What are the best games like Pokemon on PC? If you want to emulate the real thing on PC you probably can, but we wouldn’t know anything about illegal activities like that. Honest. What we can do is recommend some excellent PC alternatives to scratch that creature collection itch. Let’s face it: who doesn’t enjoy a spell of kidnapping cute animals and forcing them to scrap, tooth and claw, now and again?
Despite our beloved format being the spiritual home of the turn-based combat that monster-collection RPG games are known for, no official main series Pokemon game has yet made the jump to PC. We can’t help but feel a small pang of jealousy every time we catch a glimpse of anything yellow and electric out of the corner of our eyes – especially when we know a PC could run Pokemon Scarlet and Violet far better than Nintendo’s aging Switch console. We still have a long way to go before we can catch ‘em all on the best platform there ever was, but we’ve compiled this list of some incredible PC alternatives to the adventure games to keep you going.
The best games like Pokemon for PC
Here are the best games like Pokemon on PC:
Beyond Galaxyland
In this Pokemon-like space game, the monsters you collect vary from dinosaurs to rock-creatures, and most anything your can imagine. Like Pokemon, they don’t only have attack skills, but can also be used to heal and support the rest of your galaxy-hopping team.
Palworld
You probably already knew this one was going to be on here. It may be in early access right now, but Palworld beat the Steam record for the most played game at launch and, at the time of writing this entry, has an all-time peak of just over 2 million players.
So what is Palworld? To say it’s just Pokemon with guns is a bit misleading, as it turns out. Fans of the Ark series will find a lot of similarities as the beginning is more like the start of every survival game, where you must gather resources to build a base. The difference here is that you can recruit your captured friends and give them Palworld jobs. There’s also a massive open world to explore, filled with treasure and new Pals to join your team.
It can be difficult to know where to start, so to that end, we have a Palworld guide dedicated to explaining key topics. We also have a list of all Palworld Pals, the entire Palworld map with all the points of interest, and the Palworld type chart explained.
Temtem
Game Freak’s cherished creature catcher may unashamedly inspire this Poke-like, but it brings plenty of new ideas. The biggest difference you’ll find here is a sense of challenge. Temtem swiftly brings it to your notice when your tamer rival thumps you in your opening battle. After that, you’ll find going from town to town difficult as potions are expensive, so resource management comes into play.
Temtem’s battle system is equally demanding of your attention. Each of your Tems has a stamina bar, strengths, and weaknesses, and fights are two-on-two. If you want to succeed in winning fights and making it to the next town, you’ll need to have a full team of well-trained Tems. If you want something close to the Pokemon series, it’s difficult to get much closer than this.
Slime Rancher 2
World of Final Fantasy
This spin-off sees you explore the world of Grymoire, collecting Mirages – cute versions of classic Final Fantasy creatures. That mechanic reminds us of… something. Oh yeah, Pokemon. To wield your captured Mirages in battle, you have to organize them into strategic stacks – and here’s where further similarities with Nintendo’s series reveal themselves.
Coromon
Coromon follows similar story beats to your regular Pokemon game in many ways. However, unlike its inspiration, Coromon includes some popular game types to keep things fresh, including one similar to Nuzlocke challenges, where you can only catch one monster per route. If said monster faints, it’s gone permanently. So, if you want a Pokemon clone with some replay value, you can’t go wrong with this one.
Cassette Beasts
In Cassette Beasts, you can battle the usual array of pocket-sized monsters, but instead of imprisoning them in a small sphere, you take their essence and store it on a cassette tape. You can use your Cassette Beasts (see? makes sense now, doesn’t it) to do battle and even combine who beasts using the game’s fusion tech, creating weird and wonderful combinations. Play this game, it’s great.
Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered
While the sequel is a bit too much of a curveball for recommending as a game like Pokemon, the original Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is more like it. This surprisingly difficult game also benefits from a glorious collaboration between RPG masters Level-5 and the legendary Studio Ghibli.
Battles feature a curious blend of real-time and turn-based combat mechanics, so it does take some getting used to if you’re coming from the handheld Pokemon games. But the important part is that you fight alongside monsters you capture, befriend, and train, just like in Pokemon.
Ooblets
Farming and dance training are just the beginning, too. You can explore strange lands, talk to friendly neighbors, and indulge in the relaxing routines of town life. It’s also so ridiculously cute you may be unable to stand it.
Moonstone Island
Part creature collector, part farming life sim, Moonstone Island is a must-play if you’re after a Stardew Valley switch-up, or are looking for a cozy farming game that just so happens to let you catch ‘em all simultaneously. Whether you’re exploring its 100 different islands in search of new creatures, crops, or cuties to romance, there is a ton to do in-game.
The spirits you meet and befriend in Moonstone Island aren’t just for show – they make excellent combat compadres, too. However, unlike Pokemon’s input-based battle system, Moonstone Island makes excellent use of deckbuilding combat to introduce slick synergies between spirits. Each creature you tame – be it a mustachioed owl or a sunglass-sporting beach ball – comes with its own deck that you can build out, providing all sorts of tactical options when you’re out exploring.
Monster Sanctuary
The team at Moi Rai Games has conjured up something special with monster taming Metroidvania game Monster Sanctuary. As a Monster Keeper, you’ll get to collect, upgrade, and battle 111 distinct creatures. Yes, it doesn’t quite match up to the 100s of Pokémon you can capture in Game Freak’s games, but if anything Monster Sanctuary makes better use of its more limited roster when it comes to providing rewarding team building.
Touting a combat structure that fans of traditional turn-based RPGs will instantly recognize, Monster Sanctuary urges you to switch up your teams, or else flounder as its difficulty ramps up. You’ll also need to make use of your companions’ talents when it comes to navigating certain obstacles – don’t worry, you won’t need HMs for those. As a result of this heavy focus on really getting to know the strengths of each monster, you’ll have a deep appreciation for each one by the end of your playthrough.
Monster Hunter Stories 2
While most tend to focus on the Monster Hunter series’ ARPG installments, Monster Hunter Stories 2 is a fabulous monster-taming adventure that you’d be remiss to miss out on. Translating everything that makes the likes of Rise and Worlds so darn good into a turn-based JRPG game, Monster Hunter Stories 2 offers up an approachable entry point into Capcom’s iconic franchise. While its story might not be particularly groundbreaking, its gameplay is a real treat.
As a rider (rather than a hunter), your job is to befriend ‘monsties’ that you can, well, ride into battle. Monster Hunter Stories 2’s combat relies largely on a rock-paper-scissors mechanic, though there are all sorts of classic Monster Hunter elements involved such as breaking a monstie’s limb. Additionally, while you may be commanding your team for the most part, you’ll also get your chance to shine while utilizing some seriously sweet weapons.
Can you play Pokemon games on PC?
Yes, there is one officially available Pokemon game on PC.
Pokemon Trading Card Game Live
We’re not saying it’s a classic, but it’s an official Pokemon game that’s officially available on PC. Battle against your rival Trainers in the free-to-play Pokémon Trading Card Game Live. While there is a wide range of popular online card game alternatives, the charming Pokemon artwork and the characters we all know and love make this one stand out from the pack. There used to be the Pokemon Trading Card Game Online service, but this has now being replaced by this new online tabletop game. You can learn more about Pokémon Trading Card Game Live via the official website.
Unfortunately, there is no official way to play any of the other Pokemon games on PC just yet. Nintendo loves its exclusives, and so for those Mario, Zelda, Animal Crossing, and Pokemon fans, you’ll be waiting a very long time if they ever come to other platforms at all.
Those are all of the games like Pokemon on PC, and while it sucks that we’ll likely not see the main series game appear officially on PCs for quite some time, plenty of other JRPG games out there are making the leap from consoles to your gaming rig. Of course, if you don’t mind a lack of Pokemon, here are the very best PC games you can play right now.
