Pokémon: What is PokéRogue and How to Play?

The Pokémon franchise has a history of creating numerous fangames, and PokéRogue is the latest to flip the traditional gameplay on its head. PokéRogue, inspired by the roguelike genre, combines the renowned monster-gathering game with unique new features, resulting in a version of Pokémon that fans had no idea they craved.

PokéRogue is an unofficial fan-made game. It is not for profit and has no affiliation with Game Freak or Nintendo. It can be played here.

What is PokéRogue?

PokéRogue is a Pokémon-themed roguelike game. In other words, it's a permanently re-playable Pokémon game. However, do not expect a complete map or exploration of a new region. PokéRogue is all about climbing floors to the top. Players will finish their run on floor 200, with boss encounters every tenth floor and trainer battles in between.

PokéRogue contains everything that gamers love about Pokémon but in a new format. This is obvious from the get-go, as players choose a starter Pokémon that includes every Pokémon published to date. Initially, players can only choose from the original starters, but they can access each generation's initial trio.

Every time they catch a new Pokémon, it is added to the list of starters they can use in their next run. Every Pokémon is assigned a value ranging from 1 to 9, and players may begin with as many as they wish, as long as the overall value does not exceed 10.

After choosing starters, PokéRogue becomes purely about combat. Each level in the game consists of ten successive battles, some of which are against other trainers, a rival, and even iconic gym leaders from previous games. This is also when players can catch wild Pokémon.

PokéRogue Features

PokéRogue: Egg Gacha

When a player defeats a trainer, they are always awarded in-game money, and the rival grants an Exp share, allowing Pokémon to level up more quickly. When a gym leader is defeated, instead of receiving a badge, the player is given a ticket to use in egg gacha machines.

The Egg Gatcha is probably the most crucial aspect of PokéRogue. After completing specific battles, you will be able to obtain Egg Vouchers. This rare ticket entitles you to play PokéRogue Egg Gatcha. This minigame lets you spend Egg Vouchers to get new Pokémon for your runs. There are four varieties of vouchers that grant varying quantities of pulls.

PokéRogue contains three different varieties of Egg Gatcha Machines. There's the Silver machine, which has a higher probability of learning unusual egg moves. Then there's the Red machine, which offers increased rates for a specific legendary Pokémon (as indicated on the machine). Finally, there is the Shiny Egg machine, which offers higher odds for shiny Pokémon.

 PokéRogue: Shiny and Pokérus Pokémon

Shiny Pokémon in PokéRogue serve more than simply cosmetic purposes. Shiny Pokémon improve the likelihood of discovering better items during your runs. So, as soon as you unlock a shiny Pokémon, make sure to include it in your starting roster.

Pokérus serves a similar function. However, rather than harming things, Pokérus increases the Pokémon's EXP by 1.5 times. Pokémon with Pokérus are highlighted in purple, and their status changes daily. With EXP being so vital in PokéRogue, Pokérus is a valuable asset.

PokéRogue: Pokémon IVs

One aspect of the Pokémon formula is given considerably greater emphasis in PokéRogue than in the original game. IVs, or individual values, determine how a Pokémon's stats alter as it grows. In most games, this is only significant to competitive players, but PokéRogue puts it front and center.

The higher a Pokémon's IVs, the stronger it becomes. To assist the player in obtaining stronger starters, every time they catch a new duplicate of the same Pokémon, the starting version obtains the highest-valued IV the player has encountered thus far.

Pokémon IVs are extremely important in PokéRogue since the player must use the strongest Pokémon to survive. This encourages players to continue collecting Pokémon they've already caught, strengthening the collection aspect of the primary games.

Summary

Even though PokéRogue is an unofficial fan-made game, it has amassed a sizable fanbase, and Game Freak will undoubtedly be paying notice. Fans are attracted by new methods to play their old favorites, and hopefully, official games will integrate lessons learned from their devoted fanbase.