When people think ofPokémongames, they tend to focus on the mainline core titles that tell the canon story within the series, such asPokémon RedandBlue. But, aside from the numerous generations in the series,Pokémongoes well beyond the call of duty to produce plenty of spin-off titles, side stories, and additional content.
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With huge games running rampant like the mobile powerhouse,Pokémon GO, or cult titles from the series history, it’s easy to forget that there are so many out there. So, let’s check out 10 BestPokémonGames that aren’t mainline titles, but any fan should play and maybe you’ll find something you really enjoy, Trainer.
10Pokémon GO
Pokémon GOtook the world by storm in 2016 and is showing no signs of stopping. Yea, this one’s the gimme on the list because it’s still popular and played worldwide. With constant events, millions of players, and a free-to-play model,GOis a spin-offPokémongame done right for sure.
With recent additions like Team GO Rocket causing trouble (and making it double), they are a powerhouse of a game and it’s worth a “GO” if you haven’t tried it yet. Plus, it’ll connect to the newest games,Pokémon SwordandShield, via thePokémon Homemobile app.
9Pokémon Colosseum & Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness
Pokémon Colosseumcame about as a somewhat successor to thePokémon Stadiumseries. It took some of the concepts behind it and really expanded on it, even going as far as to giveColosseuma full single-player RPG mode. Taking place in the Orre Region, the game is generally considered non-canon in terms of the mainPokémonstories.Gale of Darknessjust continued the story.
Of note in both games are the Shadow Pokémon, which are corrupted Pokémon that have glowing red eyes and purple auras. The protagonist has to catch them and purify them to bring them back to normal during the story. If this sounds familiar,Pokémon GOrecently added the exact same kind of Shadow Pokémon to the mobile game!
8Pokémon Trading Card Game Online
So, thePokémon Trading Card Game Onlineis pretty simple. It’s a digital way to play thePokémoncard game on a PC or tablet. There’s no real story or any fluff. It’s designed with the competitive crowd in mind.
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In fact, if you use physical Pokémon cards, you’ve likely seen a QR code in the booster packs. Scan those and get a free booster pack for the digital game, that can be opened and used it decks just the same. Since the game is free to play, it’s worth checking out if you’re a fan of the more analog, physical TCG.
7Pokkén Tournament (& Pokkén Tournament DX)
Pokkén Tournamentwas produced by the teams behindTekken, which made the twist to the gameplay that it was more like a traditional fighting game. Taking on characteristics likeSoulcaliburandPower Stone,Pokkén Tournamentbrings in several interesting playable fighters like Pikachu Libre, which was a costume for Pikachu inPokémon Alpha Sapphire and Omega Ruby, and Shadow Mewtwo (you know, like the Shadow Pokémon fromPokémon Colosseum).
Originally on the Nintendo Wii U,Pokkén Tournament DXis the Nintendo Switch version and is played competitively to this day.
6Super Smash Bros series
Look,Super Smash Brosisn’t technically aPokémongame at all. But, it’d be a travesty to not mention the several Pokémon that are playable fighters, as well as the Poké Ball item that works similar to an assist trophy.
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Not only werePikachuand Jigglypuff included in the very firstSmash Bros, but fighters like the Pokémon Trainer also offer a triple threat with Squirtle, Ivysaur, and Charizard in a single entity that can swap out on the fly. Alongside that,Super Smash Bros Ultimateincluded spirits as ways to buff fighters in the single-player and tons of Pokémon are available there too.
5Pokémon Snap
All that needs to be said is that fans have been begging for aPokémon Snapsequel for years. Originally not meant to be aPokémongame, it made its mark on Poke-history with those printable sticker kiosks that were in Blockbuster stores. Do you want to take pictures of Pokémon and then print them out in real life? It may not seem like much now, but that was a big deal back then. ’90s kids remember.
The game went across several levels that each focused on different types of elements and showed off a ton of the available Pokémon at the time. You’d take pictures, unlock secrets, and hopefully find Mew eventually.
4Pokémon Pinball
During the early days ofPokémon, different spinoffs came around, such as the pretty decentPokémon Trading Card Gamefor the Game Boy Color. But, a detailed pinball game came from that time period too. Available on the Game Boy Color as well, the game had a built-in vibration mechanism, which was notable for the weirdly-shaped cartridge and was used for tilt and paddle motions.
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The game includes two different tables, which are the Red and Blue boards. Just like the mainline games, players attempt to catch Pokémon to fill the Pokédex albeit through pinball-methods.
3Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Series
You’re a human that’s been turned into a Pokémon mysteriously and lost all of your memories. You meet a wide array of Pokémon that you’re able to understand, and have to crawl through dungeons for turn-based gameplay.
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon, made by the folks behind the first fiveDragon Questgames, is part of a bigger series of game types, including iterations withFinal Fantasy’s Chocobo, but it is likely among the most popular from the series. If you’re looking for aDiablo-esque roguelike experience with yourPokémon, thePokémon Mystery Dungeongames are likely to scratch that itch.
2Pokémon Ranger
In the Fiore Region (not far from Hoenn),Pokémon Rangeris a unique take on howPokémongames could work. In order to capture Pokémon, Rangers calm instead of battling them and then use the Pokémon for adventures in unique ways.
The first iteration of the series came out after Gen 3 and includes 213 Pokémon in the region (which means a lot of Pokémon were left out even at that point). Instead of teaming up with Game Freak, developer Creatures teamed up withSuper Smash BrosandKirbydeveloper HAL Laboratories for this Nintendo DS game and has become a cult favorite over the years, even spawning two later sequels.
1Detective Pikachu
Believe it or not, the recent Ryan Reynolds movie,Pokémon: Detective Pikachu, was based on a game of the same name, even if thatmovie was chock full of references to the games. Back in 2016, the coffee drinking Detective Pikachu teamed up with Tim to find his dad. Aside from the inclusion of Mewtwo and the “R” drug, that’s where the similarities really start to diverge.
For instance, this time around, Pikachu’s voice sounds a tad more like Danny Devito. The game is funny, kid-friendly, and a great puzzler forPokémonfans. It’s even getting a sequel for the Nintendo Switch,Detective Pikachu 2, coming soon!
NEXT:Pokémon: The 5 Best Features Of Red And Blue (& 5 Worst)
