When it comes to monster collecting games, most people might think of Pokémon and it’s catchy “Gotta catch ’em all” slogan. However, Pokémon isn’t the only game that centers around collecting monsters, there are many out there with the same goal, but with different twists.

One of the lesser-known monster collecting games is “Yo-Kai Watch 2: Psychic Specters,” a game where you collect monsters that are based on actual Japanese yokai.

The Yo-Kai series got split into 2 sequel games. Similar to the Pokémon franchise with Gold and Silver, Black and White and the list goes on and on. This sequel was also split into two games:“Yo-Kai Watch 2: Bony Spirits” and “Yo-Kai Watch 2: Fleshy Souls.”

Now it’s a fully extended game that even if you complete the main story, there, even more, quests for you to do.

Now that you have some background on this ghostly game, let’s compare how different they are from Pokémon in terms of its pros and cons.

The biggest difference with “Yo-Kai Watch: Psychic Specters” and any of the Pokémon franchise are the battle system and the monsters themselves. In battle instead of you choosing the moves, the yokai chooses for themselves and even act mostly on their own throughout the whole battle.

Psychic Specters has an auto-battle system, unlike Pokémon’s control system, which means you have to be wise about how your team will perform. You can train your yokai in a gym to boost stats and buy items to change their play-style in a battle to give them better performance.

Even doing quests is different than Pokémon, you earn experience points for your team, while with Pokémon players need “exp. share.” Now the yokais are more human-like, they even see themselves as humans more than just mere monsters, unlike Pokémon.

The only con Psychic Specters” has is its transfer. If you played “Yo-kai Watch 2: Bony Spirits” or “Yo-kai Watch 2: Fleshy Souls”, you may need to keep a close eye while transferring your game data.

Players are able to catch yokai that are exclusive to the side you’re on and the extras psychic specters gives. So it’s best to trade before or with some online friend who has the opposite version before even thinking about buying psychic specters if you’re a veteran player.

Overall, “Yo-kai Watch 2: Psychic Specters” is a great start to experience non-Pokémon monster collecting games.  It may not be popular yet but it’s becoming well known.

Yo-kai Watch 2: Psychic Specters retails for $39.99 at most supercenters.

Happy Yo-kai hunting!