Put away Pokémon; I'd rather have the Digimon Go software.

Pikmin Bloom, Monster Hunter Now, and Pokémon Go Three very distinct augmented reality games that encourage people to explore the environment and make some serious cash in the process. However, there is one franchise—Digimon—that would be a fantastic match for this genre.

I've been thinking about this since Niantic published Pokémon Go back in 2016. Digimon inhabit a digital realm, float across our communication networks, and dwell in a different reality from our own. It makes far more sense to use an app like Digimon than Pokémon to explore your neighbourhood, search for digital monsters, and then house them in your Digifarm where they will ultimately Digivolve into ultimate and mega'mons.

Not acquired yet? If I elaborate a little more on these points, maybe we can all gently persuade Bandai to grant our requests. If you're anything like me, you could have grown up with a Digivice. You know, those tiny brick-shaped, Tamagotchi-like gadgets that let you train, feed, and even clean up the excrement of a Digimon as it grew up.

Since we were little, Bandai has developed several versions of this gadget. Two of the more recent versions are the Vital Bracelet, a very unattractive smartwatch-like device, and a beautiful colour screen version that is presently resting in my Amazon cart. It so happens that this watch comes with a companion app that lets you transmit your virtual friend to your phone. With a few improvements, this app might be fantastic. It's not horrible, but it's pretty basic—it only lets you move your partner and engage in online combat.

Since almost everyone has a smartphone these days (if not, you should definitely check out our guide to the best gaming phones), it seems obvious to develop a Digivice app that can connect to any Tamagotchi or Vital Bracelet, much like Pokémon Go connects to the Pokémon Plus +. In fact, Bandai has already established some excellent foundations for just that.

I believe a stand-alone app would be a fantastic place to start. As with Pokémon Go, it might attract a far larger audience of AR lovers with effective promotion and a well-thought-out roadmap. I know that I and other ardent Digimon fans will download it right immediately. But let me be clear: I'm not interested in a Go clone. I'm craving more.

Choosing from a variety of vividly coloured eggs to hatch into a cute baby Digimon with branching evolution pathways that need distinct activities to achieve each monster is how I want to begin the game. To get Agumon, I would want to walk a few kilometres; to obtain Gabumon, I would like to get my Tsunomon to bed on time; to obtain Numemon, I would even like to forget to clean up some faeces.

In addition to my primary companion, I'd want to have a Digifarm full of Digmon that I've made friends with via barcode scanning, monster taming, or in-game activities. While I'm AFK, I want to send these'mon on missions to get supplies and train them. Then, alongside my partner, I want to take them into online combat. Bite-sized portions of the whole Digimon experience that motivate me to get up, like Go has done every day since its release, is what I desire.

Predatory monetisation is the biggest deterrent for many consumers when it comes to mobile gaming. Although many people don't like how PoGo monetises things, I myself have never felt the need to contribute $1. In my perfect Digivice app, I could imagine myself spending money for adorable cosmetic Digimon accessories, a battlepass or monthly membership for more goods, and a Tamagotchi or a lot more stylish wristwatch that was connected to the app.

However, there are also some very unfavourable types of monetisation. Examples of these include pay-to-win strategies that favour players with more money than others, Digivolutions that are paywalled, making it impossible for me to obtain my favourite Digimon, and invasive in-game advertisements that appear and prevent you from playing the game. In case you're interested in learning more about our opinions on mobile game monetisation, we produced a complete story on Marvel Snap prices.

Now, Bandai, the initiative is yours. Allow me to carry a Psychemon about in the comfort of my phone and give the fans what they desire. I'll be playing the top Digimon games on the Nintendo Switch until then. Our Digimon World: Next Order Switch review or Digimon Survive review could make you want to give them a try if you haven't already.