Pokémon Pokopia Review: “Everything I Hoped For, And More”

by

I was really looking forward to playing Pokémon Pokopia when it was first announced, and I wasn’t disappointed! As a longtime Pokémon fan – I collect the trading cards, play the games, and even have a whole shelf dedicated to Snorlax collectibles – I was thrilled to dive in, and I’m still excited to play again. I’ve always enjoyed relaxing, cozy games, and Pokémon perfectly fits the bill.

I’m really thankful I got to play Pokémon Pokopia early and check out this relaxing life simulation game. I’ve already spent over 35 hours with it, even though it’s only 10 GB! I did a lot of decorating and exploring beyond the main story, but I estimate completing just the story would take around 25 hours. Honestly, I can see myself playing this game for hundreds of hours because there’s so much to do.

Pokémon Pokopia Is Everything I Hoped For, And More

A Cozy Life Sim That Had Me Wanting To Keep Playing Long Into The Night

Get ready for Pokémon Pokopia, a cozy life simulation game coming to the Switch 2 on March 5, 2026! Set in the world of Pokémon long after humans have disappeared and Pokémon have been sleeping, you’ll play as a super cute Ditto. You’ll take the form of a lost trainer and work to make new friends, restore the land, and discover what happened to the humans.

The game is designed to be very laid-back, letting you explore and play however you want. Sometimes, you’ll even need to slow down and wait for your Pokémon to finish tasks, like building something, which can take between 15 minutes and a full day.

Beyond its captivating story, Pokémon Pokopia offers a rich world to explore. You’ll discover hidden secrets, collect items, and find vast open areas just waiting to be revitalized. If you’re familiar with Dragon Quest Builders, you’ll notice a lot of similar gameplay elements.

Ditto’s Transformations Are Perfectly Crafted

What I Thought Could Be Cumbersome Turned Out Seamless

I’m really excited to be working on bringing life back to these forgotten places! It’s amazing because I’m learning so much from other Pokémon, picking up their abilities to help me along the way. And even though I mostly look human in this game, I can still use powers from my Pokémon team – it’s kind of like Ditto’s transformation, but with all my friends! It’s a really cool way to customize how I tackle everything.

This covers a variety of actions, from simple tasks like watering plants and mowing the lawn to more involved ones. As you play, you’ll also unlock special abilities, like learning to swim with the help of Lapras and glide using Dragonite.

I was honestly a little worried when I first saw Ditto’s abilities in the trailers and heard what people thought after trying the demos. I figured constantly switching forms to use different skills would be a pain. But I was totally wrong! It’s actually way easier to swap between abilities than it is to switch weapons in a lot of other games I’ve played.

Finding New Pokémon Is As Easy As Making An Inviting Habitat

Build It, And They Will Come

Like other Pokémon games, Pokémon Pokopia features a Pokédex. This Pokédex includes a special Habitat section that shows you what kinds of environments will attract different Pokémon to your game. Creating these habitats can be simple – like arranging a few flowerbeds – or more complex, requiring you to craft and group specific items.

Once you successfully create a Habitat, the game will let you know, and then it won’t be long before a Pokémon appears for you to encounter.

Completing the Pokédex isn’t required to finish the game, but a lot of players enjoy the challenge of catching every Pokémon. Plus, some Pokémon are needed to teach Ditto new moves that can be helpful in battle.

Looking Forward To Trying Multiplayer Modes

So Far, I Was Not Able To Experience Multiplayer For This Review

I’m really excited to see how the multiplayer works in Pokémon Pokopia. I haven’t been able to test it yet in this early review, but I plan to check it out as soon as the game is released. I’m especially interested in seeing how they’ve built upon the multiplayer features of Animal Crossing.

I especially liked how Pokémon Pokopia uses Dream Islands. Unlike in Animal Crossing, where dream islands are more for visiting, in Pokopia a Drifloon actually carries you to a random, uninhabited island. There, you can gather materials and discover lots of new recipes and items.

Drifloon will take you to a random island, but the island you visit depends on the Doll Pokémon you show it before traveling. This is really useful if you’re looking for a specific item, like iron, and can’t find it nearby.

There’s So Much I Want To Say About Pokémon Pokopia

But Really, You Have To Play This For Yourself

I’m absolutely loving Pokémon Pokopia. I’ve had a fantastic time playing it so far, and unless the multiplayer is disappointing, I’d confidently give it a perfect 10 out of 10. The game is full of surprising details – things like minigames, hidden secrets, and collectibles. Plus, the story is surprisingly well-developed and much more than just a simple framework for a life simulation.

Some players new to Pokémon struggled to recall which Pokémon had specific abilities, like fire or water, without knowing their types. However, this was easily solved by checking the Pokédex.

If you’re even a little bit interested in this game, I wholeheartedly recommend getting Pokémon Pokopia as soon as it comes out on March 5th.

Read More

2026-03-02 16:12