If you’ve finished the latest Pokémon game and still want more–or you just simply can’t get enough of those adorable pocket monsters–then I’ve got two fan-made projects worth checking out. They scratch two very different Pokémon itches, and both are free to play:
Pokémon Showdown: All killer, no filler
Pokémon Showdown lets you jump straight into battles with other users online. Although total noobs like me can improve by spectating matches between highly ranked players.
Sam Singleton
Pokémon Showdown is the place to go if you love battling. It skips the hours of wandering around, catching, and training. Instead, it drops you straight into competitive matches. You can build a team in minutes, test different move sets, or jump into Random Battles where both players receive a balanced team of six Pokémon. It’s browser-based, so there’s nothing to install, and it’s become one of the most popular tools for learning competitive play thanks to its ranked ladders, battle replays, and huge range of battle formats.
PokeMMO: Your childhood Pokémon games, now with multiplayer
PokeMMO lets you play the classic games across six of the most famous regions along with all of your online friends.
PokeMMO
If you’d rather relive the classic Pokémon adventure with other players, give PokeMMO a try. It turns several of the older Pokémon games (FireRed, Emerald, Platinum, Black/White, and HeartGold/Soul Silver) into one shared online world. You’ll see other trainers exploring the map, battling Gym Leaders, trading Pokémon, and taking on tougher endgame content together. It adds meaningful challenges and quality-of-life improvements over the original versions, while keeping the same feel of those games intact.
While both games appeal to fans in different ways, I actually think they complement one another. You can use PokeMMO when you want the full journey from your starter Pokémon to the Elite Four. Then you can hop into Pokémon Showdown when you want to sharpen your battle skills, try new strategies, or experiment with a team before raising it in a game.
Whether you’re chasing ranked wins or just looking for another excuse to catch ’em all, these two projects are a fan’s dream.
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