Highlights

  • Monster-catching games have become popular thanks to Pokemon, but there are other titles that offer their own unique spin on the genre.
  • Games like Kartia: The World of Fate, Monster Crown, and Nexomon offer different gameplay mechanics and features that fans of Pokemon might enjoy.
  • These monster-catching games range from tactical grid-based gameplay to breeding systems and offer a variety of monster designs and storylines.

When you think about monster-catching games, there's a pretty good chance that Pokemon will come to mind. It wasn’t the first, and it certainly won’t be the last, but it popularized the genre on a global level. This has naturally invoked a slew of similar titles from developers looking to put their own spin on this successful and appealing formula. Of course, there's quite a bit more to Pokemon than nabbing monsters, as is the case with most software that has sought to emulate this RPG-monster-collectathon.

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There are various titles that follow the standard formula more closely, while others tend to venture off into their own territory while still capturing its essence on a subtler level. But while few have matched its explosive success or timeless charm, there does exist a range of efforts — both quite similar and somewhat unique — that Pokemon fans should love.

Updated November 23, 2023 by Jon Eakin: Monster-catching games will never dwindle in popularity, whether it's the ever-popular Pokemon or something a little different. We've added even more entries to this list, giving you more options to choose from.

21 Kartia: The World Of Fate

Tactical Monster Battling

Kartia The Word of Fate goblin army in battle map screen turn 1

Kartia: The World of Fate is one of those games that scratches a very specific itch. It's a grid-based tactical game, similar to Fire Emblem and it has an involved, branching storyline with engaging characters. It also has a unique method of monster creation and summoning.

By utilizing the games magic system, you can create Phantoms, summoned creatures that will fight alongside you. They're expendable, but if a human character falls in battle, it's game over. This creates a need to strategize and deploy your forces cautiously.

20 Monster Crown

Ambitious And In Depth

A giant bird flying next to a house in Monster Crown.

Monster Crown makes no secret of its Pokemon inspiration, but what it does differently is the breeding system. With monsters having different palettes and forms available, there are over 1,000 variants overall.

If the breeding aspect of Pokemon has you hooked for hours on end, then Monster Crown could be exactly what you're looking for, although the story is a little harder to follow than you might expect from this type of game.

19 Nexomon

Up-And-Coming Series

Nexomon: Extinction Dracon battle using Titan

The Nexomon series has been making a name for itself as a viable alternative to Pokemon, leaning towards a slightly more classic approach to the monster-catching genre. It isn't quite at the level of competing with Pokemon just yet, but is well worth your time regardless.

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Nexomon stands out for its bright colour palette and bold monster designs that are more unique than many of the ones you'll find in similar games. With the gameplay continuing to iterate from its first inception, this is a series worth keeping an eye on.

18 Spectrobes

Cards And Monsters, The Perfect Match

Spectrobes party interface overhead map battle with monsters split image

This Disney property, originally crafted for the Nintendo DS, tapped into the exploration and collecting elements of Pokemon while sprinkling in their own flavors in various avenues. The game takes a card-based approach more akin to Yu-Gi-Oh than Niantic's hit series.

At the same time, the game stands out for its awesome monster designs, and its clever use of the distinct functionality of the DS. The two screens allow for intuitive battles, while other neat mechanics are sprinkled in that utilize touch-screen controls and even the microphone. The biggest example here involves using the touch screen to unearth and chisel fossils, which manifest monsters. While it's a bit rough around the edges, this colorful sci-fi RPG explores some interesting terrain that warrants a look.

17 Ooblets

Do The Monster Mash

player standing next to repaired farmhouse

Monster-catching and dancing, who would have thought? In Ooblets, you play as a simple resident and farmer in Badgetown. In this town, everyone is a bit quirky, and there are creatures called ooblets that appear. Rather than fighting with these ooblets, you will need to dance!

Encounters involve epic dance battles, where your team will need to get to the designated score first. Each move you make can influence your score; for example, you can raise it, or use a move that will cause the next turn to have double the amount of points. When you win the dance battle, the opposing ooblet may give you a seed, which can be planted and grown to get the ooblet.

16 Temtem

A Loving Tribute

Exploring in Temtem

If Pokemon were an MMO, it would be Temtem. This game follows you on your journey to becoming a Temtem trainer, as you explore six different islands in the Airborn Archipelago.

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In total, there are 164 Temtems that you can capture and use in battle. The game knows it's similar to Pokemon, so you can also find tons of references. In Pokemon Red & Blue, a man would point out something under a truck, rumored to be Mew. In Temtem, you can find a similar truck with an NPC telling you the same thing.

15 Monster Sanctuary

2D Monsters Just Feel Right

Monster sanctuary dracozul baddie in snow region

Monster Sanctuary combines the classic monster-catching genre with Metroidvania. There are 111 monsters in total that you can collect and train to fight alongside you. The 2D pixel graphics of Monster Sanctuary create a nostalgic feel with refreshed mechanics.

This game also boasts a hefty bestiary, with in-depth descriptions of each monster, containing lore and stats. You can also challenge others in PvP mode, putting your collected monsters to the ultimate test.

14 Coromon

A Modern Classic

character exploring a snowy mountain area in coromon

Coromon is another classic monster-catching game, similar to older Pokemon games. While it may not be the most ground-breaking, Coromon proves that monster-catching games are timeless.

The world of Coromon is rich, with a wonderful story and tons of locations for you to visit. Along the way, you can catch monsters and complete puzzles. Overall, Coromon has more of a JRPG feel than Pokemon, perfect for fans of the genre.

13 Monster Rancher Series

Old School Cool

Monster Rancher screenshot

Monster Rancher, like Pokemon, has its own show which ran from 1999 to 2000 in Japan. This series has several entries, starting with the first Monster Rancher game in 1997; this is just one year after the first Pokemon game! Now, you can purchase Monster Rancher 1 and 2 DX, bringing back this classic '90s game.

Similar to Coromon, Monster Rancher has a simple take on the classic monster-catching genre. In Monster Rancher, you can even praise (or scold) your Monster, developing a relationship with them.

12 Pocket Mortys

It's Super Effective

Pocket Mortys Blue Shirt Morty vs Reverse Mermaid Morty

While it may not technically be a 'monster-catching' game, this cartoonish Pokemon parody was too hard to resist discussing. Pocket Mortys is based on the incredibly funny sci-fi animation on Adult Swim, Ricky and Morty. In this game, an evil organization of Ricks are gathering Mortys from other dimensions to take over the world. It looks and pretty much plays like Pokemon, but with a slew of bizarre and peculiar Morty types taking the place of bizarre and peculiar monsters.

Much like the Poke-critters in question, each version of Morty looks and battles slightly differently. There’s a scrappy-looking Morty, a Morty with a mustache, and so forth. Yes, it’s a fairly blatant knock-off of Pokemon, and it's hard to say that it's actually better, but it's an amusing little spoof that warrants a shout-out.

11 Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 2

Akira Toriyama Designed Monsters

Dragon Quest Monsters Joker 2 Village square tent DS gold framing

This can reasonably be viewed as Square Enix's version of Pokemon sporting a Dragon Quest overlay, yet this dynamic monster-hunting series has quietly become one of the more appealing alternatives to Pokemon and boasts a long, rich history itself. Like Nintendo's franchise, this lesser-known series has taken some large evolutionary steps since its humble beginnings on Game Boy Color — which was actually pretty groundbreaking for its time, aside perhaps from the visuals.

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One of the most robust RPGs on the DS, this game builds on the foundation of its sleeper-hit predecessor, featuring more expansive, lush locales as well as added abilities and amusing new monsters. You can also take to the online arena and, for the first time, square off against up to seven other players in epic battles of endurance.

10 Fossil Fighters

Clever Girl

Fossil Fighters dinosaur chasing small trucks

Fuse Pokemon and Jurassic Park, and this obscure romp for DS might be the result. In the aptly named Fossil Fighters, you are tasked with scouring dig sites to collect Fossil Rocks, which are cleared away via touch screen, and cobbled together to craft elementally charged 'Vivosaurs.'

Campy as it may seem, this RPG has a respectable amount of depth lurking beneath its cartoony exterior, featuring a fun, in-depth battle system, and loads of content to dig one's teeth into.

9 Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings Of Ruin

A Series Evolved

Monster Hunter Stories 2 riding on dinosaur engaging battle with monster

Starting as a more colorful, child-friendly spin on the Capcom series, this Poke-fied take on Monster Hunter has carved a legacy of its own with this deep, enchanting sequel. With a wholesome narrative, charming visuals, and ample depth, this game succeeds even more in drawing the younger Pokemon crowd while appeasing fans of the more epic mainline Monster Hunter.

Riding across the various lush landscapes while seeking out unique 'Monsties' proves as delightful as ever here. Thanks to the various creatures and customizations, along with some fun, intuitive combat that balances action with tactics, this journey rarely gets old despite a campaign of almost 40 hours.

8 Nights Of Azure

Action Packed

Nights of Azure heroine swining large hammer at enemy in mansion setting battle

Nights of Azure proves to be an entertaining hack and slash from Koei Tecmo. The protagonist, Arnice, is a monster slayer trying to save the life of her friend, Lilysse, from being sacrificed to the Nightlord. It's a rather basic action RPG on the surface, but with the neat ability to summon creatures unlocked through cursed items by way of blood infusions.

Arnice can have four monsters equipped at once, with each acting on their own unless the satisfying special skills are triggered via one of the mapped buttons. Those who fancy frantic action and Dynasty Warriors-esque gameplay to go with their monster hunting should find a good time with this one.

7 Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth

Digimon Are The Champions

Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth dragon spitfire blast

This is widely considered the obvious comparison of Digimon vs. Pokemon. Both famed anime adaptions began airing nearly around the same time — 1998-99, in the U.S — and many kids at the time couldn’t get enough of the monster-battling action. Still, while the cartoon proved popular enough, many tended to overlook the series in the gaming realm, as reviews always seemed fairly poor compared to the similar Pokemon, which appeared to be the gold standard.

Ample buzz was swarming around Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth getting localized, and the hype was largely realized with this sleeper hit. There's much to appreciate about this surprisingly great alternative to Pokemon; from its fun detective plot to its deep progression and unique, exciting combat. It even has a sequel that reads your save data of the previous game, unlocking all sorts of bonuses.

6 Ni No Kuni: Wrath Of The White Witch

Gaming Good For The Soul

Ni No Kuni Wrath of the White Witch Combat gold tank battle

There are few flaws that can be found in this charmingly cute-yet-epic adventure. Ni No Kuni: Wrath Of The White Witch is gorgeous thanks in part to the famed anime film company Studio Ghibli, who produced the cutscenes and influenced the game’s gorgeous design. It stars a young boy, Oliver, who is transported into a fantasy realm where he believes his mother has been taken.

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Oliver and his two human companions can summon familiars, who can then be swapped out for other monsters, or the humans can take part in the action as well. It draws comparisons to Bandai Namco’s Tales Of series, while simultaneously going off the beaten path with its whimsical feel and unique combat.

5 Yo-kai Watch

Watch Out For This One

Yo-Kai Watch main characters and creatures in cartoon city still

The easiest way to categorize the Yo-kai Watch series would be to call it a Pokemon game wrought with ghostly apparitions. These creatures are based heavily on Japanese folklore, hence the name. Instead of using balls to catch Yo-kai, our hero, Nate, can befriend Yo-kai and gain their special medals. These trinkets, when placed in his special watch, will summon them into battle.

You can have six Yo-kai equipped at a time, but three can only be on the screen at once. A simple turn of the dial below will swap out Yo-kai on the fly. Monsters then auto-battle, but a special gauge will fill up wherein you can execute a special move via a quick minigame. This unique mechanical twist and a lighthearted story with plenty of puns makes Yo-kai Watch very li-kai-ble.

4 Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance

Unlock Your Monsters Potential

Kingdom Hearts 3D Dream Drop Distance battle power glowing blue orb

It's rather surprising that Kingdom Hearts took so long to adopt some form of monster-catching given its numerous games over the years. In this adventure, Sora and Riku dive into dream worlds to awaken them back to reality by activating their sleeping keyholes. Instead of facing off against hordes of Heartless, you instead battle Nightmares — but you're not alone thanks to the assistance of Dream Eaters.

These cute little critters can be equipped to aid in battle, along with granting both Sora and Riku abilities such as boosting attack power or HP via a skill tree. If that wasn’t enough, you can play with your Dream Eaters by petting them, giving them treats, or even participating in a variety of minigames, which will strengthen bonds.

3 Shin Megami Tensei 5

Impossible To Put Down

Shin Megami Tensei 5 Nahobino Thalassic Calamity

Shin Megami Tensei games stretch all the way back to 1987, and even earned a spin-off; the widely popular Persona series. If you have played a Persona game, then you may understand the basics of Shin Megami Tensei. Collect demons to fight alongside you.

Persona games embrace more slice-of-life elements, while Shin Megami places an emphasis on this demon collection. In Shin Megami Tensei 5, you will need to collect and battle these demons in Tokyo, as well as the Netherworld.

2 Dragon Quest 5: Hand Of The Heavenly Bride

A True Monster Saga

Dragon Quest V Hand of the Heavenly Bride split image of party and battle with monsters

The Dragon Quest series has incorporated some form of monster-catching since Dragon Quest 5: Hand of the Heavenly Bride debuted on the Super Famicom in 1992. The aforementioned Dragon Warrior Monsters went a significant step further with these mechanics back in 1998. Dragon Quest 5 was ambitious past monster taming, as it takes place over 30 years of the protagonist’s life, and, as the title suggests, allows your character to get married.

Unlike the games before it, your party will mainly consist of monsters. If a monster admires your performance during combat, it will ask to join afterward, though this is a random occurrence, so there’s no way of improving your odds other than grinding. That said, your party will fill up relatively fast, swiftly setting the stage for plenty of fun battles throughout this epic journey.