It is essential that concepts surrounding species interactions and their importance for biodiversity conservation are widely taught and understood. Incorporating playfulness into ecological education initiatives can attract more interest in these aspects of ecology. Over the last three decades Pokémon has engaged with millions of people by replicating many aspects of real-world wildlife in cartoons and games. Studies have speculated how the Pokémon franchise creates opportunities for didactic purposes. This study aims to identify the potential for ecological interactions portrayed in the Pokémon universe to contribute to children's engagement and learning. We first gathered information on all the ecological interactions described among Pokémon 'species' from the franchise's website. We found 150 Pokémon species engaging in an array of different ecological interactions. We tested the use of Pokémon as a teaching tool about ecological interactions to high-school students aged [greater than or equal to] 18 years. The use of Pokémon significantly increased learning of almost half of ecological interactions and raised engagement, particularly among students who like the franchise. Our findings show that Pokémon can be a playful and didactic tool for teaching about ecological interactions.