Developer Game Freak has been known to dabble in projects outside of the Pokémon franchise, producing the likes of the excellent Pocket Card Jockey and Little Town Hero, and now it's just launched a new mobile game called Pand Land (thanks, Siliconera). If you remember, the company filed trademarks for the title at the start of the year, but we weren't too sure what it was all about at the time.
Although there's no word on a worldside release at the time of writing, Pand Land is available via Android and iOS in Japan. Described as a casual marine adventure RPG, you travel the lands with your crew to collect various bits of treasure. Boasting some rather charming voxel-based visuals, you'll also explore dangerous dungeons and can tackle the game either on your own or with friends.
Speaking via the official announcement from collaborator Wonder Planet, Yuji Saito, Director of Development 1 at Game Freak, stated, "We've been working hard to create a game that takes the scale of a console game and makes it easy and simple to play. It was a difficult challenge for us alone, but by borrowing the help of Wonder Planet, which has a proven track record in mobile games, we were able to make this announcement."
It looks like quite the departure from what we're used to seeing from Game Freak, but then the studio has always proven its chops when it's not bogged down by the Pokémon franchise. Hopefully, Pand Land will get a worldwide release in the near future - we'd love to try it out.
What do you make of Pand Land's debut trailer? Leave a comment down below - you're just not allowed to saw the words "it", "already", "looks", "better", "than", "Scarlet", "and", "Violet". Thanks.
[source wonderpla.net, via siliconera.com]
Comments 34
The last non-Pokemon game I recall from GF was "Tembo the Bada** Elephant".
Had a blast.
Nice to finally see what Pand Land is - not sure I'd play it myself even if it came outside of Japan and certainly less so if it didn't eventually come to Switch and/or its successor, but I have to say that I'm a fan of the human characters' designs although that's to be expected considering it's Game Freak and hilarious that the models are à la Pokémon Quest!
How about "Appears superior to the last mainline Pokemon entries" ?
I jest. But I do like it when GF release non Pokemon titlens. HarmoKnight on 3DS was great!
Hmmm, ** sure ***** pretty neat *******, and Game Freak makes a lot of quality stuff not themed around mons in general, but I'm curbing my enthusiasm until at least a western server (I refuse to call a handful of countries "a global release"😏) is announced.
Game Freak: I see your Palworld and raise you a Pand Land.
It's literally just Pokemon Quest
@DripDropCop146
Yeah I would love a chance to play that one.
Sales pitch:
Lego Windwaker built using the Pokemon Quest game engine.
The more I watched of the vid the less I understood b/c I can't understand or read Japanese but it did seem a bit more multiplayer focused like Minecraft so if they made a game combining the multiplayer online fun of Minecraft w/ Windwaker and that square voxel look that's enough different inspiration for me to give them credit that it isn't just a knock-off, it's a knock-off fusion, which takes some effort.
I probably would have played it for free on 3DS a decade ago.
Huh? Sure I’ll give it a try if it goes global.
Alright then, I'll say "I'm worried this stole resources from another, more popular franchise that could seriously use them right now."
Of course, that's not a huge deal if this game does well in its own right
I imagine the fact this was co-developed with another studio means it wasn't a significant drain on Game Freak's resources
I went to Pandland at the weekend, got some bargains!
They might want to change that semi-swastika symbol for an international release, if it is in fact in the game.
Oops, I said "it."
Love when GF makes other games.
Looks like it might be decent. Will give it a go if it releases globally.
@Thomystic If you are talking about the symbols on the sails, then you need to get your eyes check, it does not look like that certain symbol. Edit: Unless you are talking about at 1:10? Well I don't think that is part of the game? Plus those are different symbols.
Still just gonna wait for Cassette Beasts to come to mobile. Got delayed recently unfortunately.
@Thomystic Uhh what? You seem to be one of those types that wakes up with the goal of "how can I find something ridiculous to be offended by today?".
The video has a strong Pokemon Quest vibe. I enjoyed the game. I think I finished it too. Not sure I'm ready to play that kind of game again.
Game freak really hates Pokemon don't they? Looks like a free to start game that already had pokemon.
@Tayrailbridge exactly! That's the one.
@IceEarthGuard Yeah, the ones at 1:10. I do see that there are different ones though upon pausing. I assume their graphic transitions are based on the game's iconography. I suppose if these are only hieroglyphs seen in-game in the context of a language, like those from Kirby and the Forgotten Land, then people wouldn't see them that way.
I just hope this isn't another example like them cancelling Pokemon Z for one of their titles, and it wasn't a great game, so makes less money than what Pokemon Z might have been able to make. If it is great and it didn't take away from any Pokemon game in development, then I support it 100%
@rjejr I think we will absolutely see a LEGO Nintendo game in the future. They already have a strong presence on Switch and in stores with Nintendo Legos.
Not sure it will keep its name if it comes to the UK considering 'pand land' is literally how we pronounce the name of the shop 'Poundland' in London
@Dang_69 Nintendo probably feels like a Lego game would
"cheapen the brand" otherwise we should have seen one by now. Maybe "Mario movie 2" will get one? I think Nintendo just doesn't want it though, they like making their own games. Lego blocks are different, Labo didn't work out so well for Nintendo, but video games are Nintendo's domain.
They probably would sell a lot though.
The FMV for the title looks good but the gameplay looks terrible.
@rjejr I disagree - I feel like Lego working with a Nintendo up is no different than Ubisoft doing it. Also the Lego brand holds a level of respect and prestige...they're sort of the Nintendo of toys as far as respect and all ages enjoyment goes (and remember Nintendo was a toy company and still have that in their DNA) and they have a strong relationship with each other with how well all the Nintendo retail logos are going (insaneeeee in Target how many there are now). When I saw the Lego Horizon game I was like...we are absolutely getting from Lego and Nintendo as a game in the future. If they did a Nintendo IP crossover game it'd be HUGE to all ages and be a big deal. Imagine a Nintendo Lego City.
Who did they make this for?
Looks like they are very fond of the Pokemon Quest art style after all.
From what I’ve heard, although they didn’t continue supporting Quest elsewhere, it seems like it is still popular and receiving new content regularly in China, so I think it makes sense for them to experiment further with the style.
@Dang_69 Well if all that you said is true, and Lego has been around for like 100 years and Nintendo has been making games for like 30 years and there have been Lego games for like 30 years then why haven't we had a Lego Nintendo game yet?
The answer to the question - why haven't we gotten one yet - is probably why we won't. 🤷♂️
@rjejr they never had the relationship before that they do now. They never did Legos before a few years ago. I bet we get a Lego Mario game the year the next Mario movie comes out. I'd bet money on it.
@Dang_69 Mario movie 2 timed w/ a Mario Lego game makes sense, and would make them all a lot of money, but I still think Nintendo could just put out it's own Mario game based on the movie, maybe call it "Movie Mario" in a similar vein to "Paper Mario", and keep all the money for themselves.
Sony puts a few of it's games on Microsoft and Nintendo consoles, Microsoft puts a few of it's games on Nintendo and Sony consoles, Nintendo puts a few of it's games on their own consoles and mobile, but the mobile stuff isn't it's real games. If Nintendo wants to make a Mario Lego game, or Lego Mario game, then Mario will be on Sony and Microsoft consoles, and I really don't think Nintendo wants that. If they did, if could have happened already a long time ago.
Is the Minecraft Mario stuff on Switch even on other consoles? No, it isn't. Nintendo somehow managed to make a theme pack for a Microsoft owned Minecraft game that is only available on Nintendo consoles, nto even available on PC. If Nintendo can be that strict w/ a Microsoft game I'm nto sure it will let a Lego Mario game on other consoles. And if not, Lego may nto want to bother.
https://minecraft-archive.fandom.com/wiki/Super_Mario_Mash-Up_Pack
@rjejr if Lego made a Mario in partnership with Nintendo there is no reason to think it'd be contingent on being on non Nintendo platforms. If you're thinking of this because of the Lego Horizon game that's a different situation. As far as Sony goes...the Horizon ip doesn't have the clout of a Mario so I'm sure they're thinking that worse case scenario they might grow the audience for the IP a bit. Legos audience is young so they prob pushed for that Horizon being on a Nintendo console as well so they'd maximize profits. Lego doesn't have that issue on a Nintendo console. Even Lego City was a WiiU exclusive for a time. And that console was a failure. The more I think about it the more sure I am this will happen.
@Dang_69 "The more I think about it the more sure I am this will happen."
I hope you're right, would be nice to play on my PS5, but I'm done thinking about it b/c I've already convinced myself it won't happen, Nintendo doesn't need Lego to make a game for them, they can make it themselves. Paper Mario, soccer Mario, Party Mario, 2D Mario, 3D Mario, Mario Kart, Mario Run. If they want to make "toy block" Mario they can do that too. They already made games based on real cardboard, why not fake blocks?
And if it is Switch or Switch 2 exclusive I'd buy it on there too, unless it's like Minecraft or Mario Maker, not my thing. Now I'm talking myself out of it even if they do make it. 😂
Tap here to load 34 comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...