After a long workday, I sometimes like to kick back with a relaxing game to take my mind off life. The Pokémon series is perfect for that. It's renowned and adored for its addictive monster-collecting gameplay, but the franchise spans many other genres beyond turn-based RPGs. One such game I've had my eye on is Pokémon Pokopia ($69.99), a breezy life-sim spin-off headed to the Nintendo Switch 2 next month—and I got to demo it. It's basically a relaxed, battle-free, Animal Crossing-like title built on a robust crafting and world-building foundation. After spending two hours playing Pokopia, I was surprised and charmed by its welcoming atmosphere, steady resource gathering and building progression, and, of course, cute Pokémon cameos.
(Credit: Nintendo)Story: Am I a Man or a (Pocket) Monster?
The Pokopia demo began with me playing as a Ditto, a Pokémon that took the form of its former human master in a bleak, desolate world where mankind had vanished. Another Pokémon, Professor Tangrowth, explained that revitalizing the world could entice people to return, so I set out to befriend other pocket monsters and rebuild society.
Though simple, I found Pokopia's premise fascinating. Why was mankind gone? Where did the people go? The demo didn't answer those questions. I hope the final story offers more clues about humanity's fate without explicitly stating what happened. After all, a smidge of existential horror would go a long way toward making this cozy game's plot more interesting.
And cozy it is! I dug Pokopia's cute, sugary-sweet presentation in my limited time with the game. The Pokémon were friendly, cheerful, and more than happy to chat, make crafting requests, or just follow me around. The drive to build and explore the world was there, but in a personal way. I did so because I wanted to, not because I was compelled to by an intrusive narrative. That gave Pokopia a warm feel.
Solo Play: Build, Greet, Learn, Repeat
If, like me, you're familiar with the Dragon Quest Builder series (Square Enix's town-building sandbox games), you'll feel right at home here, as Pokopia shares those titles' strong world-shaping and crafting elements. The Pokopia demo gave me a lot to do in the intro area alone, and I felt like I barely scratched the gameplay surface.
It all centered on my character, Ditto, who possessed a cool absorption ability that let me learn skills from other Pokémon. For example, I picked up the Leafage skill from Bulbasaur, but rather than striking an opponent with leaves as in the mainline games, I used it to grow grass. Squirtle taught me Water Gun, a skill I used to hydrate dry soil and nourish the seeds I planted. I also gathered resources, such as stone and wood, to craft furniture, tools, and habitats (structures that encourage new Pokémon to appear). While exploring, I discovered Traces, items that hinted at the types of habitats certain Pokémon prefer. I found dozens of them throughout the game world, and they provided many satisfying crafting tasks. I enjoyed every minute of the low-stress, discover-and-build gameplay loop.
Why? There aren't any monster battles. Pokopia is all about gathering raw materials, building neat things, and chilling with your Pokémon buddies. It's a very deliberately designed cozy game. I recommend the real-time RPG combat in Pokémon Legends: Z-A if you’re looking for conflict. That said, Pokopia is surprisingly immersive and engaging. Attracting new Pokémon and unlocking new crafting recipes was a strong motivator for me to keep playing, and I could have played for many more hours beyond the short two-hour slot I was allotted during the demo.
(Credit: Nintendo)Multiplayer: Gotta Build 'Em All (Cooperatively)
In Pokopia, multiplayer gameplay is strictly cooperative. Up to four people can team up to build and maintain a town, either via local wireless or Nintendo Switch Online. I found this notably more involved than Animal Crossing's visiting system, which limited me to shopping, basic collecting, and exploring on a buddy's island. In my Pokopia demo, I worked in real time with other folks to construct buildings, grow farms, discover new Pokémon, and reshape the landscape.
It was a highly enjoyable experience, if not a bit aimless, since we had no real direction beyond simply playing together. We explored a vast, fully furnished town, as well as an underdeveloped farm and beach. The multiplayer map showcased advanced buildings, gardens, structures, and rare Pokémon I didn't encounter during my solo session. I have no doubt that a group of players can get together and build breathtaking stuff.
(Credit: Nintendo)Release Date and Switch Platform
As a Pokémon title, Pokémon Pokopia is a fresh experience in the monster-battling Pokémon universe. By blending endearing monsters with life-sim elements and robust crafting, Pokopia consistently put a smile on my face. The steady loop of resource hunting, world-shaping, and befriending a multitude of cute critters proved incredibly addictive. In fact, after my brief time with Pokopia, I was immediately ready to return to its low-stakes, high-delight spin on the beloved franchise. Thankfully, I won't have to wait long to play again. Pokémon Pokopia, a Nintendo Switch 2-exclusive game, arrives on March 5.