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.
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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

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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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