Pokémon and Party Games

One area that Pokémon games have not seemingly reached is party games. A few game series have had party games with the same concept - roll dice, move around, play minigames - but there doesn't seem to be any Pokémon games that implement this concept. It is a void that could stand to be filled by a well-crafted party game that could appeal to anyone who is a great Pokémon fan, especially of the games. As I also enjoy party games, this is an idea I would like to see realized.

One concession has to be made in that a Pokémon party game could already exist. That game, or rather games, would be the PokéPark series, for which its gameplay also involves a number of minigames. However, it's not a true party game, for the main mode of play is adventure-based rather than in a board game fashion. The minigames are multiplayer for the most part and can be freely accessed as the adventure unfolds, but there is no alternative manner of accessing the minigames. Thus, someone has to work the adventure portion before the minigames are open for everyone, whereas in a true party game, at least some can be accessed in some kind of a "free play" mode. A true Pokémon party game would have to take this into consideration.

Other considerations would also have to be taken into account. One of these is whether to make the game portable or stationary, either of which has been proven to work for party games. It has come to my attention that the 3DS may be reaching its deprecation, so if the game is made portable, then it would have to be on whatever will succeed the 3DS. If it is made stationary, then it will likely be on the Switch. What kinds of minigames included is another; many party games include those that test actions and reflexes as well as puzzle-solving abilities, so it would be no problem for a Pokémon party game to include these too. Also, certainly not every Pokémon can be included, so selection of representative Pokémon becomes important, perhaps to best suit the included minigames. These are all a part of what would make the game well-crafted.

To realize a Pokémon party game would be a wonderful thing. To be able to enjoy Pokémon in an alternative and more universal manner would translate to lots of fun for those involved, which is likely the point of any party game in general. The great thing about Pokémon is that it can be enjoyed by everyone, so by filling the party game void, this would help achieve that goal while taking the game series into a different territory. It would no doubt further enhance my enjoyment.