It’s official: I’ve got the Pokémon Pokopia bug. And according to Nintendo Japan, I’m not the only one, as the highest-rated Pocket Monsters game of all time has sold over 2.2 million copies worldwide in its opening weekend. For context, that’s more than Nintendo Switch system seller, Mario Odyssey.
What makes that number more impressive is that the physical version of Pokopia has been sold out almost everywhere, despite being published on the controversial Nintendo Switch 2 Game Key Cards.
Most of these products are made by Hori, an excellent manufacturer that makes officially licensed products, and I can’t recommend them enough. Anyways, I’m going to stop writing now; I need to get back to Professor Tangrowth and rebuilding my cozy Pokémon-themed utopia.
Why you should buy Pokémon Pokopia
(Image credit: Nintendo / Creatures Inc. / GAME FREAK inc. / KOEI TECMO GAMES)
John-Anthony Disotto
Collections Editor
There are a few things in life that I know better than the back of my hand, and one of those is Pokémon. Not only do I live and breathe everything to do with the franchise, but I’ve taken it to the point where it’s almost part of my identity at this point.
I collect Pokémon TCG, play the games, and have even built a life-size Pikachu out of Lego. If that wasn’t enough, I have a Pikachu tattoo the length of my forearm; yes, I’m obsessed.
While I absolutely adore Pokémon, I absolutely despise the latest video games in the franchise. In fact, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet annoyed me so much that I returned them and opted to never play them again.
Instead, I spend most of my “cozy” time playing old games like Pokémon Crystal or Pokémon Emerald on my Analogue Pocket. Over the years, I’ve drifted more and more away from the world’s biggest media franchise, opting to relive my childhood through old games, old cards, and old TV shows.
Pokémon Pokopia has totally changed my outlook, however, and I don’t even like cozy games. In fact, Pokopia is so good that I might just have to declare it the best Pokémon spin-off ever, and that’s saying something considering Mystery Dungeon exists.
Over the weekend, I lost track of time playing Pokopia, making sure all of my favorite Pokémon were happy in their habitats. As an adult, you know it’s a good game when time starts to disappear, and you get the same headaches you did as a teenager when you’ve not seen enough sunlight. I’m so impressed with the game, how it respects your time, how the developers have poured their heart and soul into it, and just how well it captures the joy of Pokémon.
I think every Pokémon fan on the planet should give Pokopia a try, even if you don’t usually enjoy cozy games, as it’s truly the Pokémon-themed game most of us have been waiting for.
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