Palworldis, without a doubt, one of the most bizarre and fascinating video game releases of 2024. Never mind the ongoing battle betweenPocketpair and Nintendo overPalworld’s clearPokémoninfluences—the game is much more than a simplePokémonknock-off. Indeed, its blend of survival game basics and unfettered insanity make it a tough title to match in terms of ridiculousness and memorability.
PerhapsTeraria, Re-Logic’s classic 2011 survival game, could compete withPalworldon this specific front, however. Mixing survival and action game fundamentals with dungeon-crawling gameplay, base building, and sandbox exploration,Terrariawas in a league of its own when it first arrived on the scene nearly fifteen years ago, and it’s still going strong with regular updates that expand and polish its world. It certainly shares a bit of DNA withPalworld, not just as a survival game, but also as one deeply rooted in absurdity, asTerrariafeatures such over-the-top weaponry as the Bananarang, Megashark, and Slap Hand. But one particularly notable piece of gear fromTerarriahas made its way toPalworld, honoring both games' shared love for the farcical.
Terraria’s Meowmere Sword and Palworld Are a Match Made in Heaven
Added as part of theFeybreak update on December 23, the Meowmere Sword can be crafted by anyPalworldplayer who has reached a technology level of at least 30. Using Predator Cores, palladium, ingots, and coal, players can obtain this long-and short-range weapon for use in battle, and it’s quite a sight to behold.
Meowmere, just like its incarnation inTerraria, is defined by its ability to launch spectral cat faces, followed by a rainbow trail, toward enemies. Setting aside the fact that this versatile armament can be used in both close-quarters and at a distance, its greatest and most memorable quality comes down to its sheer silliness. In many ways, it embodies early 2010s meme culture, where quirkiness was king and icons like Nyan Cat were its primary cultural vassals. One could argue thatPalworldhas a lot in common with this now-archaic flavor of internet humor, as itscombination ofPokemon-esque crittersand firearms makes for a delightfully incongruous, irreverent gaming experience. Thus, marrying these two IP, with the Meowmere as the manifestation of their union, is appropriate.
Meowmere May Be the Best Terraria Item in Palworld, but It Doesn’t Need To Be the Last
Palworld, at its core, is about putting animals in unfamiliar situations—this sits at the heart of its comedic nature. This is why something like the Meowmere Sword is such a good fit for the game, as it hinges on the same humorous premise. In other words, it definitely makes sense whyPocketpair and Re-Logic would choose it as the ambassadorfor these games' relationship, the symbol of their shared identity and cultural impact.
But maybeMeowmere could just be the beginning of theTerraria-Palworldrelationship. The great thing about a game that is totally ridiculous is that, while developers may have to omit a more serious or emotionally impactful narrative, they are free to add virtually whatever they want without any real fear of tonal inconsistency. Therefore, otherTerrariaweapons, like the Fruitcake Chakram or the Egg Cannon, while perhaps not as directly related toPalworld’s premise as the Meowmere, could very easily be implemented into the game, should the controlling parties choose to do so.
At the same time, some restraint may be warranted, as neitherPocketpair nor Re-Logic likely wantPalworldto become “Terraria2.0.“But still, maybe some other animal-themed items, like The Bee’s Knees or the Megashark, could make their way over toPalworld, as it’s not hard to imagine them fitting its theme. It just might not helpPalworld’s reputation in the eyes of PETA.
Palworld
WHERE TO PLAY
In this game, you can peacefully live alongside mysterious creatures known as Pals or risk your life to drive off a ruthless poaching syndicate. Pals can be used to fight and breed, or they can be made to work on farms or factories. You can even sell them or eat them.Survival: In a harsh environment where food is scarce and vicious poachers roam, danger waits around every corner. To survive, you must tread carefully and make difficult choices…even if that means eating your own Pals when the time comes.Mounts & Exploration: Pals can be mounted to traverse the land, sea and sky—allowing you to traverse all kinds of environment as you explore the world.Collect all kinds of exciting Pals to fight, farm, build, and work for you in this completely new multiplayer, open world survival and crafting game!
