The two biggest franchises in the creature collector genre are Pokémon and Digimon, and it can be tough to determine which one of them is better. Each of them has their own dedicated fan base and has enjoyed great success for approximately 20 years. The next Pokémon games, Scarlet and Violet, are together one of the biggest RPGs releasing in 2022, on November 18, but the next Digimon title is up in the air after the release of Digimon Survive on July 28.
Both the Pokémon and Digimon game series allow players to explore a fantastical world full of creatures that they can capture, raise, and battle, but the two franchises are vastly different. In Pokémon, the monsters that Trainers capture are a part of everyday life, and there's almost nowhere in the public or private sector that they cannot be found. In the Digimon games, on the other hand, Digital Monsters are usually a secret to the world at large, are only partnered with a select few, and are primarily found within their own world, aptly named the Digital World. In addition to their themes, there are many more differences between Pokémon and Digimon, including their features and gameplay.
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Both Pokémon and Digimon have their own strengths and weaknesses. Whether they outweigh each other can be a matter of opinion, as many fans value different things in video games. Going purely by their pros and cons, however, one clearly comes out on top. It's possible that the other will surpass them in future games, however, and hopefully both will only improve as time goes on.
Pokémon's Pros & Cons
One of Pokémon's biggest upsides is its regular game release schedule. The mainline series tends to release a game every year, with a pattern of remakes of previous games in-between new Generations. The games are also much more relaxing and calm than Digimon, as their art style and monster designs are more cutesy than the sometimes grim or disturbing-looking Digital World and the monsters that inhabit it. In addition, Pokémon has a number of spin-off games that serve to give the series more diversity. It also does a better job of helping players connect with their monsters by displaying levels of affection and partnership in tangible ways instead of just as a meter that affects which forms Digimon can evolve into.
On the other hand, Pokémon also has its downsides, the biggest of which is its reluctance to innovate. The mainline series has used the same basic framework for a very long time, and although Legends: Arceus helped to introduce new features and story elements, the repetition still harmed the series. Pokémon's monster designs also aren't always the best despite being gentler than Digimon's, as monsters like Garbodor prove. In addition, the frequent releases sometimes lead to an issue of quantity over quality, and the mainline series tends to leave behind popular features like Mega Evolution and Follower Pokémon, replacing them with lazy Pokémon gimmicks like SV's Terastallizing. The double versions of each Generation are also somewhat obnoxious, especially since many Pokémon are exclusive to one version or another.
Digimon's Pros & Cons
Digimon's strengths include a wider variety of monsters, with approximately 1400 Digital Monsters as opposed to the roughly 1000 Pocket Monsters Pokémon has, if the rumored 105 new ones in the upcoming Scarlet and Violet are included. Digimon games are also more mature and don't limit themselves as much to being kid-friendly. There are more evolutionary stages in a Digimon's life cycle than in a Pokémon's, giving players more to work towards, and since they can regress and progress them as much as they wish, they have more customization. In addition, many games give players Digimon by having them gather their "Scan Data" and using it to synthesize them in a lab, instead of using a frustrating random chance mechanic like Pokémon's Poké Balls, some of which are useless outside of niche situations.
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Some of Digimon's downsides include overly-dark moments, which are exemplified in Digimon Survive, where character mortality is an element (though this could be seen as a strong point for some players). Another is that the series wastes one of its best opportunities to let players bond with their monsters; Digimon being capable of speech seems like it should lead to a strong bond, but the games don't usually offer ways to easily communicate with players' partners. Some of Digimon's evolutionary lines are also somewhat ridiculous, such as when Patamon, a small guinea pig-like monster, transforms into Angemon, an angel. Other flaws include annoying mechanics in some games, such as Digimon World: Next Order, where the player's partners have finite lifespans that frequently regress them back to their weakest stages automatically, and the ABI stat in Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth that forces players to repeatedly regress their Digimon in order to achieve strong forms.
Pokémon Is Better Than Digimon
Overall, despite some of the Pokémon series' tiring trends and stories, it wins out over Digimon. Pokémon has long enjoyed much more success, and seems to be committing to fixing its faults with its recent games; in addition to the innovations that Legends: Arceus introduced, Scarlet and Violet will feature a completely open world along with three separate storylines as opposed to the rigid maps and repetitive stories of past games. A new regional gimmick every Generation can be frustrating, especially when it means that good ones get left behind, but they're at least a sign that the series is experimenting, and there's always the possibility of Mega Evolution and other popular features coming back in future games. Pokémon designs have also been improving, as SV monsters like the popular Lechonk and Fidough have proven.
There are a few ways that Digimon could improve itself to try and match up to Pokémon and its best story and game moments. Fixing its flaws by toning down its dark moments, releasing games more regularly - perhaps every other year - and giving players more chances to bond with their Digimon could be a good start. Another good way is to follow Pokémon's example by introducing more open worlds and character customization features. It could also pay more attention to Digimon that have gone neglected in most games, such as Bearmon, Kotemon, and Monmon. Since many existing Digimon are simply palette swaps of others, or are stages too low to be of sustained use, it could also do with some new monsters, as well. Both franchises have their own appeal, and there's plenty of opportunity for both to improve, but Digimon simply can't compare to Pokémon as-is.
