It’s not easy to connect on the level that Pokémon has with its audiences and it’s nothing short of incredible how this relatively niche RPG title has become a connected universe that spans television, film, and so much more. It’s especially impressive to see how Pokémon has found ways to change and evolve through the years, but the series retains its core ideals and never feels that far removed from where the franchise began.
That being said, Pokémon has taken some more ambitious risks when it comes to their spin-off titles. Many of these games feature exciting expansions to the Pokémon universe, but often with mechanics and gameplay that’s totally foreign to the core series.
10 Pokémon Snap Turns Pokémon Trainers Into Shutterbugs
One of the more popular spin-offs to grow out of the Pokémon franchise is Pokémon Snap, which still has intrepid individuals capturing unique Pokémon, only on film rather than in Poké Balls. Pokémon Snap functions as an inventive spin on the on-rails shooter genre and its scoring system allows the same route to garner continually different results.
Pokémon Snap is still full of strategy, but it completely removes battles from the equation. Fans have been so hungry for more Pokémon Snap adventures that a sequel has finally been announced, decades later, for the Nintendo Switch.
9 Hey You, Pikachu! Turns The Beloved Pokémon Into A Virtual Pet
It’s always fascinating to look back on the different niche peripherals that video game consoles have attempted over the years and Nintendo has frequently tried to incorporate the use of a microphone to mixed results. One of their earliest efforts is Hey You, Pikachu! a title for the Nintendo 64 where players can interact with and look after a wild Pikachu.
It plays much more like a tech demo for the new software than a full title, but it’s still a very adorable experience that’s an early example of Pokémon spin-offs capitalizing on Pikachu’s success.
8 Pokémon Pinball Is An Unexpectedly Deep Pinball Title That Respects The Series
Video games have experimented around with pinball for decades and it’s nothing unusual for popular properties to get made over and receive the pinball experience. Pokémon Pinball may initially seem like an easy cash grab, but the original Game Boy Color game is quite cutting edge.
It’s one of the few Game Boy Color games that incorporates a rumble function to inspired effect. A sequel was later released that plays with the new and diverse Pokémon from out of Generation III and the controls become even more refined. It’s a clever blend of Pokémon evolution mechanics with a pinball structure.
7 Pokémon Dash Turns The Franchise Into A Fast-Paced Racing Game
The racing genre of video games remains incredibly popular and the continued popularity of titles that embrace established properties like Mario, Sonic, or Crash Bandicoot usually find great success.
Pokémon Dash is a DS title that tries to turn Pokémon into a racing franchise and it's only surprising that there haven't been more attempts at this simple formula on home consoles. Pokémon Dash is somewhat forgettable, but it has a cute design that's aided by how the Pokémon run and are not put into karts or some kind of unnecessary vehicle.
6 Pokémon Conquest Applies Tactical RPG Mechanics To The Monster Catching World
Pokémon Conquest is one of the deeper and more rewarding Pokémon spin-off experiments that it's a shame that so few people are familiar with it. The game is actually a crossover with the lesser-known Nobunaga's Ambition tactical RPG series.
The result is a Pokémon title that's more focused on strategy than catching creatures, exploring regions and helping out the locals, or ranked gym battles. The Nintendo DS game pulls from the first five generations of the series and it's a bold direction for Pokémon that deserves a new, modern release.
5 The PokéPark Games Allow Pikachu And Friends To Indulge In Fun And Games
The PokéPark titles are a duo of games that were released for the Wii that lean into the franchise's cuter creatures and a wealth of mildly entertaining mini-games. PokéPark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure and its successor, Wonders Beyond, looks at a fun group of Pokémon friends that try to bring peace back to their region through these mini-games.
Pokémon mini-games were a popular feature in the Pokémon Stadium releases, but these remove the battles and just focus on the fun. They’re relatively thin experiences, but Pokémon completists will still appreciate this look into Pokémon’s downtime.
4 Pokémon Puzzle League And The Trozei Games Reward Puzzle Seekers
It's surprisingly common that niche games from other regions will be given a fresh coat of paint and a brand name association so that they can find more success in other areas. Pokémon Puzzle League is a Nintendo 64 title that re-skins Tetris Attack with Pokémon creatures and characters that connect to the events of the anime series.
Pokémon Trozei! and Pokémon Battle Trozei are also Nintendo DS and 3DS puzzle titles that similarly involve lining up several Pokémon in a row. They’re some of the earlier examples of the Pokémon license helping a middling genre connect with more people.
3 Pokémon Trading Card Game Reinterprets The Phenomenon In A Digital Way
Sometimes series can grow so popular that every possible angle is mined for as much content as possible. Pokémon’s success was able to extrapolate into a Trading Card Game, which became nearly as possible. This in turn led to a few video games that translate the card game action into a handled title.
It may seem like a useless endeavor, but the few Pokémon Trading Card Game releases make for entertaining alternative ways to experience the series. Both Pokémon Trading Card Game and the core series both revolve around Pokémon battles, but cards play very differently than standard fights.
2 Pokkén Tournament Gives The Cute Series A Mature Fighter Makeover
Unusual crossover franchises are becoming more popular in video games, but many people were taken by surprise with the announcement of Pokkén Tournament, which essentially combines Pokémon together with the Tekken series. Battles have been fundamental to the Pokémon series from the beginning, but other spin-offs like Pokémon Stadium still have combat that resembles the battles from the mainline series.
Pokkén Tournament redefines all of that and attempts to give the hardcore fighting crowd a chance to apply these skills to the Pokémon’s series diverse roster of creatures. It’s both familiar and completely foreign to the original Pokémon games.
1 Detective Pikachu Presents A Gripping Mystery Narrative Before It Was A Feature Film
The Pokémon series has turned out nearly two dozen animated feature films and they’ve practically become a yearly tradition that allows the anime series to expand its scope. Detective Pikachu is the series’ first foray into live-action movies and it’s somehow become a major success.
The release of the movie is actually preceded by an atypical video game that features many of the same ideas, but with a slightly different story. Players work together with this unique Pikachu to help solve mysteries and it plays more like Phoenix Wright or Professor Layton than Pokémon.
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