Pokemon is one of the most successful gaming franchises of all time. Whether you are a kid or a full-grown adult, it’s hard not to have some affiliation with the global gaming giant. Because of this, there have been dozens of Pokemon spin-off games. Some have been somewhat cumbersome, and others have been flat-out phenomenal and are even better than the traditional mainline games. This list discusses the best 10 Pokemon spin-off games that any true hardcore fan should check out.
Pokemon Trading Card Game (Gameboy Color)
When the Pokemon Trading Card game first came out at the height of its popularity, there was a well-known joke that no one knew how to play. But if you were one of the few individuals who actually knew how to play, it was because you sank a hefty amount of time into the Pokemon Trading Card Game for the Game Boy Color. The card game rules are to collect all your prizecards before your opponent. To achieve this, you will have to knock out the opponent’s active Pokemon on the field. You can only attack the opponent with your active Pokemon, and you must ensure that you attach an efficient amount of energy cards onto them so they can use an attack. There is far more nuance to the rules, but as you can tell from this brief description, the game is quite elaborate, and if you’re looking for something that will unmercifully eat your time, it will be this one.
Pokemon Stadium
Pokemon Stadium was one of the most successful games on the Nintendo 64 console. Partaking in turn-based battles, you could rent Pokemon and take them to tournaments within the stadium to win cups. Afterwards, you can take on the ominous Gym Leader Castle, where you can challenge the Kanto Gym Leaders, Elite Four, Champion and even Mewtwo. What made Pokemon Stadium really stand out was the transfer pack that came with the game. This allowed you to move Pokemon from your cartridge save files and bring them into the tournaments with you, which felt quite revolutionary at the time. Some of the battles would be downright impossible while using the rental Pokemon, so chances are, you would custom-build a Pokemon team from your Game Boy file and bring them to the tournaments. There were also a plethora of mini-games that were all great in their own right. That Clefairy teacher instilled more fear in me than any school exam ever did.
Detective Pikachu
Detective Pikachu was an unexpected and staggering contrast from anything we saw in the Pokemon franchise up until this point. Pikachu wearing a Sherlock Holmes-inspired hat while sloshing down coffee was a hilarious and novel idea. The storytelling takes center stage here, although the gameplay has a few adventure roaming and puzzle segments. The Great Detective Pikachu cannot remember any recent events. At the same time, his detective partner, Harry, has mysteriously disappeared. By the hand of fate, The Great Detective Pikachu bumps into Tim Goodman, who can understand what he is saying, unlike everyone else. Detective Pikachu was such a resounding success that the premise was made into a movie, so it’s worth checking this one out to see what the film was based on.
Pokken Tournament DX
Pokken Tournament finally brought something that Poke Maniacs had been waiting for – a fighting game centred around Pokemon. Two years later, Pokken Tournament DX was released on the Nintendo Switch, adding far more content and making it the superior version. The combat takes clear inspiration from the Tekken franchise, but the gameplay is far more digestible and accessible for newcomers to learn. There are two fighting phases. The first is the field phase, where you can move freely on the battlefield and collect synergy, and the latter is the duel phase, where you engage in close combat skirmishes. There is also an excellent lineup of Pokemon, from Pikachu wearing a luchador outfit to the beloved fan favourites of Charizard and Lucario. That said, the real showstopper is Pokemon using their burst attack. This decisive move devastates the opponent and has stunning visuals, which will leave you in awe. Nothing quite hits the same as seeing Mega Gengar menacingly smiling while they use shadow drop to swallow their opponent whole.
Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness
Five years after the events of Pokemon Colosseum, the threat of Shadow Pokemon has resurfaced with full force. The Pokemon have had their hearts artificially closed off, thanks to the devious criminal organization Team Cipher, which creates Shadow Pokemon for their nefarious purposes. It’s down to Micheal, with the power of the snag machine, which was bestowed onto him from Professor Krane, to capture Shadow Pokemon from their evil clutches and purify the Pokemon’s hearts. This time, your companion is an Eevee, which you can evolve into any of the five evolution lines (which was out at the time of the release). Although the title, in some ways, improved on the original, there was a magnetic charm to Pokemon Colosseum, which the sequel didn’t ever quite match up with.
Pokemon Conquest
Pokemon Conquest is an ambitious crossover game between the Pokemon and Nobunaga’s Ambition series. You might think that, on surface value, these two games would not blend well, but they work fantastically together, creating a unique experience. Set in the world of Ransei, which consists of numerous kingdoms, your goal is to conquer these kingdoms and encounter the legendary Pokemon that created the world. The central part of the gameplay is the bond between warriors and their Pokemon. The fighting mechanics are akin to other turn-based games where tactical positioning, attacks, and movements are vital for success. When you have defeated an enemy warrior, you can recruit them, expanding the pool of Pokemon. While Pokemon Conquest features a smaller pool of Pokemon than seen in the traditional mainline games, you can eventually get some hard hitters like Dragonnite, Tyranitar, and Metagross.
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky
If you are an avid fan of dungeon crawlers, the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series is a must-play. All the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games are stellar, but Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky, released back on the Nintendo DS, triumphantly lands at the top regarding the best overall story, as there are quite a few surprising twists. Most of the series play in a similar manner. You find out you have enigmatically been turned into a Pokemon (a brief personality quiz will determine which Pokemon you are), and with your trusted sidekick, you will trailblaze through randomly generated dungeons to help solve the mystery that is going on.
Pokemon Go
There are two factions of people when it comes to Pokemon Go. One side praises the intuitive concept as it implements and utilizes the GPS integrated into mobile devices to create an experience that transcends your real-world location. The other side dislikes that Pokemon Go is a narrowing experience unless you are able to partake in physical activities. Either way, it’s hard to dispute Pokemon Go’s imprint on mobile gaming and the Pokemon franchise. Deviating from the traditional Pokemon mainline games, you can capture Pokemon by merely throwing a Poke Ball. However, many factors will dictate your success rate. When you reach level 5, you can join one of three factions and partake in gyms and raids. Even though Pokemon Go came out in 2016, there is still a strong cult following, with many cities/towns having their own tight-knit Pokemon Go communities.
Pokemon Snap
There are some interesting professions and jobs within the Pokemon universe, but Todd from Pokemon Snap might just have the coolest one of all: Pokemon Photographer. Professor Oak asks Todd to use his photography expertise to take photos at Pokemon Island for his scientific studies. Jumping onto a buggy, you will cross several distinctive terrains where wild Pokemon reside far away from human civilization. It’s your job to take the most exciting photos, showcasing what the Pokemon are truly like in their natural habitat. You can use apples and pesterballs to try and capture the best photos possible, leading to some comical and adorable scenarios. Even though the New Pokemon Snap on the Nintendo Switch greatly expanded the content with modernized graphics, many still hold a soft spot for the original Pokemon Snap on the Nintendo 64.
Pokemon Colosseum
We will probably never get such a dark and mature story in the Pokemon Universe again, and this is why Pokemon Colosseum is perhaps the best spin-off game ever to grace the franchise. In this RPG adventure by Genius Sonority, the protagonist, Wes, captures Shadow Pokemon whose hearts are tainted by the evil organization Team Cipher. One of the big revelations is Wes was a member of Team Snagem, a group that used to be in cahoots with Team Cipher. Most of the game harbors the double battles set-up, which might be a staple in the series now but was not a regular occurrence when this game came out. This battle layout made Espeon and Umbreon, your starters in Pokemon Colosseum, a formidable duo, as they could take on most fights together and obliterate the opponent’s Pokemon. If you are a major Pokemon fan, there is a massive argument about going back to the GameCube console for this game alone. Not only that but Mirror B and his dancing Ludicolo companions are also the most underrated villains in the Pokemon franchise.
Let us know what your favorite Pokemon spin-off title is down in the comments!
Published: Aug 13, 2024 06:15 pm