Settings
Pokéjam Difficulty Guide
The four difficulty names are not cosmetic. Each one is a bundle of seven real values, and the most important of them changes your shot meter as well as the CPU's. Here is what each level actually does.
| Level | CPU boost | Green band | Aggro | React | Shot mod | Contest | Catch-up | Assist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rookie | -14 | ×1.9 | 0.3 | 0.5s | -0.1 | 0.5 | 1 | on |
| Pro | -5 | ×1.35 | 0.6 | 0.3s | -0.04 | 0.8 | 0.5 | on |
| All-Star | 0 | ×1.1 | 0.9 | 0.2s | 0 | 0.9 | off | off |
| Legend | +4 | ×0.85 | 1.15 | 0.12s | +0.03 | 1 | off | off |
What each value means
CPU rating boost
A flat modifier applied to every opposing player's ratings. Rookie gives them a penalty, Legend gives them a bonus. This is the number that decides whether their shot goes in when they are late on the meter.
Green band width
Multiplies the width of the perfect-release window. Rookie is nearly twice the base width and Legend is narrower than it, which means on Legend your own green band is smaller than it was on All-Star, not just theirs.
Aggression
How often the CPU attacks the rim and attempts steals. Low values mean a passive opponent that settles for jumpers; high values mean constant pressure on the ball and a real threat in transition.
Reaction delay
How long the CPU waits before responding to your move. Rookie is a visible half-second lag, Legend is near-instant. This is the setting that makes defence feel impossible at the top end.
Shot modifier
A small correction applied to CPU shot attempts. Negative on the easier levels, slightly positive on Legend, and it stacks with the rating boost.
Contest strength
How much a hand in the face reduces your make chance. Rookie halves it; Legend applies it in full, which is why contested jumpers stop being an option as you move up.
Catch-up
A rubber band that lets a trailing CPU team back into the game. It is strongest on Rookie and switched off entirely from All-Star upward.
Quarter length
Four options: one, two, three or five minutes per quarter. The clock changes how a game feels far more than it looks like it should.
| Quarter | Full game | What it rewards |
|---|---|---|
| 1 min | 4 min | Shot volume. One cold quarter ends the game, so dunking beats jump shooting. |
| 2 min | 8 min | The franchise default shape: enough time for a bench to matter, short enough that a nine-week season stays playable. |
| 3 min | 12 min | Lineup depth. Starters run out of stamina, so the sixth man decides games. |
| 5 min | 20 min | Full simulation. Only worth it if you enjoy the rotation game as much as the shooting. |
The other switches
- Auto subs. On by default. Tired players come out at the next dead ball, sixth man first. Turning it off hands you the rotation, and the risk of leaving a spent starter in.
- Defense switching. Whether the game switches your defender automatically or waits for you. Automatic is faster; manual lets you keep your best stopper on their best scorer.
- Shooting assist. On below All-Star. It widens the effective green band slightly for the human player, which is why Rookie feels generous and Legend does not.
- Intro. The pre-game lineup screen. Cosmetic, but it is the fastest way to see what the other team drafted before the tip.
Which level to play
Rookie exists to teach the meter: the band is nearly twice as wide and the CPU is significantly weaker, so a new player can learn release timing without losing every possession. Move to Pro once you are hitting green more often than not. All-Star is the honest game — no assist, no catch-up, no CPU penalty. Legend is All-Star with a narrower band and an opponent that reacts in a tenth of a second, which mostly rewards dunking and avoiding contested jumpers altogether.
In Franchise, difficulty compounds with the gym boost: Legend against the Elite Four is the hardest thing in the game, and Legend against Brock is roughly All-Star against Misty.