Even from the earliest days of playing Pokemon or Dragon Quest, exploring a vast world to create a roster of creatures to impress or terrify your friends has been a core part of what has made the creature-collecting genre endure. More recently, Palworld entered the scene to blow down the doors of what the creature collecting genre can offer. And now, Roco Kingdom is bringing that formula to the MMO genre. Taking that familiar formula and giving it a sprawling world to explore, multiplayer activities to tackle with friends unlocks new realms of potential for creature collecting.
Wishlist Roco Kingdom nowDeveloped by Tencent’s Morefun Studios, Roco Kingdom has already made a huge impression in China, with its recent debut release introducing players around the world to the magical continent of Carosia and its inhabitants, the Jinies.
With the Closed Beta Test underway, we can take a closer look at its creature systems, battles, and exploration. We’ve rounded these up into the three main reasons why this creature-collecting MMO brings the genre together in an all-new and exciting way.
1. Express yourself through your roster in style
Each Jini in Roco Kingdom has a one-of-a-kind profile that differentiates it from others. Whether it’s the Jini’s speciality, height and weight difference or personalities or traits, each familiar that a Roco finds feels distinct.
Finding the right companion might take time, but it will be well worth it. Each Jinn comes with a Personality that can influence their stats. Cheerful Jinies are more open to interaction, while Stubborn Jinies favor Physical Attack over Magic Attack. Many more companions await in Roco Kingdom’s overworld, from the skittish Dodoze to curious Unicorns or sneaky Stumbrals.
Jinies also have various Specialities that influence how you interact with them. While Merciful allows your companions to knock out their targets instead of outright defeating them, Shared Ride gives Rocos the option to hop on and tag along for the ride. Roco Kingdom isn’t necessarily about finding the strongest Jini out there, but rather what suits you and your gameplay style. Maybe you want a cheerful sidekick to keep you company on your adventures, or a big, fuzzy friend to carry you and your friend as you giggle along; Roco Kingdom has something for everyone.
That’s not where the customisation ends, though. The rare Chromatic and Prismatic Jinies can be found out in the world that look wildly different from the usual creatures you’ll find. Chromatic Jinies blend an array of colour variations, while Prismatic Jinies also boast animated glitter effects. Combine both, and your collection will feature some of the rarest creatures out there!
2. There’s more to battling than simply finding the strongest creature
Battling in Roco Kingdom isn’t just whacking the enemy with the largest stick you can find. A balanced, versatile team is vital for success, not to mention the fun of assembling the right combination of companions to cover all your bases.
Jinies have six core attributes to be mindful of: Health, Speed, Physical and Magic Defense, and Physical and Magic Attack. These attributes are determined by one of the four tiers of Talent that each of them have, ranging from Average all the way to Amazing. The last ingredient of Roco Kingdom’s creature collecting is Bloodline, which determines which skills any Jini can learn.
Between Specialties, Personality, Aptitudes and Bloodline, Roco Kingdom offers a near limitless range of possibilities, inviting you to get lost in its picturesque world as you set out to search for the rarest of Jinies.
Combat in Roco Kingdom offers both PvE and PvP challenges galore. Alpha Battles offer Rocos to fight against the strongest opponents in order to claim first-clear rewards, while weekly PvE challenges present Legendary Boss encounters with mythical beasts such as the Winged King or Parlyth. Players looking to test their mettle against other Rocos can also engage in PvP combat.
The fun doesn’t just stop at catching the next Jini, it’s in discovering its potential, building a team around it, and experimenting with new gameplay styles to find the right one for you and the challenge before you.
3. Teaming up with friends to take on the world
While it’s totally understandable (and enviable) to snuggle up under a blanket and spend the weekend adventuring and collecting alone, Roco Kingdom is also built around a sense of community and working together!
Each Roco has a home that they’re able to decorate and invite their friends to in between adventuring and collecting, and activities such as Blossom Battles allow up to four players to work together to capture the most elusive of Jinies. Playing collaboratively is encouraged, as these battles have a chance of yielding high-level creatures with strong individual Aptitudes, as well as granting useful items for your collection.
Adventuring solo is perfectly fine, too. Multiplayer activities are an extension of Rocco Kingdom’s adventuring rather than the core of it, and exploring and collecting at your own pace is always an option. That’s where the game’s MMO systems really shine through, from chilling out at your friend’s home checking out their collection to cruising through the overworld and expanding your teams.
The world of Carosia boasts near endless fun and exploration, giving fans of similar games a great reason to get lost for hours hunting for the perfect Jini. Keen to jump in yourself and see what it’s all about? Wishlist Roco Kingdom on Steam now
