Animal Crossing and Minecraft have had a baby, and it’s called Pokémon Pokopia

Domagoj Belancic

11.2.2026

Translation: Katherine Martin

Support: Michelle Brändle

I recently got the chance to try Pokopia, the cosy Pokémon spinoff. Having spent around two hours with the game, I’m convinced it’s going to be an addictive time killer.

I adore Pokémon. I’d be hard-pressed to think of a game series that shaped my childhood as much as the pocket monsters did. And in recent years, very few game series have disappointed me as often.

So as you’d expect, I went into my two-hour preview of spinoff Pokémon Pokopia at Nintendo’s offices with a good dose of scepticism. The game, developed by Koei Tecmo, promises chilled-out gameplay, falling somewhere on the spectrum between Animal Crossing and Minecraft.

My fellow editor and cosy game aficionado Michelle grilled me after my Nintendo visit. Before we get into that, there’s one thing I can tell you straight up: I’m cautiously optimistic. In the best-case scenario, the game will turn out to be an addictive time killer that I’ll be playing for a long time.

Michelle: How did you like the preview?

Domagoj: It was surprisingly good. I spent about two hours playing the game, but I would’ve liked to keep going. Pokémon Pokopia is a cosy construction game, where the aim is to lure Pokémon onto your island. I like the fact you’re always progressing in the game. Although there’s always something to do, there’s no pressure to perform or beat the clock.

Just so I can get a better sense of your opinion, do you usually like cosy games?

Absolutely. I recently got obsessed with Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time. Before that, Animal Crossing: New Horizons was the main cosy game consuming my time. I think it’s extremely interesting that there’s now a Pokémon game in this genre – especially since I’ve found the more recent mainline games disappointing.

What did you see and play in the demo?

I tested two game modes. In single-player mode, you go through the beginning of the game, waking up as Ditto in a cave, then transforming into a human. I think it’s Ditto’s former trainer. After that, you meet a Tangrowth masquerading as a professor, who introduces you to the game mechanics.

The game world seems devoid of life – a desolate desert island home to neither humans nor Pokémon. A few ruined houses imply there was once a village there. The «professor» suggests you turn this sad island into a paradise.

That means cleaning up, attracting new Pokémon and constructing buildings.

In the second part of the demo, I played alongside three other journalists who were also attending the event. During that section of the game, we got to visit a new island that was already quite well built. It gave me a feel for what could be achievable within the game’s construction system if you invested plenty of time in it. I was impressed. Compared to the rudimentary starting section, the multiplayer landscape looks like a futuristic metropolis with millions of residents.

What’s the gameplay loop like?

At the beginning of the game, the aim is to attract as many new Pokémon as possible. When new Pokémon come along, your Ditto learns new attacks, including Water Gun from Squirtle and Leafage from Bulbasaur.

You don’t need these skills for fighting. Let’s face it, that wouldn’t be cosy at all. Instead, you use these attacks to transform the environment. To go back to the examples I just mentioned, Water Gun is for hydrating dried-up green spaces, while Leafage is used to plant grass.

You attract new Pokémon by building special habitats for them. These start out as simple combinations of objects you find in the environment. Four lush patches of green grass under a tree will draw in a Scyther, whereas if you place three patches of grass next to a stone, Machop will appear. Over time, you discover more and more habitat «recipes», lure new Pokémon and unlock new attacks.

The habitats get more and more elaborate as the game progresses. Eventually, simply throwing down patches of grass won’t be enough. Rare Pokémon are attracted by specific items and complex combinations.

The fighting-type Pokémon Hitmonchan, for example, wants a bench and punching bag. To craft these items, you need to buy the right blueprints in the store and put effort into collecting resources. The game also keeps you busy with challenges running in the background, such as «Attract ten new Pokémon» or «Build a new house».

There are numerous interlocking systems, and there’s always something to do. Even so, I never felt stressed. Quite the opposite, in fact. I managed to fall into a relaxed flow state, comfortably ticking off items on my endless to-do list and watching my island grow and flourish.

Sometimes the game forces you to shift down a gear, for example when a building takes a while to construct. While my Pokémon pals were working away on the building (as if I’d do that myself!), I explored my surroundings and chilled out with the rest of the monsters. Glorious.

How does multiplayer mode differ from single-player mode?

The multiplayer session feels like it’s on speed. Everything happens four times faster because there are four players running around an island at the same time. You’re constantly distracted by notifications, such as «A new habitat has been built», «A house has been built», or «A new Pokémon has been lured to the island».

It doesn’t feel cosy in the slightest. I’ll save multiplayer until after I’ve created my own little world and feel happy with it. Once I reach that point, I’ll invite people to my island or visit other ones. But developing an island with other people? Way too stressful.

Does the game even have a story?

Astonishingly, yes. The game keeps implying that something bad has happened. There’s a post-apocalyptic atmosphere about it. As you explore, you keep discovering little hints of what the world used to look like.

Why’s everything broken and dry? Where did all the Pokémon go? And most importantly, where the heck are the humans? I really hope the finished game does something with these mysteries and provides answers.

Is there anything else that surprised you?

During the multiplayer section, my Ditto quickly learned some advanced moves, including the ability to turn into a Lapras in water. With a double jump, Ditto transforms into a Dragonite, allowing you to fly long distances and discover new islands. It’s amazingly fun.

I hadn’t expected the game to focus so much on exploring neighbouring islands. It’s a far cry from Animal Crossing, where you spend most of your time in your own little island world. I’m curious to find out what exploring the world will be like in the finished game.

Professor Tangrowth appears quite a lot in the screenshots of the game. What do you think of him?

Tangrowth is the boss. He wears broken glasses that probably belonged to his former trainer. He’s also put a CD on his head as an accessory, just because he can.

Plus, he’s a different colour to a «standard» Tangrowth. The game will also contain other unusual Pokémon that look different from their conventional counterparts. In one trailer, for instance, Pikachu appears in ghost form. As does a moss-covered Snorlax.

I wonder what they’re all about?

Were there any aspects of the demo you thought were a pain?

Yeah, the menu navigation. I occasionally found myself thinking, «Okay, that was a few clicks too many». Constantly having to go through menus when you’re busy searching through blueprints, recipes for habitats or challenges might get on your nerves eventually. Especially when you consider the game’s designed to be played for a very long time.

Does the game make use of any of the Switch 2’s special features? The mouse, microphone or camera?

It didn’t in my demo. And so far, there haven’t been any announcements suggesting the finished game will either. Basically, I wouldn’t count on it. Too bad, really.

How do you like the boxy graphic style?

The world reminds me of Minecraft. It’s composed of cubes stacked on top of each other. The game looks okay, but no better than that. Its Pokémon are cute, but not particularly detailed. Pokopia doesn’t seem to have a high resolution either. I’d guess it «only» runs in 1080p.

Let’s be honest, the game could just as easily be released on the Switch 1.

On the whole, I think it’s a shame the creators behind the Pokémon franchise don’t experiment with the game’s visuals any more. Pokémon Legends: Arceus proved that pocket monsters work beautifully in a stylised cel-shaded look. With this in mind, the creators could’ve afforded to be a little bolder with a spinoff like Pokopia.

To wrap up, which three Pokémon are you most looking forward to encountering in game?

I’ve already met the most important Pokémon, Charmander. I hope I’ll eventually be able to evolve it into a Charizard.

After that, I’d like to come across Mew, as it’s still my favourite legendary Pokémon. I’ve also got a soft spot for Lugia because Pokémon Silver’s still the best Pokémon game of all time – fact! Speaking of which, I’d love to have all the second-generation Starters on my island: Chikorita, Cyndaquil and Totodile. If you ask me, that’s the best Starter trio ever. Plus, I’d also enjoy coming across massive beasts like Wailord. Purely to see how they’d fit into this game world. Who knows? Maybe there’ll be a completely new Pokémon to discover.

Alright, I’ve given you more than three. But I think my enthusiastic answer is a good indication of how much I’m looking forward to the finished release after attending the preview. Hopefully I won’t be disappointed this time.

Pokémon Pokopia will be released on 5 March for the Switch 2. Nintendo invited me to the preview event and covered my transport expenses.

Domagoj Belancic

Senior Editor

Domagoj.Belancic@digitecgalaxus.ch

My love of video games was unleashed at the tender age of five by the original Gameboy. Over the years, it's grown in leaps and bounds.

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