Pokemonhas experimented with several spin-offs over the years outside of the series' typical design, and there is one clear area that could be examined next. In addition to thePokemonseries' traditional battling, players have been granted the chance to be Pokemon photographers, Pokemon rangers, and even control Pokemon themselves. While the main series games have continued their usual trade, the prevalence of these spin-offs shows how much Nintendo is willing to experiment with one of their biggest properties. In fact, there is one aspect that has been there since th beginning, but never explored.
Ever since the original release ofPokemon Snapon the Nintendo 64, the series has occasionally released games that put the player in a role other than that of a trainer trying to be the best. In some, likePokemon Snap, there aren’t even any battles despite that beingPokemon’s most prominent mechanic in the mainline series. Despite that, many of these spin-offs have proven to be successful, or at the very least garnered dedicated fanbases of their own.Pokemonhas managed to create high-quality games even outside its usual genre. For that reason, it wouldn’t be unsurprising to see it further out of its comfort zone.
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A Pokemon Medical Drama Could Make For An Intriguing Spin-off
One constant since the beginning of the series has been Pokemon Centers. Even in themost difficult ofPokemonchallenges,they completely heal players' Pokemon free of charge, making them invaluable in every game. Despite how vital they are to the series, Pokemon Centers have never received much attention. They have never been explored beyond being the place where players can get their Pokemon healed up. There’s undoubtedly a lot of interesting stories regarding the lives of Pokemon nurses and doctors, and at least one fan game has explored the concept. With a full-fledged title, Nintendo could tackle a side ofPokemonthat players have yet to experience in detail.
Obviously, a game focusing on the nurses of thePokemonworld would require a significant genre change, butPokemon’s many spin-offsover the years have changed genre before and performed well regardless. APokemonmedical game would have a pool of potential options. A visual novel presentation would work in terms of detailing the story, especially with the more serious tone and the sorts of cases that would need explanation. In addition, puzzle elements would also make sense when it came to diagnosis and treatment. This would lead to a more slow-paced but highly logic-basedPokemongame, which would be a necessary decision considering the medical theme
APokemongame based on nurses would also be likely to be more mature than most games related to the series. Although it would be a risk,Pokemon Colosseumon the Gamecubewas a darker story than usual for the series, and it remains as one of the series' more well-regarded spin-offs. In addition, other series have managed to pull off a similar shift, such asDigimonwith theCyber SleuthandDigimon Survivegames. A medical mysteryPokemongame could not only be a new experience for older fans, but something that could draw those who don’t normally playPokemongames as well.
APokemongame based on medicine would be a far cry from anything else that the series has done, but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have potential. If there is one thing thatPokemon Snapgetting a sequelproved, it’s thatPokemongames don’t need to stick to the established formula to be successful. A more mature spin-off that takes on a completely different genre would make for an interesting entry to the series, and could prove a surprise success.
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