Pokemon Needs to Expand Into This Genre More Than Any Other

The Pokemon franchise has spent the last decade proving it can succeed far beyond traditional turn-based RPGs. Pokemon GO became a global phenomenon by blending augmented reality with monster collecting. Pokemon Unite brought the series into the multiplayer online battle arena space. But nothing has proven how adaptable the series can be like Pokemon Legends: Arceus and Pokemon Legends: Z-A, which majorly shook up how fans could play the game. That willingness to experiment has helped Pokemon remain one of Nintendo’s biggest brands, especially as player expectations continue evolving on modern hardware like the Switch and Switch 2.

One genre still feels like a perfect fit that Nintendo and The Pokemon Company have not officially explored, and I find it hard to believe. Roguelike games have grown into one of the biggest genres, yet there is no roguelike Pokemon game. Randomized routes, unpredictable team building, high-risk battles, and run-based progression align naturally with what already makes the series addictive. At a time when roguelikes like Hades 2 are thriving and drawing huge audiences, an official Pokemon roguelike could become one of the franchise’s smartest expansions yet, especially on the Switch 2.

A Roguelike Pokemon Game Could Fit the Series Perfectly

The biggest reason a roguelike format works for Pokemon is replayability. Mainline Pokemon games are already built around team experimentation and adapting to unexpected encounters. A roguelike structure would amplify those strengths by forcing players to build teams from randomized catches, temporary upgrades, and difficult choices during each run. Every playthrough could feel completely different depending on which Pokemon appear and which trainers or bosses block the path forward.

That unpredictability is exactly what makes successful roguelikes so compelling. Games like Hades, Slay the Spire, and Dead Cells thrive because no run plays the same way twice. Players return again and again to test new strategies and discover better combinations. Pokemon already has more than one thousand creatures, hundreds of moves, and countless ability interactions. That amount of variety gives the franchise an enormous foundation for roguelike systems without needing to reinvent its core combat.

I still do challenge runs in older Pokemon games with friends, where we limit catches or randomized teams. Those self-imposed rules often created more tension than the official campaigns. Suddenly, weak or overlooked Pokemon became essential tools. A roguelike format could capture that same energy in an official release. Whether Nintendo designed it around dungeon exploration, online battles, or a story-driven adventure, the structure naturally fits the franchise. With the continued experimentation of the series, this seems like an easy win.

ROM Hacks Have Already Proven Pokemon Roguelikes Can Work

Fan creators have spent years experimenting with new directions for Pokemon, but few projects have generated as much attention as Pokemon Rogue. The fan-made ROM hack combines traditional Pokemon battling with roguelike progression systems, randomized routes, and constantly changing encounters. Its popularity across YouTube, Twitch, and online forums shows that players are hungry for this style of experience. My own time with the game has made me desperate for an official version on the Nintendo Switch.

What makes Pokemon Rogue so interesting is how naturally the format complements the original games. Players build teams over the course of randomized runs while balancing resources, healing items, and difficult battle decisions. Losing carries real consequences because progress resets, creating tension that many recent official Pokemon games lack. Modern Pokemon games are often criticized for low difficulty, but roguelike mechanics create challenge organically without needing unfair enemy advantages.

ROM hacks have historically acted as testing grounds for ideas and dream games for fans. Fans experimented with open-world concepts long before Pokemon Legends: Arceus. Difficulty hacks and competitive balancing changes have also influenced broader conversations around the series for years. The success of indie roguelikes also strengthens the argument, and the genre has found major success on the Nintendo Switch. An official Pokemon roguelike launching on Switch 2 would enter a market that is already enthusiastic about the format.

A Roguelike Mode Could Make Pokemon Champions Even Better

Many others and I have been obsessed with Pokemon Champions, the new battle-focused title centered around competitive play. It has become the premier online Pokemon game, but it is missing good offline single-player content. The Battle Frontier showed how important this is in Pokemon Emerald, yet there is nothing to pull fans of this content into the game. That makes it an ideal place to experiment with roguelike systems without replacing the structure of the main RPG series.

A roguelike mode inside Pokemon Champions could add variety far beyond standard ranked battles. Randomized battles where you can make upgrades, get new Pokemon, and more would be incredible. It would create a fresh experience every single time while still using familiar battle mechanics that competitive fans already understand. And with the naturally changing roster, each season could introduce new Pokemon to the mode, keeping players on their toes. Plus, swapping gimmicks would further increase the roguelike challenge.

This kind of mode could also help newer players ease into competitive battling. One of the biggest barriers in modern Pokemon is the intimidating knowledge gap surrounding optimized teams, move sets, and stat training. Roguelike progression reduces some of that pressure because adaptation matters more than pre-planned perfection. Players would learn strategy organically through randomized scenarios instead of memorizing rigid competitive metas.

Nintendo has spent years expanding Pokemon into new types of games with major success. The next logical step feels obvious. A roguelike Pokemon game could combine replayability, strategy, challenge, and experimentation in ways the series has only scratched at before. Whether it becomes a full standalone game or a mode inside Pokemon Champions, the potential is enormous. Nintendo has already shown it is willing to push the franchise into new territory. Now it just needs to embrace one of the biggest and fastest-growing genres.

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