Pokémon Conquest Makes Feudal Warfare Cute

Modern Japanese culture has an interesting affinity for cute cuddly creatures. So what happens when those cute cuddly creatures (in this case Pokémon) clash with feudal Japan? Well, you get perhaps one of the strangest (and most exciting) game crossovers in recent history – Pokémon Conquest.

Released on the Nintendo DS under the title of Pokémon + Nobunaga’s Ambition in Japan, Pokémon Conquest combines two popular Japanese gaming franchises, Pokémon, which we are all familiar with, and the lesser known franchise of Nobunaga’s Ambition, a feudal Japan strategy game series.

So how exactly does a game like this work you ask? Well the developers simply mashed together elements of both series to form a hybrid of sorts. The game is a turn based strategy game where units are moved around a grid. Various historical Japanese feudal warlords are present such as Oda Nobunaga, although in anime form, and each has formed a bond with a certain Pokémon.  You as the player must defeat the various warlords of the region and unite them all under one banner.  The lords stand back and let Pokémon represent them on the field of battle, where you maneuver your Pokémon in turn based strategic combat with the enemies Pokémon.  As players progress through the game the bond between their character and their Pokémon will grow stronger and Pokémon will evolve and learn new abilities.

It’s an interesting matchup to be sure, and it is fairly rare for Japanese crossovers like this to make it overseas. That being said the popularity of Pokémon is quite large outside of Japan, so I’m assuming Nintendo believes the Pokémon name alone can carry this game to success in North America and Europe. Look for it in stores on June 18^th, and if you find yourself a fan of Pokémon, turn based strategy, or both, take a chance. Pokémon Conquest might be right up your alley.

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