>>21996635Dragon Quest Monsters, Digimon, Monster Rancher.
DQM is the best of these three with solid RPG mechanics (if old school) stemming from the original series it branches off from. While I wasn't initially interested in the monster design, it grew on me and is one of my most enjoyed monster raising games that isn't Pokemon.
Monster Rancher is what every casual Pokemon player wants out of an in-game experience with their bro/sis. Nothing Pokemon offers will compare to the involvement you have with your monster in MR. Unfortunately, it's basically a dead series outside Japan. I'd recommend MR3 for new players for its simpler gameplay, DS if you have an R4/R4-like for portability while only getting slightly neutered play (with more mon access), and MR2 for the best the series has to offer (shame nobody will ever be able to experience the competitive scene for MR2, only left to internet archives and forgotten fragments on webrings and geocities sites).
Digimon is the easiest franchise to get into if you're into Pokemon. That said, its games are really hit/miss. Greatly enjoyed Dawn/Dusk, but found World Championship to be almost wasted time; if I'm going to play tomagachi, just give me a tomagachi.
>>21997242>the 3DS remakes will never be released outside of Japan 
