What Is The Best Pokemon Game For Switch

#1 Pokemon Diamond & Pearl

Diamond and Pearl is one of the best pokemon games ever made. This game not only changed the dynamics for pokemon gaming, but it also added two new types of pokemon to the library with hundreds of more additions. The game introduced the day and night cycle concept, which was rarely seen in games back then. Many new moves were added to the game library, along with a few pokemon that would only be caught at some specific time of the day. With the release of Diamond & Pearl, the franchise managed to perform even better in the market.  

Pokmon Caf Mix: 64/100

Pokémon Café Mix is a free-to-play puzzle game that saw a simultaneous release on mobile platforms. The game puts players in the shoes of a café owner that caters to Pokémon customers, with gameplay revolving around using the touchscreen to connect Pokémon-themed icons together. As players accomplish objectives and complete orders, they can add Pokémon to their staff and upgrade their cafe.

RELATED: Pokémon: 5 Things Sword and Shield Did Wrong

Pokémon Café Mix sits just above its mobile gaming colleague, Pokémon Quest. The title was released in 2020, with reviews painting a picture of a mediocre free-to-play puzzle game. The puzzles aren’t all too challenging, and many weren’t happy the game’s touchscreen controls require handheld mode. Only Pokémon Café Mix‘s charming art and unintrusive microtransactions have kept the game from fading into obscurity.

Honorable Mention Pokmon Game For Switch

Pokémon Sword/Shield: available at

Our take: Explore the Gallar region with over 400 available Pokémon in both versions of this innovative new game in the Pokémon line.

What we like: Large-scale Dynamax fights take full advantage of the Switch console to give you new opportunities for gameplay. You can also battle online with other players. Both “Sword” and “Shield” introduce new lore and characters and you can pick which one appeals most to you.

What we dislike: You can’t catch many of the classic Pokémon you know and love in this game.

Micayla Mead is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.

BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Pokemon Sword & Shield

Pokemon Sword & Shield finally brought mainline Pokemon games to home consoles – even if it’s only by default, since the Switch is both a handheld and home console. Beyond seeing hundreds of monsters in HD on your nice big TV, Sword & Shield brought with it a slew of welcome changes, including several quality of life improvements, the removal of random encounters, and Gigantamaxing, which basically gave your favorite Pokemon the Stay Puft treatment.

Its also the first game in the franchise to include post-launch expansion packs, The Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra, which include both new and classic Pokemon to add to your collection.

It’s been a busy year for Pokemon games: New Pokemon Snap came out in April, the casual MOBA Pokemon Unite in July, and Pokemon Diamond and Pearl remakes will be released November 19.

An open-world spinoff called Pokemon Legends: Arceus will then be released for Switch on January 28, 2022. Nintendo recently showed off a new Pokemon Legends trailer that highlights Hisuian Pokemon, an updated battle system, and new story details.

Release Date:Developer:IGN’sIGN’sBuy It Here:

The Best Pokmon Nintendo Switch Games Ranked

Which Pokémon game should you catch first?

• Chris Penwell
• July 31, 2021
• GuidesNew Pokemon SnapPokemon Sword and ShieldPokemon UnitePokemon: Let’s Go, Eevee!Pokemon: Let’s Go, Pikachu!

Image via Nintendo

The world of Pokémon is always a lovely place to spend a day with, and while we all wish it was real, the next best thing is to play the games on the Nintendo Switch. The best Pokémon Nintendo Switch games exude the personality of the series and bring a unique charm that other franchises wish they could. Pika-t-this list and find yourself on a Pokémon journey sometime soon.

Pokemon Ruby And Sapphire

While a lot of formula remained unchanged, Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire took the series into a vibrant world of colour on the GameBoy Advance. The Pokemon sprites popped from screen like never before, and the magical start up screen is hard to forget. It was also the first Pokemon game to introduce a lot of elements and features that continued throughout the series. 2v2 double battles popped up for the first time, and Pokemon were also attributed with different Natures which affected their overall stats. An extensive list of new abilities were also first introduced in this entry, which were specific to different types – this really added more depth to the battles compared to the games that came before. Contests were also brought in to add new challenges to the gameplay. The Hoenn region was  a great setting, and the Legendary Pokemon Groudon and Kyogre – who could summon a specific weather element into battle – were very memorable. Since Ruby and Sapphire built upon what Silver and Gold established without veering off into any drastic new direction, it didnt feel quite as special. 

Several years after its release in 2003, an updated edition followed in the shape of Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. 

Super Smash Bros Ultimate

Alongside ARMs, this is the best fighting game on the Switch, and possibly the best Smash Bros to boot. Although a rehash of the Wii U version, this truly is the “ultimate” edition. It’s not only fast and slick, but has a mighty cast of characters to control. And, it’s one of the Switch games that has been embraced fully by the eSports community.

squirrel_widget_171846

What Are The Best Pokmon Games Of All Time

Picking out the best Pokémon games of all time is a pie in the sky, especially because our favorite Pokémon journeys have always been the ones that were the most personally important to us. Pokémon as a game series has evolved over time, with mainline games improving or just changing drastically and countless spinoff titles sporting the Pokémon name.

When it comes to Pokémon games that are currently in production, stands out as the best mainline Pokémon game available on Nintendos primary console: the Switch. Players explore a new region, collecting Pokémon and battling with friends and foes, as usual.

Pokmon: Let’s Go Pikachu And Let’s Go Eevee

There’s no denying that everyone loves a Pokémon game. The Switch version – which is available in Pikachu and Eevee flavours – is a lovable role-playing game based on the old GameBoy classic, Pokémon Yellow. However, the graphics have been given a major overhaul and optional motion controls make this an interactive classic.

squirrel_widget_146286

What Are The Best Nintendo Switch Games

The latest big Nintendo Switch game is The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD. This isn’t a new game, since it was launched for the Nintendo Wii, but it’s returned in a new remastered form. With new graphics and updated controls, it’s a far better game now, and definitely worth your time if you seek adventure and puzzles and monsters to best.

If you want a multiplayer game that isn’t like anything you’ve played before, have a look at Knockout City. It’s similar to dodgeball in that you need to avoid getting hit, except rather than taking place in your school gym, you’re out on the streets looking for sneaky angles through and over buildings from which to attack. And that’s not even mentioning the power-ups you can use.

For platforming action, you should try Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury. The main part of the game is a remastered version of the already excellent 3D World, but the new expansion is an unexpected treat, offering a whole new way to experience the classic Nintendo platforming formula.

Speaking of Nintendo classics, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is also on our list, because its simply an incredible game that offers a huge world to explore, most notably by climbing everything, as well as a vast amount enemies to defeat and puzzles to solve.

Every Pokemon Game On Nintendo Switch

There are quite a few Pokemon titles Nintendo Switch owners can try, ranging from mainline RPGs to the newly released Pokemon Unite.

Pokemon Unite is a new, fast-paced MOBA that’s just landed on Nintendo Switch, giving Pokemon fans another strong game to check out on the popular platform. For those new to the Pokemon franchise, or anyone looking for more monster-battling and monster-catching action, there are plenty of great Pokemon games on Nintendo Switch spanning multiple genres. From free-to-play spin-offs through to full RPG adventures, Switch owners are spoilt for choice when it comes to the widely-adored franchise.

To help you find your next adventure with Pikachu and the gang, we’ve listed every Pokemon game on Nintendo Switch available right now. This list will only grow in the coming months, with Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl coming later this year and open-world adventure Pokemon Legends: Arceus launching in January, both of which will release on Nintendo Switch.

While you’re here, be sure to check out our other Switch guides, including the best Nintendo Switch games for kids, best multiplayer Nintendo Switch games and the overall best Nintendo Switch games–there’s a lot of good stuff.

Team Battles: Pokmon Unite

Square off in 5-on-5 team battles while using teamwork to score points and take down opponents. There’s a good roster of characters, and each Pokémon has its own Battle type with strengths and weaknesses, which you’ll need to use to your advantage. Best of all, Pokémon Unite is free-to-play, though there are optional in-game purchases.

Pokmon Mystery Team: Rescue Team Dx

This game is starkly different from the other games in the series because, instead of being a Pokémon Trainer, youre a Pokémon. Whaaaat. Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX lets you wake up as a Pokémon and explore the world through their eyes. Youll be able to meet and recruit more than 400 Pokémon in a dungeon-crawling adventure. You can build a rescue team to tackle mysteries, change dungeons, and plan your moves as you venture through the world to make it safer for the Pokémon who live there. You may uncover your purpose for being a Pokémon on your way!

This game is more of a Pokémon building game rather than a collect-and-fight-them game. As you recruit adorable Pokémon team members, theyll need places to stay and food to eat. Youll need to build camps to house, manage, and strengthen your friends. Youll also need to plan out your rescue teams as well. Each mystery will require you and your team to battle other Pokémon in a turn-based fight. A Pokémons strength, weakness, and potentially rare qualities will be essential when planning your next mystery.

The Legend Of Zelda: Skyward Sword

We called The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword the third best Zelda on the Nintendo Switch. That’s called damning with faint praise, but the competition is stiff. Skyward Sword may feel old fashioned in the wake of the paradigm shifting Breath of the Wild, but it’s a fond look back at a different type of Zelda, complete with a number of upgrades that make it more palatable for a modern audience.

Do You Want A Main Title Or Spinoff Adventure

Main Pokémon titles let you become a trainer and collect Pokémon for battling. However, not all Pokémon games are part of the main series of games. Instead, there are a number of successful and fun spinoff series for avid Pokémon fans.

Pokémon Go, and are a few spinoff titles currently available, and some fans are currently debating whether 2022s upcoming will technically fall into the main series of games. Either way, the Pokémon series has and will continue to have a lot to offer beyond the usual formula.

Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Calamity

This prequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild , shows us the world before it all went to chaos. Instead of adventuring around solely as Link, in this game you can play as all the kingdom’s heroes as you take on vast armies controlled by Calamity Ganon. Alongside friendly soldiers and an optional co-op partner, you have to take to various battlefields across Hyrule, completing specific objectives in each area and smashing through waves of enemies with your special moves.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity won a “highly recommended” honor for “best Switch game” at the Tom’s Guide Awards 2021 for gaming.

Super Mario 3d World + Bowser’s Fury

This superb package brings a supreme platformer from the Wii U era to the Switch with some lovely extras, and an expansion called Bowser’s Fury that might just give a glimpse at the future of Mario games. It’s an open-world bit of freeform action, and paired with 3D World’s linear levels, this is an incredibly polished offering that’s a must for Switch owners. 

squirrel_widget_3956671

Ori And The Will Of The Wisps

You can also play the first Ori game on Switch, but we love the second most, which flows a bit more smoothly and takes the story even further. This is a superb port of what was first an Xbox One game, and its gorgeous art style looks great on the Switch.

It’s also a brilliant platformer, with varied areas to get around, loads of traversal mechanics to learn and master, and an impressively expanded combat system, as well. It’s an absolute treat, and we’re thrilled it’s arrived on Nintendo’s brilliant console.

squirrel_widget_3754196

Release Date: Late 2021

One of the other games announced in celebration of Pokémons 25th anniversary was Pokémon Brilliant Diamond& Shining Pearl. It will be an enhanced remake of Pokémon Diamond & Pearl which is a fourth-generation game that was released on the Nintendo DS in 2006 in Japan .

The return to Sinnoh is highly anticipated amongst fans. The Diamond&Pearl games were a key turning point in the Pokémon series because they were a step up from previous games and showed fans what the future of the franchise would be. Fourth-generation is where online battling and trading was first introduced so its only fitting that it comes back around here. Aside from the obvious graphical changes, the remakes are believed to be faithful.

Interestingly, the games are being developed by ICLA and overseen by Game Freak, when usually the latter is the main developer. This makes this the first time a main series Pokémon game where Game Freak is not the lead developer.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle

This Mario game is rather different to the norm. Don’t expect a platformer. Instead, you get a turn-based X-Com style strategy game, but featuring the eponymous plumber and Ubisoft’s crazy Rabbids characters.

Not only does the game look fantastic, it plays well and different levels can be tackled in your own time. Ideal, therefore, for commuting – just make sure you take your thinking cap with you.

squirrel_widget_142164

Pokmon Sword And Shield

Starter Pokémon: Grookey, Scorbunny, Sobble

The latest Pokémon games are the first mainline titles released as a Nintendo Switch game, and Game Freak has finally realized our longtime dream of having a fully 3D Pokémon adventure on a home console. In the British-themed Galar region, you can venture into the new Wild area and capture monsters, or follow the set pathways from town to town that have been in the series since the very beginning. Either way, Pokémon are now just out and about instead of being hidden in randomized encounters, so frustration is greatly reduced.

With 400 Pokémon to catch and the addition of the Dynamax system to power up your monsters, Pokémon Sword and Shield can keep you busy for hours. However, the removal of longtime monsters from the game, including Psyduck and Squirtle, does mean you cant catch em all this time. Fortunately, with the arrival of the games Isle of Armor DLC  and Crown Tundra DLC, youll have a chance to see new environments in the Galar region, catch new Pokémon, and battle new foes.

Kanto Trip: Pokmon: Let’s Go Pikachu

This gorgeous game reimagines the Kanto region from the first Pokémon game and allows players to revisit the fun with upgraded graphics. Players start with a special Pikachu who follows them around and can wear fun clothes. Pokémon fights are mainly limited to trainer and gym battles. Most wild Pokémon are simply caught by throwing a Poké Ball. Players will need to trade with Let’s Go, Eevee players to catch all of the Pokémon in the game.

• $60 at Best Buy

Diablo Iii: Eternal Collection

The classic top-down dungeon slayer is great as a special edition for Switch, feeling surprisingly fresh and playable despite arriving years after its original release. That it’s playable in portable format takes the game to a whole other level and gives the Switch something that’s often been absent from previous Nintendo consoles: adult content.

squirrel_widget_175090

The Best Pokmon Game For Switch

If youre one of the many 90s kids who grew up playing Pokémon games, you know just what fun, creative games they are. Maybe youve got a child of your own now and youd like to introduce them to the magic of Pokémon, or you yourself want to get back into Pokémon battles with your Switch.

There are a ton of options for Pokémon games on the Switch. For example, if you want a nostalgic Pokémon game that’s great for any age, “” would be perfect for you.

Can You Play Older Pokemon Games On Nintendo Switch

Pokemon fans have been fighting for this capability since the Nintendo Switch was released. The Virtual Console has been a haven for fans of the older Pokemon games. The 3DS version allowed players to jump into the classics and play them as if it was a Game Boy at their fingertips.

Give us the GBA games on Switch virtual console

Monarch March 3, 2021

The Nintendo Switch has no such capability at this point. In regards to main series games, it only allows Sword and Shield and the Let’s Go series. That will soon change with the release of the Diamond and Pearl remakes.

New spin-off games, such as New Pokemon Snap and Pokemon Legends Arceus, are on the horizon too. They are sure to bring many fresh and exciting adventures, but nothing can top the experience, the sounds, and the joy, of the older Pokemon games.

I really want Pokémon 3rd Gen on the virtual console for switch. You have no idea how many hours I would just sit and play fire red and leaf green!!! #pokemonplease#pokemon#nintendopleasehttps://t.co/gB9TslSSkZ

BeetleBinky March 3, 2021

There have been countless rumors of an upgraded Nintendo Switch console being made. That has also delivered countless rumors of a new Virtual Console being released to appease users who may not purchase the new Switch right away.

Virtual Console on Switch… when?

For now, the best way to enjoy these classics is to download an emulator, fire up the 3DS Virtual Console, or simply go on the hunt for a Game Boy or Game Boy Advance.