In terms of RPGs,PokemonandFinal Fantasycould be seen as two sides of the same coin, with both similarities and differences between them. For example,Pokemonhas its collectible creatures andFinal Fantasyhas its party members, both varying in performance by stats and acting differently in terms of functionality. Both series could be considered some of the most influential JRPGs out there, and thatnks to that success, The Pokemon Company and Square Enix have allowed their IPs to dabble in many spin-offs over the years.
TheMystery Dungeonspin-off gamesare one of the more straightforward connections betweenPokemonandFinal Fantasy. Started by the co-creator ofDragon Quest, Koichi Nakamura, theMystery Dungeonseries is recognized by its titular procedurally generated dungeons that the player navigates alongside a team of AI-controlled teammates. TheMystery Dungeonseries serves as a spin-off genre for many RPGs, butPokemonhas managed to change the conversation surrounding it through its own take that turns the player into a Pokemon. However, there’s a window of opportunity for the tides to change and letFinal Fantasycapitalize on whatPokemonhas left behind.
It May Be Time For Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeon to Fill the Void Pokemon’s Leaving Empty
The Silence With Pokemon Mystery Dungeon is Deafening
Despite howPokemonhas made theMystery Dungeonseries a bit more commonly known,Final Fantasywas quicker on the draw withChocobo’s Mysterious Dungeonin 1997.Pokemonwouldn’t enter the genreuntil 2005 withPokemon Mystery Dungeon: RedandBlue Rescue Team. From there, both takes on the roguelikes were allowed to co-exist, withFinal Fantasy Fables: Chocobo’s Dungeonreleasing in 2007; the same year asPokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of TimeandDarkness.Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeonwould fall off the map for years soon after, withPokemonreleasingGates to InfinityandSuper Pokemon Mystery Dungeonin its absence.
Super Pokemon Mystery Dungeonis where the entries stop. Interestingly, the two spin-offs once again battled it out with a remaster ofFables,Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeon Every Buddy,releasing almost exactly a year beforePokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX. These two rereleases were well-received byMystery Dungeonfanatics, but there’s still a strong audience of fans whowant another brand-newPokemon Mystery Dungeonat the very least. Despite the demand,Pokemonhas been focusing on other spin-off endeavors, which meansChocobo’s Mystery Dungeoncould surprise fans in the five-year void sinceRescue TeamandEvery Buddy.
Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeon May Have Some Growing Pains if it Wants to Take Pokemon’s Place
While games under theMystery Dungeonmoniker follow a specific format, there’s a very good reason as to whyChocobo’s Mystery Dungeonhasn’t sold as well as thePokemontitles in the same genre. Itstands out as aFinal Fantasyspin-offby including monsters, summons, and class dynamics from the series. Compared toPokemon Mystery Dungeon’s careful use and adaptation of the titular creatures' already simple type and move dynamics, jumping intoChocobo’s Mystery Dungeonand expecting it to feel the exact same may lead some players to be easily overwhelmed and confused. After all,Pokemon Mystery Dungeonwas designed to be an easier take on the genre from the very beginning.
Of course, there’s room for theChocoboseries to try its best to simplify its own established mechanics to fix the learning curve, but there’s a strong question as to how. There are many avenuesChocobo’s Mystery Dungeoncould take to be a better competitor toPokemon, either by introducing more modernFinal Fantasydynamics or possiblytaking a page out ofWorld of Final Fantasy’s bookand focusing on the series' many popular characters.Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeonis certainly rooted in more classicFFrules, so adapting may be the key to gaining an advantage over the otherMystery Dungeonoptions out there.
If theMystery Dungeonexperience is what players are missing, though, they may be happy to know that the genre is still alive and well, just not underFinal FantasyandPokemon.Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Islandwas just released last year, earning decent review scores and breaking previousShirensales records. Just like the otherMystery Dungeontitles, it follows the same procedurally generated maps and uses similar roguelike mechanics, so it’s certainly worth checking out if fans enjoy the same adventures with Pikachu or Chocobo. At the very least, it’ll be a great thing to bide time with while waiting forPokemon Mystery DungeonorChocobo’s Mystery Dungeonto return someday.
