Cobblemon vs Pixelmon: Which Minecraft Pokemon mod is better?

In the modern day, there are essentially two major Pokemon mods for Minecraft in open competition. These are Pixelmon, often considered the original Pokemon mod for the game, and Cobblemon, a newer open-source alternative with plenty to offer on its own. But which is the better Pokemon mod? The answer may come down to what players prefer, but it doesn't hurt to examine both mods.

Although every Minecraft fan has different tastes and might prefer one of these two Pokemon mods over the other, it might be best to examine the pros and cons of each one so that players can make their own determinations as to which they'd rather play.

Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the opinions of the writer

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Examining the pros and cons of the Pixelmon and Cobblemon mods for Minecraft

Pixelmon

Walking Wake in the Pixelmon mod for Minecraft (Image via PixelSnax/YouTube)

Considered the precursor of other Pokemon Minecraft mods, Pixelmon offers a lot to players regardless of whether they're playing solo or in multiplayer. The mod regularly updates and introduces new Pocket Monsters from the latest generation (it's currently introducing Generation IX creatures from Paldea). It aims to match the gameplay of the original Pokemon series as close as possible.

Moreover, the creatures in Pixelmon have robust animations and in-game models compared to other mods. Pokemon Centers/Marts and challengable gyms can be found throughout the Overworld, and the battle system operates almost exactly as it does in the Pocket Monster series. Creature breeding is handled differently but is pretty intuitive in the Minecraft game world.

Pixelmon also introduces a ton of items, including TMs for teaching Pokemon moves and Apricorns for creating Poke Balls. Medicine items can also be procured from shops or loot.

Boss Pokemon roam the game world, providing challenging battle encounters for players to take on for a plethora of rewards.

Fidough and Dachsbun in the Pixelmon mod for Minecraft (Image via PixelSnax/YouTube)

Although Pixelmon has plenty of upsides, it does have some drawbacks as well. Firstly, it's only available as a Forge mod, so players using other mod loaders like Fabric or Quilt might have to look elsewhere for the mod. They may have to seek out programming forks created by other modders, which may not have the same support as the main Pixelmon mod.

All in all, Pixelmon is a malleable Minecraft mod that allows players and servers to determine their own in-game goals. However, it does have some compatibility issues with other mods, though it's gaining additional support with them with every major update.

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Cobblemon

Lapras in the Cobblemon mod (Image via Cobblemon/Modrinth)

Built to be as compatible as possible with other Minecraft mods, Cobblemon is open source and is available for the Forge and Fabric mod loaders by default in addition to having multiple forks thanks to its openly available source code. The mod offers over 500 Pokemon to catch, and the creatures have an appearance that's more in line with Mojang's sandbox title.

Cobblemon uses the Pokemon Showdown engine for accurate battle simulations and allows for free movement during battles so players can carry out other tasks nearby while their creatures fight.

Cobblemon is also compatible with Minecraft data packs and other mods that allow for new Pokemon variants or new "Fakemon" created by fans, which is certainly a plus.

When it comes to items, it's possible to farm berries and apricots or pick them in the wild to create healing items and Poke Balls, providing some extra farming utility, and this mod even provides a tutorial world to learn the ropes.

Cobblemon also introduces some fun mechanics seen in Pokemon Legends: Arceus, including manually running from battles, relearning moves, and more.

Gholdengo is a recent addition to Cobblemon (Image via Cobblemon/YouTube)

Though Cobblemon has a lot of upsides as a Minecraft mod, it does have some drawbacks. It's still missing quite a few Pokemon (though they can still be summoned with commands as Substitute dolls) and has no official multiplayer server like Pixelmon. The generated structures are also lacking compared to Pixelmon. Still, it's a great mod worth installing and enjoying.

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Verdict

Pixelmon remains the better mod for now (Image via Pixelmon)

From a gameplay and visual standpoint, it's hard not to see Pixelmon as the better option for Pokemon Minecraft mods compared to Cobblemon. The added generated structures, game-accurate battle system, and the addition of world bosses and challengeable gyms give Pokemon fans quite a lot to do in Pixelmon, even though Cobblemon is certainly no slouch either.

Both mods have their flaws, to be sure, and not being able to download the official version of Pixelmon on Fabric is a bummer, but it still has more content pound-for-ound compared to Cobblemon.

While Cobblemon certainly shouldn't be ignored, especially for players using the Fabric mod loader, Pixelmon is simply more complete with features and gameplay additions to keep fans engaged.