The Pokemon series is one of gaming's true juggernauts. It's the best-selling video game series of all time and has been adapted into just about every medium known to man. Pokemon Scarlet & Violet are the most recent entries in the franchise and are some of the most innovative installments in the series so far. They're also the first Pokemon games to feature true open-world gameplay, helping to usher the series into the twenty-first century.
Every Pokemon Game on the Nintendo Switch, Ranked
The best Pokemon games on the Nintendo Switch are chock full of innovation and help to elevate Nintendo's long-running franchise to all-new heights.
However, there's only a finite amount of post-game content in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, meaning that some players will likely grow bored of the games as time goes on. Luckily for those players, there are plenty of great games like Pokemon, and while none have been able to match the series in terms of success and longevity, many have come pretty close when it comes to their gameplay and graphics.
Updated September 9, 2024, by Tom Bowen: Whether fans are looking for a way to pass the time between now and their next Pokemon adventure or just curious about what some of the games that are similar to Pokemon have to offer, these excellent creature-collecting titles are definitely worth a look. Some may lack polish in places, but they more than make up for this in charm, passion, and enjoyable gameplay moments. The very best games like Pokemon don't just mimic the series' hugely successful formula; they also expand on it in unique and unusual ways.
1 Palworld
OpenCritic Rating: 71
Palworld took the gaming industry by storm when it was released in early 2024 and remains incredibly popular to this day. Although it was initially pitched as Pokemon with guns, it's proven to be so much more than that, with base-building, crafting, and survival also playing a pivotal role throughout proceedings.
Palworld provides an excellent option for people who want to play a game like Pokemon but don't have a Nintendo console. Even for those who do, its many differences help to set it apart from the popular Game Freak franchise, making it an excellent alternative. Fans of Pokemon will almost certainly enjoy Palworld, although the latter may also appeal to players who dislike modern Pokemon games.
Palworld
- Released
- January 19, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Pocket Pair, Inc.
- Publisher(s)
- Pocket Pair, Inc.
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Shooter, Survival
2 Cassette Beasts
OpenCritic Rating: 86
Released in 2023 for PC, Switch, and Xbox, Cassette Beasts is one of the best Pokemon clones ever made. It brings with it a lot of interesting ideas and mechanics too, which help to set it apart from other titles in the ever-popular creature-collecting genre. It also offers an obscene amount of variety, with 120 monsters and more than 14,000 different fusions for players to enjoy.
There really is a lot to love about Cassette Beasts, from its charming visuals to its innovative co-op battle system. It targets a slightly older demographic too, making this a great creature-collecting game for those who first fell in love with the Pokemon formula as a child and are now looking for something a little more mature as they enter early adulthood.
Cassette Beasts
- Released
- April 26, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Bytten Studio
- Publisher(s)
- Raw Fury
- Platform(s)
- PC, Switch, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One
- Genre(s)
- RPG
3 Bugsnax
OpenCritic Rating: 75
Bugsnax is a pretty strange game, but that's arguably a big part of its charm. Set on the mysterious Snaktooth Island, the game sees players interacting with a wide range of weird and wonderful creatures. It's a lot darker than its whimsical art style lets on though and boasts a surprisingly enjoyable narrative given its simple premise.
Having originally served as a launch title for the PlayStation 5, Bugsnax was ported to Switch and Xbox a few years later in April of 2022. A new update was pushed out to mark the occasion, adding in a brand-new area and 12 new Bugsnax for players to add to their collection; bringing the total up to 112. As far as games like Pokemon go, Bugsnax is definitely one of the best.
Bugsnax
- Released
- November 12, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Young Horses
- Publisher(s)
- Young Horses
- Genre(s)
- Action, Adventure, Indie Games, Puzzle
4 Coromon
OpenCritic Rating: 73
Coromon may look like just another Pokemon clone at first glance, but there's a lot more to this charming creature-collecting game than first meets the eye. For starters, the game features a much more intuitive battle system, while also giving players a lot more control over the difficulty of the main story.
Those who enjoy Nuzlocke runs in Pokemon games will definitely want to check out Coromon, as the game has a randomizer built right into it. Granted, players will first have to unlock the randomizer by defeating the first titan, Voltgar, but it's refreshing to see a developer embracing features and ideas that players want to see implemented nonetheless.
Coromon
- Released
- March 31, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
5 Suikoden
OpenCritic Rating: N/A
Konami's Suikoden series may not feature creatures, but that doesn't mean that players won't still find themselves collecting as they play. This is because the franchise is renowned for its huge casts of characters, with the series' first installment boasting more than 100 potential party members for players to find and recruit.
Though the themes and ideas explored in the Suikoden games are decidedly darker, the way that battles work is actually pretty similar to Pokemon. As such, Suikoden is an excellent JRPG series and a solid option for older Pokemon fans who want a more mature experience that still feels familiar in the graphics and gameplay departments.
Suikoden I&II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars
- Released
- March 6, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Konami
- Publisher(s)
- Konami
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
6 Chocobo's Mystery Dungeon: Every Buddy!
OpenCritic Rating: 74
Although it's perhaps best associated with the Pokemon franchise these days, the Mystery Dungeon series actually predates Pokemon by several years. It was in 1997 that the first Chocobo-themed Mystery Dungeon game was released, with several more having followed in the decades since.
The most recent of these is Chocobo's Mystery Dungeon: Every Buddy!, which is available for the Nintendo Switch and PS4. It doesn't allow players to catch monsters as they can in Pokemon games, but creatures can be befriended using the Buddy system and will then fight alongside players as they make their way through the game's many dungeons.
Chocobo's Mystery Dungeon: Every Buddy!
- Released
- March 20, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
7 Slime Rancher
OpenCritic Rating: 76
Released in 2017 for the PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC, Slime Rancher borrows elements from a wide variety of genres. At first glance, it may seem like a bizarre cross between a first-person shooter and a life sim game, but there's actually much more going on beneath the hood than first meets the eye.
The game allows players to catch, raise, and breed their own slimes in order to earn currency and further explore the game's world. Granted, there are nowhere near as many different types of slimes as there are Pokemon, and the game doesn't allow players to battle, but for those who take enjoyment from raising their Pokemon, Slime Rancher should tick all the right boxes.
Slime Rancher
- Released
- August 1, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Monomi Park
- Publisher(s)
- Monomi Park
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Simulation
8 Shin Megami Tensei 5
OpenCritic Rating: 85
Though some fans may not like the comparison, there are quite a few similarities between the Shin Megami Tensei and Pokemon franchises. The most obvious of these is the ability to catch and battle with a wide array of monsters, which plays a central role in both of the long-running series.
Where the SMT games really differ, however, is in their more complex battle systems and the deep and mature narratives that players are typically treated to. In many ways, Pokemon actually does a pretty good job preparing players for the SMT experience, making the latter a great series to try for those who enjoyed Pokemon games when they were younger.
Shin Megami Tensei 5
- Released
- November 12, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
9 Ooblets
OpenCritic Rating: 73
Available on Xbox One and Windows, Ooblets is a life simulation game that combines the farming mechanics found in games like Stardew Valley and My Time at Portia together with the creature-collecting aspects of the Pokemon series. It may sound a little like mixing together chalk and cheese to some, but the end result is surprisingly satisfying and definitely worth a glance.
The art style is a little reminiscent of some of the more recent Pokemon games too, although is arguably a lot more colorful, which may appeal to some players. The animations are great too and although there are nowhere near as many Ooblets to collect as there are Pokemon, those that can be found in the game are typically incredibly well-designed and offer a great amount of variety.
Ooblets
- Released
- September 1, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
10 Monster Hunter Stories
OpenCritic Rating: 79
First released back in 2017, Monster Hunter Stories offers a completely different twist on the series' classic formula. Players take control of a rider who is able to steal and hatch eggs from monsters' nests and then use them in battle against other monsters. Unlike other Monster Hunter games, combat is turn-based and so is fairly similar to the battles found in Pokemon games in that respect.
Sadly, the game was never ported to the Nintendo Switch, but it can still be played on the 3DS and was also brought to Android and iOS devices in 2018. For those who've already completed the game or really don't enjoy mobile titles, a sequel, Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin, was released for both Switch and PC in July of 2021.
Monster Hunter Stories
- Released
- October 8, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Capcom, Marvelous
- Publisher(s)
- Capcom, Nintendo
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo 3DS, PC, Android, iOS
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Action-Adventure