Board Games To Play If You Like Pokemon (2024)

The Pokemon games are some of the greatest RPGs of all time. The charm and appeal of these little creatures and the adventures they allow you to go on is such a draw for children and adults alike as to make these games some of the most successful in history. Though they are light on the dramatic storytelling that usually defines JRPGs, they make up for it with creativity, colorful monsters, and incredibly compelling adventures. This franchise has been adapted into many mediums, and its influence is felt in even more places.

Today, we're here to recommend some of the best board games to play if you're a Pokemon fan, and want to experience it, or just something with a similar vibe, on your tabletop.

Best Monopoly Version

Monopoly: Pokemon Johto Edition

A classic game all Pokemon'ed up for your enjoyment

One of multiple versions of Pokemon Monopoly, this game stands out from the crowd by including the best variety of Pokemon.

Pros

• Great-looking board
• Great selection of Pokemon
• Mechanically equivalent to Monopoly

Cons

• Mechanically equivalent to Monopoly

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There are a million versions of Monopoly, including multiple Pokemon ones, some of which are out of print. Though all of them are reasonably good, we think this Jhoto-themed version is the strongest. Based on the second generation of Pokemon games and the region in which they take place, this board is full of Pokemon from both of the first two generations. As a result, it's board uses a more interesting variety of pokemon, rather than having to use different members of each evolutionary line. There is no better option for Pokémon fans who want to play monopoly.

Best Trivia Game

Pokemon Trainer Trivia

Loads of questions at different difficulty levels

This Pokemon trivia game can be played alone or with a group. It uses its virtual game master to select and verify the answers to questions, ensuring everyone can enjoy the fun of answering them each round.

Pros

• Virtual game master
• Single or multiplayer modes
• Multiple difficulty levels
• Over 1,000 questions

Cons

• No more than four players

$21 at Walmart

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Trivia has been a part of Pokemon since the very beginning. There's loads of it right there in the Pokedex. In some ways, this little machine is like a reverse Pokedex. Instead of dispensing Pokemon trivia, it demands such knowledge from you. It has a lot of knowledge to demand, as it contains over 1,000 different trivia questions at 3 difficulty levels. You can play on your own, using the game's virtual gamemaster, or you can play with friends. It's a great and fun way to test your Pokemon knowledge.

Best Artwork

Evolution (North Star Games)

The creature art in this game is beautiful

This beautiful title from North Star Games tasks players with stewarding their own species through its evolutionary journey by giving it a wide variety of traits. These species can fill all kinds of niches and do battle with one another.

Pros

• Amazing art
• Well-balanced, interesting, dynamic play

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Evolution is another core trait of the Pokemon franchise. From the beginning, our little monster friends have had the ability to change forms, becoming more advanced, or sometimes simply different, versions of themselves. This game does a great job replicating the feeling that you're training creatures to ready them for battle, though the battles here are natural competition rather than organized sport.

This game has absolutely beautiful art, and there are multiple editions of it that allow your species to inhabit different biomes. All of them are great ways to feel like you're training a cool and unique monster.

Best Deckbuilding Game

Carnival Of Monsters

From one of the creators of Magic the Gathering

If your favorite thing about Pokemon is collecting monsters, you'll love this game, which tasks you with creating the best collection of fantasy creatures.

Pros

• Awesome deck-building mechanics
• Cool monsters
• Amazing art of those monsters

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The core of Pokemon isn't battling. It's traveling around an interesting world and collecting monsters. There are several ways to use them, including minigames and contests, but none of those things are possible if you don't acquire them first, and acquiring monsters is what Carnival of Monsters is about.

Using a wide variety of fantasy creatures, this deck-building game has players traveling around its fantasy world, collecting and taming dangerous monsters in order to win points, and, ultimately, build the most impressive carnival you can. The catalog of monsters is as rich and varied as that in any Pokemon game, and their designs are also just as beautiful.

Best Tile Game

Pokemon Labyrinth

Move around an ever-shifting maze

Though significantly more obscure than Monopoly, Labyrinth is nevertheless a great game which suits a Pokemon-themed variation quite well.

Pros

• An interesting, well-conceived tile-moving game
• Loads of replay value

Cons

• Bad luck can create frustrating moments

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As already discussed, a key part of the charm of Pokemon is traveling around and collecting interesting monsters. This is why board games that have you travel around and collect things are well-suted to a Pokemon adaptation. That's why there are multiple versions of Pokemon Monopoly, and it's also why Pokemon goes so well with Labyrinth.

Labyrinth is a tile-based game where players control the endless shifting of a maze, attempting to maneuver themselves into positions where they can access the treasure items they've been tasked with looking for. In this version of the game, those treasures are various Pokemon, which you run around a patch of very tall grass to collect. It's a whole new way to travel about and collect your favorite creatures!

Best Card Game

Pokemon Battle Academy

Teach new players how to battle on their tabletops!

Similar to a starter set, this "academy" is designed to educate new players in how to play the Pokemon Trading Card Game. It includes multiple starter decks.

Pros

• Pre-made decks designed to teach rules
• Optimized for a tutorial experience

Cons

• Its cards have special marks and are not tournament legal

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As stated earlier, Pokemon is extremely successful, and has had a powerful impact on popular culture, with its Trading Card Game being one of the most popular in the world, and, while the Pokemon TCG as a whole isn't quite a board game, this special setup absolutely is one!

Designed specifically to educate new players in how to play the Pokemon TCG, this starter set contains beginner's decks and a board allowing you to play through the game. This game plays essentially identically to the TCG itself, so, once you've gotten your practice with this set, you'll be able to apply your experience to the real thing, though this also gives you everything you need to introduce a new player to the game.

FAQ

Is there a Pokemon board game?

As covered in this article, there are quite a few. Many of these are variations on existing games, though some of them are entirely original.

Is there a Pokemon Uno?

Yes, but it's sadly only available in Japanese. This might not be a dealbreaker for some. After all, everyone knows the rules of Uno, and reading isn't part of the game. However, it means you'll probably have to deal with international shipping in order to get your hands on it.