10 Games Like Pokemon GO
Games like Pokemon GO come in a wide variety of flavours. After the augmented reality mobile app became a smash hit worldwide in 2016, many other IPs and franchises have made their way to the small screen in your pocket, getting you out and walking — so there's no shortage of options!
This list will be divided into three sections, because AR isn't the only reason to love Pokemon GO. Perhaps you like the way it gets you out and moving, or maybe you just like having a Pokemon game on your phone. Let's take a trip through the world of mobile games to examine some that capture some of the best parts of Pokemon GO.
- There are some Pokemon that are extremely difficult to find in Pokemon GO, meaning you'll need to do quite a bit of walking. Here's our list of the rarest Pokemon in Pokemon GO.
Walking/Running Games
These games will encourage you to get out and get active, mostly by gamifying the walking experience.
Wokamon
Click to enlargeWokamon is like a mix between a Tamagotchi and a pedometer. In it, you hatch eggs into Wokamon — cute little creatures — by walking. You can feed them, dress them up in different outfits, and more.
In various menus, you can check your daily and weekly activity, sync the app with your other fitness trackers (like Fitbits or others), and add friends to give it a bit of a social element. The app is updated with new content and more Wokamon creatures regularly.
Zombies, Run!
Click to enlargeIf you have trouble motivating yourself to run, Zombies, Run! is probably for you. When you're out walking or running, you can listen to your own music. At certain points, the app will alert you that some zombies are after you, and you'll need to run to escape. It's quite a thrilling motivator, and helps you alternate between speeds, making it great for interval training.
The game revolves around a post-apocalyptic story written by novelist Naomi Alderman that you can listen to as you use the app. With hundreds of missions to complete, a base-building system that makes you feel rewarded, and rave reviews from users for the story, it's a great way to get yourself moving quickly. If you go too slow, you'll run the risk of the zombies getting you, after all.
Pikmin Bloom
Click to enlargeThe developer behind Pokemon GO, Niantic, has made similar AR games for some other franchises, like Harry Potter and Pikmin. This Pikmin-based game is much simpler than the company's other endeavours, but it's still a great motivator to get out of the house and go for a walk or run.
As you walk, you'll grow more Pikmin — the plant-like characters from the Nintendo franchise of the same name — and leave trails of flowers behind you. As your Pikmin grow, they'll grow flowers that you can plant on the map. Large, multiplayer events take place around these flowers, adding a social element to the game. At the end of the day, you can check your activity in the app to see how many steps you took.
Augmented Reality Games
These games explore the world of augmented reality, often in similar ways to Pokemon GO.
The Witcher: Monster Slayer
Click to enlargeThe Witcher: Monster Slayer is a very similar game to Pokemon GO, but it's much darker and bloodier. Taking on the IP of the Witcher series, Monster Slayer tasks players with finding and defeating classic monsters from the franchise.
In this game, you'll brew potions, level up skills, hunt down deadly creatures, and engage in sword-based combat with them. The game is updated regularly, and has much more in-depth storytelling than Pokemon GO (at least at the beginning).
Different monsters are weak to different potions, oils, and silver or steel swords, and it'll take some prep to defeat the stronger mobs. Additionally, monster spawns are influenced by the weather, time of day, and the area you're playing in, giving it a bit more of an exploration focus at times.
Jurassic World Alive
Click to enlargeAnother, more violent, franchise to see an AR mobile game is Jurassic World. In this game, players collect different dinosaurs and pit them against others in dino combat. You'll also need to explore the real world to find particular dinos, just like in Pokemon GO. Then, use DNA to create hybrid creatures and earn rewards.
Tutorials and messages from the characters in the films help tie it into the movie franchise, though they can be a bit soulless at times. However, you can take part in PvP battles to engage with other players.
The Walking Dead: Our World
Click to enlargeIt seems there are a ton of franchises that are a bit more grown-up than Pokemon in the world of mobile AR games. This one is based on the zombie series The Walking Dead. Instead of capturing Pokemon, you'll be hunting down and fighting hordes of walkers.
To progress, you'll need to collect new guns, build shelter, help rescue survivors, and unlock popular characters from the TV series. The game also has a free-roam feature, meaning you can explore the map without actually walking around in the real world.
Ingress
Click to enlargeBefore there was Pokemon GO, there was Ingress — Niantic's first AR game. Fans of Pokemon GO's AR features and real-world exploration will likely find Ingress pretty fun, though it is a bit more hardcore. Pokemon GO is actually somewhat built on the foundations of Ingress, and the two games share a lot of similarities.
Players interact with portals — points of interest that are like PokeStops — by using their phone (called the scanner in-game) and exploring the real world. The game has a science fiction story revolving around Exotic Matter, or XM, which is a strange substance that is likely associated with a strange alien race called the Shapers. You'll join one of two factions, The Enlightened or The Resistance, both of which are locked in a struggle against one another over the direction of the human race.
Pokemon Mobile Games
The games in this section may not use AR or get you out and on the move, but for anyone who likes Pokemon GO for the convenience of a Pokemon game on their phone, these are worth checking out.
Pokemon Quest
Click to enlargePlayers who enjoy the GO Battle League and other forms of PvP in Pokemon GO may like Pokemon Quest. Those who like the analysis of stats, movesets, maximizing combat potential, and diving headfirst into optimizing their Pokemon will especially appreciate Quest, as it has much of the same focus, particularly in the late-game.
In this game, the player finds themself on a strange island with cuboid Pokemon. By building a team of three, you take on increasingly difficult opponents across several levels and areas. As you play, you'll earn ingredients that can be cooked into stew to attract more Pokemon, and stones that power up Pokemon in different ways. It's an addicting game that will keep your attention for a long time, and you can even run levels automatically while doing something else. In the end game, it'll take a lot of work to optimize your team and make the best builds, which is what makes this game particularly interesting if you like the PvP side of Pokemon GO.
The game's one downfall is that it seems to be forgotten by the developers, not receiving an update in years and still only containing Kanto Pokemon in most of the world (China received an update with Johto). However, it's still a super fun game that will keep Pokemon fans engaged for a long time.
Pokemon Cafe ReMix
Click to enlargeIf you like Pokemon but aren't as hardcore into battling as those who may like Pokemon Quest, Pokemon Cafe ReMix might be for you. This puzzle game is very fun and extremely chill, meaning it'll be great for more casual Pokemon fans who want something to play on their phones.
This adorable game revolves around a cafe that you'll work at, employing Pokemon to help make cute dishes for the visitors. Gameplay is fairly straightforward — match as many of the same icons together as possible to clear them and other obstacles. Each Pokemon employee has a different skill, and you can unlock different outfits for them. As you serve visitors, you can unlock them as staff, and the game receives regular updates with new Pokemon and dishes.
Pokemon Masters EX
Click to enlargeAnother game for lovers of Pokemon battling is Pokemon Masters EX. This game is an incredibly expansive one with an absolute mountain of content. In it, you'll meet classic and even newer Pokemon characters, each of whom has a particular Pokemon as their partner (referred to together as a Sync Pair). It's a gacha game in which you take on battles, cool storylines, and more.
In this game, you'll find Pokemon battles are slightly different. All Pokemon on the field move at basically the same time, and moves and type matchups work a bit differently. With different Sync Pair styles (Strike, Tech, and Support), dozens of passive skills and moves, a wealth of different missions and stories, and a staggering number of available Sync Pairs, no two players will have the same builds. The game is also great for long-time fans of the series, who get to see classic characters in a new style, as well as different styles, with new Pokemon, and in new storylines.
In many Pokemon games, you'll need to know your type matchups to succeed. Check out our Pokemon GO type chart to refresh yourself before a Raid battle.
