Of all the magical things Pokémon has achieved over the decades, one of its greatest powers is its ability to craft spin-offs that feel fresh and exciting. From Pokémon Snap to Pokémon Mystery Dungeon, Game Freak and its partners have a knack for taking the beloved creatures into strange new worlds and genres.
Yet, amidst the many celebrated side quests into photography, exploration, and puzzle-solving, there is one magnificent jewel that remains unfairly tucked away in the vault of forgotten wonders: Pokémon Conquest.
It was ambitious, it was epic, and it deserves so much more than the single moment it got.
Released in 2012 for the Nintendo DS, Pokémon Conquest was a tactical strategy RPG unlike anything the franchise had seen before. It married the monster-catching brilliance of Pokémon with the intricate feudal world of Nobunaga’s Ambition, a historic war game series.
In Conquest, players were thrust into the Ransei region, a land divided into different empires, each ruled by Warlords partnered with familiar Pokémon. You would link with Pokémon, battle rival Warlords on grid-based maps, and slowly unify the realm under your banner.
Every Pokémon and Warlord pairing mattered, offering a satisfying blend of team-building, strategic conquest, and a flavor of Japanese history. It was wildly creative and surprisingly deep, all packed into the slim, magical shell of a DS cartridge.
Even on the aging DS hardware, Pokémon Conquest was a visual delight. The colorful sprites, vibrant battlefield animations, and detailed character portraits made Ransei feel alive.
The battlefields were cleverly designed with environmental hazards and dynamic objectives. The soundtrack was a whimsical fusion of traditional Japanese music and classic Pokémon charm.
But despite all its strengths, Conquest never received a sequel, a remake, or even a modest remaster. It was left as a precious relic, never officially ported to any newer system, which makes its absence today all the more heartbreaking.
Today, however, the stars seem aligned for a revival. With the Nintendo Switch already home to sprawling SRPGs like Fire Emblem Engage and the upcoming buzz about the Nintendo Switch 2, it feels like the perfect storm is brewing.
Imagine Pokémon Conquest with modern visuals, character models so lush you could see the embroidery on the Warlords' armor, and framerates smoother than a freshly polished Bronzong.
The expanded horsepower could allow for a bigger, grander Ransei, full of side quests, branching storylines, and expansive battlefields.
The music could be reimagined with fully orchestrated tracks, sweeping you away into epic battlefields with the crash of taiko drums.
Even better, with the Switch 2’s improved touchscreen and new "mouse" pointer feature, it could make commanding your units in tactical battles feel fast, intuitive, and incredibly satisfying.
It is easy to see how the game could evolve into something not just nostalgic, but revolutionary.
All in all, bringing Pokémon Conquest to modern consoles would be a masterstroke. It is a game that was already years ahead of its time, and with today’s tech, it could finally reach its true potential.
Picture it: Mudsdale thundering across the battlefield in high definition, Warlords giving orders from towering castles, and a whole new generation of players falling in love with the strategic side of Pokémon.
Whether it is a straight remake or a bold new entry, one thing is clear. Ransei is ready to rise again, and we cannot wait to see it dominate the big screen with the full force of a Giga Impact.