A brand-new Steam game looks to be the perfect combination of Stardew Valley and the Pokemon franchise, with Monsterpatch blending the two into one retro-inspired package. Farming sims have seen a major boom throughout recent years on the back of a variety of successful games, maybe most of all being Stardew Valley. The farming sim solo developed by ConcernedApe has seen monumental success since its 2016 release on Steam and has likely inspired countless developers to give the genre a try. The farming sim genre has also seen plenty of developers experiment with new twists on the classic formula.
Farming sims come in many forms within the modern gaming industry, with each developer looking to provide their own unique spin. Games like Fields of Mistria and Fae Farm implement a variety of magical elements alongside the normal farming gameplay, while others have experimented with everything from different time periods to RPG mechanics. The farming sim craze has even seen some major game studios delve more into farming mechanics, like the upcoming Pokemon Pokopia. Now, a new Steam game is bringing a combination of Stardew Valley's farming and Pokemon-like creatures.
New Farming Sim on Steam Looks Like Next-Gen Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing
This next-gen farming sim on Steam blends the core of Stardew Valley with the lifestyle fantasy of Animal Crossing on a next-gen tropical island.
New Steam Game Monsterpatch is Stardew Valley With Pokemon
Monsterpatch is a brand-new Steam game from solo developer Sean Young, combining some of the best elements of Stardew Valley and Pokemon. Players are whisked to a world heavily inspired by the classic Pokemon games, able to start a farm in their hometown, grow crops, and befriend the game's MoNs. The game features its own equivalent of Pokemon's Gyms for players to challenge, with nine different type-themed Houses across Monsterpatch's cities with their own Archwizards. The game's Steam description even teases the ability for players to fully customize their hometowns, changing paths, elevations, and decorating their town as they like. Monsterpatch does not list an official release date on its Steam page.
Monsterpatch looks to be taking plenty of nods from the Pokemon franchise, beyond its assortment of colorful creatures and Gym-like Houses. The game features six different Starter MoNs players can choose from at the start of the game, with two available instead of Pokemon's typical lone Starter. Monsterpatch also takes some creative liberties with the battle system, able to use up to four MoNs at one time with "adjustable speed" on its combat. The game even features separate "versions" within the game, with players choosing between Skyfarer Version and Aurora Version when creating a new Monsterpatch save file.
Monsterpatch Takes The Best Elements of Pokemon and Stardew Valley
Monsterpatch wears its inspirations on its sleeve, with the Pokemon franchise looking to have a heavy influence on the game. Pokemon served as one of the biggest pioneers of the monster-catching genre with the original games in the 1990s, helping to bring the genre fully into the limelight. The franchise has grown into one of the biggest multimedia properties in the world, earning more than $100 billion throughout its nearly thirty-year-long life. Pokemon has also helped to inspire countless other developers to create their own monster-catching games, including high-profile games like Palworld and Cassette Beasts.
Monsterpatch's blend of Pokemon's monster-catching and Stardew Valley's farming isn't the only upcoming game with a similar combination. The Pokemon Company officially revealed Pokemon Pokopia in September 2025, with Koei Tecmo subsidiary Omega Force tasked with development of the spinoff. Pokemon Pokopia puts players in the shoes of a Ditto transformed into a human form, tasked with rebuilding their village, farming crops and resources, and bringing new Pokemon to the village. Pokemon Pokopia is even adding some new variants of popular Pokemon, including Mosslax and Professor Tangrowth within the spinoff. Monsterpatch looks to capture the retro nostalgia of Pokemon's classic games with the cozy, laid-back style of Stardew Valley.
Source: ScreenRant