If you're a Pokemon fan, you've probably played a range of titles in the long-running series. From Red and Blue to Sword and Shield, 20 years of continued releases has resulted in quite the library to pay through. However, you'll eventually run out of official content.
When all else is lost, turn to the fans. Are you aware of the wide assortment of fantastic fan games to immerse yourself in? To take things further are you aware that you can play a lot of those games on your Android smartphone? If this has blown your mind like a Psyduck trying to solve a basic mathematical equation, worry not, we can help.
Here is what you need to know.
What Are Pokemon Fan Games?
As opposed to the officially licensed Pokemon games, fan games are created by fans of the franchise, who want to put their own spin on things. Some titles recreate events from the long-running anime, others attempt to create more mature storylines that Game Freak dare not attempt. However, until recently, these were only available on PC.
No longer! Pokemon Fan Games are now available to play on an Android smartphone. The easiest way to access them is through something called a video game emulator or interpreter, almost like an emulator. To be specific, you'll need one known as JoiPlay.
With this, you can play games based on the likes of HTML, Ren'Py, TyranoBuilder and RPG Maker XP/VX/VX Ace/MV, on your Android device.
So how do you access this feast of Pokemon goodness?
How To Play Pokemon Fan Games On Android
First, download the JoiPlay app, available here, plus the plugin for the game you want (either Ren'Py or RPG Maker). Since most Pokemon Fan games are created using Pokemon Essentials for RPG Maker XP, having that plugin is essential.
- Once the app is installed, open it.
- Click the 'Add Game' icon.
- Enter the name and version number of the game.
- Under the Executable file (.exe) tap the 'Choose' button, then go to the relevant game folder and also select the .exe file. You also have the option of choosing an image file.
- Finally, tap the 'Add' button, to add the game to the launcher.
- From the launcher, select the game you want to play, and enjoy!
Not all games work perfectly, and JoiPlay is having some issues with Android 11 at the time of writing. However, the world of Pokemon Fan Games is now available to Android users, even if it's hit or miss with certain releases.