While Nintendo Switch 2 has been out for a relatively short time compared to its “current generation” counterparts, it has developed an impressive array of accolades. The Nintendo Switch 2 has more bona fide exclusives than the PS5 or Xbox Series X, for one, and there's no sign of the selection slowing down. For example, many believed Pokemon winds and waves was supposed to be Nintendo's big holiday release, but with its 2027 release window, there have since been hints of a new Mario games instead.
Whatever happens this holiday season, the Nintendo Switch 2 has already ushered in a whole new era: one that has defined every Nintendo Hardware iteration since the Game Boy for many fans. Pokemon Legends: ZA is a cross-gen game, which is like dipping your toe in the water, so Pokemon Pokopia is the first Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive Pokémon game. In other words, the Switch era off Pokémon games are over and the Switch 2 era has begun in earnest now.
Hear Me Out: I think Pokemon Winds and Waves releasing in 2027 is secretly a good thing for Switch 2 owners
Pokemon Winds and Waves isn't coming to the Switch 2 until 2027, but that might actually be a good thing for owners of the console.
The Nintendo Switch 2 era is off to a strong start
The sun has set on the Switch 1 era
It will likely be a few years before fans can truly look back on the Switch era and reflect on it fully, but some facts are hard to ignore. While none of them Pokémon games were bad, it seems that many of them started to controversy as much as to positive response. Pokemon Sword and Shield kickstarted the first generation on the Nintendo Switch, and while solid in their own rights, many fans were and still are upset about Dexit, or the removal of the National Pokedex, which consists of all Pokémon.
Since then, many fans have been counting what Pokemon was missing from the Switch. Game Freak and The Pokemon Company seemed to deliberately leave out Pokemon in order to stretch the inclusion of everyone across the entire Switch 1 era and, essentially, two generations of Pokemon games.
Many Pokémon game on Nintendo Switch was subjected to criticism of graphics/visuals (tree in Legends: Arceusbuildings in Legends: ZA), technical problems (as seen in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet), simplified difficulty between games (although this goes back further), the exclusion of voice acting and/or the introduction of DLC.
Pokemon Legends: ZA is as much a Switch 1 game as a Switch 2 game, so it's caught in the cross-generation. Pokemon Pokopia is the first Pokemon game completely exclusive to the Nintendo Switch 2.
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The Pokemon x Switch 2 era has begun
If Pokemon Sword and Shield set the tone for the Nintendo Switch 1 games that followed, then Pokemon Pokopia is that north star right now. Of course, Pokemon winds and waves will likely define the Gen 10 lineup of mainline games, but the start of the Switch 2 era begins with Pokopia. And what a start.
Pokemon Pokopia has set review records for the franchise, launching to a peak critic average of 88 on aggregate site OpenCritic, with 94% of critics recommending it. I mean, it's next to it Resident Evil Requiem and Mewgenicsmaking it one of the best reviewed games of the year so far. It can change, but initially Pokopia and the Switch 2 era, that's impressive.
Pokemon Pokopia introducing some new regional varieties such as Peakychu which has been well received so far, while the initial reactions to Pokemon winds and waves and their starters are just as positive, if not more so, than mainstream generations. Hopefully they don't face the same visual and technical criticism, but it remains to be seen how this new generation tackles difficulty challenges, DLC and voice acting, if it even does. Not only that, but there is also the chance that new criticisms or challenges will emerge. The RAM crisis is likely to be a major problem for the future Pokémon games, yet a new era is here, a new generation is coming, and all of this is worth celebrating.
Nintendo Switch 2 makes Dexit a thing of the past
When Pokemon Sword and Shield was released, the National Pokedex was forever damaged on the Switch 1. That is not the case for the Switch 2 generation. Thanks to Pokemon Home and backwards compatibility, everything from the Switch 1 is technically available on the Switch 2. In other words, while there may be event-specific Mythicals that can't be caught, all regular Pokemon can be caught. Pokemon Legends: ZA both heralded the final Pokemon (like Patrat) for the Switch 1 generation and made sure they were present for the start of the Switch 2 generation.
The Switch 2 era has at least 591 out of 1025 native Pokémon
But I will say: counting what Pokemon aren't on hardware is kind of fun. As such, it's interesting to know which Pokemon are built into the Switch 2 games. Excluding simple updates (Pokemon Scarlet and Violet) and backward compatibility (Pokemon Legends: Arceus), the only “official” Pokemon games on the Switch 2 are Pokemon Pokopia and the Switch 2 version of the Pokemon Legends: ZA. Between the two, that gives the Nintendo Switch 2 a total of 591 Pokémon. The Pokedex numbers add up to 644, but there are roughly 73 overlapping Pokemon in between Legends: ZA and Pokopia.
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Pokopia Pokedex: 300
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Lumiose Pokedex: 232
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Hyperspace Pokedex: 132
Yes, yes, yes, we can get into the trenches Pokopia to be a spin-off, of one or the other, but it's a fun number to watch. When Pokemon Sword and Protect launched on the Switch 1, there were only 400 Pokémon for the new generation. Pokemon Home helped a lot, as did DLC and later games, but the entire Pokedex wasn't built into the Switch 1 until Legends: ZA.
When it comes to generational comparison, there will be a stark contrast between Pokemon Sword and Shieldand Pokemon winds and waves. Winds and waves has a head start, but even then, Pokopia is close Sword and shield. Pokemon Legends: ZA as a cross-gen game it overdrives.
Regardless of fun thought experiments, the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive era of Pokémon is officially underway.
- Released
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March 5, 2026
- ESRB
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Everyone/user interacts, buys in the game
