Pokémon is one of the most productive video game franchises to date with a new game coming out later this year and an upcoming web series coming out soon on YouTube. And while it’s fun, there are times when you want to play something new.
Pokemon was first released in 1996 in Japan and was later sold abroad in 1998. Pokémon has released more than 30 titles, the most recent of which is Pokémon Legends: Arceus for the Nintendo Switch. The game franchise is popular because of the many regions that players come to visit in each new iteration of the game.
And even though there are fan games, they are unlikely to stay up long due to Nintendo cracking down on fan-made content. But if you’re interested in playing a game similar to Pokémon, here are some of the games you can play or keep an eye on if you like Pokémon.
To clarify, we will divide them into different groups, as Pokémon is more than just a dog fighting game where two creatures fight it out. There are various elements for Pokémon that make it appealing.
Actual Pokémon competitors
Digimon World
Digimon world is one of Digimon‘s main series produced by Bandai Namco. Their latest title Digimon World: Next order was first released in 2016 in Japan before its international release in 2017. In this game, the player is a partnership with one of the 10 starting Digimons, and together they grow and evolve as they battle enemies. It’s very similar to Pokémon, but has its own gimmicks that make it unique.
Yo-Kai ur
Next is the Yo-Kai Watch. The game currently has four titles in their main series and a handful of spin-offs. The first Yo-Kai watch game is a collector-type game released in 2015 globally. The player can become friends with the Yo-Kai they meet, or defeat them in battle.
Bakugan: Champions of Vestroia
And finally is Bakugan: Champions of Vestroia. Bakugan was a popular TV series back in 2007, and was later restarted in 2019. Bakugan: Champions of Vestroia follows the same gameplay mechanics as the rebooted series, where fighters collaborate with a Bakugan and fight against other players and gather other Bakugans for use in combat.
Collector-based games
Genshin impact
Genshin impact is a gacha game developed by Mihoyo, in which you play as the traveler looking for their long-gone twin. Although not mandatory, Genshin impact encourages players to collect different characters they encounter through their character banners. Players can wish them through the gacha system and learn more about the character as they level up. But if it’s not for you to collect characters, you can also capture certain creatures you encounter in the game by using the Omni-ubiquity network.
Disco Zoo
Next is the mobile game Disco Zoo, developed by the same company that made Tiny Towers. In this game you run a zoo and you go out into nature to search for animals you can add to the enclosure. The more animals you have, the more money you can generate to help travel and improve your zoo.
Pocket Mortys
In it Rick and Morty mobile game with the title Pocket Mortys, players can collect different types of Mortys. You will travel across the multiverse to seek out and train the Mortys you have collected and fight against other Mortys along the way. It’s a fun collectible game that’s like a parody of Pokémon.
Exploration game
Monster Hunter Rise
Monster Hunter Rise is a game that was recently released in 2021 for the Nintendo Switch and 2022 for Windows. You play as a hunter who travels around killing and capturing monsters using a variety of weapons. In the meantime, you need to be able to survive their attacks. You do not have a partner with you as you are alone.
Ni Nej Kuni
Ni Nej Kuni is a JRPG in which a boy named Oliver travels to another world to save his mother. In this magical world, Oliver meets different creatures and explores this whole new world. The game currently has six titles out in its main series, each introducing the player to a new world and new combat and game mechanics.
Games still under development
PalWorld
You may have heard of this game on TikTok several times earlier this year. Palworld is generally described as Pokemon meetings Minecraft encounter weapons. You get to explore this huge and magical world where you are able to bind and capture new creatures but also see a dark side of it as you can either sell or put them to hard work. Really very dark.
DokeV
DokeV is a South Korean creature collection game where you explore a modern city, meet creatures that grow from people’s dreams, and embark on an action-packed adventure.
None of these games have an official release date yet, but we’m excited about these games coming out.
Not only have Pokémon created a subgenre of RPGs where players can explore, collect, and battle, but it also inspired other creators to take one of these niches and make it their own. While the gaming franchise will always remain iconic, others will take what makes it good and try to make it even better.