Everybody wants to be the very best. In fact, I’m willing to bet you’re probably singing the Pokemon theme song right now. Most Pokemon fans have played through at least one of the eight generations of main games. But there is even more to the Pokemon world than the just the main stories. 48 spin-offs more, to be precise.
There’s always a debate as to which main generation is the best (It’s totally Gen 3). But what about the spin-offs? At PAX Online, a panel took it upon themselves to look at these spin-off games and decide, once and for all, which one is the very best.
Judges used Cut – It Was Super Effective!
What does it take for a spin-off game to be good while keeping the Pokemon magic alive? Out of 48 games, only 10 made the cut. These games are separate from the main line series and they capitalize on the traits that belong to Pokemon. Battling isn’t everything in the Pokemon world, and some of these games explore all the different aspects that could be. Other games focus on the battles, but put a unique Pokeball spin on the mechanics. Whatever the case, these games are all one of a kind.
Finding Mew in Pokemon Snap! – courtesy of Polygon.com
Surveying the Competition
Out of the 48 available spin-offs, only ten made the cut for this competition. Here are just a few of the games that made it:
- Pokemon GO was released in 2016 and has accrued quite the following. With over 1 billion downloads, the game is one of the most downloaded mobile games world-wide. There’s something magical about pulling out your phone and seeing Pokemon all around you wherever you go. It’s the closest we’ve gotten to becoming real Pokemon trainers. The game physically connected people and really capitalizes on making connections and friendships.
- If you love Tetris, you probably liked Pokemon Puzzle. It was fun and challenging, but it just felt cheap. Plus, hearing the same 3 lines repeatedly gets old fast. Maybe they could bring this back as a revamped mobile game?
- Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX starts players off with a personality test and then sends them off to live in a Pokemon society as a chubby little Pokemon. The artwork is gorgeous and the gameplay is compassionate. Could this be the link to what happened to Ash’s dad? Hmmmm…
- If you had a Nintendo 64 system, you might have played Pokemon Stadium. This game brought in the classic feel of battles to the TV screen. In addition to its many mini-games, players could rent any Pokemon and create the perfect team. Ultimately, this helped trainers try new Pokemon and construct better teams in their future games.
- Tactical turn-based RPGs always have a special place in my heart. Pokemon Conquest is no different. It has an aggressive story line and beautiful artwork. The game itself is “really, really cool” and a must-try if you haven’t already.
- Pokemon Colosseum is my favorite contender in the spin-off list. It takes the normal gameplay of the main generations and transforms it into something unique. When playing the main games, I always wanted to be Team Rocket and go around stealing Pokemon from people. That was usually frowned upon. In Colosseum, though, that dream comes true! Sort of. As a bad-guy-gone-good, you can steal specific Pokemon from others and use them for your own heroic deeds.
Main Character from Pokemon Colloseum – courtesy of Nintendo
Let Arceus Be the Judge
Now that you’ve taken a trip down memory lane, it’s time to see what the judges thought. Here is their finalized top ten list:
- Pokemon Snap
- Pokemon Stadium
- Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX
- Pokemon GO
- Pokemon Pokken
- Pokemon Colloseum
- Pokemon Conquest
- Pokemon Pinball
- Pokemon Puzzle League
- Pokemon TCG on GameBoy Color
Pokemon Snap is no surprise. It is so beloved that it’s getting an upcoming Switch sequel! What do you think of this list? Personally, I think Colosseum should be at least top 3. Go follow us on Facebook and Twitter and tell us what YOU think the top 10 list should look like.
Until next time, catch’em all, my friends!
