Game review: Pokémon Pokopia (Switch 2)

The Pokémon franchise has been around for 30 years now, and the series has had a lot of games. The main series is turn-based RPGs, but the franchise has had games based on other genres as well. 

Over the years, we've seen fighting games, detective games, and even photography games, too. However, 2026 marks the first time we see a Pokémon game that mimics the gameplay of Animal Crossing. This is because Nintendo has released Pokémon Pokopia this year for the Switch 2 console. 

I have to admit, I played Animal Crossing for the first time this year, and it wasn't my cup of tea. The gameplay loops didn't really appeal to me, even though I know lots of other people like Animal Crossing game. That being said, I felt the exact opposite while playing Pokémon Pokopia. For some reason, this game got me hooked from the start. 

Before I discuss the gameplay of Pokémon Pokopia, I'm going to talk about the game's interesting story. The main playable character in this game is the Pokémon called Ditto. If you don't know Ditto, it's a Pokémon that can mimic the powers and appearances of other things. 

In this unique story, Ditto copies the appearance of either a boy or a girl and stumbles upon a dry land that is void of any humans or Pokémon. The only character Ditto meets in the place called Withered Wastelands is Professor Tangrowth. 

Tangrowth explains to Ditto that Withered Wastelands has been abandoned, and both humans and Pokémon no longer live there. He then tasks Ditto to restore the habitat in hopes of more Pokémon coming back to a better home.

The first Pokémon you will see that needs help is Squirtle, who is dying from dehydration. Thanks to Ditto's copying ability, he mimics the powers of Squirtle and restores his health by literally squirting water onto himself. 

Once Ditto has the power of spitting out water, it can squirt water on the dry land so grass can grow again. When the grass lands have been restored, an unexpected Bulbasaur also turns up. 

Another character who likes living in the tall grass is Charmander, and thanks to Bulbasaur's ability, Ditto can create tall grass at will. Once all of the characters meet Charmander, they can make fire, so the wasteland is less cold. 

After getting through the basics, the actual gameplay loop of Pokémon Pokopia is really addictive and quite fun. Ditto will continue to learn newer abilities when more Pokémon habitats are restored. 

Not to mention, he can collect resources like leaves, wood, food, and other things to craft different types of objects. For example, I made a leaf house for Charmander, but he didn't want to live in there until I crafted furniture for him. As Ditto, I collected a lot of resources to craft Charmander a bed, a stool, and a table. After that, Charmander decided to live indoors from then on. 

My favourite ability in the game, though, is when Ditto can punch away rock and debris. Ditto learns this once they meet Hitmonchan. This is such a useful ability because some rocks need to be cleared so Ditto can walk over and explore newer areas in the game. Ditto can also punch rocks to allow water to flow back into the village. 

At first, I thought the game world was small and that only around 50 Pokémon were in the game. However, the more I played, I discovered huge new areas, and I then found out the game has around 300 Pokémon for you to meet!

I have to admit, I'm an old-school Pokémon fan, and I'm only familiar with the first 151 Pokémon created in the first generation. There are a handful of original Pokémon I recognise, but it was nice to see all of the newer Pokémon I have never seen before. 

Players will also be surprised by how many hours this game offers. The main story will last most people around 30 hours, but getting 100% will take you well over 50 hours or more to finish.

While the gameplay in Pokémon Pokopia is enjoyable, the graphics in the game aren't the best that the Switch 2 has to offer. The game doesn't look bad, but it pales in comparison to the likes of Final Fantasy VII Intergrade and Resident Evil Requiem. 

That being said, Pokémon Pokopia has much better graphics than Pokémon Legends: Z-A. Pokémon Legends: Z-A looked pretty bad for a Switch 2 game with its ugly PS2-like buildings and architecture.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised with Pokémon Pokopia because I wasn't a huge fan of Animal Crossing. The gameplay loop is really addictive, and it's sweet and charming to try to satisfy the Pokémon residents. If you own a Switch 2, this is a must-have title. 

Verdict: 9.0/10