Anime and video games have steadily moved from niche hobbies to mainstream entertainment over the past decade, and the COVID-19 era accelerated that shift even more. With easy access, endless options, and entertainment you could enjoy without face-to-face interaction, both industries pulled in huge new audiences. Creature-collecting games, in particular, rode that wave—helped along by the Pokémon franchise transforming from “just for gamers” into something nearly everyone recognizes, whether through trading cards, mobile hits, or blockbuster console releases.
That success also opened the door for more studios to try their own spin on the monster-collecting formula. Pocketpair’s open-world creature collector Palworld proved there’s a massive appetite for the genre, even as it sparked controversy and legal battles with Nintendo. With many of those lawsuits reportedly being thrown out, the space is heating up again—and new challengers are stepping forward with fresh ideas.
One of the most interesting new entries we saw at PAX East 2026 was Aniimo, an ambitious creature collector and battler from Pawprint Studio. At first glance, it hits familiar notes: explore a vibrant world, gather a team of unique creatures, and take on powerful enemies. But Aniimo’s standout twist is that it lets you merge with your monsters, shifting the feel of combat and giving players a new way to approach battles.
At the event demo, players could choose between starting on a fresh account to follow story quests or jumping into a “master” account with broader access to the world and a wider roster of creatures. Choosing the master option still allowed for story progress in theory, but the real fun was in roaming, experimenting with different creatures, and testing combat in tougher areas.
Aniimo immediately makes a strong first impression with creature design. The monsters are highly stylized, full of personality, and brought to life with energetic animations—whether they’re idle in the overworld or actively battling. Switching your party on the fly also feels smooth, which helps keep exploration and combat fast-paced.
The development team encouraged players to challenge various areas’ boss monsters, and these encounters deliver the kind of intensity creature-collector fans look for. Boss fights carry a similar vibe to high-threat battles in other modern monster games: once you’re locked in, the boss tends to focus its aggression on the player, and you’ll need to manage your team smartly while issuing commands. Aniimo adds variety by letting you shift control and take direct command of your creature’s actions and attacks, helping battles feel more dynamic than the traditional “stand still and trade turns” flow.
Strategy matters, especially because enemies have different weaknesses and resistances. Poor battle management can drag fights out dramatically. In one demo battle against a water boss, a key fire/electric creature was accidentally lost early, forcing a switch to another electric monster that wasn’t built for dealing heavy damage. Instead, it specialized in boosting teammates. With the main damage dealer gone, the fight became a slow grind—still winnable, but far longer than it needed to be.
Boss fights can also get chaotic because bosses are able to summon allies to assist them, quickly shifting the battle into a multi-enemy mess if you fall behind. As you perform enough moves or deal enough damage, each creature can unleash a special ability, which can help swing momentum back in your favor—assuming you still have the right creatures alive to capitalize on it.
Defeating a boss comes with high stakes, too. After the win, you only get one chance to capture the boss monster. If the situation looks bad mid-fight, you can flee, but it takes a bit of time—meaning you’ll want to decide early whether to commit or back out before things spiral.
Based on early hands-on impressions, Aniimo has the foundation to become a strong creature capturing and battling game. It embraces what people love about the genre—collecting, team-building, and challenging battles—while still trying to stand apart through its merge mechanic and more hands-on combat feel. While gacha mechanics are expected to be part of the overall package, the game will also let players capture creatures the traditional way, which should appeal to fans who prefer earning monsters through exploration and gameplay.
Aniimo is currently in development for Windows PC, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, iOS, and Android, with a release planned for later in 2026. For players hungry for the next creature-collector to sink time into, this one looks like it’s aiming to be more than just another clone—it’s trying to carve out its own identity with style, charm, and a few smart twists.
