Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon

 3DS
User Score
8.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 339 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 262 out of 339
  2. Mixed: 40 out of 339
  3. Negative: 37 out of 339
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  1. Ktanaqui
    Nov 20, 2015
    10
    I had to make an account just to rate this game. While Gates to Infinity was playable - and I did play it all the way through - it was disappointing. Gates was far too easy, far too simplified, and generally all around boring. I was worried that PMD was done for after Gates was released. Thankfully, Super Mystery Dungeon totally voids this concern!

    Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon (PSMD)    I had to make an account just to rate this game. While Gates to Infinity was playable - and I did play it all the way through - it was disappointing. Gates was far too easy, far too simplified, and generally all around boring. I was worried that PMD was done for after Gates was released. Thankfully, Super Mystery Dungeon totally voids this concern!

    Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon (PSMD) is a true Pokemon Mystery Dungeon (PMD) sequel - a far cry from what Gates to Infinity tried to be. We get to keep the wonderfully beautiful graphics and natural control scheme that Gates To Infinity (GTI) introduced but we get back the expansiveness that previous PMD games boasted. I am currently five hours into my game and absolutely loving it! This is one pre-order game that I am absolutely not disappointed in purchasing.

    The NPCs have such wonderful personality too! I will probably update this with more detail once I can drag myself away from the game long enough to do so, but y'know what - the game is worth it. Absolutely recommended. Go pick it up and play it now if you liked any other PMD games.

    Oh, and one of the best things? The difficulty level is BACK. It is not a breeze anymore.    … Expand
  2. Tranxu
    Nov 20, 2015
    10
    After playing Gates to Infinity before I thought that this series of spin-offs was finally finished and it would continue a steady decline in quality like so many other series I have enjoyed but this game came right back around and kicked that idea out of existence.
    Right from starting up the game I was so excited to see the quiz back that lets you answer questions to see which Pokemon    After playing Gates to Infinity before I thought that this series of spin-offs was finally finished and it would continue a steady decline in quality like so many other series I have enjoyed but this game came right back around and kicked that idea out of existence.
    Right from starting up the game I was so excited to see the quiz back that lets you answer questions to see which Pokemon you are but once the game gives you a pick you can actual back out of this and choose your own character if you desire which is amazing! Finally you can play without the hassle of going through the quiz multiple times to try and get the Pokemon you really want.
    Gameplay is pretty much the same from Gates to Infinity with holding the left shoulder button bringing up you moves and pressing one of the face buttons for an attack which makes the fights flow very fast and clear. You walk around and try to find the stairs just like all the other games and it really does feel fun to explore the dungeons with your partner trying to find every little item on each floor. One huge improvement is that you can speed up text by holding the B button which is so great as it was an absolute slog to play through the last game with the slow moving text but this speeds a lot of the dialogue and text up considerably if you don't want to read everything.
    The story in here is also a lot more detailed and enjoyable than Gates to Infinity and your partner is a lot more fun to have around than the more clingy ones before with an interesting story. A lot of the story here is very well done in driving the different locations you visit and I don't want to spoil anything for someone who does want to play this but I will say it's very good.
    Graphics are a huge improvement over Gates where the textures and models are a lot clearer than before and everything is a lot more put together overall. One thing I highly recommend is playing this game with the 3D turned on as some of the scenes look really good with the depth given to them.
    I just want to say that the music is phenomenal, while I would say that the other games had slightly better music some of the stuff in here, especially for the first few dungeons is great. Not only that but once you hear a song for the first time you then unlock it in the jukebox on the main menu which you can listen to songs for as long as you want without having to unlock it like you had to do in sky.
    Overall this is the best edition to this series since Sky when that was released so long ago and I highly recommend this game.    … Expand
  3. DeezNuts
    Nov 21, 2015
    10
    truly a great game, (much better than the last one, which is a true relief) great suspense and characters. Also has a good dose of humor. I recommend this game to any pokemon fan, who especially were disappointed in the las PMD
  4. AstralSonic
    Dec 29, 2015
    10
    Hearing from how Gates of Infinity did poorly, I was worried Super Mystery Dungeon would take on from it's predecessor. However, I was delighted to experience the adventure and joy this game had to offer. Each character feels unique on their own, and the game's multiple hub worlds, including the dungeons, looking beautiful. The game is rather difficult in the beginning, but that is whatHearing from how Gates of Infinity did poorly, I was worried Super Mystery Dungeon would take on from it's predecessor. However, I was delighted to experience the adventure and joy this game had to offer. Each character feels unique on their own, and the game's multiple hub worlds, including the dungeons, looking beautiful. The game is rather difficult in the beginning, but that is what made Super Mystery Dungeon an amazing game. It still has a lot to offer after completing the main story line, and each chapter fills you with suspense, making the player try to accomplish the game as soon as possible. There are a lot of Easter eggs and references in this game, and any fan of the past Mystery Dungeon games and Red and Blue Rescue Team games will absolutely enjoy this game.… Expand
  5. 1_skydarktime
    Jan 16, 2018
    10
    While my favorite is Explorer of Sky, Super recovered the series with good story and dungeons, bigger amount of pokemon than its predecessor Gates, and unlike Gates, it doesn't feel rushed or incomplete but a full and fun Mystery Dungeon game, which it is.
  6. ggCodgg
    Nov 28, 2015
    9
    Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon takes the aspects of all Pokemon Mystery Dungeons into one game. From the music to story, this game holds a well deserved seat among the Mystery Dungeon games. This game is definitely worth the money where the main story will last you around 20-25 hours and endgame content up to 40-50 hours, along with holding a high replay ability factor in as well. In termsPokemon Super Mystery Dungeon takes the aspects of all Pokemon Mystery Dungeons into one game. From the music to story, this game holds a well deserved seat among the Mystery Dungeon games. This game is definitely worth the money where the main story will last you around 20-25 hours and endgame content up to 40-50 hours, along with holding a high replay ability factor in as well. In terms of pros and cons:

    Pros:
    -Takes aspects from all PMD games into one game
    -References past PMD games
    -Many dungeons to explore
    -Higher Difficulty
    -720 Pokemon
    -Story Dungeons are reasonable in length
    -20 Starters to choose from
    -Character Development Strong
    -Twists and Turns in Plot
    -New items and materials bring diversity to dungeon explorations
    -Rollercoaster Ride Effect
    -Music is great
    -Beautiful cut-scenes and graphics
    -Memorable locations

    Cons
    -Loopholes in story
    -Story has a very slow start, then rushes quickly to an end
    -Endgame Content can be lackluster
    -No Endgame Content similar to Sky, Time and Darkness
    -No WI-FI Rescue Teams

    This game is great, however, after playing Explorers of Time and Sky, I must state that this game is not a full 10. In order to reach a full 10, this game needed to exceed the standards placed set by Sky and Time, to which this game came close to, but abruptly fell short. I may have bias, to which I admit, since Time and Sky were the first games to introduce me into this spin off series, however, every game needs to exceed their standards met in their previous game. This game managed to succeed Gates to Infinity's Standards, to which I need to play but from what I have read, but failed in regards to the story compared to Sky and Time. If the story length was the same or even more than Sky and Time, then this game would have received a 10. However, from coming from Gates to Infinity to now, Super Mystery Dungeon shows that this spin off series is not dying anytime soon. This game is great, any new player or existing fan should go out and buy this game, for you it may be a 10 out of 10!    … Expand
  7. TearsMacabre
    Jan 16, 2016
    9
    As the first Pokemon Mystery Dungeon game I've played, this game has gotten me interested in the series as a whole. It was surprisingly difficult; I was expecting a pushover, beaten-in-10-hours type game, but I definitely got a challenge out of it.

    The story line was actually quite good, and a little darker than I would expect from a Pokemon game. On top of that, the music is absolutely    As the first Pokemon Mystery Dungeon game I've played, this game has gotten me interested in the series as a whole. It was surprisingly difficult; I was expecting a pushover, beaten-in-10-hours type game, but I definitely got a challenge out of it.

    The story line was actually quite good, and a little darker than I would expect from a Pokemon game. On top of that, the music is absolutely beautiful.

    I think many people will get a great experience out of this game. The reason I gave it a 9 and not an 10 was that the startup of the game was pretty slow. Not boring, just slow. You'll have to play it through to get the best out of it.

    I absolutely recommend this game. A success for the Pokemon franchise for sure.    … Expand
  8. Dragonfly44
    Nov 27, 2017
    8
    While nowhere near as captivating as normal Pokémon games, Super Mystery Dungeon is a fun and lighthearted game on it’s own. It has a nice story and brings back some love for classic dungeon games.
  9. bobbyman46
    Nov 29, 2015
    9
    Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon is a huge step forward for the mystery dungeon series. It adds challenge, every single Pokemon and over a hundred dungeons to explore. Everything is streamlined and much more accessible than ever (such as using your deposit box while picking your team mate for exploration). It starts off slow but as soon as you hit Lively Town, roughly 3-5 hours in, the gamePokemon Super Mystery Dungeon is a huge step forward for the mystery dungeon series. It adds challenge, every single Pokemon and over a hundred dungeons to explore. Everything is streamlined and much more accessible than ever (such as using your deposit box while picking your team mate for exploration). It starts off slow but as soon as you hit Lively Town, roughly 3-5 hours in, the game definitely picks up. Not to mention that the graphics and music are great, as well. Overall, easily one of the best in the series, if not the best.… Expand
  10. ThisGameIsGreat
    Mar 21, 2016
    10
    I'm writing this review hot off the heels of the main story's ending, and I'm a little caught up in post-game feelings, but I'm going to start this review off by saying that my high regard for this game comes mostly from the story. But I'm going to go over a bit of everything if I can, so let's start.

    The overall gameplay for Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon, or any Mystery Dungeon game is    I'm writing this review hot off the heels of the main story's ending, and I'm a little caught up in post-game feelings, but I'm going to start this review off by saying that my high regard for this game comes mostly from the story. But I'm going to go over a bit of everything if I can, so let's start.

    The overall gameplay for Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon, or any Mystery Dungeon game is definitely a hit or miss for people. When I say gameplay, I'm mostly referring to the overall dungeon exploration and combat. You, in a team of at least two or more explore randomly generated dungeons and proceed from floor-to-floor until you reach your destination. For side missions, your goal could be to rescue someone who's lost in the dungeon, deliver an item to someone in a dungeon, battle another Pokemon in a mini-boss type encounter among other tasks. For story-driven dungeons, they often end in a big boss battle. Many PMD fans were glad that this game was challenging, unlike the previous entry, Gates to Infinity, which is regarded by many to be the weakest entry in the PMD series, partially because it was just too easy. This game has a fair amount of challenge, and can be a little frustrating at times, however, the game throws tons and tons of items on you. Items such as wands that can confuse, petrify, warp enemy Pokemon somewhere else, etc. Spheres with similar effects that affect every enemy in the room, seeds with varying abilities, like reviving allies, unleashing a fire blast that is really OP in the early parts of the game (100 damage every time!) These items are perhaps more crucial than some players might like. I can imagine that some would be turned off by the fact that they have to rely on items so much, but for me I didn't mind because there weren't any items that were extremely scarce and super hard to come. Also, you get plenty of money to buy more items if needed.

    I've only played one other Mystery Dungeon game, and that was Red Rescue Team on GBA, which I did not beat (that was years ago, but I'm eager to give it another shot after this game). In that game, the way you recruit Pokemon to join you on side missions is way different. All you have to do in this game is complete a Pokemon's request (a side mission) and then they're available for use after that. I've heard mixed opinions on this, some think this is better, some thing it's worse. I'm pretty neutral on it; it takes away the surprise of a Pokemon wanting to join you during an expedition, but I've also heard that some Pokemon were extremely frustrating to try and recruit through the original method seen in the previous games.

    One feature that's very enjoyable in this game are the Looplets and Emeras. Looplets are worn by Pokemon on your team and have slots for Emeras that give bonuses, but only for the current dungeon. The bonuses range from borderline useless to borderline overpowered. But I like that. I like the thrill of finding a great Emera after getting a few lesser ones.

    One of the strongest points about this game that ties in with the core gameplay of exploring dungeons is the fantastic soundtrack in this game. First off, it's huge. It's incredibly diverse and just filled to the brim with catchy melodies and tunes that reek of the innocent but adventurous tone that this game pulls off so well. The game even has a jukebox mode where you can listen to the music, even while the 3DS is closed! it's a bit of a minor feature for most people, but I firmly believe music can make or break a game, so seeing some added love for the player in the way of a jukebox mode speaks to me.

    And now, THE strong point of the game, for me, is the story. This game manages to be incredibly cliched, unique, funny, surprisingly dark and even heart wrenching depending on how invested you can get. The game starts as you, a human gets turned into a Pokemon. The first ongoing mystery throughout the story is why that happened. You're rescued by a Nuzleaf from a nearby village and taken home with him and enrolled in school. Yeah, Pokemon school. It's things like these that make the world of Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon so interesting to me; it's fantastical, but somehow so familiar. You know how EarthBound is known for it's modern setting? Not futuristic, not medieval, just modern. That's how this game feels at times. For example, at one point in the game, you and your school buddies leave your houses at night to explore a creepy ghost house (ie dungeon filled with violent monsters and multiple levels). When they come back, you and your main partner are busted. The next day, your partner leaves a note outside his house saying he can't go adventuring with you today because he has to stay home and clean the house. It's the little things, man.

    Minor Spoilers - -
    The great part about PSMD's story is how it fulfills and denies everything you'd expect from this kind of story... But I'm out of characters, so you'll have to experience the twists and turns yourself!!    … Expand
  11. kcduckling
    Dec 1, 2015
    9
    After finally completing the story mode of Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon, I feel like I am ready to review this game, and let me tell you, it's a good one.

    For starters, the story mode took me just under 35 hours to complete, partially due to the pacing towards the beginning, but nonetheless a 35 hour story mode is a plus in any game, not to mention that as soon as I finished that story    After finally completing the story mode of Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon, I feel like I am ready to review this game, and let me tell you, it's a good one.

    For starters, the story mode took me just under 35 hours to complete, partially due to the pacing towards the beginning, but nonetheless a 35 hour story mode is a plus in any game, not to mention that as soon as I finished that story mode, I still had only managed to recruit 80 of the 720 available Pokemon onto my team, so the work is far from over.

    As for the plot itself, I largely enjoyed it. It's your traditional human into a Pokemon scenario with a few twists here and there, including some major plot twists at the end of the story which I will spare you all in case you have not yet gotten there. The Pokemon characters in the Mystery Dungeon series are always very emotional and its always nice to see this as opposed to their metallic cries in the main series, but especially in this game, emotions run high as the Pokemon world has never been so close to utter destruction.

    Moving on to some of the smaller aspects of the game, the music is fantastic as always, and although nothing in the jukebox can compare to Aegis Cave from Explorers of Sky, it was still very good.
    The Graphics look nice, and if you're one of those people who is afraid to switch from the old games into this new 3dish style, then this is certainly not a bad way to enter that.
    Controls are what they always have been, I love the quick menu that pulls up all of your moves and the new alliance attacks are pretty fun to pull off, although I never did too many of them.

    Rescuing friends is still around, although anymore I find that I mainly rescue myself, (because you can do that now) which is hugely helpful for those normal people that don't constantly play their game whilst being surrounded by their friends, ready to rescue at their command. This is by far one of the best new additions into the series, as well as the elimination of IQ from your team's Pokemon. IQ was just tedious and frankly an annoyance, but thank goodness its gone.

    Now for the negatives. After playing through the story mode, I can say that there are some times in that when the dialogue will drag on and on and on for an eternity while the player just has to hold down B and wait for everyone to shut the hell up.
    The only other negative that I can think of is the insane difficulty spikes that pop up every now and then. The earliest example I can think of is early on in the connection web when you have to go battle a level 50 Salamence as a level 15-20 Pokemon. This happens several times throughout the story with a boss enemy having dozens upon dozens of levels on you, which then you have to resort to Blast Seeds and Quick Orbs, but no matter.

    In summation, Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon is a must-have for any Pokemon fan that already has a 3DS system due to its endearing charm and lengthy adventures. The cooperative aspect of the game is still there too, in case you and your siblings are on a long car ride or hanging out somewhere. All in all, its a brilliantly crafted game that stars all 720 Pokemon, a massive over world, and some catchy tunes. What else could you want?

    www.kcduckling.blogspot.com    … Expand
  12. TheUltimateAbso
    Dec 2, 2015
    9
    For anyone disappointed by the recent release of low end Nintendo games, as well as this games predecessor, Gates to Infinity, fear no more: this gem may be what you've been waiting for.
    I’ve played Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Blue Rescue Team and the Explorers series, but not the WiiWare Versions or Gates to Infinity, although I have a strong concept of the story and gameplay of GTI. And I    For anyone disappointed by the recent release of low end Nintendo games, as well as this games predecessor, Gates to Infinity, fear no more: this gem may be what you've been waiting for.
    I’ve played Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Blue Rescue Team and the Explorers series, but not the WiiWare Versions or Gates to Infinity, although I have a strong concept of the story and gameplay of GTI. And I am proud to say, this game is amazing
    This packs a wholesome 24 hours of content into a Pokémon game, not by slow text speed and animations, but by what feels like a continuous stream of content. Although there was 4-5 hours of what can be considered "Tutorial", the game focuses on enveloping the player deeply with the environment of the game using deep characterization, plot curves, and backstory. In this way this tutorial was critical for setting your mood and the connections you feel. What’s more is that the characters for the duration of the story will always have something different to say – this evolved into a game of me running around town talking to all the NPC’s in order to know them better (This allowed me to score some hidden items along the way too!). Every once in a while I would find rewarding allusions to the past games, with familiar characters making a return appearance.
    It felt so much well-structured than what I hear was PMD3, and the sharp conflicts introduced in the story kept me on the edge of my seat, not allowing me to put the game down, making time wither by as I spent 30 hours of 96 I had of vacation just playing this game. It has those moments when you can actually feel the complete despair and destruction of a certain shocking plot twist, as well as those moments where the determination of the protagonist burns inside you as you seek revenge, justice, peace, and hope.

    As an interesting mix up, the partner doesn't seem to be the casual "insecure child" that every game recycles. He gets much more of an audacious and adventurous attitude, creating one of the most unique stories so far.

    The core of this game isn't continuous grinding until you are "the strongest" - no, instead it is getting from level to level knowing your teammates strengths and weaknesses, then building on them. This game has thus introduced new items found commonplace to help you enforce this knowledge to get through any dungeon with enough effort:
    Wands - These sticks may not seem to do much with limited use, but they prove to be critical as they can get you out of Monster Houses (Using the Warp Wand), Give an edge in boss battles when you don't have one (Using the slumber wand and confuse wand), and be used to solve any desperate situation (like jumping out of a room using a Pounce wand)
    Emera - As advertised, these little gems will boost stats and give special abilities for one dungeon, if set. The coordination of the right emeras (Such as an effect emera on a Pokémon whose attacks hit more than once) allow your team to turn your 2-4HKO attacks into devastating 1HKO attacks, allowing one to tackle bosses head on. It’s very notable how these emeras also have 2 Uses: they can be Used for temporary stat boosts, or Set for temporary effects similar to held items (in a Looplet, which I will cover next). "Using these Emeras will power up your Pokémon for the length of the dungeon with a specific stat, as much as something like a Sitrus Berry or Protein would do. In this way the seemingly "useless" emeras like the Anchor, Explosion Guard, or Poison Guard can be transformed into greater stat boosts to power up your team and sweep bosses. Even more unique to these gems is that they must be collected in enough turns before they explode and turn to dust on the ground (which can be collected en masse to make a new emera).
    Looplets - These items replace the scarves and other held items that were in other games. They still provide the same effects that some scarves did in the previous games, but now hold emeras inside of them. They limit the amount of Emeras you can "Set" on a Pokémon, but you can still "Use" the extra emeras or unwanted ones for additional stat boosts. They practically are like held items which hold extra held items
    Gravelrocks – Ammunition that you can pick up and throw at enemies. Yet this time around, your whole team can throw it! This gives greater purpose to create “chip damage” at enemies before they even touch you.
    Many other things have returned too that are fun just to find and use!
    The downside to this game is that it appears “slow” to some. The game revolves around moving across dungeons that have similar mechanics to get to the end, a lot. Sure at face value this doesn’t seem very fun, but as you get into it, you may find yourself approaching a great level of depth and strategy to do what seems absolutely right.
    I would definitely recommend this game to anyone, even if they haven’t played a past Mystery Dungeon game. The adventure you experience acquaints you to the world of Pokémon like never before.    … Expand
  13. Prosol
    Dec 3, 2015
    10
    When I was getting this game at first, I was really nervous because of all the changes in the game play and, being unfamiliar with newer Pokemon didn't recognize a few, but after I started playing through it, it was extremely enjoyable and one of the better games I've played this year. The comical humor that the Mystery Dungeon franchise has is still there, the story is well made and keepsWhen I was getting this game at first, I was really nervous because of all the changes in the game play and, being unfamiliar with newer Pokemon didn't recognize a few, but after I started playing through it, it was extremely enjoyable and one of the better games I've played this year. The comical humor that the Mystery Dungeon franchise has is still there, the story is well made and keeps you enticed in it until the end and is altogether well thought out and executed very well. I'd definitely recommend this game to my friends for the story, the game play, and the youthful fun of a Pokemon game.… Expand
  14. MikeByron
    Dec 12, 2015
    10
    This has been the best Mystery Dungeon game in the series. The game has a great story and a very enjoyable one. It is very well made and hopes for another great game for its future.
  15. TheSingleRider
    Jan 4, 2016
    9
    I honestly loved Blue Rescue team and Explorers of Sky. Gates to Infinity was pretty dissapointing, and when i heard Chunsoft was making a new Mystery Dungeon, i was a bit worried. Well, within 20 minutes Super Mystery Dungeon put those worries to rest. The game has a surprisingly deep plot, and the partner in this game is by far the most interesting and likeable partner in the series.I honestly loved Blue Rescue team and Explorers of Sky. Gates to Infinity was pretty dissapointing, and when i heard Chunsoft was making a new Mystery Dungeon, i was a bit worried. Well, within 20 minutes Super Mystery Dungeon put those worries to rest. The game has a surprisingly deep plot, and the partner in this game is by far the most interesting and likeable partner in the series. This game is a must buy for mystery dungeon fans, and even if you arent a mystery dungeon fan, i would totally reccommend it. The game doesnt have as many memorable or interesting characters as explorers of sky, but those that are there are amazing. The game isnt as good as Explorers of Sky in my opinion, and the story is a bit shorter than explorers (the story is still about 20 hours long though!), this game is absolutely amazing. The second best mystery dungeon up to date.… Expand
  16. Luke_waugh
    Apr 15, 2016
    8
    I haven't yet finished this game, however i'm really enjoying this game it really does capture a bit of that special magic that chunsoft achieved with the explorers games on the DS and it really shines as a result. As you would expect from a Pokemon Mystery Dungeon game the music is some of the best in the franchise and even includes some remastered versions of music from previous games.I haven't yet finished this game, however i'm really enjoying this game it really does capture a bit of that special magic that chunsoft achieved with the explorers games on the DS and it really shines as a result. As you would expect from a Pokemon Mystery Dungeon game the music is some of the best in the franchise and even includes some remastered versions of music from previous games. The story deals with situations much more mature as well as some that are more akin to the child-like story you would expect with topics such as life in school and making friends being contrasted by dealing with loss and leaving your friends and family, I would be lying if i said this game didn't make me feel emotional as a result of these difficult topics. The only things holding this game back is that at times the story can progress somewhat slow with at times the game forcing you to do a considerable amount of sidequests to progress the story and that the game simply struggles to compare to previous games in the series which are damn near perfect Pokemon games in my opinion. In short, if you at all like Pokemon or would like to get into an RPG with a bit of a difference pick up this game, you won't be disapointed… Expand
  17. kumita-chan
    Oct 2, 2016
    10
    This game is gorgeous, I actually played around 100 hours. Lots of dungeons.

    Talking about story, It's pretty funny and the ending is really sad, I cried like a baby.
  18. NCorp
    Apr 6, 2017
    8
    Solid game so far, enjoyable but not an outstanding title. Also not enough ways to buy items (Kecleon sets up shop, but you are limited during story related quests) and non skippable cutscenes. Tend to get a bit repetitive sometimes. Overall a good entry worthy of acknowledgement in the PMD series.
    Will update once I finish the game, on the last ends of the story :) By the way the story    Solid game so far, enjoyable but not an outstanding title. Also not enough ways to buy items (Kecleon sets up shop, but you are limited during story related quests) and non skippable cutscenes. Tend to get a bit repetitive sometimes. Overall a good entry worthy of acknowledgement in the PMD series.
    Will update once I finish the game, on the last ends of the story :) By the way the story is very interesting full of surprises and twists...    … Expand
  19. Archavell
    Jul 15, 2017
    8
    Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon may not be as enjoyable as previous titles, but by no means does that mean it's a bad game. This review is going to be based on my opinion, so by no means should this be the only review you should base your purchase off of.
    +PROS
    Pleasant art style. A game doesn't have to have realistic graphics, just ones that match the style. These ones most definitely do.    Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon may not be as enjoyable as previous titles, but by no means does that mean it's a bad game. This review is going to be based on my opinion, so by no means should this be the only review you should base your purchase off of.
    +PROS
    Pleasant art style. A game doesn't have to have realistic graphics, just ones that match the style. These ones most definitely do.
    Multiple towns.
    Interesting story and characters. The story starts off slow, and inevitably picks up pace before it gets serious. I absolutely loved a lot of the characters, from their personalities to their witty yet sometimes serious dialogue.
    Game play is as you expect, same as the previous titles with some very minor changes.
    Addition to save yourself with the use of Pelipper Island. I must admit this came in handy for me a couple times.
    Absolutely beautiful soundtrack (similar to previous ones, one of the main points for me).
    +-NEUTRAL
    Connection orbs. They give a unique way to unlock Pokemon as compared to other games within the series. This, however, prevents the ability to gather multiple of the same Pokemon, as well as each Pokemon having a set level once acquiring them. Although this makes gathering them far more easy and less about chance, it may not exactly be your cup of tea.
    Jump to 3D. I personally loved the 2D sprites of the older series, so to see this in 3D was a bit unusual for me. This obviously has not a single impact on the gameplay, and is completely up to your preference.
    Change to the "multiplayer" aspect. You are unable to use your duo in rescue missions, however, you are granted a trio instead. You are also able to use any of the Pokemon that you've unlocked through connection orbs.
    -NEGATIVES
    No real incentive to use your main characters. They give you extremely high level Pokemon after doing a couple connection orbs, which are far stronger than the duo. This will eventually hurt you as their are other segments that force you to use only your two characters. I recommend never excluding them from the party.
    Grind. Compared to other versions of the game, this one definitely has the longest grind. XP gain seems to be slower compared to others, and that ties in with the problem of leveling your duo. If you do end up wanting to level them, it takes a very long time. Compared to other games within the series, where leveling came naturally, you actually have to dedicate time to constantly farming up the same levels in order to make your duo effective.
    To sum it all up, Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon is yet another fun and enjoyable game within the franchise. If you're ok with a bit of grind here and there, you'll discover a dramatic story filled with unique and likable characters.    … Expand
  20. thankyougamefre
    Nov 13, 2019
    9
    this game is unique, polished and have better storyline than the mainline game. a game that i truly love, it's actually about and around pokemon and character development or i should say having a soul to it. I do feel like it lack luster is it's not around people with pokemon, beside all of that the game is fantastic.
  21. pahono6888
    Nov 16, 2019
    10
    A master piece only for real Pokemon fans. Casuals abstain from bothering. You won't get it.
  22. Craigprime
    Nov 22, 2015
    10
    I'll give it to you straight: I was going into this game very nervous about it's quality. As the game following Gates to Infinity, it could easily have been a terrible game. Nobody would have really been surprised if it was. It could have been a rushed game to squeeze out some last drops from a dying series. It may have been oriented specifically for children, and made far too simple. ItI'll give it to you straight: I was going into this game very nervous about it's quality. As the game following Gates to Infinity, it could easily have been a terrible game. Nobody would have really been surprised if it was. It could have been a rushed game to squeeze out some last drops from a dying series. It may have been oriented specifically for children, and made far too simple. It could have been...bad.

    But NO. Aside from a slow tutorial that goes over both old and new mechanics, there is NOTHING bad about this game, I kid you not. Even the introduction and personality quiz are handled with aplomb, immersing you in a clever way that I don't want to spoil. There are COUNTLESS songs in this game that I love, they're pretty freakin' awesome. The game is filled to the brim with humor, references to past games, and HEART. Lot's of heart!

    Like...okay, take the difficulty of the first games, Red/Blue Rescue. Give it a storyline as awesome and moving as the Explorers games, put in Gates to Infinities graphics, slap in some new mechanics that fit it wonderfully...

    And that's THIS. If you have ever played a PMD game before, I can say without hesitating, you'll WANT this. And if you never have, then this is a pretty great time to start.    … Expand
  23. Cutlaska
    Nov 21, 2015
    10
    Aside from the slow start, Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon is a fantastic addition to the pmd series. It combines the challenge of Explores of Sky some of the streamlined ideas of Gates to Infinity, and builds upon the formula while patching up the last installments flaws.

    This game succeeded at everything it was trying to do.
  24. Floatzel
    Nov 22, 2015
    10
    This is the best Pokèmon spin-off game, the characters, story, soundtrack, dungeons and the variety of pokèmon are excellent, don`t get fooled because this game is actually challenging like the past entries sometimes you will get stuck in some dungeons because of the difficulty, it`s like combining the best aspects from Blue/Red rescue team, Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky and Gates toThis is the best Pokèmon spin-off game, the characters, story, soundtrack, dungeons and the variety of pokèmon are excellent, don`t get fooled because this game is actually challenging like the past entries sometimes you will get stuck in some dungeons because of the difficulty, it`s like combining the best aspects from Blue/Red rescue team, Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky and Gates to infinity into one game, the only flaw is the start of the game which is slow but apart from that everything is good, if you like Pokèmon in general buy it you won`t regret it.… Expand
  25. EnderSonic500
    Dec 22, 2015
    10
    This game is super awesome I played this game through a few minutes but I love this game so much it occupied my mind for hours on a car trip I picked Riolu and Pikachu
  26. destroyer3242
    Feb 17, 2016
    4
    They lock you into story mode about halfway through the game. You can't do anything other than story mode, and the couple of side quests in between.

    They removed the recruitment aspect and instead made pokemon so happy for being helped by you that they make you their masters forevermore. They shortened parties down to three (???) Random missions are replaced with a list of    They lock you into story mode about halfway through the game. You can't do anything other than story mode, and the couple of side quests in between.

    They removed the recruitment aspect and instead made pokemon so happy for being helped by you that they make you their masters forevermore.

    They shortened parties down to three (???)

    Random missions are replaced with a list of sidequests, all of which vary far too much in difficulty.

    The difficulty is not the fun kind of difficulty, given that you can be one-shot by 'miniboss' pokemon, even if you just spam items like nobody's business.

    They pretty much recycle content and personalities from previous games.

    The story tries too hard to deviate from their original formulas and it ends up being a bunch of nonsense.

    The allies you recruit are sometimes over 50, and legendaries, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE GAME.

    This game accomplished something, which is making me want to play Explorers of Sky again, which I did, and still had a blast, even years later.

    This game, on the other hand, is awful.

    It's not as bad as Gates to Infinity, but it's still terrible. There's just far too many elements that were changed in order to make the game "difficult" and too many good things removed in a forced attempt to keep the series fresh.

    Ironically, this is probably the game that kills the series for me. But hey, the first and second games are still, like, 10/10 amazing, some of the best games of all time, and underrated as hell.

    I'd say please don't waste your money, but this game gets a large amount of praise from users, so maybe I'm just bitter as hell.

    (also I was level 24 when I beat the game, in what I assume to be a game that has 99 levels. 10/10 best exp balancing, best game, best game, BEST. GAME.)

    But in all seriousness, I really hate this game. Like, a lot. Oftentimes, I can give games a higher score that I personally didn't like because they are still objectively good, But in this case, I refuse to honor this game with any objectiveness other than "m-muh 3D pocket man" and "m-muh childhood". This is not a good game.    … Expand
  27. PaoloMix09
    Jan 12, 2016
    4
    I gotta admit I was kind of dissapointed with this one, and unlike many others, I did not think the story was that great. No point in comparison to Darkness or Sky, that one had one great story. This game focuses too much on you being a kid to the point that it gets extremely annoying. Many times in the story you can pretty much predict what is going to happen, this was not the case onI gotta admit I was kind of dissapointed with this one, and unlike many others, I did not think the story was that great. No point in comparison to Darkness or Sky, that one had one great story. This game focuses too much on you being a kid to the point that it gets extremely annoying. Many times in the story you can pretty much predict what is going to happen, this was not the case on Darkness and Sky. The connection orb thing is super annoying because there's no difficulty in recruiting Pokemon anymore, no luck, no nothing. The bulleting board was just fine I do not know why they got rid of it.

    At times the game got rally interesting, but also the fact that you can't level up quick, you pretty much never get above 100 exp from killing a pokemon during story mode, like it just does not work like that. What is true is that you can find a lot of extremely helpful seeds and those diamonds on ground are super helpful and OP at times, but something had to make up for how weak you and your partner are. I was a big fan of the PMD series (I did not play Gates of the Infinity), and I still am, but if another game is made, I think they need to step it up and be more creative. Everything about dungeons and gameplay was great, just not the story nor getting super little experience most of the time, hence you are really weak throughout the game. I do not recommend.    … Expand
  28. SkullofFlowers
    Nov 24, 2015
    10
    A truly masterpiece of a game. Great Original Music, slow but not boring story, Fun Dungeons and wonderful characters (Which are filled with emotion). It is impossible not to become attached with your hero and the partner. This game far exceeds both it's predecessor and our expectations. Overall "super mystery dungeon" is a must-have for both pokemon fans and Story-lovers, whom trulyA truly masterpiece of a game. Great Original Music, slow but not boring story, Fun Dungeons and wonderful characters (Which are filled with emotion). It is impossible not to become attached with your hero and the partner. This game far exceeds both it's predecessor and our expectations. Overall "super mystery dungeon" is a must-have for both pokemon fans and Story-lovers, whom truly breaks all of our fears of being too much like "Gates to infinity" and too little like the Loved Old-School Mystery Dungeon games.… Expand
  29. Umbra7
    Mar 16, 2019
    4
    This review is brought to you by someone who grew up with the first Pokémon Mystery Dungeon on GBA/NDS, so take everything I have to say about this game with a grain of salt.

    You'll notice that I wasn't willing to give it a score higher than 4. Now why is that? First, let me list the positives: 1) looks pretty decent 2) text speed is no longer **** 3) narrative seems aight 4)    This review is brought to you by someone who grew up with the first Pokémon Mystery Dungeon on GBA/NDS, so take everything I have to say about this game with a grain of salt.

    You'll notice that I wasn't willing to give it a score higher than 4. Now why is that? First, let me list the positives:

    1) looks pretty decent
    2) text speed is no longer ****
    3) narrative seems aight
    4) sidequests have a little bit more character now, I guess?

    You'll also notice that these merits do not include any actual gameplay elements.
    That's because this game is absolutely terribly balanced. To the point, even, where I have to ask myself if it was playtested at all; sometimes, it's way easy (when you can just bring **** Salamence to slay everything for you, for example), other times, it's unreasonably unforgiving – I lost any interest I may have had in this game when multi-hitting attacks became abundant, completely recking my team even when I had taken counter-measures. I hear that this doesn't happen to everyone, which is only logical as not everyone's going to encounter the same enemies due to RNG being a huge factor, but for those of us who did have to deal with it, it's just disheartening. You'd think that after ofter 8 years after the first games' release, people would have understood that multi-hitting attacks are bull**** – just look at lv 19 skitty go all ORA ORA ORA ORA on **** rayquaza, ****'s insane.

    And what the **** is up with PSMD completely abandoning the previous games' mission system? I used to love the crap out of it, and now it's gone in favor of these sidequests that'll get you unique party members – I don't disagree with the latter being a part of the game, I just prefer the previous system. The random missions system added a metric ****tonne of replayability to the original games, and even allowed for some interaction between players through the ability to share mission codes, OR through code generators.

    In short, the vast majority of what made me fall in love with the first entries of this series is largely gone. It's still very much a Mystery Dungeon game alright, but it's no longer for me.    … Expand
  30. HyperTrent
    Dec 30, 2015
    8
    While I do agree the soundtrack is beautiful, the characters are memorable, and it wasn't a total fall down on the face like GTI, the story does kind of take too long to start for your characters. It's just a personal thing but thinking about it the first act does overstay its welcome.
  31. GebusNunes
    Apr 4, 2019
    4
    This game to me isn't the best Pokémon game and far from it. As soon as I started playing this game I got lost. This game has some ups, like the way you pick your Pokémon and how the graphics are done but to me there are more cons than pros.
  32. luisluix
    Nov 24, 2015
    10
    Story: Slow start, you have to go to school, which is a good tutorial. new mechanics every 2 dungeons more or less. Story really shines near the end of the game. I cleared the game in around 20ish hours.

    Gameplay: plays like previous iterations, with new additions like bracelets with slots, and you find gems for those slots in the dungeons, and they only last that dungeon. (they give    Story: Slow start, you have to go to school, which is a good tutorial. new mechanics every 2 dungeons more or less. Story really shines near the end of the game. I cleared the game in around 20ish hours.

    Gameplay: plays like previous iterations, with new additions like bracelets with slots, and you find gems for those slots in the dungeons, and they only last that dungeon. (they give buffs and can be stacked)
    You can also find gold bars(which are rare) in dungeons, which you can spend for special items that can increase stats permanently. I loved this mechanic you can grind if you wanted to max out everything, including PP of abilities and HP of your pokemon.
    Pokemons join you when you help them with their quests, which means you can get very powerful pokemon early on. They can help you in other quests (and become unusable for 2-3 dungeons) but you cannot use them in the main story.

    Graphics/music: it looks great, each dungeon feels different. Music changes from dungeon to dungeon as well, music is good.

    Difficulty: I never had to grind for the story, I would always load instead of giving up a dungeon. Bosses are vulnerable to sleep/confuse/paralyze which makes boss fights easy if you are familiar with using wands and orbs, but if you dont have any prepare for a hard fight. Except the last boss, he is immune to everything. Dungeons on the other hand are harder, some pokemons can one shot you if you are not careful or if you dodge your party can get killed as well.

    If you liked any of the previous mystery dungeon games, you will love this one. This game does everything better.    … Expand
  33. aianmoo16
    Dec 6, 2015
    10
    It was Wigglytufff. YOOM-TAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH~~~!!!!
  34. DrewsClues42
    Nov 26, 2015
    10
    Absolute beauty of a game, everything I wanted PSMD to be and more! Had cute graphics in the same vein of (albeit improved when compared to) Gates- I'm in the minority that prefers sprites but these were more than satisfactory. The story's absolutely fantastic, and I'm enjoying it as much as I did Sky's. Quiz is back, game is amongst the cutest I've played whilst still being HARD ASAbsolute beauty of a game, everything I wanted PSMD to be and more! Had cute graphics in the same vein of (albeit improved when compared to) Gates- I'm in the minority that prefers sprites but these were more than satisfactory. The story's absolutely fantastic, and I'm enjoying it as much as I did Sky's. Quiz is back, game is amongst the cutest I've played whilst still being HARD AS BALLS (hardest one of the series, and it knows it given how prevalent reviver seeds are).

    Flawless entry in the series, and has brought Pokemon Mystery Dungeon back to one of the greatest Nintendo game series I know.    … Expand
  35. Kimura
    Nov 25, 2015
    5
    Honestly, I was afraid of getting the game, of course because of Gates to Infinity, and after beating the game, I unfortunately would probably not recommend this game to anyone, at least not until it's down in price. The story is nearly exactly the same as Gates to Infinity with a tiny touch of Explorers of D/T/S.
    The main thing I like about the game is the connection system, and of    Honestly, I was afraid of getting the game, of course because of Gates to Infinity, and after beating the game, I unfortunately would probably not recommend this game to anyone, at least not until it's down in price. The story is nearly exactly the same as Gates to Infinity with a tiny touch of Explorers of D/T/S.
    The main thing I like about the game is the connection system, and of course being done with the silly story. It is funny at times, and has references to past games, but those are the best things it's got going for it.    … Expand
  36. Zhade
    Nov 25, 2015
    10
    The last PMD games I played were Explorers of Time and Darkness. I skipped Gates to Infinity mostly because of users reviews (I'm beginning to believe that these games are cursed and won't ever get above 60 in the critics score) and wasn't sure about this game at first, but I gave it try. I have to say that it pleasantly surprised me: new items, mega evolutions, the return of the hungerThe last PMD games I played were Explorers of Time and Darkness. I skipped Gates to Infinity mostly because of users reviews (I'm beginning to believe that these games are cursed and won't ever get above 60 in the critics score) and wasn't sure about this game at first, but I gave it try. I have to say that it pleasantly surprised me: new items, mega evolutions, the return of the hunger mechanic among other additions, that PMD fans will be grateful for. It may have a slow start but, the story will compensate it in the end. The initial quiz is a nice touch too, and now it doesn't force you to stay with whatever Pokemon you were assigned to. Overall,I think this game gathered what was good from its predecessors, and that's great. I hope Spike Chunsoft continues to deliver these games keeping what fans want from it.… Expand
  37. Lildrummerboy
    Nov 25, 2015
    10
    This game is amazing. I was worried that the Mystery Dungeon series was going downhill after playing through Gates of Infinity, but this game shows that Mystery Dungeon games are just as good as ever. Great characters, great story, and some great new mechanics and items that really make the game seem fresh while still staying true to the the likes of red and blue rescue team. There's alsoThis game is amazing. I was worried that the Mystery Dungeon series was going downhill after playing through Gates of Infinity, but this game shows that Mystery Dungeon games are just as good as ever. Great characters, great story, and some great new mechanics and items that really make the game seem fresh while still staying true to the the likes of red and blue rescue team. There's also a bunch of references to earlier Mystery dungeon games which I just loved. All in all it's fantastic game and I'm really glad I purchased it.… Expand
  38. xveganroxx
    Nov 26, 2015
    10
    I'll just get this out there out front: I liked Gates to Infinity. I know all the criticisms - not enough Pokemon, too easy, no hunger mechanic, streamlined, etc., but I loved the 3D models and the campy after-school-special plot. That said, PSMD maintains a similar plot and the same great graphics while adding all the Pokemon, more complex mechanics, and a much higher difficulty. PSMDI'll just get this out there out front: I liked Gates to Infinity. I know all the criticisms - not enough Pokemon, too easy, no hunger mechanic, streamlined, etc., but I loved the 3D models and the campy after-school-special plot. That said, PSMD maintains a similar plot and the same great graphics while adding all the Pokemon, more complex mechanics, and a much higher difficulty. PSMD goes a lot harder on the "roguelike" genre by adding Emeras: small, temporary, randomly generated bonuses you can collect in dungeons that can be extremely powerful and make or break your expedition. The connection system is another new mechanic - you can finally catch them all, and you no longer have to rely on a low-percent random chance of Pokemon joining you.

    PSMD does everything right: great soundtrack, great graphics and art direction, enjoyable plot and characters, challenging difficulty, and new mechanics that fit in perfectly. If you pick on PMD game to play it should be this one.    … Expand
  39. Thieverpedia
    Jan 13, 2016
    5
    I've been a fan of this spin-off series for a while and have given every game a chance. Granted, some parts I griped about, but I'm always about giving something a chance before I judge it.

    Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon continues the trend of making things easier for newer players to get into, but I feel the series should have continued with the trend of reaping the rewards from our    I've been a fan of this spin-off series for a while and have given every game a chance. Granted, some parts I griped about, but I'm always about giving something a chance before I judge it.

    Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon continues the trend of making things easier for newer players to get into, but I feel the series should have continued with the trend of reaping the rewards from our hard work. With this game, I still feel as if we haven't got a proper sequel to Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky. It's like a spin-off of a spin-off to me. IQ still hasn't made a return for us to work hard on ourselves and was replaced by a system in the next two games that simply couldn't compare to it, the fourth slot for our party members was removed and reserved only for clients, the whole recruiting system was replaced by recruiting clients, some party members might be busy so you can't use them all the time, and the story started to seem fairly bland near the end. The worst of it all for me had to be the constant hand holding that the game does to make some things not a challenge at all.

    Don't get me wrong, though. There are plenty of reasons why this review is "Mixed" and not "Negative." Things I enjoyed were team attacks, the excellent soundtrack, and the game actually challenging me in other areas. Before, I could demolish any Pokemon myself in just a couple attacks. Now my team has to help me defeat wild Pokemon. No longer do they get torn apart like they're paper. They challenge me to come up with a new strategy for every Pokemon. While I somewhat disliked having to use other Pokemon because some party members were busy, I enjoyed the game encouraging me to try new things and changing my strategy around depending on who was with me, and those 5 presets for party members were fantastic. I also enjoyed not requiring my teammates to be in my party to gain experience. I enjoy grind, but 700+ Pokemon can get a bit excessive to train.

    My personal verdict? Like Gates to Infinity, this is a decent first game to play if you're just starting out playing Pokemon Mystery Dungeon, but long-time fans of the game will find themselves disappointed once more as they still don't have a proper sequel to their beloved Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky..    … Expand
  40. alienators
    Nov 24, 2016
    6
    Best one in the series is darkness. This one is just a poor rehash of darkness but at least it has better graphics. It's not bad, its just a disappointment because I had imagined it being so much more than just a poor remake.
  41. Trey82
    Mar 2, 2020
    2
    A game that doesnt reward 'normal' rpg work that you put in.
    In previous pokemon mystery dungeon games, it was about strategy.
    You grind. You save the right items for the right time. You spend a little more time grinding now, so you dont get wiped, later. PSMD dropped that idea and now spams you to death with items. As where before an item was to be used at the right moment, now ..    A game that doesnt reward 'normal' rpg work that you put in.
    In previous pokemon mystery dungeon games, it was about strategy.
    You grind. You save the right items for the right time. You spend a little more time grinding now,
    so you dont get wiped, later.

    PSMD dropped that idea and now spams you to death with items. As where before an item was to be used at the right moment, now .. ugh, this game sucks. While exploring one floor, you can pick up a dozen staves, a few foods, a lot of berries and cure3-seeds.
    And to get through this game, you are expected to basically use those items IMMEDIATELY.
    It isnt about your level, or who you brought with you, the strategy you chose... its about items.
    Which would be fine if it wasnt so obnoxious to ALWAYS be using something from the item menu.
    It doesnt feel like anything is orderly, youre just picking up random items and using them ASAP.

    Before you click that downvote button, answer me this: Does the game require anything other than filling your inventory with revive seeds and spamming the enemy to death?
    No, not really.
    That doesnt make the game easy, it makes it unbalanced and awful. Play any previous games to have better strategy. (as far as a pokemon game has, at least. So .. like usual, the bar is pretty low.)    … Expand
  42. Garde_Mystik
    Jun 3, 2023
    0
    Pokémon Mystery Dungeon games have awful gameplay in general but to my surprise, this one fails to have a remotely good plot. It's one of the most appalling I have ever seen in my life and the beginning never felt more unwelcoming for a video game. Sure, Pokémon is primarily targeted towards kids, but holy dang does this game SHOVE that in your face like people past the age of 12 arePokémon Mystery Dungeon games have awful gameplay in general but to my surprise, this one fails to have a remotely good plot. It's one of the most appalling I have ever seen in my life and the beginning never felt more unwelcoming for a video game. Sure, Pokémon is primarily targeted towards kids, but holy dang does this game SHOVE that in your face like people past the age of 12 are unwelcomed. I wish this was it but the entire lategame is filled with extreme-levels of plot-induced stupidity all to promote a cheap copypasta of the final boss of Gates to Infinity. I really don't like when a bunch of legendaries and mythicals are shoved into a story only for all of them to be mishandled and their lore ignored for the sake of the plot. If they were just randomly there and uninvolved, sure, but if for example, Arceus turns into stone, something is terribly wrong. Ignoring canon lore and feats given to characters for the sake of the plot is disrespectful to the characters and something I would immediately write off as a bad plot by itself. It shows they did not care to handle their characters properly. With the gameplay being garbage and the plot being abysmal, this is the only game so far I have bought and still regret ever buying. I would have refunded it if it were possible but I bought the digital version. I'm quite adamant on giving this game a 0.… Expand
  43. Super_Cloud
    Jan 1, 2016
    10
    This is my first Pokémon Mystery Dungeon and i'm enjoying the game quite alot! I really like the story, the music are great, the game is colored and it's really fun! Some dungeon can be really hard but just enough to keep going. I love it, great game!
  44. Bashfluff
    Nov 27, 2015
    8
    Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon is the first real attempt at a follow-up game after the success of Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky. Having the 3D art asests to borrow from the last 3DS outing, it now squarely lays the focus on innovation once more.

    How does it fare compared to the older games? Surprisingly robust, with, if nothing else, the best gameplay of the bunch. If you ever thought    Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon is the first real attempt at a follow-up game after the success of Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky. Having the 3D art asests to borrow from the last 3DS outing, it now squarely lays the focus on innovation once more.

    How does it fare compared to the older games? Surprisingly robust, with, if nothing else, the best gameplay of the bunch. If you ever thought that Mystery Dungeon games were too childish to make you scream with frustration, put those fears to rest, and it does it through balance and linearity. Mystery Dungeon games have always had a random element to them, an unpredictability that was balanced by the ability to stock up on items and grind your way to victory. This...didn't always work out well, so SMD makes a few strides to counter it.

    Not using one of the Pokemon's four moves and using a basic attack does about as much damage as a friendly pat on the back, so exploring is far more of a risky venture with a limited amount of attacks, and while type-advantage is less of a factor, with correct matching giving a slight boost as opposed to turning on easy mode, damage has been cranked up to the max on the whole, and your characters are always underleveled with carefully controlled grinding time.

    This focuses the experience by making you rely on item usage and your own skill in managing your and your ally, and it provides the tools for you to do so. You can make any party member the leader and you'll have access to a colorful array of potential party members to the point where you'll be unwittingly tripping over the amount. Rushing toward the staircase will still provide a plethora of items to allow you to expand your searches when you're on top of your game when hoarded properly.

    I do have a problem with a lack of agency that this linearity provides. Yes, a structured difficulty curve and the ability to properly pace the story is appreciated, but it doesn't always fit with my own desires as a gamer. Mystery Dungeon games in this series almost always allowed you to snag some missions and go out and ADVENTURE, with you advancing the plot when you wanted to know what happened next. This packs on the story and stays heavy, and it's hard not to feel constricted when it feels like the game only begrudgingly allows you to play it for the first few hours, and still seems to be rushing through the plot the rest of the way. The linearity makes it to where you can only really pick up one mission at a time for one reward, and it gets a little hectic when you're trying to scan through a bunch of interfaces to attempt to puzzle out which is the best request to accept--or even when it will stop allowing you to accept them to take you on another story mission.

    It's as if you're being strangled with the story mode, only able to escape with a half hour of player-directed awesome before it drags you off to another two party member only dungeon to choke on your own vomit. The story isn't TERRIBLE--if a bit poorly paced, which is disappointing when our own agency was sacrificed for it--but it is derivative of the explorers series, and given that I've experienced that story before, felt a bit patronizing for how much it wants to shove it in our faces. Cluttered, rushed, and really poorly paced storytelling is a first for this series, and the way it is presented REALLY doesn't help it feel like less of any of the three.

    Once you get through enough of it and you have more freedom to do missions and explore at your own pace, you may start to fall in love, but even if they're doled out to you in-between long vomit sessions of story, your patience may run out and your fill may be had before you have the opportunity. It's still very good, but it does what it can to dilute that good, watering it down until it's not quite unpalatable, but it does wear on the player, and any game that does that isn't looking at THAT good of a review.

    That's why you balance out story and gameplay. Good luck figuring it out next installment, guys.    … Expand
  45. Ziviz
    Jul 15, 2016
    9
    I have not played any of the earlier games in the Mystery dungeon series, so this review is from a first time player. The characters are endearing. The story is interesting with some unexpected plot twists. The humor was simple but enjoyable, mostly due to excellent timing. I've seen reviews complaining about the combat, but I have not had any issues. I imagine the reviewers were notI have not played any of the earlier games in the Mystery dungeon series, so this review is from a first time player. The characters are endearing. The story is interesting with some unexpected plot twists. The humor was simple but enjoyable, mostly due to excellent timing. I've seen reviews complaining about the combat, but I have not had any issues. I imagine the reviewers were not utilizing all the tools the game gives you. Wands, Orbs, Seeds, Emeras, and customizing abilities makes it pretty easy to survive any encounter. I've completed the story and still have not had to use the rescue function. I highly enjoyed this game. The only problem I have had with the game is that the story feels too short, probably due to how much of it is tutorial.… Expand
  46. Gruffley
    Sep 27, 2016
    10
    One of the best story-mode of the last years.
    Non-linear story, awesome plot-twist, unexpected ending...

    The gameplay is somehow plain, and it can be really hard sometimes; but the game worth the money 100%.
  47. srx
    May 2, 2021
    8
    Solid entry to the series! Gameplay has been dramatically brushed up upon from GTI and feels optimized for a mystery dungeon game. Story starts off wayyyy toooo slowwww but I really liked where it went and the characters were very cool (espurr is the best). Great soundtrack as usual with games in this series. 8/10, points off for slow story start and also not too memorable of a story.
  48. Kingpinn02
    Aug 1, 2016
    8
    SHORT VERSION: It's repetitive, but you'll find it addicting if you don't care. The story is also really cute, though Pokemon fans will get more enjoyment from it.

    This is my first Mystery Dungeon game, and I had a really good time with it. GAME PLAY: Since the dungeons are randomly generated, exploring them can get addicting. But it's more then likely you'll find the exit in the    SHORT VERSION: It's repetitive, but you'll find it addicting if you don't care. The story is also really cute, though Pokemon fans will get more enjoyment from it.

    This is my first Mystery Dungeon game, and I had a really good time with it.

    GAME PLAY: Since the dungeons are randomly generated, exploring them can get addicting. But it's more then likely you'll find the exit in the same room you've spawned in, but it only happens a few times and can feel like a nice break when you're trying to complete a long dungeon. The battle system can feel a bit tedious when you have to walk to an enemy just to hit them, but it's simple enough to get used to quickly.

    STORY: I found the story to be really cute at times. People say it starts a bit slow, but I like to think of the beginning part like a Ghibli movie since you're really just getting to know everyone in the village while taking care of minor problems. The story's not that complex and there is a lot of underdeveloped characters that serve more as fan-service for Pokemon fans, but what makes the story shine is it's main focus: the relationship between the player and the partner characters. They both get in to cute shenanigans and grow to care for each other as the story progresses. I really wanted to see them succeed.

    FINAL THOUGHTS: For the first game I've played, it really impressed me. It's honestly not hard to see why it gets mixed reviews with the sometimes tedious battle system and repetitive dungeon layouts. But I was never bothered by these problems and quickly got used to them.

    I recommend this game more to Pokemon fans, especially if they haven't played previous Mystery Dungeons. There is a lot of fan-service with all the legendary Pokemon they introduce, even if they feel underdeveloped.

    Newcomers might like it if they can get past the story's simple moments, but I feel they would get easily distracted by underdeveloped Pokemon they've never heard of.    … Expand
  49. nickdos
    Feb 3, 2016
    10
    An imporvement over every previous game in the series. The Chunsoft proves that they listen to criticism and that they can actually innovate unlike Gamefreak. Hope they continue making good pokemon games.
  50. SuperMatt777
    Jan 2, 2016
    8
    Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon is definitely a step up from the previous installment and fixed a lot of problems Gates to Infinity had. Having a compelling storyline, a wide variety of Pokémon to play as, easy to grasp gameplay and a good pace of difficulty makes the game as solid as the previous entries have been. However there are a few details that didn't sit right with me, such as thePokémon Super Mystery Dungeon is definitely a step up from the previous installment and fixed a lot of problems Gates to Infinity had. Having a compelling storyline, a wide variety of Pokémon to play as, easy to grasp gameplay and a good pace of difficulty makes the game as solid as the previous entries have been. However there are a few details that didn't sit right with me, such as the new recruitment method, though the rest of the details are mere nitpicks. I did personally enjoy Explorers of Time/Darkness and Red/Blue Rescue Team better, but Super Mystery Dungeon is a fantastic entry to the series.… Expand
  51. PioFelipe
    Dec 17, 2015
    10
    Great character development, although it may seem a bit slow in the end. Lots of plot twists moments, awesome soundtrack and good story in general. Sure is the best PMD installment to date.
  52. CWL
    Jan 1, 2016
    8
    A great installment in the Mystery Dungeon series. While having a bit of a slow start (like most Mystery Dungeon games) and can get a bit repetitive with some of the Connection Orb missions, this game has an a fantastic story midway through with good humor and new gameplay aspects as well as an awesome OST. This game is a great place to start in the MD series.
  53. finagain
    Jan 9, 2016
    10
    Even after all of the incredible things that have happened in the previous games (which I have followed from the beginning; they're my favorite thing about the Pokemon franchise!), this game has managed to blow me away. I am stunned and in love. I beat it days ago and my heart still swells up over the things this game has made me feel. Excited for more PMD titles in the future!!
  54. lolcopter
    Jan 31, 2016
    10
    I had my doubts on this game due to gates to infinity, which was complete trash. However, I decided to buy it with so many positive reviews and I don't regret my choice. If you are a fan of mystery dungeon games, this is on the same level, if not higher than explorers of sky, which was the best game for me. Buy it. You won't be disappointed.
  55. InfernalDarknes
    Feb 20, 2016
    10
    Made an account just to rate this game, as it definitely deserves it, and I want to say my piece concerning that.
    I am veteran Pokemon Mystery Dungeon player, I've played Red Rescue Team, Explorers of Time (later got Sky) and Gates to Infinity.
    I went into this game expecting a marginally better Gates to Infinity, as I was very disappointed with that particular game, and it'd killed my    Made an account just to rate this game, as it definitely deserves it, and I want to say my piece concerning that.
    I am veteran Pokemon Mystery Dungeon player, I've played Red Rescue Team, Explorers of Time (later got Sky) and Gates to Infinity.
    I went into this game expecting a marginally better Gates to Infinity, as I was very disappointed with that particular game, and it'd killed my expectations, I'll admit. However, I am glad to say I was very wrong. What we have here is a game on par with Explorers of Sky, if not better. (In my opinion, it is) Just imagine Infinity never existed and there was a worthy Sky successor, and you have this.

    The story of this game is rather slow at the beginning and not really very interesting or entertaining, which is my main gripe with the game. However, that certainly changes as you get out of the starting area. The story takes a very Anime-like approach at the usual "the world is in danger!" plot line of previous games, with some very cool action scenes and disaster shots, to which the capabilities of the 3DS are finally used properly in this game, to their full extent, for the first time in a Mystery Dungeon Game. The team behind the game put in a lot of creative effort, there's a whole lot of unique art and set pieces in this game.

    This isn't the best and most informative review, I know. But I'm just a regular guy (and series fan) who wanted to share his opinions on a game. And if that's the type of person you trust when deciding on whether to get a game or not, I implore you to go out and get yourselves Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon. I loved it, and I'm sure you will too.    … Expand
  56. MagikarpChicken
    Mar 20, 2016
    10
    This game is amazing and I don't know why you won't say the same but this is the best Pokemon game of 2015 and it is better than COD BO3 so you know what that mean 10/10
  57. HawkGrove
    Mar 15, 2016
    9
    While this has definitely been stated before, after Gates to Infinity, I was worried about the quality of the Mystery Dungeon series. Thankfully, my fears have been quashed about that - for those of you who have played the Explorers and/or the Rescue series, Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon (PSMD) is the full and uncontested sequel to those games.

    First off, the full experience of the game    While this has definitely been stated before, after Gates to Infinity, I was worried about the quality of the Mystery Dungeon series. Thankfully, my fears have been quashed about that - for those of you who have played the Explorers and/or the Rescue series, Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon (PSMD) is the full and uncontested sequel to those games.

    First off, the full experience of the game is back! The personality quiz has returned, (and you can still pick your player and the partner if you want to), the music is excellent, the characters have life and personality, the difficulty level is here again (but not to the point where you have to grind for hours) and the text speed is fast by default. The graphics are very nice for the 3DS, and there is minimal lag (I only got lag when I had 3D set to max and it was a very detailed scene). The story is excellent and heart wrenching, as expected (I don't mean to sound cynical when I say that) by previous players of every game in this series.

    The only reason why I gave this game a 9 instead of a 10 is because of the story length. Without writing any spoilers, the main storyline is finished in about 20 hours, and that's with being incredibly thorough (talking to every single NPC every day, constantly restocking supplies, checking for new jobs daily). What's even more, the epilogue is just about 2 to 4 hours long of gameplay, depending on your choices. Normally, that length would be okay, but with how engrossed you can get with this game, that's the whole epilogue in one sitting. It really is a shame, because I could easily spend 100 hours playing through this if that's how long you needed to complete the game.

    Apart from that disappointment, I would definitely recommend PSMD to all gamers, whether or not you have played an entry in this series before. It is 100% 20 well-spent, story-rich hours.

    TL;DR: A little short, but awesome. Get this game.    … Expand
  58. MazinroboX2
    Apr 3, 2016
    9
    Great game. I am a big fan of this series, having played both DS versions and Gates to Infinity. And while the first two were amazing games, Gates to Infinity just fell short and empty, too few Pokémon, only decent story for a Mystery Dungeon game, and features such as the Paradise that didn't work that well due to many not very useful facilities and the fact that it takes too much time toGreat game. I am a big fan of this series, having played both DS versions and Gates to Infinity. And while the first two were amazing games, Gates to Infinity just fell short and empty, too few Pokémon, only decent story for a Mystery Dungeon game, and features such as the Paradise that didn't work that well due to many not very useful facilities and the fact that it takes too much time to build. But Super Mystery Dungeon takes the series back to its splendour. With every single Pokémon available (bar Volcanion) and a quite decent story with great characters such as your partner and some more, you have game for a very long time. The Connection Orb system is a cool feature for getting many Pokémon. It's also perhaps the hardest Mystery Dungeon game up to now, with opponents having tools for doing massive damage to you in many of the dungeons, and you will be punished for making mistakes. The looplets and emera feature is interesting, making you stronger as you go through the dungeon, but I feel too many of the emeras aren't very useful, and you rely on luck to find what you need. The soundtrack is as always in the series very very good.

    One thing I didn't like that much is the post-game though, you just do a couple of more story dungeons and that's it, then you have total freedom to do whatever you want, to finish recruiting all the Pokémon that you still don't have and getting some treasures. You'll also have to recruit here a massive amount of Legendary Pokémon, which you're unlikely to use much because you already finished the game (besides, big Pokémon are quite uncomfortable to take with you). I also dislike the moves the Pokémon have when they join you, some are awful, I can't count the amount of times I have had to go see Hawlucha for remembering moves. The fact that Pokémon level up without being in your expedition but don't learn attacks make you have to take a look at their moves every time you want to take them with you, otherwise you can have an awful set of them and get destroyed.

    Honestly not many flaws in this game, well polished and very fun to play.    … Expand
  59. RobertTheGreat
    Apr 26, 2018
    6
    Gates To Infinty Failed Me. I Played It And I Enjoyed It, But I Was Hard For Me To Get Through Poliwrath River, And I Need More Time To Get Through It. When I Started To Play The Game I Chose To Be Riolu And My Partner, Mudkip. This Game Was Good But I Need To Do Better At Going Through The Game.
  60. XxWolfxX
    Aug 16, 2016
    7
    This game is okay, but the box art is just terrible, at least the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Gates of Infinity has 3D Box art, and obviously the older Pokémon Mystery Dungeon has the same as Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon box art, but it's more neater than Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon, what's up with the Mega Sceptile pose? And with the Pokémon designs with it? And why it is so many of them?This game is okay, but the box art is just terrible, at least the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Gates of Infinity has 3D Box art, and obviously the older Pokémon Mystery Dungeon has the same as Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon box art, but it's more neater than Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon, what's up with the Mega Sceptile pose? And with the Pokémon designs with it? And why it is so many of them? I don't know, it's just disappointing.… Expand
  61. ernchii
    Mar 14, 2017
    6
    First, the good things about this game. I love the world that the game has built. It was fun to meet and interact with all kinds of Pokemon. More often than not, they have great personalities. I would say that meeting all these Pokemon was the most fun thing about this game. I had a lot of fun playing through the story, just talking to them was enjoyable and made me grow an attachment toFirst, the good things about this game. I love the world that the game has built. It was fun to meet and interact with all kinds of Pokemon. More often than not, they have great personalities. I would say that meeting all these Pokemon was the most fun thing about this game. I had a lot of fun playing through the story, just talking to them was enjoyable and made me grow an attachment to certain characters. Especially in main line Pokemon games, you don't really get to see the Pokemon much aside from battles. In this game however, you see their emotions, their faces lighting up and laughing, it is really refreshing and made me view them more as living things. The world is colorful and bright, and fun to be in.

    Unfortunately, the repetitive and boring gameplay is what hinders my enjoyment of the game, which is troubling. The dungeons are uninspiring, and I find myself actually hoping to quickly exit the dungeons because, well, they were /that/ boring. Of course, that is just a matter of taste, it would be rather hypocritical to criticize repetitive gameplay when the main line Pokemon games have stuck to the same formula for years. However, I just cannot bring myself to finish the game because it is such a drag to play through. Yes, I have not even gone halfway through the game, maybe about 10 hours in tops? Yet I am already unmotivated to continue playing.

    Maybe one day I will restart the game and give it another chance, seeing that many herald this Mystery Dungeon game as one of the best in the spin-off series, I think that alone should be incentive for me to give this game another shot. But for now, I think I will stick to the main line Pokemon games.    … Expand
  62. ZeoN
    Sep 10, 2018
    9
    Juego bastante bueno y recomendado. Inicia lento pero poco a poco se va poniendo interesante hasta llegar al punto de una muy buena historia. Dificultad alta de mitad del juego para adelante, mazmorras bien estructuradas y variadas en temática. Banda sonora buenísima. Roza el nivel de calidad de Pokémon Mundo Misterioso Exploradores del Tiempo y Oscuridad.
  63. MonkiReviews
    Mar 12, 2017
    7
    Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games aren't as great as I wanted it to be. The games Pokemon are spectacular, but that doesn't make it. The gameplay is the boring part, it isn't that fun.
  64. EdwardG
    May 10, 2019
    8
    Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon is a fun RPG, with a great story bolstered by an enjoyable core gameplay loop. Although it starts off a little slow, the story picks up the pace and is full of surprises, emotional moments, and a diverse cast of NPCs that make the journey to the fantastic climax memorable.

    The bulk of the gameplay involves dungeon crawling, as you'd expect. Traversing the    Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon is a fun RPG, with a great story bolstered by an enjoyable core gameplay loop. Although it starts off a little slow, the story picks up the pace and is full of surprises, emotional moments, and a diverse cast of NPCs that make the journey to the fantastic climax memorable.

    The bulk of the gameplay involves dungeon crawling, as you'd expect. Traversing the many dungeons as you play as a Pokemon is a rewarding and satisfying hook, thanks in part to the often challenging difficulty, and the opportunity to recruit more Pokemon to your team by solving their problems. The cute graphics and pleasant soundtrack also add to its appeal.

    After completing the main story, there is quite a lot to do in the postgame, including a little more story content, but it mostly just involves recruiting more Pokemon and finding useful items. Although it certainly is a fun game, the dungeon crawling can get a little repetitive by this point, especially after the story has run its course and you're left with less motivation to continue. The lack of mission diversity in the postgame may be to blame. However, for fans of the series, this shouldn't be too much of an issue, and there's reason to keep playing long after the story concludes.

    Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon is easy to recommend, with a story deeper than you might expect, and challenging gameplay that follows a fun formula.    … Expand
  65. joehi1
    Dec 12, 2017
    6
    Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon does deserve some points for managing to make an acceptable entry into the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon franchise after Gates to Infinity, however acceptable is the only way to describe it. Sadly Super Mystery Dungeon lacks a well-written story that could possibly have the worse story of this series of spin-offs. While the gameplay stays the same and the visualsPokemon Super Mystery Dungeon does deserve some points for managing to make an acceptable entry into the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon franchise after Gates to Infinity, however acceptable is the only way to describe it. Sadly Super Mystery Dungeon lacks a well-written story that could possibly have the worse story of this series of spin-offs. While the gameplay stays the same and the visuals are looking good, the Mystery Dungeon formula really needed more of an overhaul, and the new implementation of recruiting Pokemon to your rescue team is lackluster at best. You go out on a specific mission to rescue these Pokemon or help them, then these Pokemon that are way above your level join you, and the games difficulty curves so that you essentially have to rely on these high-level partners if you want to get through the game without a lot of grinding. Super Mystery Dungeon failed to revitalize the franchise like Time and Darkness on the DS did, and because of that the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon spin-off series may lie dormant forever, and no S.O.S mail will be available

    Cons
    No fundamental changes except awful implementation of recruiting system
    Worse Story of the Mystery Dungeon franchise
    Main characters feel useless    … Expand
  66. HenryDrago
    Apr 22, 2018
    6
    Interesting the way of recruiting allies, the dungeons are cool, but very repetitive, difficulty unbalanced, in some moments is very easy another very difficult, the story is not so well developed or captivating, shallow characters.
  67. JmanTheHitman
    Aug 8, 2018
    10
    Story is slow at the beginning, but after that the game is great. Definitely the hardest mystery dungeon game and has the best partner Pokemon in all the series. don't let some reviews prevent you from playing this game your going to either love it or hate it ( that goes for this series as well)
  68. Spad
    Aug 24, 2018
    10
    This game has some really amazing music! The story can get a little dark at certain points as well!
  69. Auto
    Dec 12, 2018
    9
    in resume : not nearly as good as the explorers games. its still a cool experience though
  70. ShawnEXE
    May 3, 2019
    9
    Music: 4.5/5
    Game Play: 4.5/5
    Graphics: 4/5
    Story: 4/5
    Time-Value: 5/5
    Overall: 4.5/5
  71. IkOzael
    Aug 23, 2021
    5
    Like the previous games, this one has it's charm in a few places. Half the reason I play games of the series is because of the story, so that's what I'll mostly talk about. Sorry if this is a bit of a messy critique.

    The story was OK, but it ain't nothin' special (like most Pokemon stories, game or not). You're a human with boring plot-induced amnesia... again, you meet partner a bit    Like the previous games, this one has it's charm in a few places. Half the reason I play games of the series is because of the story, so that's what I'll mostly talk about. Sorry if this is a bit of a messy critique.

    The story was OK, but it ain't nothin' special (like most Pokemon stories, game or not). You're a human with boring plot-induced amnesia... again, you meet partner a bit later, make a team to go on adventure with your memory, beat the current villain of the week... That's one way of puttin' it, but I'll go into detail. I'll refer to the player character as Silas and the partner as Sparkles for reasons. I won't put this behind a spoiler 'cause there ain't anything worth not spoiling.

    The tone was too childish. The "story" was more focused on goofy **** and tryin' to get a giggle outta kids than tellin' a decent story. Everything is just empty filler until the Bittercold 2 gets brought up. Crucial parts of the story don't really get explained like the protagonist's amnesia with it apparently bein' done to him twice.

    Dark Matter sounded neat in concept, but it was more or less already done in Gates to Infinity with the Bittercold (though it's still a breath of fresh air from the obvious "villain" Pokémon each game had prior to GtI). It having sentience doesn't do a thing for it when it has a few minions and seeks to destroy the world like the Bittercold in Gates to Infinity. Anyway, in the end, Sparkles disappears instead of you which is just for subversion and the epilogue which brings her back is all over the place. I could respect the idea of Sparkles disappearing, but it you know that's just a set up for more filler. Pointless filler at that when you KNOW she'll be back in a bit, but hey we need an epilogue chapter. Silas is just kinda left out as a main part of the plot too.

    I wanna talk about humans for a bit... Stop with the human-turned-Pokémon protagonists. That **** has run dry already. Try something else. How about pure Pokémon protagonists for example? The humans were never anything special in any of the games anyway although that could've been the case in Super Mystery Dungeon if they cared to write it like that. Literally any Pokémon could do what these random humans do. There's a looot of story potential with Pokémon Mystery Dungeon, but I'm speakin' from more of a comic series standpoint.

    The way I kinda wanted to write SMD for a future comic was Silas havin' abilities that would be integral to the overall plot. These abilities would stem from origins as a reincarnation of the human who fought Dark Matter long ago. That's among other potential changes like Sparkles dreaming of helping others by becoming an Expedition Society member, her also not being related to Mew, and whether or not Dark Matter is the main antagonist. Considering the dialog near the end of the game with Celebi explaining the Harmony Scarves, I think reincarnation would've been an interesting concept, but, like I said, I'm speakin' from more of a comic adaptation standpoint instead of a gameplay one on that. Honestly, SMD's story is on par with Sword & Shield's story which is on the money when compared to that dustbin anime. In short, Super Mystery Dungeon needs one hell of a rewrite.

    The gameplay is a little worse in some areas. Instead of havin' four party members, it's now three which I don't know why it was changed, but it was unnecessary. The game is also very stingy with exp. an' with how strong the enemies are, especially the bosses, it feels arbitrary. Arceus forbid you run into a Monster House. You could also beat the game and barely hit level 30. If you're mindlessly trying to brute force your way through dungeons, then you'll most likely get obliterated, so managing items is crucial.

    The only thing Super Mystery Dungeon did was add all Pokémon in the game and that's what most people will praise it for. At this point, I'm not that interested in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon anymore beyond Super Mystery Dungeon inspiring me to make a fan comic series of it and a follow-up series to it one day which I already have a lot of ideas for.    … Expand
  72. Pokemon_Trainer
    Jun 10, 2019
    5
    I am a massive Pokemon fan and I have been for over a decade, but I've got to say, the Mystery Dungeon games aren't a patch on the usual Pokemon game formats. Whilst Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon soon becomes a little tiresome and leaves you wondering "where is this actually going? what am I meant to be doing?", at least it is interesting playing from the perspective of a Pokemon!
  73. Mattia9336
    Jul 13, 2021
    8
    While not as good as Explorers of Sky, Super Mistery Dungeon is a solid entry in the series. While the first part of the game is pretty boring, the story really picks up afterwards and the ending has a plot twist I definitely wasn't expecting! However I'm not a fan of the new "recruiting" system, as it makes the game a bit too easy in my opinion: while I was at level 15, I already hadWhile not as good as Explorers of Sky, Super Mistery Dungeon is a solid entry in the series. While the first part of the game is pretty boring, the story really picks up afterwards and the ending has a plot twist I definitely wasn't expecting! However I'm not a fan of the new "recruiting" system, as it makes the game a bit too easy in my opinion: while I was at level 15, I already had level 40 Charizard and Alakazam as partners.
    In the end Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon is a solid game in an underrated series.    … Expand
  74. AV_Lazy
    May 6, 2020
    9
    In my opinion PSMD is one of the best 3ds games out there. It is really fun with loads of content and a pretty good story. The soundtrack has plenty of amazing songs that I listen to frequently (most notably fire island volcano). The emera mechanic is also really entertaining to use and abuse.
  75. Albino-Chimchar
    Jun 7, 2021
    10
    no joke this game is genuenlly amazing like for real i love the story, the partner, the music, everything
  76. MrGoombs
    Aug 21, 2020
    10
    WHY IS THE SCORE SO LOW?!?! this game is amazing why is the score so low it’s not as goof as explorers of sky though
  77. GamingUltimatum
    Jun 5, 2021
    10
    Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon (PSMD) is a true Pokemon Mystery Dungeon (PMD) sequel - a far cry from what Gates to Infinity tried to be. We get to keep the wonderfully beautiful graphics and natural control scheme that Gates To Infinity (GTI) introduced but we get back the expansiveness that previous PMD games boasted. The NPCs have such wonderful personality too! I will probably updatePokemon Super Mystery Dungeon (PSMD) is a true Pokemon Mystery Dungeon (PMD) sequel - a far cry from what Gates to Infinity tried to be. We get to keep the wonderfully beautiful graphics and natural control scheme that Gates To Infinity (GTI) introduced but we get back the expansiveness that previous PMD games boasted. The NPCs have such wonderful personality too! I will probably update this with more detail once I can drag myself away from the game long enough to do so, but y'know what - the game is worth it. Absolutely recommended. Go pick it up and play it now if you liked any other PMD games. I just want to say that the music is phenomenal, while I would say that the other games had slightly better music some of the stuff in here, especially for the first few dungeons is great. Not only that but once you hear a song for the first time you then unlock it in the jukebox on the main menu which you can listen to songs for as long as you want without having to unlock it like you had to do in sky.… Expand
  78. Toasttt
    Mar 26, 2022
    6
    meh .
  79. Dewom
    Apr 9, 2022
    5
    Para mi este juego perdió totalmente el norte de lo que (en mi opinión), hacía que los anteriores se sintieran tan bien. Todo el tema de que constantemente te traten como a un (literalmente) bebé/crío, me parece tira por la borda la epicidad de los anteriores. En los primeros mystery dungeon tenias tu propia base y salías en aventuras con tu compañero a por todas, o tenías tu zona dePara mi este juego perdió totalmente el norte de lo que (en mi opinión), hacía que los anteriores se sintieran tan bien. Todo el tema de que constantemente te traten como a un (literalmente) bebé/crío, me parece tira por la borda la epicidad de los anteriores. En los primeros mystery dungeon tenias tu propia base y salías en aventuras con tu compañero a por todas, o tenías tu zona de operaciones totalmente ambientada como el gremio...seguias siendo un pokemon "pequeño" pero se te trataba igual que al resto, solo que tenias menos experiencia de combate y aventuras.

    En este simplemente vas a clase y parece que tengas 7 años durante todo el juego, no me enganchó en absoluto la narrativa ni los personajes. Los gráficos no son el buen pixelart anterior o la versión pulida de DX, es un 3D bastante pocho en mi opinión, no creo que le quede nada bién.

    Es sistema de reclutado me parece innecesariamente extraño y aburrido en parte...incluso mucho más dificil de explicar en lo que sería contexto del mismo mundo en si.

    No creo que esté suspendido pero es bastante aburrido y la historia deja bastante que desear, increíble que tenga más nota que exploradores del tiempo/cielo.    … Expand
  80. 8mew
    Jul 8, 2022
    9
    Jamais déçu des donjons mystères, bon jeu. Le nouveau système de recrutement est certes plus simple mais c’est d’autant plus jouissif au final ! Un peu de renouveau. À quand un sur Nintendo Switch?
  81. AlexMakesToast
    Nov 20, 2022
    4
    Super Mystery Dungeon = 4/10
    ..............................................
  82. Davibay
    Jan 24, 2023
    10
    This is by far the best game i have ever played in my entire life. Well written characters you get attached to easily, the story is full of plot twists, the animations are good for PMD standards, the soundtracks are.... one of the best things i have ever witnessed in my life: it's heartbreaking, overwhelming, astonishing, it is that kind of music that can reach you in the depths of yourThis is by far the best game i have ever played in my entire life. Well written characters you get attached to easily, the story is full of plot twists, the animations are good for PMD standards, the soundtracks are.... one of the best things i have ever witnessed in my life: it's heartbreaking, overwhelming, astonishing, it is that kind of music that can reach you in the depths of your heart. This isn't even a game for kids, i always have recommended this game to people that were at least 14 years old cause it may not seem like it but all the plot is deeper than you think. This is also the game i've restarted most times to relive all the story of the game.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

28
#28 Best 3DS Game of 2015
3
#3 Most Discussed 3DS Game of 2015
1
#1 Most Shared 3DS Game of 2015

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
69

Mixed or average reviews - based on 44 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 44
  2. Mixed: 24 out of 44
  3. Negative: 2 out of 44
  1. CD-Action
    Jun 29, 2016
    75
    A very decent Mystery Dungeon game and the best Pokemon Mystery Dungeon. [06/2016, p.66]
  2. NZGamer
    Mar 21, 2016
    75
    Great in sprints, but tedium might put off players looking for deeper experiences.
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  3. games(TM)
    Mar 16, 2016
    60
    Fans of the Mystery Dungeon series will know what to expect from this latest offering: its new additions aren’t radical enough to ruin what makes it fun or, crucially, fix what makes it monotonous.
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