From Court Rooms to Computers
Palworld and Pokémon have been locked in a bitter rivalry ever since the former game came out and took the world by storm. Many praised Palworld for improving on all the things Nintendo lacked, and in response, Nintendo has been desperate to take them to court. While their legal fate remains a mystery, it’s no secret that Palworld is far superior, and here are 20 reasons why.
Photo by Koen van den Reijen on Pexels
1. Lived-In World
While Pokémon has tried to embrace open-world gaming with Legends: Arceus and Scarlet and Violet, its landscapes remain bleak and unfinished. The terrain is rather flat, and there are maybe a handful of repetitive trees scattered about. But in Palworld, the scenery is beautifully built up with ruins, ice biomes, forests, cityscapes, and feels lived-in.
2. All Pals Are Useful
In Pokémon, you’re often catching creatures just for the sake of throwing them in boxes to forget about forever. However, in Palworld, every Pal is useful, and most of them can be placed around your base to wander and defend the area.
3. Higher Stakes
The increased difficulty and brutal battles in Palworld make all the stakes so much higher. In Pokémon, you’re pretty much safe and snug, but in Palworld, you’re in danger the moment you spawn on the island. With lots of strong Pals hanging about, it’s always a risk to step out of your base.
4. Better Graphics
While this is subjective, Palworld’s graphics are far more finished and thought-out. Pokémon has often received complaints for releasing unfinished games with bland-looking areas. However, in Palworld, it is clear a lot of creativity went into each zone.
5. Survival Gameplay
Unlike Pokémon, where the goal of the game is to collect creatures and work your way through a story, Palworld is more of a survival game. Your hunger and health are key factors that determine your success, adding an additional fun layer of complexity.
6. Base-Building
Since Pokémon has no base-building at all, there isn’t much for a comparison to be made here. Palworld equips you with the tools needed to build houses, castles, and tribes and fill them up with creatures of your choice.
7. Better Breeding
In Pokémon, you are limited by certain egg groups and creatures when it comes to breeding. However, in Palworld, the options are limitless, and it’s always fun to see what you’ll get.
8. Intuitive Exploration
Palworld has an intrinsic exploration system built into the game, rewarding you for venturing into far territories and finding secret loot. While Pokémon has berries hidden here and there, Palworld tells a story through its landscape.
9. Actually Difficult
Many people complain about how easy Pokémon is, whether that applies to boss fights or trainer battles. If you level up too fast, the game becomes a breeze, making it feel as if it’s oriented exclusively for children. Palworld, on the other hand, has some of the hardest fights out there.
10. Creative Combat
Not only are the fights difficult, but they’re also very creative. Rather than repetitive and turn-based combat, you get to choose if you want to throw out your Pal or mount them in battle. You also get to help them yourself, shooting arrows from the side as you give commands in real-time.
11. Flying
Pokémon has a flying system as well, but this usually means selecting an area on a map and having the screen fade to black as you “fly” over. Alternatively, Palworld lets you actually do the flying. You can mount your creature and guide it across the map, enjoying the sights in the meantime.
12. Supportive Devs
Another cool thing about Palworld is how attentive and caring the developers are. They are usually involved in the community and are quick to respond to bug reports or requests. Listening to what their players want has allowed them to thrive as a company.
13. Interesting Items
There are so many interesting items to buy and unlock in Palworld. While they added variation in Legends: Arceus with sticky throwables, Palworld has always had an offering of tools, items, and collectibles at the ready.
14. Better Boss Fights
The boss fights in Palworld are far more interesting than gym battles in Pokémon. This is because making your way onto a tower is not only difficult, but the pairing of creature and trainer often tells an interesting story while the combat is unbelievably challenging.
15. Unlockable Engrams
For those who play survival games, the option to pick and choose unlockable items is one way to tailor the gaming experience. There are no skill trees or resource unlocks in Pokémon, which makes Palworld all the more fun.
16. Rewarding Loot
When you beat a gym leader in Pokémon, you receive nothing more than a bit of experience, some money, and a badge. But in Palworld, you unlock epic loot that helps you get stronger and makes a big impact on the rest of your gameplay.
17. Dungeons
Another interesting feature exclusive to Palworld is the dungeons, which let you explore underground tunnel systems and fight creatures and enemies with the chance of catching an extra special Pal at the end.
Bruno van der Kraan on Unsplash
18. Player Combat
In Pokémon, your only tools are the creatures by your side. But in Palworld, you feel more involved because you can help your Pals as much as they can help you. Unlocking weapons like arrows, bows, and more makes you feel part of the game.
19. Base Defense
Palworld has also introduced a base defense system, which means your home may randomly be sieged by enemy creatures. This adds a fun layer of gameplay and encourages you to keep your Pals out of their boxes.
20. Massive Multiplayer
The best thing about Palworld is that it is truly multiplayer. While Pokémon has some strange form of “multiplayer,” it doesn’t really let you do anything aside from join pre-existing raid battles. However, in Palworld, you can have a whole server of players with you from beginning to end, contributing to base building, resource collection, and boss battles.
