Pokémon Pokopia is finally out this week on Thursday, March 5 exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2, and the reviews have begun rolling in.
While we’re not quite ready to publish our review yet thanks to code coming through after embargo (we’re still a new site!), there’s plenty of reason to feel optimistic about this one given how glowing the current crop of opinions is so far.
In fact, the game has already achieved the honour of being the highest-rated Pokémon videogame on Metacritic to date – yes, that includes both mainline games and spin-offs. That’s quite the feat!
Currently commanding an aggregated Metacritic score of 89, it’s one point above Pokémon X / Pokémon Y and a good six points clear of the likes of Pokemon Legends Arceus.
Update: Thanks to some more reviews polling through, it seems Pokémon Pokopia has dropped a single point, now putting it equal first with Pokémon X / Pokémon Y, which means it still technically holds onto the bragging rights for now!
Here’s what we can see as the top 10 Pokémon games by rating on Metacritic (dual-release titles joined):
Top 10 Pokémon Games by Metacritic Review Score
- Pokémon Pokopia
- Pokémon X / Pokémon Y
- Pokémon Black / Pokémon White
- Pokémon SoulSilver / Pokémon HeartGold
- Pokémon Sun / Pokémon Moon
- Pokémon Diamond / Pokémon Pearl
- Pokémon Ultra Sun / Pokémon Ultra Moon
- Pokémon Platinum
- Pokémon Omega Ruby / Pokémon Alpha Sapphire
- Pokémon Legends Arceus
Let’s take a look at some of the high-profile reviews that have come through so far for Pokémon Pokopia:
Pokémon Pokopia Reviews
IGN’s Rebekah Valentine scored the game a 9/10, writing, “Pokémon Pokopia is a real treat: an enjoyable building and town simulator that capitalizes on the charming personalities of its monsters in a way that appeals to both the creative and collector alike. It’s packed with fun things to do and worthy rewards for doing them, and strikes a healthy balance between freedom and suggestion in its building mechanics (despite a few precision nitpicks). All of this is housed in an adorable adventure through an interesting and surprisingly deep setting that presses all the nostalgia buttons for longtime fans. And it all shines especially bright in its lovable protagonist’s blobby pink hands.”
Meanwhile Leah Williams over at Screenhub calls Pokopia “a big, wholesome sim with bouncy, bright ideas,” scoring it a huge 5 out of 5 stars and noting that, “I’m happier for having played Pokopia. The joy it imbues lasts, in a glow of peace and calm. Even with some busywork to make your dream lands a reality, Pokopia is a bright, shiny experience that leaves you longing to keep returning to its shores.”
Gamespot slapped a big 9/10 on their review, with writer Steve Watts saying, “Pokémon Pokopia is a combination of the design sensibilities of Animal Crossing and Dragon Quest Builders, but by melding those two structures and fusing them with Pokémon, it compensates for each one’s weaknesses,” adding that it “…gives you a massive amount to do and a story that propels you forward, while also letting you enjoy the simple pleasure of living among your Pokémon friends and building your perfect community. I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface, and I can’t wait to keep exploring.”
Finally, Lottie Lynn from Eurogamer settled on 4 out of 5 stars for Pokopia and concluded that, ” The central theme of breathing life back into the Kanto wilderness is rewarding, while offering a look at the region through a new lens so, while it does harken back to the past, Pokopia is likewise able to stand outside the legacy of the Gen 1 games on its own. If this is where Pokémon is looking to go, into the future, then I truly hope it keeps going. But for now I’m just content to return to building my own Pokémon utopia. For I am Ditto.”
The general consensus seems to be that Pokopia presents something of a mash-up between Animal Crossing and Dragon Quest Builders – the latter being something I felt when I first played the game back in early Feb – and that there’s a ton of value in immersing yourself in a Pokémon world where battling is not the primary objective (or even a thing at all) and where creativity reigns.
Pokémon Pokopia launches exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2 on March 5, 2026. You can pre-order the game digitally here.