Pokemon. You've gotta catch "em" all, as the old slogan goes. But what do you do once you have caught them all? Explore other interests? Better yourself through learning? Don't be ridiculous. What you should do is play other games that are sort of similar to Pokemon. And boy do we have you covered on that front, with a wide array of games that hit the spot for Pokemon fans. Not all of these recommendations follow the Pokemon formula, but they all capture some piece 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 cutesy classically styled roguelike starring the Final Fantasy mascot may not immediately seem Pokemon-like, 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 tons of other notable Final Fantasy monsters and creatures and bring them aboard as buddies--hence the name, "Every Buddy." Half the fun of Pokemon is finding a variety of creatures to recruit into your party, and Chocobo Mystery Dungeon: Every Buddy scratches that same itch with the familiar faces of Final Fantasy.
Coromon
Available on: Switch, PC
Coromon is decidedly retro, with a pixel-based art style that looks to emulate the earliest days of the Pokemon series. It's one of the most faithful Pokemon-likes around, letting you collect, train, and battle more than 100 creatures with elemental skills. Within that framework it does have some unique twists, like a stamina system that defines your combat actions and a flexible difficulty system that lets you customize 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 up your experience. If you like the core ideas of Pokemon but want to see it riffed on, this is a good pick.
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 whereas the sequel and mobile game are more styled as action-RPGs, the first game released in the West is very clearly inspired by the Pokemon series. The combat system revolves around capturing and taming a host of creatures called "Familiars," and then using them in battle with still other creatures. While the monster designs are not quite as imaginative and varied as Pokemon, the Studio Ghibli-inspired art style and dreamlike story are a captivating change of pace. And while the languid pace may have been hard to play on its original PlayStation 3 release, it's been ported to just about everything, including Nintendo Switch--just in case you prefer your Pokemon-likes to be portable.
Ooblets
Available on: PC, Xbox (Switch TBA)
Ooblets is not entirely Pokemon-like, given its eccentric mixture of genres and influences. But somewhere in this quirky blend is definitely some Pokemon DNA. In Ooblets, you capture and do battle with a variety of little captured creatures. The pool is smaller than a Pokemon game, but they're differentiated well and the game isn't intending to blow you away with sheer variety. Instead each one feels like a sweet little cozy creation, with names like Dumbirb and Wigglewip. And rather than a typical one-on-one Pokemon battle, your creatures take part in non-violent dance battles. That sense of infectious goofiness permeates the whole experience, giving it a friendly feel. And once you've captured your creatures, you can assign them to help with small tasks or to tend to your growing garden, where you 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 faithful Pokemon-like game, but it's made for Pokemon fans who have grown into adults. The story and creature designs are darker than a traditional Pokemon game, the cute pixelated art style belies some fairly serious themes. The traditional monster collecting hooks are still there, though, with more than 200 creatures to collect and evolve. You can even battle and trade online.
Monster Hunter Stories/Stories 2
MH Stories available on: 3DS, iOS, Android | MH Stories 2 available on: Switch, PC
The Monster Hunter series isn't very Pokemon-like at all, considering in Pokemon they aren't known for skinning and wearing the creatures. The more family-friendly spin-off Monster Hunter Stories, though, is much more about raising and forming bonds with creatures in a more traditional RPG structure. Mechanically the battle system works very differently than a traditional Pokemon game, with a slightly more action-oriented structure and a different elemental structure for weaknesses. But it scratches the itch of collecting monsters, especially if you have an affinity for Monster Hunter designs. Who doesn't want to befriend a 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. Monster Sanctuary doesn't resemble Pokemon mechanically at all--it's much more of a traditional platforming action side-scroller. But it does fulfill the fantasy of taming wild beasts and using them to traverse the world in a way that's much more active than Pokemon. As you build your array of beasts and level them up you can use them in combat, to reach new heights, and to ride on. It's as if the core concepts of Pokemon were interpreted in a completely different way, which is a very neat trick if you're up 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 300 or so monsters to collect and battle. This one mixes in some light resource collecting and crafting 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 very 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 tons 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 at all interested in Pokemon-likes, you've almost definitely already 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 that Pokemon fans have been waiting for, and all indications from the early access version are that it's been pretty successful at it. Now it's preparing for a full version 1.0 launch in September for consoles and PC, and Crema still has a roadmap of continued support going forward. While lots of these games are loving homages, Temtem is aiming 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 mechanic. Each character comes has its own size class, and you manage the combat by piling them on top of each other. That may not sound very Pokemon-like, but like Chocobo's Mystery Dungeon, Square Enix makes the most of its long history of iconic monster designs. You might do battle with a Moogle, Behemoth, Carbuncle, and a little adorable Sephiroth all in different positions. The mechanic plays into the unique battle system for something unlike anything else, but great for scratching that collecting itch with creature designs you already know and love.
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