No one expected Pokémon Pokopia to be as successful as it is, but since it's release it's created a major buzz worldwide – here's why it could be a great game to pick up with the kids!
Gaming for kids isn’t something that should be demonized – sure, there’s the whole discourse about screen time, addiction, and it being a “waste of time”. But I’m here to convince you, the parents, that there’s actually so much that the whole family can learn from Pokémon Pokopia.
Pokémon Pokopia guide for parents
What is Pokémon Pokopia about?
Without really giving too much away about the story, you start out the game as a Pokémon called Ditto. Typically, Dittos are able to transform into other objects or Pokémon, but you are special – you instead take the form of your trainer. As you progress through, you’ll come to learn that there aren’t any humans left, just Pokémon living in the remnants of human civilisation. Explore, restore, rebuild, and solve the mystery of where the humans went as Professor Tangrowth, a Pokémon who has been studying what happened, guides you along your journey.
As for the game mechanics, I would describe it as a combination of the popular Nintendo game series Animal Crossing and the also popular Minecraft. For the unfamiliar, Animal Crossing involves decorating an island while making friends with cute characters, while Minecraft involves more of an ever-expanding world that is unique every time and allows you to reshape it however you want.
But the downside of Animal Crossing is the lack of complete control in terms of creating the actual houses for the friends on the island, while Minecraft feels empty since you’re the only character that resides in the world. Pokopia addresses both of these issues and allows you to create your own city, town, or village that feels alive with all the Pokémon friends living and interacting with you and the environment.
Pros and Cons of Pokémon Pokopia
Pro: Encourages creativity
As someone who isn’t very creative, this game really motivated me to design and create some architecture for my Pokémon to live in! While they do have premade houses you can craft, I only wanted the best for them, so I dug deep and squeezed out all the creative juices I could to make a cute treehouse. Seeing my Pokémon wandering around homeless was also a great motivation for me to provide only the best for them! Plus, you get even more items and decorations the more your Pokémon are satisfied to make even better creations in the future.
Pro: A game with an important environmental message
The overall message of the game is great as well. What I gleaned from the story was the importance of preserving nature, the negative impact humans have on the environment, as well as a look at what our future might look like if we don’t protect our planet. It also teaches you how to manage your space, resources, and even a little bit of interior design as well – making a house isn’t as easy as it seems.
Con: Pokémon Pokopia is exclusive to Nintendo Switch 2
The biggest con is that Pokémon Pokopia is a Switch 2 exclusive. Yes parents, if your kid wants to play it you will have to fork out anywhere from $600 to $700 for both the console and the game. But before you click off the article, let me just try to justify it to you. If the kids have had an old Switch from over five years ago, getting an upgrade might be worth it. It runs Switch 1 games as well, some include a free upgrade to the Switch 2 version that looks and runs much better.
The Switch 2 also has plenty of new and exciting features that improve performance and ease of use. At the end of the day, spending that much just to play one game is probably impossible to justify but that’s how I convinced myself when I bought the Switch 2 for myself. You could always search for deals on Carousell or wait for a sale, but when it comes to the actual game, you’ll have to wait for a cheaper second-hand copy as retail stores rarely offer discounts on Pokémon games.
Con: Multiplayer mode is mid
Another con is that multiplayer is not very conducive to a whole family playing together. Firstly, you would need multiple systems, which would be very expensive. But even if everyone had their own console, the most you could do in multiplayer is play on a Cloud Island. This features an island that is separate from the main story. Players can play online with one another on this island, and will start completely from scratch. Think of it as a separate save file solely for playing online with friends or family. Thankfully, it doesn’t require everyone to be online at the same time to play on the Cloud Island.
Aside from that, the only other multiplayer function is visiting other people’s main story world. As a visitor, you’re extremely limited in what you can do, which is predominantly looking at what the host has done with their world without touching or changing anything. And no, you can’t steal anything from other people’s islands or worlds – the closest thing to that is taking a picture of items which you can use to print them out at the Pokémon Centre in your own game. It will, however, require you to use rather precious materials to print it out, so be careful with what you print!
Con: Overstimulation is a risk factor
The game can also be rather overwhelming. For people who are easily stressed out by mess or the sheer size of things, this game might be a little tough. Even the starting area has so much to clean up and fix that if you really want to achieve perfection, it could take you over 50 hours of in-game time alone.
Many players have also said that they’ve seen some of the incredible builds people have shared online and become demotivated to play. Ultimately, my advice is to take things at your own pace. This isn’t a race – Pokémon Pokopia is a cosy game for you to explore slowly and let your imagination run wild. Comparison will always be the thief of joy, so don’t compare yourself to others – instead, use them as inspiration for your own creations!
Our verdict: Should you buy Pokémon Pokopia?
As I mentioned earlier, dropping $600 to $700 just to play it is hard to justify, but the game is really amazing. I’ve had so much fun playing it since I got the game, and it feels like there’s so much to do, which kinda makes up for the fact that the game costs $84 dollars for a digital copy. I’ve always got something new to build as I see people share their builds online, and I’m constantly inspired. But if the family already owns a Switch 2 or is comfortable enough to spend the money, Pokémon Pokopia is worth picking up in my opinion.
But if you’re undecided and just want to try out the game without fully committing, there are several options. There is a Pokémon truck travelling the island that features several demo stations for people to try out Pokémon Pokopia from now till June at several different locations. The dates and locations for April have recently been announced, if you’re interested!
Another option would be to rent a Switch 2, but at the prices that some of these companies have, you’re better off just buying one. You could always ask your friends if they have it to try it out, too.
What are you waiting for? The poor Pokémon are waiting for you to save them!
