Pokémon Pokopia (Switch 2) First Impressions

Hey everyone- first off, happy spring equinox to those observing. Now that it's been out for about a couple weeks and I've been playing it for at least 30 hours, I present my first impressions on Pokémon Pokopia on Switch 2.

Courtesy: The Pokémon Company/Tecmo Koei

As a first outing for the genre of life simulators, it was always a concept I found intriguing. As a Ditto who can take on human form; you must improve the quality of life for your fellow Pokémon and their environments. I will not be giving any story spoilers for those who haven't gotten it yet, so the main focus will be on my experience so far.  I will only say that the in-game reasons remind me plenty of the Mystery Dungeon games.

That out of the way, my first impressions on the game are quite positive. Taking some of the best aspects of not only 30 years of previous titles and combining them with aspects of everything from Animal Crossing to Minecraft, this unique approach to the "cozy game" has garnered considerable praise across the board. It's a spinoff that has joined the list of titles appealing to newcomers and true believers alike- simple enough on the surface; deep enough to dig into for days on end (and not just gardening for Hoppip).

I especially like the ambient sound and stylized visuals. In an industry increasingly obsessed with hyper-realism, seeing graphics where your avatar has Looney Tunes rubber hose limbs and your main guide; the enigmatic Professor Tangrowth emerge from his lair with an optical disc in his vines is quite refreshing.

As the game sold over 2 million units during its launch week, it's safe to say the Switch 2 has another must-own title even at just under a year out. Between this and my full look at Legends Z-A (among countless more ideas I've been eager to pursue for ages), there will be plenty to write about before Pokémon Winds and Waves releases in 2027.

Anyway, I'm just about done with the rough draft of my next HZ review; and I hope to be done with the final draft soon. See you all again later, take care.

P.S.: Go see Hoppers, it really is that good.