Standing as the last new Pokémon Mystery Dungeon game in almost a decade, Super really does feel like a culmination and a celebration of the entire series. Chock full of references to previous games and bursting with more content than any other PMD—even the title itself seems to suggest that they knew this would be the last game, at least for a while (...hopefully we’ll get a new one at some point). And honestly? If Super really is the final PMD, I can’t be too upset that this is the game to close the series out.
Dungeon gameplay is greatly smoothed out, with floor layouts repaired after whatever in the world Gates did to them, a solid array of new items in the form of wands, and an interesting new held item system through the introduction of looplets and emeras. The ability to push your partners gives you greater maneuverability (you can actually retreat now!), and now that your partners can attack through you and vice versa, they’re able to actually do more in enemy encounters. Simply setting out for dungeons is easier now too, as you’re able to manage your items and team members right before you leave without having to duck back into town and run around. This is the most polished PMD gameplay-wise, and so it’s no wonder that Rescue Team DX would emulate Super so much.
The series standard mission and recruitment systems are rolled into one through the Connection Orb, and it lends the game a different vibe in regards to your extended team—you can only recruit one of each Pokémon, and there’s a limited number of missions to go on (though it’s certainly a lot!). It’s satisfying, however, to see how connections line up (which gives you a way to beeline for your favorites, as I did with Pokémon I recognized from previous games), and getting new team members with each mission is a really solid reward. Most importantly, you can once again do multiple missions in a single dungeon at once, and on top of that, there’s no limit to how many missions you can accept at once, making for a more effective and streamlined system than ever before. Plus, it’s nice that you can always conveniently access it from the menu rather than having to sprint to a bulletin board over and over again.
As for the narrative... similarly to Gates, I think Super struggles a little with pacing, though its plot is ultimately structured much better. The game’s first act sees you locked in a peaceful little village for hours where you take on quests of relatively little significance and where it ultimately feels as if nothing really happens for a long time. It’s verrrrry slow. You’re literally sent to school to learn about some of the game’s basic mechanics. I hesitate to say that Super babies you, because it is a pretty challenging game, but still... The explanations could stand to be a little more hurried. This opening (...which is really a third of the game) is a bit of a slog, but at the very least, it does a good job of introducing your partner—honestly the most interesting partner of any PMD game. For what it’s worth, I found the children of Serene Village to be more memorable than the Expedition Society members.
The final third of the game, however, sends you hurtling through an emotional rollercoaster of a final act. A particular major plot twist left me stunned the first time I played, and more continue to come as the game nears its end—one final twist right before the credits roll manages to simultaneously slot the final puzzle piece into place and deliver quite the gut punch at once. The way everything comes together in the end is incredibly satisfying. If you can make it through the lackluster early game, you’ll walk away with the feeling of having just completed a spectacular adventure.
Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon provides an incredibly solid Pokémon Mystery Dungeon experience. While it takes the game some time to truly hit its stride narratively, the overall experience is one of the best the series has to offer.