Multi Battle: Difference between revisions

Fighting Matt and Tabitha in a Multi Battle in the Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire Special Demo Version.

A Multi Battle (Japanese: マルチバトル Multi Battle), referred to as a Tag Battle (Japanese: タッグバトル Tag Battle) in the anime, is a type of Double Battle in which each of the four Pokémon is controlled by a separate Pokémon Trainer.

Starting with Generation III, Multi Battles occur when the player has teamed up with another Trainer. If the player has teamed up with another Trainer as part of the storyline, their Pokémon total as well as that of their opponents may exceed the limit of six Pokémon per team imposed by party restrictions for other types of Pokémon battle.

In the games

Multi Battle mode

A Multi Battle in Generation IV

In Generation III, up to four players can battle with each other in a Multi Battle via Game Link Cable by choosing the "Multi Battle" mode in the Pokémon Cable Club Colosseum. Players decide which side to battle. This was the only way to have a Multi Battle in Ruby and Sapphire.

In Generation IV, the Pokémon Cable Club Colosseum was renamed to the Pokémon Communication Club Colosseum, but Multi Battles can still be conducted by selecting "Multi Battle".

In Generation VI, the player accesses Multi Battles with the Player Search System's Battle option. After selecting a connection type, the player must then change the number of players to four, and select three other players on the touch screen.

Quotes

Pokémon Center Receptionist

"Multi Battle is for four Trainers with one or more Pokémon each."

"Each Trainer can have one Pokémon in battle at a time."

In-game events

Since Pokémon Emerald, Multi Battles have been possible at various points throughout the games.

• In Pokémon Emerald, at the Mossdeep Space Center the player battles Maxie and Tabitha of Team Magma alongside Steven.
  • This is the only battle when a partner Trainer receives experience points from defeating a Pokémon. It is also the only Multi Battle in which the player can use items on the partner Trainer's Pokémon or knock out the partner Trainer's Pokémon to get experience points.
• In Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum, the player teams up with:
  • Cheryl while traversing Eterna Forest for the first time, until they reach the Eterna City exit.
  • Riley while traversing Iron Island for the first time, until they reach the back of the island.
  • Buck while traversing Stark Mountain for the first time, until they reach the back of the cave.
  • Mira while traversing Wayward Cave for the first time, until they reach the cave entrance.
  • Marley while traversing the additional area of Victory Road for the first time, until they reach the Route 224 exit.
  • Lucas/Dawn against two male Galactic Grunts in Jubilife City.
  • Lucas/Dawn against two male Galactic Grunts in Veilstone City.
  • Barry against Mars and Jupiter at Spear Pillar.
  • in Pokémon Platinum only, Barry against Flint and Volkner in the Fight Area, upon entering the Battle Zone for the first time.
• In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, the player teams up with:
  • Lance against Ariana and a Team Rocket Grunt in the Team Rocket HQ.
  • Silver against Clair and Lance in the Dragon's Den.
• In Pokémon Black and White, the player teams up with:
  • Cheren against two Team Plasma Grunts in Wellspring Cave.
  • Cheren against two Preschoolers on Route 5 at Alder's request.
• In Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, the player teams up with:
  • Hugh while traversing Castelia Sewers for the first time, until they reach the Relic Passage exit.
  • Cheren against two Team Plasma Grunts on the Plasma Frigate when it is docked at the Pokémon World Tournament.
  • Hugh against two Team Plasma Grunts on the Plasma Frigate when it is docked at the Pokémon World Tournament.
  • Hugh against two Team Plasma Grunts on the Plasma Frigate when it is docked at the Seaside Cave.
  • Hugh against Zinzolin and a Team Plasma Grunt in Lacunosa Town.
  • Nate/Rosa against Subway Bosses Ingo and Emmet outside Gear Station in Nimbasa City.
  • Bianca while traversing Reversal Mountain for the first time, until they reach the Undella Town exit.
  • Cheren while traversing Pinwheel Forest for the first time.
  • One of Cilan, Chili and Cress against the other two in Striaton City.
• In Pokémon X and Y, the player teams up with:
  • Calem/Serena against Tierno and Trevor on Route 7.
  • Calem/Serena against two Team Flare Grunts in the Glittering Cave.
  • Calem/Serena against Bryony and Celosia in the Poké Ball Factory.
  • Calem/Serena while traversing Team Flare Secret HQ, until they reach Xerneas/Yveltal's chamber.
• In Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire Special Demo Version, the player teams up with:
  • Steven against Tabitha and Matt in a Mirage Cave.
  • May against Tabitha and a Team Magma Grunt in a Mirage Cave.
  • May against Matt and a Team Aqua Grunt in a Mirage Cave.
• In Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, the player teams up with:
  • Brendan/May against Tabitha and a Team Magma Grunt^OR/Shelly and a Team Aqua Grunt^AS in Meteor Falls.
  • Steven against Courtney and a Team Magma Grunt^OR/Matt and a Team Aqua Grunt^AS on Southern Island.
  • Steven against Courtney and a Team Magma Grunt^OR/Matt and a Team Aqua Grunt^AS at the Mossdeep Space Center during the Delta Episode.

Battle facilities

Since Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, Multi Battles have been possible in battle facilities.

• In Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, in the Battle Tower during the Multi Battle mode the player can team up with either an NPC (including the apprentice in Pokémon Emerald) or a friend via Game Link Cable or Game Boy Advance Wireless Adapter (the latter in Pokémon Emerald only).
• In Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, HeartGold, and SoulSilver, in the Battle Tower during the Multi Battle mode the player can team up with either another player via DS Wireless Communication or with one of the stat Trainers (Cheryl, Mira, Riley, Marley, and Buck). In Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum, these partner Trainers will only appear after the player finishes exploring with them in their areas.
• In Pokémon Black and White, in the Battle Subway on the Multi Train the player can team up with either another player via DS Wireless Communication or with Hilbert/Hilda.
• In Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, in the Battle Subway on the Multi Train the player can team up with either another player via DS Wireless Communication or with Nate/Rosa.
• In Pokémon X and Y, in the Battle Maison during the Multi Battle mode the player can team up with either another player via 3DS Wireless Communication, an NPC avatar of another player on the player's Friend List, or with Tierno, Trevor, or Shauna.
• In Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, in the Battle Maison during the Multi Battle mode the player can team up with either another player via 3DS Wireless Communication, Brendan/May, Wally, Steven, or Maxie^OR/Archie^AS.

In the anime

Ash and Dawn ready for a Tag Battle

While Ash has been involved in many "illegal" Tag Battles conducted by Team Rocket long before, his first official Tag Battle was in The Bicker the Better, where he teamed up with May. Ash also teamed up with Dawn in The Champ Twins!. In both situations, Ash had gotten into an argument with his partner and ended up making up with them and becoming in sync with them during battle.

Ash and Brock have also been shown to work well together as a team. In A Full Course Tag Battle!, the two went up against the owners of the Seven Stars Restaurant, Roman and Kylie. Their cooperation proved successful and they managed to win the battle. In the same episode, May and Dawn teamed up and were also victorious in their Tag Battle. Bagged Then Tagged! also featured a Tag Battle, with Ash and Dawn defeating Lyra and Khoury.

In Arceus and the Jewel of Life, Ash and Dawn defeated Kiko and Kato using their Pikachu and Piplup.

Hearthome City has its own special competition known as the Hearthome City Tag Battle Competition. Trainer pairs are chosen randomly, with each Trainer receiving a card with a number on it and partnering with the Trainer whose number is paired with their number. Ash won this tournament paired with Paul, despite the two working very poorly together.

In Once There Were Greenfields, Ash and Dawn paired up to battle James and Gardenia. In Hot Springing a Leak!, Dawn and Leona went up against Ash and Brock. Their battle ended in a draw.

In Lost at the Stamp Rally!, Ash and Cilan fought in a Tag Battle against Ingo and Emmet, which Ash and Cilan lost despite fighting excellently. In Evolution Exchange Excitement!, Ash and Cilan battled and won against Bianca and Professor Juniper. Ash and Cilan also fought together in a Tag Battle against two brothers named Soren and Rocko in A Surface to Air Tag Battle Team! and managed to win here as well. In New Places... Familiar Faces!, Ash and Nanette battled against Iris and Cilan, though the battle was interrupted by Team Rocket in their attempt to capture Pikachu.

In Tag Team Battle Inspiration!, Ash and Tierno partnered up against Serena and Shauna, but the battle was called off.

In Party Dancecapades!, Monsieur Pierre prepared a surprise Tag Battle for the Performers attending his dance party. Entrants were given a card upon registration, and four of these cards had a special mark so the people who received them would take part in a Tag Battle. The special cards ended up with Ash, Serena, Miette, and James and they faced off near the end of the party, with the team of Ash and Serena emerging victorious.

In the manga

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

Although multiple Trainers battling a single opponent (such as Sabrina vs. Red, Blue, and Green or Bill and Lt. Surge vs. Bruno) were common prior to Generation III, actual Tag Battles were uncommon. The first true Tag Battle occurs when Gold and Crystal fought against Sham and Carl's two Pokémon together.

Much later, as with the then recently released Pokémon Emerald which fully introduced this feature, the two protagonists of the Ruby & Sapphire arc, named appropriately after the two games, would fight together against Archie and Maxie in both the Seafloor Cavern and after Groudon and Kyogre's return to their slumber. Silver and Yellow also fought against two opponents, but as Yellow didn't begin to attack until after the former was losing, it is dubious as to whether it can be called a true Tag Battle.

Several Tag Battles also occur during the Diamond & Pearl arc, including those of two pairs fighting many opponents.

Trivia

• When battling alongside Steven in Emerald, his Pokémon are shown to gain experience after the defeat of an opponent Pokémon. This does not happen to a partner's Pokémon in the Multi Battles of Generation IV.
  • Having the player's party be defeated in the Multi Battle with Steven will cause the player to white out. This was also changed in Generation IV, where a white out will not occur until both the player's and the partner's Pokémon are all knocked out.
• The Multi Battle against Mars and Jupiter in Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum as well as the battle against Flint and Volkner in Pokémon Platinum have the potential to be twelve-on-six fights, due to Barry's full party.

In other languages

Multi Battle Language Title Mandarin Chinese 多人對戰 Duōrén Duìzhàn French Combat Multi German Multikampf Italian Lotta Multipla Korean 멀티배틀 Meolti Baeteul Brazilian Portuguese Batalha Múltipla Spanish Combate Múltiple

Tag Battle Language Title Chinese Cantonese 雙打對戰 Sēungdá Deuijin * 聯手對戰 Lyùhnsáu Deuijin * Mandarin 聯手對戰 Liánshǒu Duìzhàn * 雙打對戰 / 双打对战 Shuāngdǎ Duìzhàn * 雙人合作賽 Shuāngrén Hézuò Sài * 接棒決戰 Jiēbàng Juézhàn * 兩人戰鬥 Liǎngrén Zhàndòu * 二对二的决斗 Èr-duì-Èr-de Juédòu * Finnish Pariottelu (Advanced Generation series) Tag-ottelu (Diamond & Pearl series-present) Polish Dwuwalka * Brazilian Portuguese Batalha em Dupla Batalha de Duplas (XY090) Spanish Combate Mixto

This game mechanic article is part of Project Games, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon games.