Pocket Mortys, also known as Rick and Morty: Pocket Mortys, is a free-to-play role-playing video game developed by Big Pixel Studios, Tag Games and Pocket Sized Hands[1] and published by Adult Swim Games. The game was released worldwide on January 13, 2016 for iOS and Android devices. The game is based on the television series Rick and Morty and the mechanics serve as a parody/remake of the Pokémon franchise, being updated each episode with new playable characters based on those from the wider franchise every year since. Two comic book adaptations, Pocket Mortys (2016) and Pocket Like You Stole It! (2017), written by Tini Howard, have been published by Oni Press.
| Pocket Mortys | |
|---|---|
 App icon | |
| Developer(s) | Big Pixel Studios, Tag Games, Pocket Sized Hands |
| Publisher(s) | Adult Swim Games |
| Platform(s) | iOS, Android |
| Release |
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| Genre(s) | Role-playing |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multi-player |
Description
editPocket Mortys is based on the multiple timeline concept as described in episode 10 of season 1, "Close Rick-counters of the Rick Kind".[2] The game uses a style and concept similar to the Pokémon games, with the player (Rick C-123) catching various 'wild' Mortys, battling them with a variety of 'Trainers' in the form of aliens, Ricks and several supporting characters.[3] The game features voice acting from Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon,[4] and, since 2023, Ian Cardoni and Harry Belden.
Gameplay
editPocket Mortys is in a third-person view, overhead perspective and consists of three basic screens: an overworld, in which the player navigates the main character; a side-view battle screen; and a menu interface, in which the player configures their Mortys, items, or gameplay settings.[5]
The player can use their Mortys to battle other Mortys. Supposedly the strongest Morty so far is The One True Morty later revealed in the game. Wild Mortys are visible on the overworld and can be battled. "Trainer" fights are also visible and entail fighting against their party of up to five Mortys. When the player encounters a Morty or a trainer, the screen switches to a turn-based battle screen that displays the engaged Mortys. During battle, the player may select a maneuver for their Morty to use in the fight, use an item, switch their active Morty, or (against the wild Mortys) attempt to flee. Mortys have hit points (HP); when a Morty's HP is reduced to zero, it gets dazed and can no longer battle until it is revived. Once an enemy Morty faints, the player's Morty involved in the battle receive a certain number of experience points (EXP). After accumulating enough EXP, a Morty will level up. A Morty's level controls its physical properties, such as the battle statistics acquired, and the moves learned. The player may combine two Mortys of the same type to evolve them; these evolutions affect the statistics and which moves are learned. Catching wild Mortys is another essential element of the gameplay. During battle with a wild Morty, the player may throw a Manipulation Chip at it. If the Morty is successfully caught, it will come under the ownership of the player.[3][6][7]
The ultimate goal of the game is to collect and level-up a team of Mortys to battle against the Council of Ricks, who have taken Rick's portal gun until he proves himself to be worthy of getting it back.[6][7]
Comic series
edit| Pocket Like You Stole It! | |
|---|---|
 Art by Marc Ellerby. | |
| No. of issues | 5 |
| Publisher | Oni Press |
| Creative team | |
| Writers | Tini Howard |
| Colourists | Katy Farina |
| ISBN | 978-1-6201-0416-3 |
Two spin-off comic book adaptations, Rick and Morty in: Pocket Mortys and Rick and Morty: Pocket Like You Stole It!, written by Tini Howard, have been published by Oni Press, respectively released on September 28, 2016 and from July 5 to November 22, 2017.[8][9][10]
Reception
editThe game received "mixed or average" reception, according to review aggregator Metacritic.[11] PC Magazine gave the game a rating of 3.5/5, and Patricia Hernandez of Kotaku stated that the game was "brilliant".[2][12]
IGN was not as favourable in its review, giving the game a "mediocre" 5.5 rating, stating that the game "lacks cohesion" and that it was "little more than a diluted Pokémon imitator".[13] HardcoreGamer mirrored this opinion by giving the game a score of 2.5/5.[14] With the commercial success of the game, it prompted Adult Swim Games to acquire Big Pixel Studios two years and four months later on May 21, 2018.[15]
References
edit- ^ "Pocket Sized Hands – Co-development Studio for hire". Retrieved 2023-10-09.
- ^ a b Minor, Jordan (2016-01-19). "Pocket Mortys (for iPad) Review & Rating". PCMag.com. Archived from the original on 2016-02-07. Retrieved 2016-02-01.
- ^ a b "Pocket Mortys Review - Reviews - The Escapist". The Escapist. Archived from the original on 2019-11-11. Retrieved 2016-01-29.
- ^ Dornbush, Jonathon (2016-01-05). "Pocket Mortys Pokémon-like game release date, details". EW.com. Archived from the original on 2016-01-13. Retrieved 2016-02-01.
- ^ "Pocket Mortys is the best Pokémon game for your smartphone - Games - Geek.com". @geekdotcom. Archived from the original on 2019-11-11. Retrieved 2016-01-29.
- ^ a b Tassi, Paul. "'Pocket Mortys' Is The Mobile 'Pokémon' Game Nintendo Should Have Made Years Ago". Forbes. Archived from the original on 2019-11-11. Retrieved 2017-09-08.
- ^ a b "Review: Rick and Morty: Pocket Mortys". Destructoid. Archived from the original on 2019-10-05. Retrieved 2016-01-29.
- ^ Franco, Bob (June 23, 2017). "RICK AND MORTY: POCKET LIKE YOU STOLE IT: Creative Team Interview". ComicsVerse. Archived from the original on June 16, 2017. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
- ^ Nevin, Will (September 7, 2017). "GO. FIGHT...MORTY? Talking with the team behind 'Rick and Morty: Pocket Like You Stole It'". Oregon Live. Archived from the original on September 18, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2017.
- ^ CBR Staff (September 26, 2016). "Rick and Morty #18". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on October 3, 2016. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
- ^ "Pocket Mortys". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 2020-02-18. Retrieved 2016-01-29.
- ^ Hernandez, Patricia (20 January 2016). "The Rick and Morty Version of Pokémon Is Brilliant". Kotaku. Archived from the original on 2016-02-06. Retrieved 2016-02-06.
- ^ Moser, Cassidee (12 January 2016). "Rick and Morty: Pocket Mortys Review". IGN. Archived from the original on 2019-11-11. Retrieved 2016-02-06.
- ^ "Review: Pocket Mortys | Hardcore Gamer". HardcoreGamer. 21 January 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-02-07. Retrieved 2016-02-06.
- ^ Takahashi, Dean (May 21, 2018). "Adult Swim acquires Pocket Mortys developer Big Pixel Studios". VentureBeat. Archived from the original on May 22, 2018. Retrieved May 21, 2018.