Summary
- Pokemon Sword & Shield offers DLC, raids, and tournaments for long-lasting engagement.
- Pokemon Emerald’s Battle Frontier post-game challenge keeps players hooked for months.
- Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky has engaging missions and a lengthy storyline for enduring gameplay.
The Pokemon titles have been a fixture in the gaming community for decades, setting the bar for the creature collector genre and continually introducing the world to more unique and engaging creature designs. Many long-time fans have noticed, however, that the Pokemon games have continually become simplified and shorter to satisfy the huge fanbase.
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While it may be true that Pokemon stories are often bite-sized affairs, a series with as many entries as this one is sure to have some exceptions to the rule. While players wait for the climactic release of the new Legends title, there are a few Pokemon titles in particular that have enough content to keep them hooked for months, hopefully making the wait for the new title a little bit more bearable.
7
Pokemon Sword & Shield
Host To DLC Experiences, Raids, And Tournaments
- Released
-
November 15, 2019
Nintendo’s first true foray into the Switch with a Pokemon title, Sword and Shield brought many new and beloved features to the franchise. The groundwork for a truly open-world Pokemon game was laid here, and while this title, in particular, did raise some controversies, especially where the aforementioned streamlining has occurred, today it’s a complete and compelling title for fans to give a try or come back to.
With the option for offline Max Raid battles, two fleshed-out DLC areas, the pseudo-open world elements of Galar, the special tournaments to compete in after the game’s end, and the main storyline overall, this is a Pokemon game that will keep players occupied for a while.
6
Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon
A World-Spanning Adventure
- Released
-
September 17, 2015
The latest release in the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series besides the remake of the original Rescue Team titles, Super Mystery Dungeon is an excellent Pokemon roguelike that has players mapping out an entire world filled with adventure and secrets to find. The unique recruitment mechanic in this title ensures players will have a good deal of content to work through before the game is over.
Individual Pokemon must be befriended and added to the players’ overall network of teammates for them to be utilized in an exploration team. Considering this game hosts every single Pokemon through to Generation 6 – and there’s no evolution, individual evolutionary stages need to be recruited separately – players will no doubt be able to continue their adventures in this game for months.
5
Pokemon Emerald
The Battle Frontier Is An Excellent Feature
Pokemon Emerald
For many players, Pokemon Emerald is seen as the opus of the Game Boy Pokemon titles or even the opus of the series overall. It’s easy to see why, with Rayquaza being one of the most iconic legendaries to date, and the story of Emerald being a fantastic synthesis of the plots from the earlier games in this generation.
Emerald is, on its own, a substantial game with plenty of features to keep players going, but the Battle Frontier, one of the most requested features to make a comeback in modern games, is an excellent post-game challenge that will try players for months as they push themselves and their teams to the limit.
4
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers Of Sky
Missions And Bounties Are Highly Engaging
- Released
-
October 12, 2009
Perhaps one of the best Pokemon games in Nintendo’s library, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky is a fascinating gem of a title (as much as a Pokemon title can really be classified as a gem) that has players playing as a Pokemon, rather than a trainer collecting them. As an exploration team, the player, their partner, and any other Pokemon recruited into the team will be tasked with entering mystery dungeons to rescue Pokemon, collect bounties, or find treasure.
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Not only are the radiantly generated rescue missions from the bulletin board a constant source of entertainment, but the story itself is lengthy and compelling, and there is an entire story arc post the main questline. This is a game that can keep people hooked for months with no trouble.
3
Pokemon Legends: Arceus
Explore Ancient Sinnoh And Build The First Pokedex
- Released
-
January 28, 2022
An utterly unique title in the Pokemon series, at least until the release of Legends: Z-A, Legends: Arceus is an impressive, beautiful title that completely changes how the act of playing a Pokemon game functions. This is a game that takes the best principles of open-world gaming – exploration, discovery, and agency – and melds them with the wonder that makes for the best experiences in the franchise.
Working on the first-ever database for Pokemon in the ancient Sinnoh region is no small feat, and players can expect to be working on their ambitions for quite a long time as the ancient Pokedex comes together.
2
Pokemon Platinum
Post-Game Content Keeps This Game Alive
This Nintendo DS classic has entrenched itself in the memory of many Pokemon fans, encompassing everything that longtime players look for in a game like this. The evil team is intimidating, the stakes are high, the story is creative, and the gameplay is challenging.
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While the main storyline and post-game legendary Pokemon will keep players occupied for a while, the Battle Resort in Pokemon Platinum is a similarly beloved parallel to the Battle Frontier and an excellent way for players to challenge themselves for months after the main storyline.
1
Pokemon Black And White 2
A Truly Staggering Level Of Content To Keep Players Hooked
Pokemon Black and White 2
Considered by many to be part of the most challenging Pokemon generation, Black and White 2 might just be the pinnacle of the mainline series. No other title offers the same level of challenge to keep players occupied, and the breadth of content on display here is something else.
The PWT, post-game legendary challenges, hidden areas, and secrets – Pokemon Black and White 2 has a multitude of things to keep people playing for months. The Hard Mode option especially is a great way to give this game even more longevity.
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