10 Pokémon Games That Defied The Classic Turn-Based RPG Formula

With Pokémon Legends: Arceus dropping this week, here are some other games that strayed from the series’ formula

By Mike Fahey Published January 25, 2022 |

Gotta catch all of these Image: Nintendo / Kotaku

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Who’s ready for the latest game starring Pokémon that’s not quite a traditional turn-based RPG? Pokémon Legends: Arceus arrives this week, the latest in a long line of side-stories and spinoffs that let us play with our pocket monsters in new and different ways.Pokémon Legends: Arceus, for example, mixes elements of Capcom’s Monster Hunter series with action RPG elements never before seen in a Pokémon game.

So as we prepare to embark on this all-new adventure, let’s take a look back at 10 other Pokémon games that have mixed up the monster-collecting formula.