These are my top 5 Pokmon games on Nintendo Switch 2 including a controversial entry, and one that you may have forgotten

Date:
Sat, 28 Mar 2026 01:00:00 +0000

Description:
Of all the Pokmon games that are playable on Switch 2, these are the five
best at least in my opinion.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Tech Radar Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Become a Member in Seconds Unlock instant access to exclusive member
features. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting
your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. You are now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful Join the club Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards. Explore An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter Ive played a lot of Pokmon over the years, including just about every mainline game, and a fair few spin-offs too. I didnt actually start playing until Pokmon Black and White released, and Id just hit age 10 (good times), but I swiftly made it my mission to go back to the days of Red and Blue , and work my way through the franchises catalogue.

Although the Pokmon games hit something of a rough patch on Nintendo Switch, its been pleasing to see a return to form of late, with some well-received releases and exciting new announcements to boot. OK, Im not sure if Im a fan of the recently revealed starters for Pokmon Winds and Waves (although Gecqua is pretty solid). However, we did get Pokmon FireRed and LeafGreen , Pokmon Pokopia , and Pokmon XD: Gale of Darkness on Nintendo Switch 2 within the
span of just one month. And with the Switch 2s recent influx of Pokmon
titles, I got thinking. What are the best Pokmon games that you can play on Nintendos latest hybrid console? So, Ive compiled a list of my top 5 pocket monster outings available on Switch 2. Notably, this list includes Switch games playable on Switch 2 and brings together spin-offs as well as mainline entries. Article continues below You may like The 25 best Nintendo Switch 2 games to play right now As a lifelong Pokmon fan, the return of FireRed and LeafGreen has me feeling hopeful now I need these 3 classic entries to land on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 Pokmon Pokopia is the highest-rated Pokmon game since X/Y on Metacritic, and it's not even out on Nintendo Switch 2 yet

Im sure that just about everyone will have a different top five to mine and indeed to each other so please do let me know your favorite Pokmon games on Switch 2 down in the comments! Right, without further ado, lets dive into my list. 5. Pokmon Scarlet and Violet (Image credit: Nintendo / The Pokmon Company) OK, put your pitchforks away. Look, as someone who pre-ordered
Pokmon Violet in 2022, I shared a lot of the outrage over this game's performance. Poor framerates especially in built-up areas and poor
graphical quality definitely felt like a shame to see. But things have changed.

Thats right, Scarlet and Violet got a free upgrade on Switch 2 , which bumped up the resolution and smoothed out framerates, and it feels so much better to play now.

But its not all about performance. Im probably more positive than most on
this entry, Ill admit, but I couldnt help but admire its ambition. Instead of using a fully linear progression system, Scarlet and Violet opted for
multiple storylines one where players collect gym badges, another where theyre tasked with defeating Team Star, and a third where they have to hunt down Titan Pokmon. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox
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That final pathway was my favorite, and although the omission of level
scaling made the game's difficulty far too low, I still appreciated its more varied approach.

The diminished linearity in story progression was also reflected in the open world. And although Im still not fully sold on open-world Pokmon, I preferred this setting over Pokmon Sword and Shield 's semi-open-world, which felt
stuck in an awkward and unsatisfying middle place.

More generally, I do think Scarlet and Violet surpassed their predecessors. Your rival in Sword and Shield is a constant annoyance, the Pokdex is pretty weak (though I do like the starters and box-art legendaries), and the Galar region is pretty forgettable. Personally, I found that Scarlet and Violet offered a more exciting experience, with more engaging characters and a
better set of mons including the iconic Lechonk and Tatsugiri. What to read next The 27 best Nintendo Switch games in 2026 Pokmon LeafGreen review: my first-ever Pokmon adventure is still superb Pokmon Pokopia review: did the Nintendo Switch 2 finally get its system seller?

Are Pokmon Scarlet and Violet perfect? Absolutely not, even with performance upgrades. And would I consider them great games? Still no. But I do think
that Pokmon fans will find something to enjoy here, and if you like
open-world environments, then you may find a soft spot for this entry.
Today's best Nintendo Switch Pokemon Scarlet and Nintendo Switch Pokemon Violet deals Nintendo Switch Pokemon Scarlet 49.99 37.95 View Deal See all prices We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices 4. Pokmon Legends: Arceus (Image credit: Nintendo / The Pokmon Company / Game Freak) I recently got a chance to return to Pokmon Legends: Arceus on my Switch 2, following the release of Handheld Mode Boost on Nintendos latest console. This new feature makes the game look way better when playing handheld, so its a great time to return to this one or to try it out for the first time.

Pokmon Legends: Arceus was a big deal for series fans at the point of its release. It represented Pokmons step towards more expansive worlds, with vast open areas and more freedom in exploration. And although this entry didnt provide a true open world for players to venture through, being able to ride across Hisui on Wyrdeer, Ursaluna, and co felt liberating.

Although the Legends games are technically considered mainline entries, they offer a departure from the usual formula.

Youre not out to collect Gym Badges, the battle system is updated with Agile and Strong attacks, and trainers can even take damage from Pokmon in battle. Though I wasnt won over by these new attack types, I enjoyed swapping the Gym Leader challenge format with a mission to build the Hisui regions first Pokdex. And taking damage in battle makes for a more immersive and frantic experience, as well as some seriously memorable encounters.

Just catching Pokmon is surprisingly enjoyable in this game, even when using motion controls. Especially throwing Pok Balls from distance to snag an oversized alpha mon honestly, it's so satisfying.

Like Scarlet and Violet , this is far from a perfect entry theres some uninteresting dialogue, visual quirks, and controversial battle mechanics to deal with. But all in all, Pokmon Legends: Arceus made for a fun twist on the tried and tested formula, and kept me invested from start to finish. Today's best Pokemon Legends Arceus deals 24.99 View Deal 48.97 View Deal 49.99 View Deal Show more We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices 3. Pokkn Tournament DX (Image credit: Nintendo / The Pokmon Company) Does anybody else remember this one? Although it's been forgotten by many, Pokkn Tournament DX is, for me, easily one of the best Pokmon games playable on Nintendo Switch 2.

For the uninitiated, Pokkn Tournament which combines Pokmon with the mechanics of Bandai Namcos Tekken games is a fighting game, originally released for Japanese arcades in 2015. One year later, the game was launched on Nintendos ill-fated Wii U console, and a directors cut edition came to Switch in 2017.

As one of the (very) few people who owned a Wii U, I absolutely loved Pokkn Tournament when it arrived on the system. It has an absolutely exceptional character roster, brilliantly blends 2D and 3D fighting game mechanics, and has a great soundtrack to boot. DX only expands on that, adding new fighters such as Scizor and Darkrai, new support Pokmon, new game modes, and more.

Other than Super Smash Bros. , Im not massively into fighters, but Pokkn
still captured my attention, so Id highly recommend it to anyone. The
Practice mode is excellent for learning how to crush your opponents with combos, and theres even something of a story mode to advance through. And
much like Legends: Arceus , this title looks much better with the new
Handheld Mode Boost, so why not give it a shot? Today's best Pokken
Tournament DX deals 1 Amazon customer review 47.87 View Deal 63.60 49.99 View Deal 49.99 View Deal We check over 250 million products every day for
the best prices 2. Pokmon FireRed and LeafGreen (Image credit: Nintendo / The Pokmon Company / Game Freak) I really wrestled with putting this one up at number one, but alas, it falls just short. Pok mon FireRed and LeafGreen are some of the greatest mainline games in the series, and serve as spectacular remakes of the titles that started it all Pokmon Red and Blue .

Venturing through Kanto feels fantastic in these entries gameplay is balanced, rather than overly easy, great pacing is maintained throughout, and the original mons look as good as ever too. Honestly, the original lineup of 151 'mons is phenomenal. Sure, I enjoyed using fan favorites like Raichu, Blastoise, and Ninetales, but I also felt compelled to try some lesser-loved pocket monsters, like the bizarre Mr. Mime .

Although it wouldve been good to see online trading and battling capabilities brought to this recent Switch and Switch 2 re-release, theres also something nostalgic about playing with a friend locally. And Ive had a lot of fun challenging my friends and nabbing their version exclusives (I went with LeafGreen, for anyone interested).

In addition, I love how this release included event tickets so that you can catch Deoxys , Ho-Oh, and Lugia.

If you want to play one of the definitive mainline entries on your Switch 2, it wont get better than FireRed and LeafGreen , in my opinionthat is, unless we get Ruby , Sapphire , and Emerald ! 1. Pokmon Pokopia (Image credit: Nintendo / The Pokmon Company) Is it too early to say this? Honestly, Im not sure, but Im going to do it anyway. Pokmon Pokopia is the best Pokmon game that you can play on Nintendo Switch 2, and one of the best games the series has ever produced.

As someone who didn't love Animal Crossing: New Horizons and, in general, doesnt get much of a kick out of cozy games, Pokopia has been a revelation
for me. Its one of the most addictive games Ive played in recent years, with charismatic, lovable characters, genuinely enjoyable crafting and building, and a mysterious post-apocalyptic setting.

Playing as Ditto, youre able to replicate the abilities of so many other Pokmon, and using these to cultivate new habitats, reshape the landscape, and rebuild a fractured world is hugely gratifying. By helping out your fellow Pokmon, youll unlock new materials, recipes, and items. And gradually gaining the means to build grander buildings, better transport links, and stronger bonds with your friends is a great way to reward you, the player.

One key reason I put Pokopia up top is that its overflowing with personality. For me, the villagers in Animal Crossing: New Horizons didnt always feel particularly interesting to interact with, but things are very different in Pokopia . Youll hear mons using Gen Z slang, yell phrases like lets get this place HUMID, and all sorts. Unfortunately, Charmander doesnt tell you he frew up, though. It was just an edit, guys.

Other than a slightly frustrating storage management system, I have very few complaints to level against Pokopia . And as the only real Pokmon exclusive
on Switch 2, Im delighted that this entrys got what it takes to be number
one. The best Nintendo Switch 2 games to play right now Our top picks for Nintendo's latest handheld

Read our full guide to the best Nintendo Switch 2 games 1. Best overall: Donkey Kong Bananza 2. Great for multiplayer: Mario Kart World 3. A sequel
for the ages: Hollow Knight: Silksong 4. A timeless adventure and remake: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition 5. Best Pokmon: Pokmon Legends Z-A Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

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