Monster seize video games have definitely captured the eye of gamers for generations, with Pokemon being probably the most distinguished and beloved collection throughout the style. As a result of its reputation, it isn’t any shock that video games of an analogous vein have popped as much as occupy the identical house. However that doesn’t imply all of those video games are the identical, regardless of sharing an analogous basis, and even contemplating a number of video games that predate this wildly common collection. Both means, there’s a large world of monster seize video games for all you Pokemon followers on the market.
Beneath are an inventory of video games that reside throughout the huge monster seize style, or dabble within the mechanic in some significant means.
Cassette Beasts
Whereas it was a really busy 12 months for main sport releases, under-the-radar Cassette Beasts was top-of-the-line video games to launch in 2023. A trendy mix of 2D and 3D artwork, Cassette Beasts is visually much like among the greatest Pokemon video games within the collection, however with some mild traversal parts and huge concentrate on the monster seize and fusion mechanics of the sport.
Like most video games that take heavy inspiration from Pokemon, Cassette Beasts stars a self-insert participant character as they make their means by the island of New Wirral whereas they search for a strategy to return house. Nonetheless, the sport is a bit more complicated in the way in which that you simply work together with numerous main characters, as you’ll be able to enhance your affinity with them and even undertake their quests. What Cassette Beasts affords is a mix of Pokemon-esque monster seize mechanics, a personality pushed story, and a novel fusion mechanic that retains them on their toes. General, it’s an impressed and contemporary tackle the style, and one it’s best to take a look at.
Monster Sanctuary
Monster Sanctuary is a mixture of the monster seize style and your par for the course Metroidvania. Gamers catch monsters to interact in 3-vs-3 battles in addition to to open up exploration in beautiful 2D pixel environments.
The sport extends past the usage of monster varieties as only a means to get a bonus on opponents, as assault varieties are simply as essential. However what actually stored me glued to Monster Sanctuary was its traversal mechanics and actually nailing these 2D platforming parts. Going again and uncovering new shortcuts and secrets and techniques made the sport completely addicting to me along with how battles had been structured. This can be a sport I extremely suggest for individuals who like monster seize video games, 2D platformers, or each.
Digimon World: Subsequent Order
The Digimon collection is successfully the progenitor of the monster seize style, even predating Pokemon — it simply by no means rose to the identical sort of success internationally. Digimon World: Subsequent Order takes all the enjoyable from the primary Digimon World sport on the PlayStation (bar the scuffed localization) and makes it extra approachable. The Digimon World collection have functioned as roughly “open world” exploration video games the place gamers can increase a Digimon from start to its eventual loss of life, with how they’ve handled them taking part in into their evolutions, as they expertise distinctive tales set throughout the Digimon universe.
These video games have usually all the time been extra story targeted than Pokemon video games as gamers befriend Digimon to fill out their cities and uncover what plagues the digital world. Gamers can nonetheless practice their Digimon and unlock distinctive Digivolutions however in a extra story-focused expertise. That mentioned, you’ll be able to nonetheless grind out and practice your Digimon to your coronary heart’s content material, however Digimon World: Subsequent Order positively has one of many meatier tales of the video games on this checklist because of its concentrate on its narrative and the wealth of varied Digivolutions gamers can uncover.
Monster Rancher
An oldie however a goodie, Monster Rancher is certainly one of a number of monster seize video games that was launched within the 1990’s alongside the Pokemon collection. Like different monster seize video games, gamers will increase monsters and practice them by a collection of mini-games to compete in tournaments that can permit them to lift their ranks.
Nonetheless, you aren’t actually capturing monsters in Monster Rancher, as you roughly generate them by numerous strategies relying on which variations of the sport you had been taking part in. Koei Tecmo re-released Monster Rancher 1 & 2 for the Nintendo Swap, making these video games out there to a wholly new viewers. Sadly, these variations have completed away with what made the monster seize mechanic so distinctive, and that was swapping out CDs in your Sony PlayStation to generate a random monster. What makes Monster Rancher so enjoyable although is that there’s a giant emphasis on bonding and coaching your monster outdoors of battling them within the enviornment. Monster Rancher is a superb sport for these seeking to construct up their monsters and actually take a look at their mettle in 1-vs-1 fight.
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Darkish Prince
Chances are you’ll be questioning why a Dragon Quest sport has any enterprise being on this checklist. Effectively, the Dragon Quest Monsters sub-series, first launched in 1998 to capitalize on the Pokemania, are all about capturing monsters to make use of in turn-based fight towards your foes. Sound acquainted? The Darkish Prince is the most recent entry within the collection, and regardless of launching with some main technical points which have since been patched on sure platforms, it carries this custom onwards. Nonetheless, capturing monsters is a bit more intensive than in Pokemon and success charges are determined by some variables that gamers can flip of their favor, which makes it somewhat extra in-depth than Pokemon video games. Nonetheless this sport will certainly satiate any cravings you’ll have for capturing some monsters. Followers of Dragon Quest and monster seize video games, and even followers of each, will get pleasure from this entry within the collection.
Monster Hunter Tales 2: Wings of Damage
Ever wished to lift monsters as a substitute of searching them in Monster Hunter? Monster Hunter Tales offers that actual expertise. As a substitute of slaying monsters for priceless elements, gamers as a substitute acquire monsters by acquiring their eggs — which sounds unhealthy in apply. However the narrative all the time makes it clear that these video games are roughly in regards to the conservation of monsters and cultural practices, so it form of rubs off no matter reservations gamers may need.
You assume the position of a budding monster coach who has been paired with one of many collection most iconic monsters, a Rathalos. Issues start to go awry as monsters start to rampage by areas surrounding your village. Fight is relegated to strategic turn-based battles that bear in mind the kinds of monsters you resolve to make a part of your staff. You may also use your monsters as means to traverse numerous landscapes, much like what fashionable Pokemon video games have carried out. Monster Hunters Tales 2: Wings of Damage offers a decently balanced expertise by way of narrative and gameplay, and can occupy a good period of time should you resolve to gather all the monsters within the sport.
Palworld
Whereas Palworld’s similarities to Pokemon start and finish with its colourful monster design, a monster capturing mechanic does exist throughout the sport that roughly mirrors what you get in Pokemon Legends: Arceus. In Palworld you’ll be able to seize and use Buddies in attention-grabbing methods, both to assist them automize building, present sources to your base, and even for traversal. You are able to do that in most Pokemon video games, with it much more tangible in Scarlet and Violet as you utilize Koraidon or Miraidon to scale mountains, glide, and extra. That’s successfully the place the similarities finish, since Palworld is kind of about acquiring sources to construct up your base like most survival video games are.
Whereas there are nonetheless a plethora of different monster seize video games that exist, because the style has expanded significantly for the reason that launch and subsequent reputation of Pokemon within the 1990’s, those included on this checklist construct upon these foundations in some really distinctive methods. Whether or not or not it’s an engrossing story, a extra fleshed out battle system, and even the way you receive monsters, these video games are greater than value trying out.
Kazuma Hashimoto is a contract author for IGN.
