Summary
Monster taming or training games are an extremely lucrative subgenre, thanks in no small part to the cultural juggernaut that isPokémon. The collectible nature of the format makes it ideal for the mobile market, something thePokémon Companythemselves has taken full advantage of in the past decade withseveral best-selling appsbased on their IP.
This list will be taking a hyper-focus on that collectible aspect; prioritizing the variety and appeal of monster designs as well as the overall quality of the gameplay experience. How much do they keep the players coming back for more? With that in mind, expect Gacha mechanics — and remember to use the wallet wisely when checking out thebest monster-collecting mobile games.
This list could probably be filled withPokemon-licensed apps which, as mentioned, have become a prevalent side venture for thePokémon Company. To avoid belaboring the point, this list will keep it to the two heaviest hitters and relegate the first one to the bottom of the list.
Pokemon GOmight feel like a forgotten relic to many, given the worldwide fervor following its release. However, the game has actually receivedmany quality-of-life updatesand still has a very large and dedicated community. The famous creatures spawn in the real world with the use of AR, and the player must navigate the outdoors to collect them all.
7Godzilla Defense Force
Kaiju Base Management
Godzilla Defense Forceoffers probably the worst gameplay on this list. It’s a by-the-numbers base-building experience with some fairly mundane RTS elements attached when Kaiju attack the player’s base. What it does offer is a heaping host of collectible Kaiju in card form that can be deployed as a sort of special attack when defending the base.
The Kaiju are some of the most iconic monsters in pop culture, and there are some deep cuts represented here. It does lose a few points for anexcessive number of shiny variantsfor some of the most popular monsters, though.
6Neo Monsters
Multi Monster Battling
Neo Monstersis an aspiringPokemonclone that focuses primarily on the collecting and battling of monsters. The hook is the 4v4 battle system that uses a cooldown system to determine initiative. Heavy hitters are generally slow, allowing faster monsters to maybe act twice with smaller attacks in the interim.
There’s a great variety of monsters with players aiming to build a 16-monster team. Each monster is given a star-based power ranking and an assigned team-building cost similar to tabletop war games, meaning even the weaker variants are still useful as they are more easily incorporated.
5Animash: Animal Creator
Fusion Creativity
Animash: Animal Creatorhas a ludicrously simple premise, but damn if it’s not addictive. The player chooses two animals or objects from an impressively stocked pool — say a kangaroo and a helicopter. The app then fuses the two into a new creature.
Where the time-killing app really sinks its hooks in is by giving the player’s creation a ranking complete with flavor text. Playing unlocks more input options and the incentive is for the player to keep experimenting in search of the rarest and most powerful combinations.Animashdoes also feature a battle system for something to do with the creatures, but it’s pretty bare bones.
Coromonwears its influence on its sleeve, attempting to differentiate itself by focusing on difficulty, a common complaint of the mainlinePokemongames among seasoned veterans. The hardest difficulty is essentially a fabled ‘Nuzlocke’ run, limiting the monsters that can be captured and using a permadeath system.
On regular difficulty, however, players are free to collect all the monsters they desire in a very competent homage to the classic format. There are well over 100 monsters to discover and collect, as well as some titan variants that serve as bosses.
3My Singing Monsters
Monstrous Symphony
The appeal ofMy Singing Monstersseems rather esoteric, but the app has been running for almost 15 years now, and there aren’t many that can say that. With over 50 million downloads in that time, it dwarfs the majority of officialPokémonapps in popularity, so here are its flowers.
With persistent support thanks to its lasting popularity, the game currently boasts over 240 species of musical monsters for the players to collect and breed. Each monster will provide its own little sound that can be harmonized with a chorus of other monsters as the player’s collection expands.
ThePokemon Trading Card Gamewas alreadyimmensely lucrative, with the top cards selling on the second-hand market for millions of dollars.Pokemon TCG Pocketwas a mobile adaptation that aimed to streamline the process and introduce a new generation of casual fans.
Players can open two free booster packs per day, hoping tocollect their favorite monstersin the continually expanding roster. With the addition of Wonder Picks, a chance to draw blind from a selection of known cards, and limited-time promos, the collectible aspect is through the roof. The app also features a streamlined battle system that pares the ultra-competitive format down to a 5-minute, accessible experience.
Nexomon: Extinctionis arguably the best like-for-like alternative to the corePokemongames, an excellent replication with just enough flavor of its own. The only thing that really prevents the game from being a solid recommendation for a wider audience is the prevalence of grinding, which is unfortunately baked in.
The monster designs are some of theabsolute best in the genre, realized in a gorgeous art style that brings the world to life. It also features one of the largest rosters on this list, with 381 uniqueNexomonto discover and collect.
