What if I told you that a new game has brought key elements of two beloved franchises and smashed them together in a delightfully creative way? That would be pretty exciting in itself, but if you then throw in that the two games in question are Pokémon and Skylanders, that excitement might go up more than a few notches. Luckily, that is very much the case, and the best news is that not only is the game a reality, but it’s already a success, and looks to just be at the start of its journey.
The new game in question is titled Aerthlings, and it combines the collection and creature elements of Pokémon with the toyetic and physical collectible aspects of Skylanders into something wholly unique and quite charming. Aerthlings is a mobile and now PC game that has successfully funded on Kickstarter, and what makes it unique is how all of its elements combine. There are physical figures that can be found in blind boxes, which you then scan into your game to bring that character to life with its own unique stats, abilities, rarities and upgrades. You then assemble your custom team and fight the Moonlings’ hordes as you try to rebuild Aerth, and that’s just scratching the surface.
What Makes Aerthlings Stand Out
There are some key areas that set Aerthlings apart from others in this space, and one is in the Aerthlings themselves. There are rarer and more powerful Aerthlings that you can find in blind boxes, but even if you get the same Aerthling you already have, there are no duplicates once scanned into the game, as each Aerthling hatches with its own unique stats and cosmetics, so no two are the same.
You can then trade your fig with a friend to level up your character in the game, and there’s an evolution system tied to this. Every time a fig is traded, it gains lineage and grows stronger, so you are incentivized to trade some of your roster and gain new ones from friends, and your team will get stronger and more powerful as a result.
Once you start playing the game itself, you’ll use your Aerthlings to explore the land and capture resources as well as build your home and craft your world, and there are quests, encounters, and all sorts of buildings to construct. You’ll also have to save the world from Moonlings, and you’ll utilize an arsenal of abilities and attacks to take them down, as every Aetherling has its own mix of skills.
The campaign has 24 new characters to obtain, and they range from cute designs like the Mewdon, Flori, and Muncheeko to the fiery designs of the Volcrys or the imposing design of the Polara. Every creature is unique, and more will be revealed throughout the campaign. The game is already funded and still has 16 days to go, and the campaign just unlocked a port to PC, so even more stretch goals could be unlocked before the campaign ends. You can check out the full campaign here.
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