There’s no shortage of games for kids who love Pokémon, but not all of them are owned by Nintendo or The Pokémon Company. Given the IP’s massive worldwide popularity, it should come as no surprise that, over the years, Pokémon has inspired the creation of many other franchises that borrow iconic elements from its universe.
Pokémon games typically revolve around exploring a colorful world, collecting titular pocket monsters, using them to battle other Pokémon, and evolving them into more powerful versions of themselves. Video games that are merely inspired by the franchise typically incorporate only some of these core elements and often put their own unique spin on them.
With all that in mind, we’ve put together a list of fun Pokémon-like games for kids who might not own a Nintendo system, have already played most of the noteworthy entries in the series, or are simply looking for alternatives. We’ll go over just how similar each title is to Pokémon while also pointing out some of the most important things they do differently.
Most of the Pokémon-like games on this list are rated E10+ rather than E, largely because creature-collecting RPGs usually include fantasy battles. However, we avoided T-rated games to keep the list focused on kid-friendly Pokémon alternatives. Also worth mentioning is that these titles tend to be single-player, but we did include a couple of co-op games on the list as well.
Ooblets Gives Pokémon Fans A Pacifist Way To Collect Cute Creatures
Ooblets is a cozy life sim that combines farming, creature collecting, and card-based dance battles. Players move to Badgetown where they start a small farm, meet the local residents, and begin collecting tiny creatures called Ooblets. Instead of capturing Ooblets like you would a Pokémon, players grow these adorable creatures from seeds and use them to engage in dance battles.
That pacifist spin on traditional battling makes Ooblets a great choice for younger children. It has the collecting and team-building appeal Pokémon fans may be looking for, but it swaps regular combat for dance-offs, farming tasks, customization, quests, and small-town routines. Older players will likely find this first entry a bit too simplistic, but don’t worry, because there are a lot of other great Pokémon-like games on this list to choose from.
Why Kids Will Love Ooblets: Kids who like Pokémon’s cute creatures but want something even softer will really enjoy this one. The Ooblets are adorable, the dance battles are silly instead of intense, and there’s plenty to do between collecting creatures, decorating, farming, completing quests, and exploring Badgetown. Ooblets is the only E-rated game on this list, making it a nice starting point for younger players before moving on to the E10+ picks.
ESRB Rating: E for Everyone
Content Descriptors: None
Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One
Players: Single-player only
Nexomon Offers Kids A Classic Monster-Catching Experience
Nexomon is one of the most obvious choices for kids who love Pokémon because it follows a very familiar formula and wears its inspiration on its sleeve. Players become a monster tamer, explore a colorful fantasy world, meet other tamers, and build a team of creatures to use in turn-based battles. The original game includes hundreds of Nexomon to catch, evolve, and train, which gives kids the same kind of collecting hook that makes Pokémon games such a blast to play.
The sequel, Nexomon: Extinction, is also worth mentioning here because it expands the same basic idea with a bigger adventure, more than 300 Nexomon, and a world threatened by a powerful Tyrant Nexomon. Both games are single-player only, so kids won’t get the trading or battling-with-friends side of Pokémon, but they do get the creature collecting, team building, and RPG progression aspects.
Why Kids Will Love Nexomon: Kids who enjoy collecting creatures, building a team where there’s a bit of strategy involved, and taking on other trainers should feel right at home with Nexomon. It is close enough to Pokémon to feel instantly familiar, but it has its own creatures, world, story, and sense of humor. Nexomon: Extinction is especially solid for players looking for a larger and more polished follow-up after finishing the first game.
ESRB Rating: E10+ for Everyone 10+
Content Descriptors: Fantasy Violence for Nexomon. Fantasy Violence and Language for Nexomon: Extinction
Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4/5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Android, iOS
Players: Single-player only
Coromon Is A Pokemon-Inspired Monster-Taming RPG
Coromon is a modern monster-taming RPG reminiscent of classic Pokémon games. The story revolves around a newly recruited Battle Researcher known as Lux Solis, who embarks on a journey across the world of Velua. Along the way, players will be tasked with collecting Coromon, training a team, battling other trainers, solving puzzles, and uncovering a larger threat tied to a powerful Titan Coromon.
The game has a colorful pixel-art style and a traditional turn-based battle system that shares many similarities with Pokémon. At the same time, Coromon adds its own twists with difficulty options, stamina-based moves, custom trainer settings, and different Coromon variations to capture. It’s a straightforward pick for kids who want something close to Pokémon without playing the exact same series.
Why Kids Will Love Coromon: There’s much to enjoy here for kids who love catching monsters, testing out different teams, and learning type matchups. It has the familiar rhythm of exploring new areas, battling wild creatures, and gradually building a stronger team, but the new creatures and world help it feel fresh. The online PvP mode also gives older kids a way to test their teams against other players.
ESRB Rating: E10+ for Everyone 10+
Content Descriptors: Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood
Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android
Players: Single-player. Online PvP on supported platforms
Temtem Turns Creature Collecting Into An Online Adventure
Temtem is another fairly obvious choice for kids who love Pokémon because it was clearly built around creature collecting, trainer battles, and exploring a colorful world full of tamable monsters. In this one, players travel across the Airborne Archipelago, collecting creatures called Temtem, building a team, battling other tamers, and working toward becoming stronger as they move through the story. Again, very familiar formula.
The big difference is that Temtem is designed as an online adventure, so players can see other tamers moving through the world, trade creatures, battle, and team up in co-op. That makes it feel more social than most Pokémon-style games, but it also means parents may want to pay closer attention to the online features, especially for younger players. The game is best suited for kids who already enjoy creature battles and want something that feels familiar but more multiplayer-focused.
Why Kids Will Love Temtem: This one is primarily aimed at kids who enjoy the social and competitive aspects of Pokémon-like games. The online world makes the adventure feel busy and alive, while co-op support gives friends or siblings a way to play through parts of the game together. It’s one of the closest Pokémon alternatives on this list, especially for kids who wish Pokémon had more MMO-style features.
ESRB Rating: E10+ for Everyone 10+
Content Descriptors: Fantasy Violence
Interactive Elements: Users Interact, In-Game Purchases
Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Players: Single-player. Online multiplayer and online co-op available.
Cassette Beasts Lets Kids Record Monsters And Turn Into Them
Cassette Beasts is a creature-collecting RPG with one of the cleverest twists on the classic Pokémon formula. The game follows a character who wakes up on the strange island of New Wirral and has to explore, meet companions, and figure out how to get back home. Instead of catching monsters inside balls, players use cassette tapes to record creatures they encounter, then transform into those creatures during battles.
The basic appeal remains very familiar: collecting monsters, building a team, learning their strengths and weaknesses, and taking part in turn-based battles. However, Cassette Beasts stands out from the crowd thanks to its recording system, companion characters, and monster-fusion mechanic, which lets two creatures combine into a more powerful entity. The kicker is that players can combine ANY two creatures in this way, leading to all sorts of weird and wonderful fusions.
Why Kids Will Love Cassette Beasts: Kids who enjoy collecting creatures and experimenting with different team compositions have plenty to work with here. The cassette-recording idea makes monster collecting feel fresh, while the fusion system adds a fun sense of surprise to battles. It’s a good pick for kids who want a Pokémon-like game that feels familiar at first, then gradually reveals its own strange and unique personality.
ESRB Rating: E10+ for Everyone 10+
Content Descriptors: Fantasy Violence, Mild Language
Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, iOS, Android
Players: Single-player. Local co-op and online multiplayer/co-op available on supported platforms.
Monster Sanctuary Mixes Pokémon-Style Team Building With Metroidvania Exploration
Monster Sanctuary is a creature-collecting RPG that combines monster taming with side-scrolling exploration. The game has players moving through a connected world full of platforms, hidden paths, puzzles, and areas accessible only with the help of specific monsters. As players explore the world, they collect eggs, hatch monsters, build a team, and use each creature’s abilities both in battle and outside of it.
The battles in Monster Sanctuary are turn-based, but they are a bit more strategic than the average Pokémon-style fight. Players bring three monsters into combat at a time, each of which has access to different skill trees. These skill trees are pretty simplistic at first; however, they do become slightly more complex as the monsters level up. Still, the fact that teams are small prevents things from becoming overwhelming.
Why Kids Will Love Monster Sanctuary: Kids who enjoy Pokémon’s team-building side will have a lot of fun here because every monster feels useful in more than one way. Some monsters help during battles, while others unlock new paths or solve exploration puzzles. It’s a stronger pick for kids who already have some RPG experience, but the mix of collecting, battling, and exploring gives it a lot of depth.
ESRB Rating: E10+ for Everyone 10+
Content Descriptors: Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Tobacco Reference
Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One
Players: Single-player only
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince Lets Kids Build an Army of Friendly Monsters
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince is a monster-wrangling RPG set in the colorful world of Dragon Quest. Players take on the role of Psaro, a cursed prince who cannot harm monsters directly and instead has to recruit them to fight on his behalf. From there, the game becomes all about scouting monsters, building a team, exploring different environments, and working through turn-based battles.
The similarities to Pokémon are pretty obvious, but Dragon Quest Monsters definitely has its own unique identity. One of the game’s most distinctive features is the ability to combine monsters through synthesis to create new ones. That gives kids a lot of room to experiment with different teams and discover stronger creatures over time. The story and systems are a bit more RPG-heavy than some Pokémon games.
Why Kids Will Love Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince: Anyone who loves collecting and evolving fantastic creatures will have a great time with this one. The monster designs are colorful, expressive, and often very silly, while the synthesis system gives players a reason to keep experimenting. It’s a good pick for kids who already like Pokémon but want something with a more traditional fantasy RPG feel.
ESRB Rating: E10+ for Everyone 10+
Content Descriptors: Fantasy Violence, Mild Language
Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch
Players: Single-player only
Hatch, Raise, and Battle Alongside Monsties In Monster Hunter Stories
Monster Hunter Stories takes the creatures from Capcom’s Monster Hunter series and reimagines them as colorful, kid-friendly versions of themselves. In spite of the name, this particular entry in the series isn’t about hunting monsters at all. Instead, the player becomes a Monster Rider who forms bonds with creatures known as Monsties. The main loop revolves around finding eggs, hatching new companions, riding them through the world, and bringing them into turn-based battles.
The sequel, Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin, is also worth mentioning here because it expands on the original’s formula by offering a bigger story, a more polished presentation, and a stronger sense of adventure. Both games are good choices for kids who like Pokémon’s creature-raising side but want something that feels more like a fantasy journey. The battles are still about strategy and team-building, but the rider-and-Monstie bond allows the series to stand out from many of the other entries on this list.
Why Kids Will Love Monster Hunter Stories: The main selling points of this one are the ability to hatch creatures from eggs, collect a wide variety of companions, use creatures as mounts, and build battle teams. The Monsties feel powerful and personal, especially because players can ride them outside of battle and use their abilities while exploring. The sequel is arguably the better of the two, but the original is still worth considering for kids who want the full Monster Hunter Stories experience.
ESRB Rating: E10+ for Everyone 10+
Content Descriptors: Crude Humor, Fantasy Violence for Monster Hunter Stories. Crude Humor, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language for Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin
Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, iOS, and Android for Monster Hunter Stories. PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, and Xbox One for Monster Hunter Stories 2
Players: Single-player. Online battle features are available in Monster Hunter Stories 2.
Moonstone Island Blends Creature Collecting With Farming And Card Battles
Moonstone Island is a life sim and creature-collecting RPG where players leave home to complete their alchemy training across a world of floating islands. As they explore, they gather resources, grow crops, craft items, meet townspeople, and collect Spirits that can join them in battle. All in all, there are over 100 islands to explore and over 70 Spirits to tame.
The battle system in Moonstone Island is card-based, so it plays a little differently than Pokémon’s traditional turn-based fights. Instead of simply choosing moves from a list, players build decks around their Spirits and use cards to attack, defend, and trigger effects. Players will find that the game has some of that cozy routine found in farming games, but the creature-collecting gives Pokémon fans something familiar to latch onto.
Why Kids Will Love Moonstone Island: This one will feel especially appealing to kids who like both Pokémon and farming games. Moonstone Island gives them creatures to collect, islands to explore, crops to grow, and a town full of characters to meet. The card battles add a little extra complexity, so it’s probably best for kids who are comfortable with reading, planning, and learning new systems.
ESRB Rating: E10+ for Everyone 10+
Content Descriptors: Mild Fantasy Violence, Use of Alcohol
Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android
Players: Single-player only
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Is A Storybook RPG With Familiars
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch isn’t a pure monster-catching game, but it does have enough creature-collecting DNA to make sense for kids who love Pokémon. Players follow Oliver, a young boy who travels to a magical world after a personal tragedy and begins collecting creatures called familiars. These familiars can join him in battle, grow stronger, and become an important part of his adventure.
The main appeal of Wrath of the White Witch is the blend of creature collecting and storybook fantasy. Ni no Kuni is more narrative-driven than Pokémon, with a bigger focus on characters, world-building, and emotional storytelling. It also has a beautiful animated look that makes it feel inviting, even when the story gets more serious.
Why Kids Will Love Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch: Kids interested in raising creatures and going on big fantasy adventures will love this one. The familiar system gives them companions to collect and develop, while the story lends the journey more emotional weight than many lighter monster-collecting games do. The game also has a striking art style that at times resembles Studio Ghibli movies.
ESRB Rating: E10+ for Everyone 10+
Content Descriptors: Fantasy Violence, Mild Language
Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Players: Single-player only
World of Final Fantasy Puts A Cute Spin On An Iconic Series
World of Final Fantasy is a colorful RPG that takes familiar Final Fantasy monsters and turns them into collectible companions called Mirages. Players follow twin siblings Lann and Reynn as they explore the magical world of Grymoire, collect creatures, raise them, and use them in turn-based battles. The overall structure of World of Final Fantasy is that of a traditional RPG, but the creature-collecting element still makes it a good choice for kids who love Pokémon.
One of the game’s more interesting ideas in World of Final Fantasy is its stacking system, where characters and Mirages can be placed on top of one another to change stats and abilities. That gives battles a playful, strategic twist and makes team-building feel different from Pokémon. This focus on verticality also extends to World of Final Fantasy’s many dungeons.
Why Kids Will Love World of Final Fantasy: Kids who enjoy collecting creatures and experimenting with different battle teams will have a field day with this one. The chibi-style monster designs make classic Final Fantasy creatures look cuter than ever, while the Mirage system gives players a steady stream of new companions to collect and raise. Needless to say, this is also a great choice for any fan of Final Fantasy, in general, especially since it features some iconic characters from the series, like Cloud Strife.
ESRB Rating: E10+ for Everyone 10+
Content Descriptors: Alcohol Reference, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes
Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One
Players: Single-player only
Ultra Kaiju Monster Rancher Lets Kids Raise Giant Monsters Instead of Catching Them
Ultra Kaiju Monster Rancher is one of the stranger picks on this list, but it still fits surprisingly well for kids who love Pokémon. The game essentially mashes together two well-known Japanese properties by allowing players to raise giant kaiju from the Ultraman universe and have them battle creatures from Monster Rancher. Being familiar with one or both series makes things more fun, though it’s definitely not a requirement for enjoying the game.
Ultra Kaiju Monster Rancher is less about exploring a Pokémon-style world and more about caring for, training, and battling with one monster at a time. Kids can feed their kaiju, put them through training exercises, send them on adventures, and compete in tournaments. It may not be the most traditional Pokémon alternative, but it works well for players who are drawn to the idea of raising powerful creatures and watching them develop.
Why Kids Will Love Ultra Kaiju Monster Rancher: This one is admittedly a bit more niche than some of the others and caters more toward anime fans. The kaiju are much bigger and stranger than Pokémon, but the appeal of raising a creature and helping it become more powerful is still very familiar. It’s a good oddball pick for kids who want something different from the usual monster-catching adventure.
ESRB Rating: E10+ for Everyone 10+
Content Descriptors: Fantasy Violence
Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch
Players: Single-player. Local co-op.
Digimon World: Next Order Lets Kids Raise Two Digital Monsters at Once
Digimon World: Next Order is a creature-raising RPG that gives Pokémon fans a different kind of monster-companion experience. The collecting aspect isn’t as prevalent here as players only get to raise two Digimon partners at the same time. Those partners need care, training, food, rest, and attention as they grow stronger, Digivolve into new forms, and help rebuild a digital world in danger.
Digimon World: Next Order is a little different from the more traditional monster-catching games on the list because it focuses more on raising and bonding with specific partners. Battles happen in real time, and players guide their Digimon with commands rather than controlling every move directly. That makes it a good fit for kids who like the idea of nurturing creatures, watching them evolve, and forming a stronger connection with their main companions.
Why Kids Will Love Digimon World: Next Order: Kids who enjoy Pokémon’s evolution and creature-training systems will love how much attention this game gives to raising individual Digimon. Having only two digi partners makes the adventure feel personal, and the Digivolution system gives players lots of forms to discover. It’s probably best for kids who already enjoy RPGs, since the care systems and battles are more involved than many simpler creature-collecting games.
ESRB Rating: E10+ for Everyone 10+
Content Descriptors: Crude Humor, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes
Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4
Players: Single-player only
