Trainer Battles now available in Pokémon Go

Feel like testing your skills against other players in Pokémon Go? Well now you can, with the release of the Trainer Battles mode. This new feature is available to any trainer level 10 or above, and lets players participate in "fast, fun, and friendly" Pokémon battles.

Players can also participate in a regular league (for newer players) and a Master League, for veteran trainers. You can read how Niantic Labs approached the creation of the Trainer Battles in their own blog, but it's good to know that they're continuing to expand even after all this time.

"When it comes to creating a fun and engaging Trainer Battle experience, we had to strike a careful balance," the team writes. "On one hand, we wanted the system to be easy and straightforward enough for any Trainer—even someone relatively unfamiliar with the mechanics of Pokémon video games. At the same time, we wanted to create a unique competitive experience that gave Trainers who are passionate about battle an avenue to create complex strategies. We accomplished this balance by implementing Trainer Battle Leagues and creating even more opportunities for Trainers to build battle strategies."

Gym Battles and Raid Battles have already been available in the game, so it shouldn't come as too much of a shock transitioning over to the Trainer Battles, and Niantic promises even more new features next year.

Are you still regularly playing Pokémon Go?