Pokémon Café Mix is a free puzzle mobile video game that lets you run a café for all kinds of cool creatures. Developed by Genius Sonority and published by The Pokémon Company, this game is a relaxing spin-off of the popular Pokémon game franchise and features its beloved collectible characters as café customers instead of battle pets. Pokémon Café Mix is free to play but offers in-app purchases that can make its gameplay easier.

A café is a lot of work

The plot revolves around you as a café owner opening your first store. Similar to Disney Tsum Tsum, you must clear out the character icons in order to progress—but unlike match-3 games wherein there’s a linear tile pattern, the icons here will move when you trace your pattern. You must link two or more of them to chain combos and make them disappear, and do them fast to create long chains within the time limit. 

Press an icon, hold and drag next to a similar icon, and then release to make the combo. This counts as one move and each level has limited moves; the more you saved up, the higher your score will be. The longer the chain, the more your Café Skill gauge will fill up, too. Café Skills differ depending on the Pokémon Leader you chose. You can combine two of them for a more powerful skill. 

You can get powerups and Leah’s Megaphone, too, which will clear a few icons wherever it’s facing. Each level is about creating a drink or dish and will require you to clear ingredients, as well. Completing orders will increase a Pokémon’s friendship and maxing it out will recruit that Pokémon into your staff. Each Pokémon has a specialty and Café Skill so it’s best to use the right Leader for each order.

Not as easy as it looks

Pokémon Café Mix has a really cute art style—with more orders unlocking more colorful café areas, equipment, and menu items. There are challenges to try out and if you ever fail an order, you can pay up or lose a heart—though they thankfully regenerate. However, the game’s main issue is how the levels get progressively harder and will eventually force you to buy powerups. Nevertheless, this is a highly recommended puzzle game.