Skip to main content
PC Gamer PC Gamer THE GLOBAL AUTHORITY ON PC GAMES
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
flag of UK
UK
flag of US
US
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of Australia
Australia
  • Games
  • Hardware
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Guides
  • Video
  • Forum
  • More
    • PC Gaming Show
    • Software
    • Movies & TV
    • Coupons
    • Magazine
    • Newsletter
    • Community guidelines
    • Affiliate links
    • Meet the team
    • About PC Gamer
PC Gamer Magazine Subscription
PC Gamer Magazine Subscription
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe to the world's #1 PC gaming mag
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$32.49
View
Popular
  • Amazon Prime Day Deals
  • Essential Hardware
  • Microsoft
  • AI
  • PC Gaming Show
Recommended reading
Three Lamballs man mounted machineguns in Palworld.
Platforms Nintendo look away: Palworld and other creature collecting games are cheap on Steam right now
Emma, the protagonist of Beast of Reincarnation, looks at the camera
Action Game Freak reminds us that it's more than Pokémon with Beast of Reincarnation, a 'one-person, one-dog action RPG' about fighting robots and corrupted beasts in post-apocalyptic Japan
Metaphor: ReFantazio character art
RPG Metaphor: ReFantazio did surprisingly well on PC, says director, and that the number of desktop-based JRPG enjoyers is on the rise: 'The trend is evident'
Three Magikarp Pokémon
AI Google AI happens to be really bad at playing Pokémon, repeatedly 'panicking' and taking more than 800 hours to beat the Elite Four
A digimon trainer shoots something out of I don't know what
RPG I don't believe it, but this Digimon RPG really was the best game I saw at SGF
The Pip Boy from the Fallout series being the benevolent hacker he is
Gaming Industry Every videogame showcase is a PC gaming show now
A giant eye in the sky of Palworld for its Terraria crossover update Tides of Terraria
Survival & Crafting Nintendo's lawsuit isn't slowing Palworld down as it prepares for a summer collab with Terraria
  1. Games

Pokémon X/Y alternatives you can play on your PC right now

Features
By Nick Pino published 16 October 2013

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Minecraft 3

Minecraft 3

Page 1 of 12
Page 1 of 12
PCmon!

PCmon!

For Pokémon fans around the world, this weekend’s introduction of the sixth generation of games, Pokémon X and Y, was big. But just because Nintendo handheld owners got two new Pokémon games doesn’t mean that the rest of us have to wallow in the shadows while they soak up the sun—we’re PC gamers! We have dozens of monster-culling options that capture the feel of Game Freak’s prodigious franchise, and it doesn’t take a Pokémon Professor to see that you don’t need a console to catch ’em all.

Without further Bidoof, here‘s 10 games you can play to get that Pokémon experience without ever having to leave your keyboard and mouse behind.

Page 2 of 12
Page 2 of 12
Minecraft Pixelmon Mod

Minecraft Pixelmon Mod

Minecraft and Pokémon go together like peanut butter and marshmallow fluff—two superb standalones that, when combined, meld into a sickeningly sweet amalgamate. The Pixelmon mod allows Minecrafters to discover, catch, and train 180 different species from the monster-collecting series all while exploring the biomes of Mojang’s open world.

What makes Pixelmon stand blocks above the competition, though, is the team’s commitment to updates, with new Pokémon, items, and skins dropping every week or two.

How much does it cost? The mod is free; Minecraft can be downloaded from Minecraft.net for $27.

Link: http://pixelmonmod.com/blog/

Page 3 of 12
Page 3 of 12
Skyrim (DJSuperGenius’ Pokémon in Skyrim Mod)

Skyrim (DJSuperGenius’ Pokémon in Skyrim Mod)

Some slick coding by DJSuperGenius satiates that sick urge we’ve had since our youth, finally allowing us to catch Charizard-hued dragons and Pikachu-tone Skeevers and release them into an unwitting town. You can catch up to six minions at a time using a unique summoning spell and, once your Nintendo-inspired beasts start running low on health, you can return them to their red-and-white colored homes. Though the mod only sports 13 of the reimagined monsters, it’s an actually entertaining—if somewhat short-lived—batch of content.

How much does it cost? It’s free! (But a few too many glitches means you get what you pay for.)

Link: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=154083704

Page 4 of 12
Page 4 of 12
World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria—Pet Battles

World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria—Pet Battles

We could discuss the merits of Mists all day. Did the expansion re-ignite the fire in players’ hearts? Debatable. What I can say for sure is that Mists introduced the greatest meta-game in the history of the franchise.

Pet battles are Blizzard’s unabashed riffs on Japan’s largest monster export, and while it sounds like a feature-adding gimmick, it’s anything but. These battles are surprisingly deep and strategic, pitting Azeroth’s ambient animals in fight-to-the-death scenarios. They’re fun, engaging, and add one more reason to keep grinding away day after day.

How much does it cost? $40, but you’ll also need Wrath of the Lich King, The Burning Crusade, Cataclysm, and original World of Warcraft to play.

Link: http://us.blizzard.com/en-us/games/mists/

Page 5 of 12
Page 5 of 12
UnovaRPG

UnovaRPG

UnovaRPG is basically Pokémon Online, but without all of the fantastic visuals, tender training tutorials, and feel-good storyline. You can find dozens of these knock-offs in the dark reaches of the internet (MonsterMMORPG, PokéMMO, DelugeRPG, just to name a few). Direct copyright infringement is the sincerest form of flattery, right?

UnovaRPG and its half-dozen clones aren’t for the uninitiated in Pokéballs and monster battles—this is a bare bones version of Game Freak’s fiscal nest egg that has been built from the bottom up for a hardcore crowd and lacks a certain, uh, finesse, that its handheld progenitor has. Still, there’s no better way to get a quick fix of Nintendo’s monster-infested franchise.

How much does it cost? Free with registration.

Link: http://www.unovarpg.com/

Page 6 of 12
Page 6 of 12
Spore Creature Creator

Spore Creature Creator

Will Wright, you brilliant, brilliant man, you. You built a game that not only let us re-create the monsters that we love in the finest detail, but used your world-crafting powers to allow us to form a city-state of Charizards and eventually send them into the farthest reaches of space to kill, maim, and capture every citizen of the known universe. You sly dog.

Want all of Pokémon’s eponymous monsters the minute you boot up the game? Search Spore’s user-created content page, Sporepedia, for your favorite pokémon.

How much does it cost? $20

Link: http://www.spore.com/

Page 7 of 12
Page 7 of 12
Pokémon Trading Card Game Online

Pokémon Trading Card Game Online

If you only try one game on this list, make it Pokémon Trading Card Game Online. This surprisingly brisk card battling game, based off those ’90s-era relics collecting dust in your attic, is a wildly entertaining strategy CCG that rivals Magic 2014 in its ability to engage and delight.

My only real qualms with the nostalgia-inducing card battler revolve around the lack of available modes for non-paying players and lack of diversity to the game’s starting decks, which realistically, I’m hard-pressed to disqualify the game for. If you have a younger brother/sister /son/daughter lying around who plays CCGs, PTCGO might be a great gateway for them into PC gaming.

How much does it cost? It’s free to try, but cards are obtained from real-world booster packs that cost $4.99 each.

Link: http://www.pokemontcg.com/

Page 8 of 12
Page 8 of 12
Penny Arcade’s On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness: Episode 4

Penny Arcade’s On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness: Episode 4

OK, I’ll admit, On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness series wasn’t perfect. But after investing three episodes worth of time into the tetralogy, it’s hard to stop cold turkey. Episode 4 vastly improved the turn-based role-playing mechanics of the third entry, Poké-fying them to perfection. Tossing Gabe, Tycho, and the ineffectual antagonist Dr. Blood into the cartoonish Underhell served as the perfect plot device to integrate PA’s misguided mythos with an outlandish, faux-Pokémon training mechanic.

While PAOtRSPoD:Ep4 may not be as mechanically sound as Game Freak’s monster collector is, it’s a hell of a lot funnier.

How much does it cost? $5

Link: http://www.rainslick.com/

Page 9 of 12
Page 9 of 12
Mystic Guardians

Mystic Guardians

Why Mystic Guardians? ‘Cause it wouldn’t be a list of offshoots for the ’90s’ most fiscally profitable game if it didn’t include one Facebook cash-in attempt. That said, Mystic Guardians is the best micro-transaction fueled rip-off this side of the iPhone’s Tiny Monsters. You’ll train “Guardians” (read: Pokémon), go to “Guardian Centers” (Read: Pokémon Centers), “collect badges from local gym leaders” (Read: Wait. Seriously?), all while enduring the friends’ and peers’ judgment when your Mystic Guardians activity pops up on their news feeds.

This level of blatant plagiarism and complete disregard for another developer’s work is impressive. I tip my hat to you, Mystic Guardians. Now where’d I leave my wallet?

How much does it cost? Nothing! (Other than your dignity.)

Link: https://apps.facebook.com/guardians/

Page 10 of 12
Page 10 of 12
Pokémon Tower Defense

Pokémon Tower Defense

So far this list has covered the monster-collecting portion of Pokémon almost exclusively. “What about the gratifying strategy section of the series that I like so much?” you ask.

Do yourself a favor and check out Pokémon Tower Defense. The perfect silver bullet for boredom, this tower defense game has you leveling up your defenders and upgrading skillsets, all while growing your stationary monster militia. It may not beat Pokémon Conquest as a strategy game, but for a Pokémon-inspired tower defense game it can’t be beat. Not that there’s much competition in that category.

How much does it cost? Free!

Link: http://samdangames.blogspot.com/p/play-ptd_16.html

Page 11 of 12
Page 11 of 12
Digimon Masters

Digimon Masters

It’s time we admit it: Pokémon won the great monster war of the ’90s. But just because Pokémon gets a new game every two years and Digimon hasn’t been relevant since before Black Eyed Peas was “the next big thing” doesn’t mean you should count it out.

And, thanks to Korean developer Joymax, the series based around building bonds of friendship, rooting for the underdog, and whatever the hell this thing is, will keep fighting the good fight. You’ll tame monsters, form parties, and generally lose your life to the Digimon-skinned version of World of Warcraft. Just don’t play it so much that you turn into <a href="http://digimon.wikia.com/wiki/Numemon"one of these.

How much does it cost? Free-to-play

Link: http://www.joymax.com/dmo/

Page 12 of 12
Page 12 of 12
PRODUCTS
Minecraft Spore The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim World of Warcraft
Nick Pino
Read more
Three Lamballs man mounted machineguns in Palworld.
Nintendo look away: Palworld and other creature collecting games are cheap on Steam right now
Emma, the protagonist of Beast of Reincarnation, looks at the camera
Game Freak reminds us that it's more than Pokémon with Beast of Reincarnation, a 'one-person, one-dog action RPG' about fighting robots and corrupted beasts in post-apocalyptic Japan
Metaphor: ReFantazio character art
Metaphor: ReFantazio did surprisingly well on PC, says director, and that the number of desktop-based JRPG enjoyers is on the rise: 'The trend is evident'
Three Magikarp Pokémon
Google AI happens to be really bad at playing Pokémon, repeatedly 'panicking' and taking more than 800 hours to beat the Elite Four
A digimon trainer shoots something out of I don&#039;t know what
I don't believe it, but this Digimon RPG really was the best game I saw at SGF
The Pip Boy from the Fallout series being the benevolent hacker he is
Every videogame showcase is a PC gaming show now
Latest in Games
Exo throws an identity disc in the key art for Tron: Catalyst.
John Wick Hex and Tron Catalyst dev Mike Bithell thinks licensed games have evolved past 'lunchbox tie-ins' because 'the people who played licensed games are now bosses in the companies that are licensing IP'
A trio of dwarves descend into the depths in the Dwarf Fortress key art.
After 15 years of busted marksdwarves, Dwarf Fortress creator Tarn Adams says archers will finally refill their ammo 'instead of leaping over walls and clubbing people with their crossbows'
Lord of the Rings Online &#039;Great Hobbit Run&#039; standing before the fires of Mount Doom
After 3 years of trying, Lord of the Rings Online's 'Great Hobbit Run' ends in confused success as a mob of low-level players gets lost inside Mount Doom and decides it's close enough: 'Sauron can kiss my butt!'
The newly elected Pope Leo waves to the Vatican crowd.
The Pope got gifted one Pokémon card, signed another, and thought it was all a great laugh: 'He began showing it off to the guards'
A Space Invaders cabinet seen from the side in Croatia.
Space Invaders creator recalls building arcade games with mirrors, making a prototype console that never saw release, and how short-sighted Taito's sales team was about videogames: 'These things will never sell'
Copper armour and weapons
Minecraft Copper Golem: All the key details about the game's next companion
Latest in Features
Best pink and purple gaming setup goodies this Amazon Prime Day
I've decided black and red gaming rigs are mega boring so let me brighten up your setups with some of the best deals on monochromatic pinks and purple peripherals instead
A cyberpunk city with the PC Gamer logo
This brilliant dark and moody cyberpunk city builder is my kind of cosy game—and for less than $7 you might as well see if it's yours too
Phoenix screenshot
Marvel Rivals' next hero is the complete package, as Phoenix packs enough firepower to cut through any Strategist backline
Marvel Rivals Season 3 quality of life changes: An upper-body shot of Phoenix glowing as she flies forward.
Marvel Rivals' most exciting change in Season 3 is removing the need to grind the game every single day
Three people holding guns
15 hidden gems in the Steam Summer Sale you've still got time to grab
Vault Boy jumping back in surprise as he looks at a malfunctioning monitor.
OLED burn-in anxiety will ruin my sanity long before it ruins my monitor
  1. Nvidia RTX 5090 and XFX RX 9070 graphics cards
    1
    Best graphics cards in 2025: I've tested pretty much every AMD and Nvidia GPU of the past 20 years and these are today's top cards
  2. 2
    Best gaming laptop in 2025: I've put the best of this new generation head-to-head and we have a winner
  3. 3
    Best gaming chair in 2025: I've tested a ton of gaming chairs and these are the seats I'd suggest for any PC gamer
  4. 4
    Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads
  5. 5
    Best graphics card for laptops in 2025: the mobile GPUs I'd want in my next gaming laptop
  1. An NZXT N7 Z890 motherboard on a desk with port covers removed.
    1
    NZXT N7 Z890 review
  2. 2
    NZXT N9 X870E review
  3. 3
    NZXT N9 Z890 review
  4. 4
    Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 review
  5. 5
    Razer Joro & Basilisk Mobile review

PC Gamer is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...