Summary
With how massive thePokemonfranchise is, it’s not surprising that other games would pay homage to the series with their own takes onPokemon’s creature-collecting mechanics. Two recent titles that feature a version of this system areLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealthwith its Sujimon mini-game, and the viral hitPalworld, described as “Pokemonwith guns.” However, despite these two titles clearly having their own parody versions of Game Freak’s iconic franchise,Palworldhas been the subject of far more scrutiny thanLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.
Pokemonclones are nothing new in gaming, with a game likeDragon Quest Monstersbeing one of the first titles to followPokemonin the creature-collecting genre. In the modern era of gaming, the indie scene has produced tons of these games, with some of the most popular being titles likeCassette Beasts,TemTem,andNexomon.Palworldis another indie creature-collector that has far surpassed these other titles in popularity, as well as controversy, butLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealthquietly features its own take on the creature-collecting genre within its greater turn-based RPG gameplay, showing two sides of the conversation surrounding this genre.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth and Palworld Both Parody Pokemon with Very Different Results
Palworldhas been a very controversial titlewithin the online gaming community since it was released in early access earlier this year, with many players taking issue with how closely some of the designs of its Pals match certain Pokemon. While the game has broken Steam records and garnered the attention of millions of fans, it has also sparked debate as to what is an acceptable amount of design inspiration and where it crosses the line into plagiarism. Some fans believePalworlddoesn’t infringe on thePokemonseries any more than other creature-collecting games, while others point towards examples of Pals blatantly copying existing Pokemon designs.
On the opposite end of the spectrum ofPokemonclones isLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealth’s Sujimon mini-gamewhich sees players recording data on different types of enemies featured in the game in their Sujidex. This mechanic was first introduced in the previous entry in the series,Yakuza: Like a Dragon, but has been expanded inLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealthto include Sujimon battles, where protagonist Kasuga must collect Sujimon and battle different Sujimon Gyms around Hawaii. While this feature inLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealthis an even more obvious allusion to thePokemonfranchise, the game hasn’t received nearly the same amount of criticism for it asPalworldhas.
How Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth Avoids Scrutiny with Sujimon
WhileLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealthmakes some direct references toPokemonwith its Sujimon Gyms, the Sujidex, and Sujimon Sensei, it hasn’t been the subject of the same discussion of plagiarism asPalworldhas, nor has it reached the same levels of controversy.Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealthis likely able to sidestep these same issues due to the way Sujimon are presented in the game. Rather than being actual creatures, the Sujimon that players will find are simply other people dressed in a variety of wacky outfits, unlikePalworldwhich features Palsas a species of critters separate from humans.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealthalso treats this mini-game as more of a tongue-in-cheek joke than a seriousPokemoncompetitor, making it seem more good-humored than an attempt at plagiarism. Engaging in Sujimon battles is also just a small side activity compared to thecore gameplay ofLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, unlikePalworldwhere capturing and taming Pals is a central part of the gameplay loop. The combination of these factors helps Sujimon feel like a playful parody ofPokemon, rather than a cut-and-dry copycat likePalworldhas been accused of being.
