Game Freak is mostly known for the Pokemon franchise, which is no surprise considering its monumental popularity. Despite this, the studio is not a one-trick pony, and it has released several games outside the Pokemon universe. Though many gamers may not know about these Game Freak projects, they still form a significant part of the studio's history.
Since Pokemon has come along, Game Freak has focused the bulk of its resources on the franchise. However, it does appear as though it is preparing for the worst-case scenario, and it is attempting to bolster other IPs in case Pokemon is ever replaced by its many clones. Thus far, no games have been able to find the same success the creature-collecting craze has garnered, though.
Game Freak in the 1990s
Game Freak is a Japanese gaming studio that was formed in 1989 by Satoshi Tajiri, Ken Sugimori, and Junichi Masuda. The first game released by the studio was Quinty, which is known as Mendel Palace in the West. It is a puzzle game, and it has players attempting to rescue their girlfriend who has been kidnapped. The game was released on the Nintendo Entertainment System, and it went on to sell around 60,000 copies in the USA. Although the game has mostly been forgotten, it inspired Tajiri to craft Pokemon. The studio went on to release more puzzle games in the 90s, including Yoshi, Mario & Wario, Nontan to Issho: KuruKuru Puzzle, and Bazaru de Gozaru no Game de Gozaru.
Game Freak also experimented with platformers in the 90s. In 1991, the studio released Smart Ball, a Super NES game that has players controlling a jelly bean with eyes. Magical Taruruto, which was released in 1992, is based on the anime series of the same name. In 1994, Game Freak released another platformer named Pulseman on the Game Boy. The game also experimented with RPGs on the SNES, including Bushi Seiryūden: Futari no Yusha which was released in 1997. In 1999, the studio released Click Medic for the PlayStation. All these games helped the studio to grow, though none of them would reach the historic popularity of Pokemon.
Game Freak in the 2000s and 2010s
During the 2000s, Game Freak was mostly kept busy by Pokemon, which had become a global phenomenon. Nevertheless, the studio did veer away from the massive IP to experiment with other ideas. In 2005, the studio released the action platformer Drill Dozer on the Game Boy Advance. The 2010s were similarly dominated by Pokemon for Game Freak, though a few other games were released. This includes the rhythm platformer HarmoKnight which was released for the Nintendo 3DS in 2013, and Tembo the Badass Elephant, a platformer released in 2015.
Sticking to its puzzle-gaming roots, Game Freak released Giga Wrecker in 2017, though it never received much critical praise. The studio has also experimented with mobile games, as seen with Pocket Card Jockey which Game Freak developed for the 3DS, iOS, and Android. In 2019 came one of Game Freak's most ambitious projects outside of Pokemon. Little Town Hero is an RPG available on the Nintendo Switch, and it features a soundtrack by Undertale's Toby Fox.
Looking ahead, Game Freak's focus still seems to be on Pokemon. It would be daft not to, as the franchise continues to only grow. The latest entries, Scarlet and Violet, had the biggest debut of any Pokemon game. The studio still seems interested in pursuing other interests, which is why gamers can also expect Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On! in 2023. It is a solitaire and horse-racing hybrid that will be available on mobile.
