Monster-taming game

Monster-taming game (also known as monster-catching, creature-collecting or simply Pokémon clone) is a subgenre of role-playing video game that significantly resembles the Pokémon franchise. While Pokémon is the most recognizable example of such a game to Western audiences, the origins of the genre were in the Megami Tensei series, which involved fighting, negotiating with and recruiting demons and other mythological beings. Monster-taming games share core mechanics such as being able to capture creatures, train them, and use them in battle against similar creatures.[1] In many such games, these creatures are the only means of combat, although the darker-themed Megami Tensei series also allows the player to participate in combat, using weapons such as guns.

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History

The origins of the genre lay in the Megami Tensei or MegaTen games, which let players capture and summon demons. However, the Satanic panic of the 1980s caused the occult-themed series to be slow to enter the Western market. This caused many players' first experience with monster-taming games to be Pokémon, which was introduced in the mid-1990s.[2][3] The contemporaneous Digimon series also featured similar monster-taming mechanics, though debate arose over which came first.[4] An early entry in the monster-taming genre was the fantasy-themed Jade Cocoon (1998) by Genki, which saw a cult classic 2001 follow-up, Jade Cocoon 2.[5][6]

While Pokémon and Digimon continued to release new games throughout the ensuing years, in 2011, Level-5 developed the monster-taming game Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, which was heavily inspired by the works of Studio Ghibli.[7] They subsequently developed Yo-Kai Watch as a competitor to Pokémon, with its popularity exploding in 2014, and the franchise becoming a cultural phenomenon. However, its popularity declined significantly by 2018, attributed to a variety of factors.[8]

Many spin-offs from major series revolve around taming monsters, including World of Final Fantasy (2016) and Chocobo's Mystery Dungeon Every Buddy! (2019), based on the long-running Final Fantasy series of Japanese role-playing games, and Monster Hunter Stories (2016) and its sequel, based on Monster Hunter, a best-selling series of action role-playing games.[7]

In the modern day, nostalgia for the Pokémon series resulted in a wave of indie monster-taming games. Siralim Ultimate (2021) built on its longtime community for success, while Monster Crown (2021), despite Game Boy Color-inspired graphics, had an intentionally dark narrative.[7][9] One of the more popular examples, Temtem (2022), sold more than 500,000 copies in a single month on Steam. Coromon (2022) passed 100,000 sales on PC and Mac, with more on other platforms. However, there has not been a mega-hit comparable to the influence of Stardew Valley (2016) in the farming sim genre, which developers blame on Pokémon's huge cultural impact. The developers see terms such as "Pokémon-like" or "Pokémon clone" as derogatory, implying they are attempts to cash in on the popularity of Pokémon rather than unique games of their own.[9]

References
  1. Werner, Jillian (2013-01-09). "5 Genres that have Reached Their Limit". Gamezebo. Retrieved 2023-04-07.
  2. Parish, Jeremy (2018-08-01). "The Shin Megami Tensei games beginner's guide". Polygon. Retrieved 2023-04-07.
  3. Wallace, Kimberley (2012-10-21). "Games That Influenced Modern Genres". Game Informer. Retrieved 2023-04-07.
  4. Wald, Heather (2022-11-11). "10 games like Pokemon for the discerning trainer". GamesRadar+. Retrieved 2023-04-07.
  5. IGN Staff (1999-07-31). "Jade Cocoon: Story of the Tamamayu". IGN. Retrieved 2023-04-07.
  6. Satterfield, Shane (2001-05-19). "E3 2001 Hands-on Jade Cocoon 2". GameSpot. Retrieved 2023-04-07.
  7. Maher, Cian (2022-09-11). "The 7 best Pokémon-likes to play while you wait for Scarlet and Violet". Polygon. Retrieved 2023-04-07.
  8. Ashcraft, Brian (2019-02-13). "Pokémon's Former Rival Yokai Watch Is Having A Terrible Time In Japan". Kotaku. Retrieved 2023-04-07.
  9. Reyes, Jessica (2022-09-07). "Why has no Pokémon clone taken off like Stardew Valley?". PC Gamer. Retrieved 2023-04-07.
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