Pokémon Quest

Pokémon Quest is a free-to-start spin-off of the Pokémon series, developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo/The Pokémon Company for the Nintendo Switch and smartphone devices. The Nintendo Switch version was released in North America on May 29, 2018, with the rest of the world getting it a day after. The mobile version is planned to be released late June that same year.

The game takes place at the Tumblecube Island, where the environment is cube-shaped and even the Pokémon living there are made out of cubes (called Pokéxels). The player decided to explore the island in order to discover the island's loot. In order to make exploring easier, the player can befriend the Pokémon living there, starting with either Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, Pikachu, or Eevee as their chosen starter. The gameplay involves taking a team of up to three Pokémon into stages where they can explore, fight wild Pokémon, and find treasure. The player's Pokémon move on their own, though the player can manipulate when and what move they can use (otherwise they perform regular attacks on their own as well). Moves have cooldown, however, so it is important to know what move is best used in what situation. A stage consists of a few waves of wild Pokémon to be fought, ending with one boss Pokémon that is tougher compared to the rest. Defeated wild Pokémon drop loot, mostly ingredients that are used for cooking food at the Base Camp to lure more Pokémon to befriend. The player's Pokémon can grow stronger by clearing stages (rewards EXP and allows expanding their Power Charm (equipment slot)) and equipping them with Power Stones (the game's main treasure) which have various effects depending on what kind of Power Stone it is.

As the game is made for smartphones in mind, the game uses primarily touch controls (Joy-Con controls are still usable, provided the player knows what button does what). Also, the game features Microtransactions due to its free-to-start nature, with PM Tickets being the currency that can be bought with real money and useful for various things, like speeding up the cooking process or buying things from Poké Mart. In addition to that, the game has its own DLC shop that allows buying expansion packs and certain Power Stones.


 * Adaptation Distillation: Compared to the main games, only the first 150 Pokémon are available, Pokémon can only have up to two moves (like in the Pokémon Rumble series), Elemental Rock-Paper-Scissors is absent (type-based Geo Effects is implemented instead), and all evolution uses the level-up requirement.
 * Anti-Poopsocking: The game uses a "battery" system (basically the "stamina" system used in most free-to-play mobile games) that is consumed every time the player goes out to explore. It can only be refilled by either waiting for it to recharge, finishing certain quests, or using PM Tickets. The battery has a fixed max amount that can be extended, but only by buying the expansion pack(s).
 * Arbitrary Headcount Limit: Up to three Pokémon can be deployed for explorations.
 * Boss Battle: At the end of a stage, the player will get to fight a boss Pokémon that is tougher than the other wild Pokémon found in the same stage.
 * Cap: Both the player's Pokémon Box and Stone Box are initially capped at 20 each. The player can expand either of them by using PM Tickets, up to 300 max.
 * Character Name Limits: The naming system limits up to 12 characters.
 * Color-Coded Elements: Moves' buttons are colored based on their type.
 * Com Mons: In general, the player can tell that their cooking will more likely attract a Com Mon if the number of expeditions needed is 2, the least number required.
 * Cooldown:
 * If a move is used, the Pokémon using it will go through this for a few seconds before they can use a move again.
 * A defeated ally Pokémon gains a cooldown timer until it revives itself with half health (health recovered upon KO decreases after every subsequent revival in a stage, though).
 * "Everything Is Smashable" Area: Certain scenery objects in stages can be destroyed by Pokémon moves. Doing this can be crucial, as these objects can block Pokémon movement if nothing is done to them.
 * Experience Meter: Each befriended Pokémon has one to measure their progress until the next level-up.
 * Featureless Protagonist: The player character's only presence is their in-game dialogue. They never physically appear in-game.
 * Flunky Boss: If the boss Pokémon is accompanied by other weaker Mons.
 * Friendly Fireproof: Pokémon on the same side cannot damage each other.
 * Gameplay Automation: The player can choose to let the game fully control their deployed Pokémon via the Auto button so that they can unleash moves automatically in combat.
 * Geo Effects: As the game does away with Elemental Rock-Paper-Scissors, every area is given a "Bonus type" designation to boost the power of Pokémon belonging to that type.
 * Glass Cannon: Pokémon with high Attack but low HP.
 * Green Hill Zone: First Steppe is a green area that, as its name suggests, is the first accessible dungeon (and thus an easy dungeon) in the game.
 * Hit Points: One of the two main Pokémon stats in this game.
 * An Interior Designer Is You: The player's Base Camp can be decorated with decorative items obtained from explorations and Poké Mart.
 * Life Meter: Shown during explorations, both player's Pokémon and wild Pokémon.
 * Loads and Loads of Characters: As expected for a monster-collecting game. This game features the entire Kanto roster sans Mew.
 * Microtransactions: The player can buy PM Tickets and special downloadable content with real money.
 * Mythology Gag: Most of the ingredients are based on items found in the main games.
 * Olympus Mons: Yes, Legendaries appear in this game too.
 * Palette Swap: Shiny Pokémon can be found and befriended in this game.
 * Play Every Day: While not exactly every day (it is actually every 22 hours), the game will reward the player with 50 PM Tickets from the Poké Mart daily. A random Pokémon can also show up in the Base Camp every 22 hours as well.
 * Player Mooks: The befriended Pokémon are basically these for the player.
 * Random Drop: Defeated wild Pokémon may drop random loot.
 * Rare Random Drop: Stuff like Power Stones (from non-bosses) and Rainbow Matter are rarer drops from enemies. There is also a rare chance of boss Pokémon dropping Move Stones, a kind of Power Stone that powers up moves.
 * Regenerating Health: The player's Pokémon regenerate a small amount of health every few seconds during explorations.
 * Scratch Damage: The least damage a Pokémon can take if they are durable enough is 1.
 * Stone Wall: Pokémon with high HP but low Attack.
 * Tastes Like Friendship: Befriending new Pokémon requires cooking dishes at the Base Camp.
 * Upgrade Artifact: The Power Stones, which power up a Pokémon equipping them.