As fans eagerly await the release of Pokémon series. Some fans of the franchise, however, may be looking for something new to occupy their time while they wait.
There are plenty of RPGs out there that offer similar collections and turn-based combat mechanics to the Pokémon series, sometimes drawing a lot from the famous franchise and sometimes being quite different in aesthetic, story, and gameplay. These games are some of the best for players looking to try something new before the remakes are released later this year.
Golden Sun: Dark Dawn
The third and most recent installment in the Golden Sun series, this DS exclusive takes place decades after the original two entries in the RPG series. Players take control of a growing party of powerful characters called adepts as they set out across the alchemy-driven world of Weyard.
Much like the Pokémon franchise, Golden Sun: Dark Dawn combines elements of turn-based combat and environmental puzzle-solving, with an emphasis on optimizing the cast of characters for different playstyles. The game also has a collection system based on elemental Djinn that can be used to customize the player's party.
Monster Hunter Stories
Many games in the Monster Hunter franchise are built around action-based combat that involves taking down giant beasts with optimized hunter characters. In the 3DS and mobile game Monster Hunter Stories, however, the focus is on turn-based combat and collecting companion monsters, making this game very similar to Pokémon.
Taking on the role of a rider, players will hatch eggs and collect companion monsters to use in battle, although there are twists on the formula that may be new to Pokémon players. For instance, riders can fight alongside their friendly monsters, meaning that players will need to manage the combat abilities of both their character and companions.
Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 3
The sprawling Dragon Quest series has inspired many spin-offs and variations from its traditional RPG gameplay, including the Pokémon-like Dragon Quest Monsters series. Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 3 is one of the more recent entries in this series, a 3DS game with an in-depth creature collection system.
Following an amnesiac protagonist trying to discover his past, Joker 3 places exploration and combat at the forefront of a monster-collecting adventure. Much like in Pokémon, monsters in this game can be useful both in and out of combat, with traversal around the world requiring players to ride different kinds of beasts.
Temtem
As a relatively recent MMORPG for PC and Temtem doesn't have the name recognition of the Pokémon franchise or other similar series. This newcomer, however, might be one of the most interesting uses of Pokémon's mechanics available, as it places the creature collection gameplay into a massive multiplayer format.
Players in this game take on the role of Temtem trainers, which are very similar to the Pokémon trainers of their own franchise, collecting creatures and battling other trainers. The MMO format expands the gameplay in new directions while still keeping the Pokémon inspirations close to heart with plenty of creatures to collect.
Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance
The labyrinthine Kingdom Hearts series is notoriously difficult to penetrate, but Pokémon fans new to this series may want to start with the 3DS title Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance. The game follows series protagonists Sora and Riku as they make their way through their challenging Mark of Mastery exam to become Keyblade Masters.
This means that the duo will have to individually travel through Disney-inspired worlds and fight off Dream Eaters along the way. Spirits, however, are friendly Dream Eaters that can be recruited and used in the game's fast-paced, action-oriented combat system, adding a Pokémon-like collection element to the gameplay.
Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth
The Pokémon and Digimon franchises are sometimes thought of as being at odds with each other, but they both offer so many fun creatures that it's hard not to love both. The multiplatform Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth, for instance, appeals to Pokémon fans by providing a large cast of creatures to collect and an intriguing storyline.
Players take control of a student thrust suddenly into the world of Digimon, collecting the title creatures and using them in combat as they try to solve the mysteries of the digital world. As a reboot for the Digimon Story franchise, this is the perfect place for players to jump into the game's deep RPG systems and turn-based combat.
World Of Final Fantasy
With the massive worlds of Final Fantasy at its fingertips, World Of Final Fantasy combines characters and monsters from across the series into a single game filled with chibi-style cuteness. The biggest draw for Pokémon fans, though, is the game's central mechanic of collecting creatures called Mirages to use in combat.
Players in this game take control of Lann and Reynn in the world of Grymoire, as they meet Final Fantasy characters and both fight and befriend some of the franchise's most iconic monsters. In a departure from the Pokémon format, the game's combat isn't turn-based, instead utilizing Final Fantasy's Active Time Battle system for a whole new take on creature-based combat.
Yo-kai Watch 3
One of the newest series in the creature-collection genre, Yo-Kai Watch is a multimedia franchise that has extended into video games, television, and toys, much like Pokémon. As the latest entry to release in North America, Yo-kai Watch 3 for the 3DS is the perfect place for new fans to jump into this series (although the Japan-only fourth game is still playable for those who don't speak Japanese).
Inspired by Japanese Yōkai legends, this game has players collecting friendly yo-kai spirits with a specialized watch, then using them in battle against other spirits. These battles are more tactical than those found in the Pokémon franchise, but both series are abound with plenty of creatures to collect and battle with.
Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne
The Shin Megami Tensei series is known for its creature collection, as well as its incredibly deep RPG and combat elements, making it a perfect franchise for Pokémon fans looking to go even deeper into collecting monsters. With an HD remaster releasing at the end of May for PS4 and Switch, now is the perfect time to pick up Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne.
This entry in the series takes place in a post-apocalyptic world teeming with demons, and players have to take control of a student tasked with taking on those demons at every turn. Luckily, players can also befriend those demons in combat, adding them to their party with the right negotiation, a slightly different take on capturing as seen in Pokémon.
Ni No Kuni: Wrath Of The White Witch
Originally released for the PS3, Ni No Kuni: Wrath Of The White Witch brings players into a vibrant, Ghibli-inspired world (with cutscenes animated by the iconic anime studio) as they control Oliver, a young boy thrust into a fantasy land. Throughout the game, Oliver will gain combat skills of his own while befriending helpful familiars to him.
Fans of Pokémon will find a lot to love here, including a wide world to explore freely, as well as tons of adorable creatures to collect. Ni No Kuni features an action-based combat system rather than a turn-based one, although managing familiars still resembles the combat of the Pokémon franchise.
