pokemon. You have to catch them all, as the old slogan goes. But what do you do once you are? to have caught them all? Explore other interests? Do you want to improve yourself by learning? Don’t be ridiculous. What you need to do is play other games similar to Pokemon. And boy, we’ve got you covered in that area, with a wide variety of games perfect for Pokemon fans. Not all of these recommendations follow the Pokemon formula, but they all capture a slice of what makes Pokemon such an enduring sensation. Check out our list and shout “I choose you!”
Chocobo Mystery Dungeon: Every Buddy
Available on: Switch, PS4
This cute, classically styled roguelike starring the Final Fantasy mascot may not immediately seem Pokemon-esque, and in many ways it isn’t. But what it lacks in specific mechanics it makes up for with that same collecting spirit. As Chocobo explores dungeons, they’ll find plenty of other notable Final Fantasy monsters and creatures and bring them aboard as friends – hence the name “Every Buddy”. Half the fun of Pokemon is finding a variety of creatures to recruit for your party, and Chocobo Mystery Dungeon: Every Buddy scratches that same itch with Final Fantasy’s familiar faces.
Coromon
Available on: Switch, PC
Coromon is decidedly retro, with a pixel-based art style that resembles the earliest days of the Pokemon series. It’s one of the most faithful Pokemon likes out there, allowing you to collect, train and fight over 100 creatures with elemental abilities. Within that framework, it has some unique twists and turns, such as a stamina system that defines your combat actions and a flexible difficulty system that allows you to tailor the game to your own comfort level, including an easy mode that lets you just experience the story, and even a randomizer. feature to mix your experience. If you like the core Pokemon ideas but want to see it, this is a good choice.
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
Available on: Switch, PS4, PC
Ni no Kuni has become a franchise in its own right, but while the sequel and mobile game are more stylized as action RPGs, the first game released in the West is clearly inspired by the Pokemon series. The combat system revolves around capturing and taming a large number of creatures called “Familiars”, and then using them in battle with other creatures. While the monster designs aren’t as imaginative and varied as Pokemon, the Studio Ghibli-inspired art style and dream-like story are a captivating change of pace. And while the slow pace may have been hard to play on the original PlayStation 3 release, it’s been ported to just about everything, including Nintendo Switch – just in case you’d prefer your Pokemon likes to be portable.
Ooblets
Available on: PC, Xbox (Switch TBA)
Ooblets isn’t quite Pokemon-esque, given its eccentric mix of genres and influences. But somewhere in this quirky mix is definitely some Pokemon DNA. In Ooblets you catch and fight with various small captive creatures. The pool is smaller than a Pokemon game, but they’re well differentiated and the game isn’t going to blow you away with sheer variety. Instead, each feels like a sweet, cozy creation, with names like Dumbirb and Wigglewip. And instead of a typical one-on-one Pokemon battle, your creatures engage in nonviolent dance battles. That sense of infectious goofiness permeates the entire experience, giving it a friendly feel. And once you’ve captured your creatures, you can assign them to help with small tasks or tend to your growing garden, where you’ll harvest food for sale or other Ooblets to add to your collection.
Monster crown
Available on: Switch, Xbox, PlayStation, PC
Monster Crown is another relatively loyal Pokemon-like game, but it’s made for Pokemon fans that have grown up. The story and creature designs are darker than a traditional Pokemon game, the cute pixelated art style belies some fairly serious themes. However, the traditional monster collecting hooks are still there, with over 200 creatures to collect and evolve. You can even compete and trade online.
Monster Hunter Stories/Stories 2
MH Stories available at: 3DS, iOS, Android | MH Stories 2 available on: Switch, PC
The Monster Hunter series is not very Pokemon-like at all, as in Pokemon they are not known for skinning and carrying the creatures. However, the more family-friendly spin-off Monster Hunter Stories is much more about building and forming bonds with creatures in a more traditional RPG structure. Mechanically, the combat system works very differently from a traditional Pokemon game, with a slightly more action-oriented structure and a different elemental structure for weaknesses. But it itch when collecting monsters, especially if you have an affinity for Monster Hunter designs. Who wouldn’t want to befriend Rathalos? Both Monster Hunter Stories games are solid, but Monster Hunter Stories 2 is better in almost every way and doesn’t require much knowledge of the first game.
Monster Sanctuary
Available on: Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, PC
And now for something completely different. Mechanically, Monster Sanctuary isn’t at all like Pokemon – it’s much more of a traditional platforming side-scroller. But it does fulfill the fantasy of taming wild beasts and using them to traverse the world in a way that is much more active than Pokemon. As you build up your lineup of beasts and level them up, you can use them in combat, to reach new heights, and to drive further. It’s like the core concepts of Pokemon are interpreted in a completely different way, which is a really handy trick when you’re in the mood for something unique.
Nexomon / Nexomon: Extinction
Available on: Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, PC
Nexomon is another traditional Pokemon like, with a bright colorful art style and a huge wealth of about 300 monsters to collect and fight. This one combines the collecting and tinkering of light sources with elemental shards, and the art style is very anime-inspired. Nexomon Extinction, the more recent sequel, throws you right into the action with massive dragon tyrants wreaking havoc, but it’s still really easy to jump into the Tamer’s Guild and get started. And if you’ve always wanted more starter options, Nexomon makes a point of giving you loads to choose from instead of just the traditional Fire-Grass-Water trinity. Both games are available on Nintendo Switch.
Temtem
Available on: PC (and consoles on September 9)
If you’re interested in Pokemon likes, you’ve almost certainly heard of Temtem, which has been in early access since 2020. This is probably the highest profile of all the games built to take on the mega franchise. Indie studio Crema is aiming to build the monster-collecting MMO Pokemon fans have been waiting for, and all indications from the early access release are that it’s been quite successful. Now it’s gearing up for a full version 1.0 launch in September for consoles and PC, and Crema still has a roadmap of continued support going into the future. While many of these games are loving tributes, Temtem wants to take on the king.
World of Final Fantasy Maxima
Available on: Switch, Xbox, PlayStation, PC
World of Final Fantasy is a cute chibi RPG with a unique monster stacking mechanism. Each character has its own size class and you manage the battle by stacking them on top of each other. That might not sound very Pokemon-esque, but like Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeon, Square Enix is making the most of its long history of iconic monster designs. You can battle a Moogle, Behemoth, Carbuncle and a cute little Sephiroth, all in different positions. The mechanic capitalizes on the unique combat system for something a little different from everything else, but great for scratching that collecting itch with creature designs you already know and love.
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