10 indie games to play if you like Pokémon (that aren’t Palworld)
The creature collector genre, pioneered by games like Pokémon, has received lot of love within indie gaming in recent years. Fans who’ve “caught ’em all” in many a Pokémon game, but are looking for a fresh take, new mechanics, or new monsters, have many exciting options available to them. This article lists just a fraction of the titles to choose from, but offers a wide variety of experiences.
This year, devs and players alike are watching this space closely, as Nintendo has now announced a lawsuit against Pocket Pair, for alleged patent infringement in their game Palworld. While generally viewed as a financial and critical success, Palworld has also been the subject of much speculation around some of the game’s striking visual similarities to certain characters and elements from Pokémon. We hope the impact of this legal dispute doesn’t reach too far out into this space. It would be a shame to see passionate indie devs making games in good faith to be overly constrained because, honestly, the games on this list are downright delightful.
1. Temtem
Temtem is a massively-multiplayer adventure, set in a Pokémon-style world filled with delightful creatures called Temtems! If you’ve ever wished that Nintendo would just make a Pokémon MMO already so you can explore a more populous world, catching and training creatures alongside your friends, developer Crema Games is trying to fill that void in your life! Explore the floating island archipelago and its various environments, and try to catch all 164 types of Temtems!
Available on: PC, Playstation, Nintendo Switch, Xbox
2. Coromon
If you find yourself longing for the good old days of Gameboy-era Pokémon titles but want something fresh and new, Coromon has that classic look and feel, along with an updated story and many new creatures to discover. Developed by TRAGsoft, Coromon offers a variety of difficulty settings, so you can play at your preferred pace, and even comes with built-in Randomizer and Nuzlocke modes for a twitst on the experience.
Available on: PC, iOS, Android
3. Ooblets
Ooblets is a cute and quirky take on the creature collection RPG genre. If you’re a fan of Pokémon, but you’re also a big fan of Animal Crossing or Stardew Valley, there’s a lot for you to love about Ooblets! You can farm, craft, build relationships with the townsfolk, and engage in card-based dance battles with your little buddies!! Developer Glumberland is also looking out for the shiny hunters among us, with three different color variations (standard, uncommon and gleamy) for all 40 Ooblets!
Available on: PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox
We’re huge fans of Ooblets at No Small Games! You can check out our Ooblets bonus episode where we talk the game on its two-year anniversary!
4. Bugsnax
Bugsnax offers a different… taste of the creature collector genre. Bugsnax are just like Pokémon, except they’re all a little more bug-like, and a LOT more snack-like. They even have special properties when eaten. The folks at Young Horses developed this odd and ever-so-slightly unsettling game, which features a cast of charming and bizarre characters, who populate the mysterious Snaktooth Island.
Available on: PC, Playstation, Nintendo Switch, Xbox
5. Slime Rancher
If you got to Moomoo Farm in the Johto region, looked around at all the Miltank and said to yourself, “this is the Pokémon profession that I want, I want to be a Pokémon farmer,” then you’ll want to check out Slime Rancher. This is not your typical creature collector RPG, in fact it’s more of a resource manager sim with creature collection. In Slime Rancher, developed by Monomi Park, you get to explore an alien world in search of resources… and slimes! Sell valuable resources to grow and upgrade your ranch.
Available on: PC, Playstation, Nintendo Switch, Xbox
6. Paleo Pines
Most of us had a dinosaur phase at some point, where we hyperfixated on the mighty beasts of the Triassic and Jurassic periods, were obsessed with learning about how they lived, hunted, foraged, and how we learn about them today. If that dinosaur phase never quite left you, you’re not alone! And Paleo Pines, by Italic Pig, might just be the game for you! While not technically a creature collector in the same vein as Pokémon, you’ll get to explore and find new species of dinos to adopt and care for!
Available on: PC, Playstation, Nintendo Switch, Xbox
7. Cassette Beasts
Casette Beasts is an open-world RPG that riffs on some of the classic elements of Pokémon battling. The developers at Bytten Studio took the type matchup concept and expanded on it to create an “Elemental Chemistry” system that dictates the buffs and weaknesses of each type. They also developed a “Fusion System” that feels reminiscent of the websites that let you combine any two Pokémon together to generate a new design. It’s implemented into the game so that any of the 120 beasts can be combined with any other to create a brand new creature.
Available on: PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox
8. Beastieball
Have you ever thought to yourself that, even though most creature collectors are about team building, there’s not usually that much teamwork? And that the turn-based combat in Pokémon could be a little bit more like volleyball? Indie developer Wishes Unlimited has you covered with Beastieball! Collect your creature friends… and put a jersey on them! Because you’re trying to build the best Beastieball team the world has ever seen.
Available on: coming soon
9. Moonstone Island
Moonstone Island, which released in 2023 from developer Studio Supersoft, blends a variety of well-loved genres. It is, at once, a farming and life sim, a deck builder and creature collector, and offers a wide array of gameplay experiences. Build your team of cute critters, as you explore a procedurally-generated open world. If you’re a fan of many different genres and want a cozy alternative to Pokémon, Moonstone Island might be exactly what you’re looking for!
Available on: PC, Mac, Nintendo Switch
10. Isle of Swaps
Maybe you’re a fellow 90s kid who feels just as nostalgic about collecting Pokémon cards as about the Gameboy games. Well, if so, indie game developer Fuzz Force sees you. They created Isle of Swaps, a roguelike deckbuilder that evokes schoolyard days of battling your friends and opening booster packs. While the game features engaging card-based combat and deckbuilding strategy, Fuzz Force also baked in many moments of surprise and delight that will awaken your inner child.
Available on: PC