Pokémon Conquest is one of the series’ best surprises. Born from the meeting of Pokémon and Nobunaga’s Ambition, Koei Tecmo’s strategy saga, this turn-based tactics game for the Nintendo DS came out in Japan on March 17, 2012, then in Europe on July 27, 2012… but in English only, and never in France. Those who imported it discovered a rich, accessible and gripping game.
Unifying Ransei
According to legend, whoever unifies the 17 kingdoms of Ransei will meet Arceus, the creator of the region. A young warlord of the kingdom of Aurora, accompanied by his Eevee and the mysterious Oichi, the hero must conquer the neighboring kingdoms before Nobunaga, allied with Zekrom, takes over the region. The story, inspired by the Sengoku period, is simple but effective, and its dozens of warlords each have their own personality.
Accessible strategy
Battles take place on grid-based maps, with six Pokémon per side. Each one has just one move, with its own range, and the type chart of the main series applies. Every map has its own traps and objectives: flags to capture, dams to open, a frozen lake, rolling boulders. It is easy to read, fast, and the difficulty ramps up gently: an excellent first tactics game.
The link, at the heart of the game
No levels here: each warlord forms a link with a Pokémon, which grows over the course of battles and makes the Pokémon evolve. The strength of this link depends on the type affinities between the warlord and the Pokémon, and each warlord has a few “perfect” Pokémon with whom they reach 100%. Recruiting the best warlords and finding them the right partner quickly becomes addictive. See getting started.
A huge post-game
Once Nobunaga is defeated, around thirty episodes tell the story of the other warlords, each with its own goal, and let you obtain the Legendary Pokémon: Mewtwo, Groudon, Dialga, Rayquaza… It takes dozens of hours to see everything. See the episodes.
The drawbacks
The game features only 200 Pokémon, and the episodes repeat the same formula a little. Above all, the lack of a French version deprived many players of one of the series’ best spin-offs. No sequel has appeared, even though Koei Tecmo mentioned one in 2013.
Our verdict
One of the best Pokémon spin-offs: an accessible, rich and addictive tactics game that is a shame never to have seen translated into French.
What we like
- Accessible yet deep strategy
- The link system between warlords and Pokémon
- Varied maps with original mechanics
- A post-game lasting dozens of hours
What we like less
- Never released in French
- Only 200 Pokémon
- Somewhat repetitive episodes
