If you're trying to find the best games like Pokémon to scratch that monster-taming itch, we're here to help. In this guide, you'll find everything from cutesy creature collectors to turn-based treats offering a touch more edge than Game Freak's long-running series, with plenty in between. All you have to do is decide which you want to play next.
Given that there are only so many Pokémon games you can play, especially if you haven't got a Game Boy Advance or Nintendo DS to hand, there's a growing audience for Pokémon-like games. With that in mind, we're always looking out for potential new entries for this list, so be sure to check back in from time to time to see if we've found any other marvelous monster-taming games.
The best games like Pokémon are:
1. Temtem
Imagine if Pokémon only consisted of double battles. That's essentially what you've got on your hands with Temtem. The type match-ups are a little different, and of course, Temtem has its own encyclopedia of weird and wonderful creatures, but outside of that, this game is designed to scratch a specific itch, and it does it very, very well.
I handled our Temtem review back when the game launched in 2022, awarding the game an 8/10 score while suggesting the monster tamer "has enough to tear us away from the king of the genre." It's worth noting that I wrote that review before a bunch of in-game updates that have made the gameplay experience even more engaging, with more outfits to choose from for your Temtem trainer and quality-of-life improvements that make it easier to track down Luma Temtem, this game's equivalent to shiny Pokémon.
Still, the best thing about Temtem is the monster design, with some creatures that, in my opinion, come closer to the gen one Pokémon perfection than what we've had over the last few years. If you're more concerned with brute strength than aesthetics, though, we have got a Temtem tier list detailing the most powerful creatures you can pick up on your quest to become the strongest trainer in the land.
Check prices: Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, and Windows handhelds
2. Coromon
While you can feel the influence of Pokémon in every game on this list, Coromon is not at all subtle about its inspiration. It looks like it could have been made in the same game engine as Pokémon Leaf Green and Fire Red, despite arriving over a decade and a half later, offering lovely nostalgic vibes and turn-based battles for those of us who played our first Pokémon games on the Game Boy Advance.
I wrote our Coromon review, in which I detailed how the game is "sure to engage anyone looking for a fix of old-school monster-taming RPG goodness." I honestly can't describe it any better than that, as while there are a few tweaks to the Pokémon formula to make Coromon feel like its own game, with side quests and exclusively single-type monsters, the influence of Game Freak's smash-hit series is apparent in every step of this creature-collecting adventure.
If you're a fan of replaying Pokémon games with self-enforced Nuzlocke rules, Coromon has you covered, as it boasts its own Nuzlocke game mode. That's good for people like me, who might not be entirely honest with themselves when a run goes south during a boss battle, but also for anyone looking for a bit more of a challenge and that often elusive replayability factor. If you're craving more nostalgia after completing Coromon, turn back the clock with our guide to the best GBA games.
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3. Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin
This Capcom spin-off swaps real-time action for Pokémon-like turn-based mechanics, offering an experience that has the best of both worlds in terms of brilliant battles and breathtaking beasts. It's a game that feels truly epic in scale, and that means you can expect to lose yourself in a new world of monsters for upwards of 40 hours, or even more than that if you're taking all the side missions into account.
Nathan Ellingsworth took on our Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin review back in 2021, giving the game a 9/10 and describing it as "a constant delight with some fantastic monsters." Almost half a decade later, and it still holds up, especially in terms of visuals, with the world of Wings of Ruin full of gorgeous, wide-open landscapes that lend themselves to the feeling of a grand adventure.
While Pokémon can get a little confusing at times with so many different type matchups, Wings of Ruin simplifies things with a rock-paper-scissors approach between three types of attacks: power, speed, and technical. There's still plenty of nuance to keep you on your toes, though, and some boss battles that rival those of the top picks from our guide to the best RPGs.
Check prices: Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, and Windows handhelds
4. Digimon Story: Time Stranger
The unspoken rivalry between Pokémon and Digimon goes way back to the early 2000s. While it's generally accepted that Game Freak's series won that popularity battle, Digimon Story: Time Stranger is a fantastic game and currently boasts a higher user score on Metacritic. It's got over 450 Digimon to catch and collect, an epic solo campaign that offers a level of challenge rarely seen in monster-tamers, and a mature plot that consistently raises the stakes as you build to an enthralling conclusion.
In her Digimon Story: Time Stranger review, Ruby Spiers-Unwin awarded the game a stellar 9/10 score, calling it "the Digimon game I've desperately wanted for the last ten years." It takes the concepts from the first two Digimon Story games and elevates them, especially in terms of mission design, while the world of Time Stranger is visually incredible, giving the latest Pokémon games more than a run for their money.
One key difference between Time Stranger and Pokémon is that almost all the Digimon have branching evolutionary paths, so you can experiment with evolution more as you put together your perfect party. If, after completing Time Stranger, you're eager to spend more time in the digital world, we've also got a guide to the best Digimon games.
Check prices: Steam Deck and Windows handhelds
5. Bloomtown: A Different Story
Bloomtown: A Different Story might look more like Stardew Valley than a Pokémon game at first glance, with its sepia-tone pixelated visuals and suburban setting, but under the hood, you can find some fantastic turn-based battles and creature-collecting mechanics. Oh, and the devil, because who doesn't love making a deal with Lucifer himself?
In my Bloomtown: A Different Story review, I gave the game an 8/10, praising the "engaging turn-based combat" and "great core group of characters." It's got a bit of a Stranger Things vibe about it, in that you find yourself going between the quaint Bloomtown and the gothic world of the Underside. However, unlike the Netflix series, it's not going to devour your whole life, as you can easily see all there is to see in around 20 hours.
Fittingly for its gothic undertones, Bloomtown is packed with demons, rather than monsters. While there aren't as many different options to use as you might get to pick from in other games on this list, their designs are intricate and offer a nice change of pace from Pokémon. Sure, they might not be nearly as frightening as some of the monstrosities you might find in picks from our guide to the best games like Dark Souls, but they make Gengar look like Jigglypuff in comparison.
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6. Moonstone Island
If there's one thing our guide to the best games like Pokémon needs more of, it's cozy content, and that's where Moonstone Island comes into play. This game isn't just a monster tamer; it's also a life sim, so it ultimately feels like a combination of Stardew Valley and Pokémon, but with over 100 procedurally generated islands in the sky to call your home and more than 120 spirits to collect. That should be more than enough to keep you busy.
Unlike Pokémon's rock-paper-scissors-style combat, Moonstone Island feels more like Slay the Spire or Monster Train, with card-based battles that get the strategic part of your brain working overtime. It starts pretty simple, but by the mid-game, you have to get more creative with your card combinations, because, as cutesy as this game might look, it's not going to go easy on you.
On the topic of how Moonstone Island looks, it's quite a beautiful game, with a pixelated art style and a world popping with color. That's always without mentioning the endearing plot that ties the whole thing together, making for an island-hopping adventure you won't soon forget. If, once you've had your fill of Moonstone Island, you're craving more cozy content, be sure to check out our list of the best games like Stardew Valley.
Check prices: Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, and Windows handhelds
7. Cassette Beasts
Like a lot of the picks in our guide to the best games like Pokémon, the similarities between Cassette Beasts and Game Freak's monster-taming games are pretty obvious. The overworld has that same top-down, pixelated style, and the battles are turn-based duels between opposing monsters with specific type advantages. The big difference is that, thanks to the fusion mechanic, there are over 14k potential monsters. You don't get that in Pokémon.
It shouldn't be a surprise that Cassette Beasts is a great game with a retro feel, given that it's the product of two developers who previously worked on Wargroove and Starbound, a couple of fantastic Chucklefish games that are dripping in pixelated nostalgia. A small development team doesn't mean a lack of content, though, as you can easily eke out over 50 hours of gameplay if you take all the side missions and extra content into account.
Speaking of the developers, we were lucky enough to speak with the team behind this game in our Cassette Beasts interview, where we found out more about the in-game fusion system, design influences, and more. The Pokémon inspiration is apparent, yes, but you might be surprised at what else helped shape this engaging indie game.
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8. Nexomon
If you're looking for something that feels as close as you can get to Pokémon without the developer running the risk of legal issues, Nexomon is a great option. With over 300 unique monsters to catch and call your own, including eight legendaries, and ten regions to explore, it's a game that's absolutely bursting with content, which is exactly what you need when you've just finished a Pokémon game and need something to occupy all your newfound monster-taming energy.
Unlike a lot of picks from this list, Nexomon doesn't try to recreate those glorious pixelated visuals of the early Pokémon installments but instead has a much cleaner cartoon-style look about it. Don't let those Saturday morning TV-style visuals fool you, though, as Nexomon's story is surprisingly mature and looks deeper into the relationship between monster and trainer than Pokémon has ever dared to go.
The more you play Nexomon, the more you can tell how much the developer loves Game Freak games, but I'd go as far as to argue that some mechanics are better than the inspiration. Catching new monsters is the best example, as while even the best Pokémon games have you simply throwing Poké Balls and praying, Nexomon's catching mechanic actually involves a bit of gameplay, so you feel like you've achieved something when you land that 'mon.
Check prices: Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, Windows handhelds, iOS, and Android
9. Shin Megami Tensei V
At first glance, Shin Megami Tensei V might not look all that much like Pokémon, with its post-apocalyptic world and unholy demons, but peek a little further under the hood, and the similarities are there. Both games are monster collectors; both offer nuanced and engaging turn-based battle mechanics; and most importantly of all, both are an absolute riot to play. That's more than good enough for us.
In our Shin Megami Tensei V review, Nathan Ellingsworth highlighted the game's "fantastic cast of demonic creatures" and "dense gameplay" before awarding it a 9/10 score. In terms of what else helps this game stand out from the crowd, there are multiple endings for you to discover, which boosts the replayability factor outside of hunting down all the demons you might have missed the first time around.
In the years since the 2021 launch of Shin Megami Tensei V, we've seen the game's developer, Atlus, introduce some optional DLC content, so even if you've tried this one before, it's worth going back to check out what's new. Speaking of Atlus, if you enjoy this game, you should check out our guide to the best Persona games for more modern classics from the Japanese developer.
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10. Monster Crown
Monster Crown is a game packed full of nods to the early days of the Pokémon series. You can see the DNA of the first two generations of Game Freak's classic RPGs everywhere in this game, from the battling to the sound design. It's most obvious in the design, though, with a pixelated world that looks more like an extension of Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal than anything else you can put your hands on.
If you're the sort of person who spends more time checking for eggs at the Day Care in Pokémon than you do battling, Monster Crown is worth looking at for its breeding mechanic alone. It makes Pokémon's breeding look almost painfully simplistic in comparison. If you're smart about it and take the time, you can combine the best features of your most powerful monsters to create a party of almost unstoppable creatures.
As well as the emphasis on breeding, Monster Crown has a darker, more mature storyline than you might expect, which goes a long way to keeping you engaged as you train your monsters. It's so brutal in places that you might need a palate cleanser once you're done, so if that's the case, we'd recommend checking out our list of the cutest Pokémon for a reminder that some monsters can still be nice.
Check prices: Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, and Windows handhelds
11. Palworld
Palworld might be the most controversial pick on this list, as it's effectively a survival game mixed with the classic Pokémon creature-collecting formula, and some of the monsters you'll find are more than a bit similar to some iconic Game Freak designs. Still, that didn't stop it from becoming one of 2024's breakout gaming hits, peaking at over two million concurrent players mere days after its initial Steam launch and boasting an 'overwhelmingly positive' status on the back of more than 100,000 reviews.
At the time of writing, Palworld is still in early access, but you wouldn't think it, given how much content is available in the game. In terms of monsters, or Pals, there are over 100 to catch and collect, with multiple bosses littered across the game's massive map to take down. You don't have to take on the challenge alone, though, as Palworld is an online multiplayer game, so you and your friends can explore Palpagos Island together.
Given its early access nature, Palworld is still evolving, with both new content updates on the way and regular in-game events keeping things fresh. We're still in the dark as to when the game might launch in full and whether we can expect it to come to more platforms when it does, but it's already a lot of fun and can likely only get better. Simply put, if you're a fan of creature collectors and survival games, you have to check this one out.
Check prices: Steam Deck and Windows handhelds
12. Ooblets
Pokémon is great, but if you're a pacifist at heart, you might be looking for a creature collector without the combat. That's Ooblets. This is a proper cozy game, with a farming mechanic akin to Stardew Valley and a cutesy aesthetic that makes it a perfect way to escape from the trials and tribulations of real life. Oh, and the Ooblets themselves are absolutely adorable.
In our Ooblets review, Nathan Ellingsworth awarded the game an 8/10 score, highlighting the "smart farming mechanics" and "satisfying creature collecting." While the game doesn't feature any combat, you can still take part in dance battles with your Ooblets. The dance battle employs a card system that can take a little time to adjust to, but once you do, you'll be eager to keep grooving with your cute little friends as much as you can.
We've already mentioned some of the activities you can get up to in Badgetown, but exploring the little community itself is part of the joy of this game, as well as all the different characters you can encounter. If, once you've had your fun with Ooblets, you're looking for more games perfect for curling up with, check out our guide to the best cozy games.
Check prices: Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, and Windows handhelds
New games like Pokémon
With the Pokémon series as popular as ever, there are a few upcoming Switch games and new mobile games that share some similarities with the original monster-tamer. There's Honkai Nexus Anima, a game from the developers of Honkai Star Rail and Genshin Impact that features some adorable critters, as well as Petit Planet, which, like Moonstone Island, combines collecting creatures with some life-sim goodness. There's also a new Pokémon game on the way in the form of Pokémon Pokopia, but it looks more like Animal Crossing than the likes of Sword and Shield or Scarlet and Violet.
There you have it, our favorite games like Pokémon. If you're trying to fill up your backlog while you're here, be sure to check out our guides to the best mobile games and the best Switch games. Or, if you want to find more like-minded gamers that also love catching 'em all, head on over to the official Pocket Tactics Discord channel.