With the phenomenal rise of cozy games in the last decade or so, it was only a matter of time until The Pokémon Company came along for a piece of the pie. That’s why I wasn’t surprised by the reveal of Pokémon Pokopia during last September’s Nintendo Direct. I might not have been surprised, but I was delighted. Since first picking up Stardew Valley about seven years ago and spending countless hours in Animal Crossing games, I’ve always been a big fan of the gentle side of the gaming world. With that in mind, I jumped at the chance to spend an hour with the game before its upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 launch.
At the start of the preview session, I loaded up a fresh save and took control of the player character, a Ditto. Yes, in this game, you’re not a trainer, or a ranger, or a mystery dungeon-exploring starter, but a Ditto. It’s at this point that the character creation menu pops up, enabling you to design your own version of Ditto in humanoid form. The canon explanation for this is that the transforming Pokémon copies the likeness of its former trainer, but really, you have all the control.
I’ll admit that, even compared to other Pokémon games, your character customization options are a little limited in terms of hair color and features, but it’s not exactly the end of the world. However you slice it, you’re going to look like the world’s most peculiar Pokémon trainer, but I think that’s the point. Once you’ve designed your character, it’s time to introduce yourself to Professor Tangrowth.
The good professor is surprised to see a human, given that they all seem to have disappeared, although he uncovers your true identity pretty quickly. From there, you’re given a Pokedex, and you essentially agree to assist Tangrowth in reinvigorating the environment for the benefit of future Pokémon pals.
One of the first you meet is Squirtle, who teaches you Water Gun, which in turn means you can water any dead grass on the ground or anything you might plant. We’re very much still in the tutorial zone here, but the game does a great job of slowly introducing mechanics with some worldbuilding thrown in for good measure. Before you know it, you’re introduced to Charmander and Bulbasaur, and it goes from there.
The core aim of the game is to create habitats for specific Pokémon. These habitats vary from simple stuff like four adjacent patches of long grass to more elaborate ones. For an example of the latter, towards the end of the preview, I found a Pokémon trace – which is essentially an in-game hint to help you out – for a Hitmonchan that required a single bench and a punching bag.
I put the habitat together, thanks to a conveniently placed punching bag out in the wilds, and before long, Hitmonchan turned up. That, in itself, is a big part of the gameplay loop, with Hitmonchan then teaching me a move I can use to destroy bricks or walls to open up the world further and find new traces and potential habitats.
With its cozy vibes and bright, beautiful world, Pokopia is almost certainly going to get a lot of comparisons with Animal Crossing: New Horizons, but honestly, I don’t really see it. That is to say that I see it a little, but if you ask me, it’s got much more in common with Dragon Quest Builders – which shouldn’t come as a shock, considering it’s courtesy of the same developer, Omega Force.
The world is just more interactive than I’ve experienced in Animal Crossing or a lot of other cozy games, offering little moments of discovery. For example, during the demo, I used the Rock Smash ability I learned from Hitmonchan to obliterate a wall, creating a stream and offering more scope in terms of potential Pokémon habitats. It feels like you’re a part of a living, breathing world.
It occurred to me, about halfway through the preview, that everyone in the room playing Pokopia was doing something different and still having a great time. The journalist to my left was concentrating on building their new home, while I was off on an adventure, exploring as far as I could in the allotted time. It doesn’t seem like there’s one single way to play, as is often the case with Pokémon games, but rather, you can go at your own pace.
After finding our feet in our own adventures, the preview session culminated with some four-player co-op action. This is where I think Pokopia could shine brightest, especially for those looking for a Pokémon game that emphasizes collaboration over competition. Collecting resources as a team for a shared goal is a lot of fun, and it’s more engaging than in New Horizons, where you’re essentially just visiting a friend. There’s something to do here, and I could have kept playing with my fellow journalists for at least another hour or two.
What I felt more than anything else during my short time with Pokopia was a sense of freedom. Sure, the game has objectives, and it gently points you in the direction of what it thinks you should do next, but it feels more like a suggestion than a command. I can already sense it becoming what I like to call a ‘Sunday afternoon game.’ What I mean by that is it feels like a perfect escape, simultaneously calming and engaging, taking your mind somewhere else entirely, where all you have to contend with is the occasional request from a grey-haired Tangrowth.
It feels like there’s a real attention to detail in every aspect of Pokopia. It’s just a little thing, but I love how when the player character runs, they do that silly sort of Naruto-style run, arms flailing out behind them. It’s all just very charming, including the music, which I found was the most compelling point of comparison to Animal Crossing, and that’s by no means a bad thing. All in all, I truly can’t wait to lose myself for hours, maybe even days, in this one.
GB,DE,FR 
Pokemon Pokopia (w/free cup) Pokemon Pokopia (w/free cup) £66.99 Buy Now
There you have it, my thoughts after spending an hour or so with Pokémon Pokopia. The last bit of good news is that the March 5 release date isn’t all too far away, and you can secure a copy right now with our Pokémon Pokopia pre-order guide. Or, if you’re looking for more on the latest Switch games, check out our Mario Tennis Fever review and Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade review.
The images in this article are courtesy of the rightsholders, The Pokémon Company, GAME FREAK inc., and KOEI TECMO GAMES.
