Pokémon Art Academy review: painting with Pikachu is a treat for Pokémon fans

£34.99; Nintendo; 3DS

Art and Pokémon. It may at first seem an odd combination, until you consider that the last entry in the popular series was set in the France-inspired Kalos region, a land famed for its love of art and beauty. Pokémon X & Y even included an art gallery for players to explore and allowed trainers to peruse various paintings from the region’s history. So perhaps Pokémon Art Academy is well timed in its effort to get players drawing, with the added appeal of the cute critters.

There’s not much plot to speak of but the game does well in providing at least some motivation for the players new-found artistic endeavours. You and a friend are both registering at the titular academy in the hopes of providing art for the latest Pokémon cards. Under the instruction of Professor Andy, you’ll be guided through various lessons on a range of drawing and painting techniques as the game continually introduces new concepts and tools.

The main flow of the game consists of one main drawing challenge per technique, with several mini-lessons unlocked after you complete each picture to help you reinforce what you've learnt. After a handful of lessons you’ll have to draw on everything you've been taught to complete a task that will unlock the next round of Pokémon to paint. Outside of the main progression, there are free paint and quick sketch modes which allow you a little more freedom.

The game does a great job of easing you into the various new methods and styles. After a little play-time you’ll have built up an album of art and it’s great to flick back and see your work get more intricate as you progress. The game is at its best when you stand back and admire a freshly painted masterpiece, a small sense of pride and, in my case, surprise at the quality of the final product.

Despite the myriad of drawing apps on tablets, this is the only one that will teach you how to draw Nintendo’s popular creatures and it does so with the charm and polish we've come to expect from the developer. This won’t make you the next Da Vinci, nor will it do much for those that aren't Pokemaniacs already and it’s not exactly cheap - but it’s a relaxing and enjoyable experience. Whether it inspires a new generation of artists remains to be seen. Now, where did I put my brush?