Review
Even though Palworld is still in early access and doesn’t have a set 1.0 release date yet, it is already getting some major crossover content. Late last year, Pocketpair, the developer behind the hit action-adventure game, announced that it would be hosting a Palworld x Terraria collaboration event in 2025. This event, Pocketpair confirmed, will contain new Terraria-themed items, like the already-released Meowmere Sword, as well as some other unannounced content planned for later this year. It’s not exactly clear when the full crossover update will be released, or if it will even be available for free to all players, but the fact that it exists in the first place is a promising sign for future Palworld collaborations.
Since Palworld is already a juggernaut, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Pocketpair hosts more crossover events with other, similar monster-catching games in the future. Although Palworld admittedly has more in common with Ark: Survival Evolved than with titles like Pokemon, it still features many of the elements from the genre. Due to the currently ongoing legal dispute between Pocketpair, Nintendo, and The Pokemon Company, however, the chances of an official Palworld x Pokemon crossover seem very slim. Despite that, there are many monster-catching indie games out there that Pocketpair could choose to collaborate with.
If Pocketpair Wants More Palworld Collaborations, It Has No Shortage of Monster-Catching Games to Choose From
Nexomon is as Close to a High-Quality Pokemon Clone as One Can Get
If there’s one «Pokemon clone» that wouldn’t feel out of place at all in the world of Palworld, it’s Nexomon. Unlike Pocketpair’s hit title, the Nexomon games are very similar to the mainline Pokemon games, from their gameplay loops to their narrative premises. In this series, players assume the role of a Nexomon trainer, who collects adorable monsters to use in battle and has to save the world from evil forces. Despite their seemingly formulaic nature, the Nexomon games have been very well-received so far. Since there’s a new installment in the Nexomon franchise that’s supposed to come out soon, it may be wise for its developers, VEWO Interactive, to collaborate with Pocketpair and add some Nexomon to Palworld.
Yo-Kai Watch May Currently Be Dormant, But it Could Benefit from a Palworld Crossover
Aside from Nexomon, Pocketpair should consider releasing some Yo-Kai Watch-related content for Palworld, as well. Yo-Kai Watch, for those who are not familiar, is a multimedia franchise that was created by the storied Japanese company, Level-5. This series is, much like Pokemon, centered on the quests of a young child who has to fight and befriend various monsters in their town. Yo-Kai Watch was originally a very popular franchise, but the series has largely faded into obscurity in recent years, partly due to the fact that its latest installments have not received international releases. If Level-5 were to make a new mainline Yo-Kai Watch game, then perhaps it could promote it through a crossover with Palworld.
Temtem is a Pokemon-Like MMORPG That Would be Suitable for a Palworld Collab
One other monster-catching title that would be suitable for a Palworld crossover is Temtem. Although Temtem isn’t talked about much these days, it was once one of the most popular Pokemon-likes on the market. Created by the Spanish developer Crema and released in early access on January 21, 2020, the game is a paid MMORPG that features turn-based combat, explorable islands, and a full story campaign. Although Crema has already confirmed that Temtem will no longer receive new content updates, a collaboration event with the game in Palworld could still happen someday.
Cassette Beasts is an Underrated Turn-Based RPG from 2023
A list of great monster-catching indie games for Pocketpair to collaborate with would be incomplete without mentioning Cassette Beasts, a turn-based RPG from Bytten Studios. Cassette Beasts is a tad more unique compared to other Pokemon-likes, as the main protagonist of this game can actually turn into the monsters they collect instead of capturing them. Cassette Beasts was critically acclaimed when it first came out in 2023, and some of the monsters in the game would fit perfectly in a Palworld crossover event.
