala Games\u2019 launcher on its <\/span>website<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Champions Arena is addictive, with a solid core gameplay loop that had me hooked for hours. And as a PC gamer, this is actually one of the few mobile games I would gladly play in my free time. Here\u2019s my take on Champions Arena.<\/span><\/p>\n

Watch our video review\u2014or continue reading below.<\/i><\/p>\n

Into the Arena<\/h2>\n

Champions Arena offers two primary game modes: Arena and Campaign. While both active play modes involve the same turn-based RPG action, Arena is the real-time player-versus-player (PvP) mode, and Campaign is a player-versus-computer mode that slowly moves players across a world map after winning a certain number of games. Ranked Arena matches are the only game type where players can earn a determined amount of <\/span>GALA tokens<\/span><\/a> for wins.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Screenshot<\/span>
Playing Champions Arena on iOS. Image: Decrypt.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In a Campaign or Arena match, players can have up to four characters, or Champions, on their side. Matches play out in a 4v4 format, with one gamer\u2019s team fighting another. There are tanks, damage-dealers, and healers\u2014it\u2019s good to have one of each in every match. 4v4 feels right\u2014if this game had been a 5v5, matches might become too long or complex for more casual players.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are also three alliances to be aware of: red, yellow, and blue, also known as Destruction, Harmony, and Prosperity, respectively. Every character belongs to one color or alliance, and playing cards that match that character\u2019s alliance when it\u2019s their turn is generally a good idea, because it often increases damage or unlocks an extra effect.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Screenshot\"Screenshot<\/span>
Near the end of a Campaign match on iOS. Image: Decrypt.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Games in Champions Arena are typically fast-paced and short. Each of the eight characters in battle gets a turn to act, whether it\u2019s by dealing damage or aiding teammates.<\/span><\/p>\n

At each character\u2019s turn, the player can combine cards to level them up once or move cards around to strategize. Combining two one-star cards creates a single, more powerful two-star card, for example. The more stars, the more powerful the card. Other than that, the cards themselves are not overly complex, instead offering a few stats and details like that of a Pokemon game.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So while some advanced trading card game (TCG) players may find the card mechanics a bit simplistic, RPG fans and seasoned mobile gamers will be able to pick up on the card mechanics quickly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Screenshot\"Screenshot<\/span>
Playing through the Campaign mode on iOS. Image: Decrypt.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mini cinematics will occur during a match when a character deals higher levels of damage. Thankfully, these cinematics are very short and the animations are generally appealing. While they are nice to have, they are repetitive\u2014as characters only say the same handful of voice lines and execute the same mini-cinematic every match\u2014and not as graphically sharp as the rest of the game.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The \u201cMayhem\u201d mode is an idle game mode that can give you tons of rewards. Image: Decrypt.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A cast of Champions<\/h2>\n

Overall, there\u2019s a wide variety of appealing characters, from sultry vampires to monsters, robots, elves, animals, and muscular gunmen. I loved the look of the Harmony-allied Champions like Sophia and Feraella, as well as some of the Destruction alliance\u2019s characters like Kage and Violet, to name a few. Some of the characters feel heavily inspired by existing games or movies (i.e. Sophia closely resembles Nintendo\u2019s Zelda), but that doesn\u2019t really bother me or take away from my enjoyment of the game overall.<\/span><\/p>\n

The game offers 68 total Champions at time of writing, but most players will need to unlock them via buying gems, which can then be used to summon a random character. You could theoretically unlock many characters for free (I unlocked six for free in just a few hours), but it would take a while.<\/span><\/p>\n

Characters can also be minted as <\/span>NFTs<\/span><\/a>, which can be traded and will also maximize your GALA earnings in Arena matches. Players must have at least one NFT character on their side in an Arena match in order to be eligible to win GALA token rewards.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Screenshot\"Screenshot<\/span>
An iOS screenshot of Sophia, who looks a lot like Zelda. Image: Decrypt.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Champions must be manually leveled up via the menu screens. Character gear can be purchased in-game or obtained as a reward through one of Champions Arena\u2019s many free reward features. There\u2019s no shortage of shop items players can spend real money on via gems, however, to give their characters various boosts.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Converting a character into an NFT on iOS. Image: Decrypt.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Character skills cannot be customized, nor can their physical appearance be modified. That lack of customization and current lack of different \u201cskins\u201d may be disappointing to some players, particularly those used to hit games like League of Legends and Fortnite that offer lots of premium cosmetic options.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Screenshot\"Screenshot<\/span>
All the characters I\u2019ve unlocked for free so far on iOS. Image: Decrypt.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Players can also \u201clink\u201d characters to each other, allowing one Champion\u2019s level to automatically match the other\u2019s higher level\u2014for a price. It costs 100 gems to link two characters, which is roughly $0.97 worth of GALA at time of writing, or about $0.73 on the iOS app.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gacha? Gotcha<\/h2>\n

The primary way to unlock new characters in Champions Arena is via the \u201csummoning\u201d feature, which is a gacha mechanic. Gacha games work like toy vending machines, giving players a random chance of getting any given character, thus eliminating player choice from the equation.<\/span><\/p>\n

That’s unfortunate, and it could frustrate players who only want to pay to unlock a handful of specific characters without spending hundreds or thousands of dollars.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Screenshot\"Screenshot<\/span>
Gacha mechanics in Champions Arena on iOS. Image: Decrypt.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

That said, if a player unlocks a duplicate of a character they already own, the duplicate can be dissolved and used to \u201cpromote\u201d or increase the star level of the other character.<\/span><\/p>\n

Players can also try buying a character NFT on a <\/span>secondary marketplace<\/span><\/a>, but those prices may vary. As of this writing, Champions Arena character NFTs start at 0.1 ETH (about $165) on the OpenSea marketplace.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Screenshot\"Screenshot<\/span>
I used a duplicate Lucia to promote our existing Lucia to star level 3. Image: Decrypt.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On Champions Arena\u2019s mobile iOS version, a chest of 3,000 \u201cpaid gems\u201d costs about $29. On Gala Games\u2019 website, a chest of 3,000 paid gems is listed at 0.019 ETH, or $31. Right now, it appears that buying gems through Gala directly does not give players lower prices.<\/span><\/p>\n

Considering that it costs between 200 and 1,000 gems (about $2 to $10.60) to summon one Champion, it could be a better deal to take your chances with the gacha mechanic than to buy an NFT of a specific Champion on secondary.<\/span><\/p>\n

Champion-caliber?<\/h2>\n

Champions Arena\u2019s graphics are great overall. The character models are detailed and colorful, animations are smooth, and the game assets are sharp on iOS. The game loads quickly and is virtually free of performance-related issues. The PC version of Champions Arena feels like it was ported from the mobile version, so it could benefit from a graphics upgrade. I strongly recommend playing this game on mobile over PC\u2014it just feels like a better fit, including from a UI perspective.<\/span><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the audio in Champions Arena can feel a bit repetitive after even just 10 matches. Each character only has one or two main voice lines, so you\u2019ll likely get tired of hearing your characters say the same thing every time they fight. You can, however, just play the game without sound\u2014there are no cues that would require a player to listen to the game.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The game is awash with free idle rewards, as well as shops where tickets, scrolls, chests, gems, battle passes, and more can be purchased with fiat currency or crypto, which is then converted into the game\u2019s synthetic gems currency.<\/p>\n

The sheer number of idle achievements in the game that grant players \u201cgold,\u201d another synthetic game currency, may be a bit overwhelming to those unfamiliar with mobile games. But it feels great and is a part of what makes the game addictive\u2014you can get tens of thousands of gold in-game with just a few clicks between matches.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some players may be turned off by the amount of items and content that has been paywalled, but it\u2019s pretty much par for the course for modern mobile games. Also, a lot of items can be earned for free\u2014it just takes more time and a bit of luck.<\/span><\/p>\n

Overall, Champions Arena is a fun, solid mobile game for RPG and TCG fans looking for a new fantasy game with low stakes to spend some crypto on. It\u2019s casual-friendly for those seeking a mobile distraction, but also has a built-in ranked competitive system for grinders looking to earn GALA tokens\u2014and possibly win back some of the money spent turning their characters into NFTs.<\/span><\/p>\n

While it doesn\u2019t stand out from the crowd when it comes to rich lore or a distinctive game world, there\u2019s plenty of charming characters to unlock, buttons to click, and matches to win in Champions Arena.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Champions Arena, a free-to-play, turn-based role-playing game (RPG) with optional NFTs, launched to the public on mobile and PC this week, offering players a fun and mobile-first experience with a colorful cast of characters. Developed by OneUniverse\/Uniflow and published by Gala Games, Champions Arena is now fully released for iOS on the App Store, for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":142611,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[230,225,221,227,226,228,229,60,223,224,222],"class_list":["post-142610","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cryptocurrency","tag-brave","tag-coinbase","tag-crypto","tag-decentralised","tag-decentralized","tag-decentralized-exchange","tag-erc-20","tag-featured","tag-meme-coin","tag-robinhood","tag-solana"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dripp.zone\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142610","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dripp.zone\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dripp.zone\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dripp.zone\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dripp.zone\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=142610"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/dripp.zone\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142610\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":146582,"href":"https:\/\/dripp.zone\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142610\/revisions\/146582"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dripp.zone\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/142611"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dripp.zone\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=142610"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dripp.zone\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=142610"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dripp.zone\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=142610"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}