Since the release of Pokémon Red and Green in 1996, the Pokémon franchise has remained as popular as ever as it continues to thrive on modern gaming platforms such as the Nintendo Switch.
If you happen to be one of those individuals who recently purchased a Nintendo Switch, you would definitely want to check out some of the best and latest Pokemon games available.
Some of these are free, while some are not. But you can’t go wrong investing in any of these paid Pokemon games.
With innovative graphics, gameplay, and the opportunity to embark on a new adventure, the Pokemon games on Nintendo Switch are sure to provide you with hours of entertainment and fun. Continue reading.
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Here are 10 of the Pokémon games you should try for the Nintendo Switch:
Table of Contents
10. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX (Paid)
Nostalgia is perhaps one of the reasons behind the success of many Pokémon games. For every 90s kid, it would be quite thrilling to see some old and familiar titles resurface on Nintendo Switch.
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red and Blue Rescue Team is a notable example of those classic games that recently got a Switch remake.
Now named as the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX, this dungeon crawler game features a sophisticated art style that can be considered as an upgrade of its original counterpart.
The story revolves around you, the protagonist who got transformed into a Pokémon and then assembled a team that explores a series of dungeons.
You can choose to play as one of the sixteen starters from the first three generations. And with a team of other fellow Pokémon, you have the freedom to select and accomplish a wide variety of missions.
09. Pokemon Unite (Free)
Pokémon Unite is a game available on Switch, Android, and IOS. This game delivers a whole new experience by becoming the first and only MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) for the franchise.
However, unlike the most popular MOBAs today like DOTA 2 and League of Legends, Pokémon Unite introduces something unique and fresh for the genre.
While the mechanics of Pokémon Unite stays as a battle between two teams of five players each, the goal to achieve victory is rather different.
Instead of destroying towers and invading the enemy team’s base, Pokémon Unite players must accumulate scores for their team around the map within 10 minutes.
Scores can be obtained by defeating wild neutral Pokémon, leveling up, or beating players from the other team. The team that gets the higher score wins the game.
08. Pokemon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! (Paid)
Released in 2018, Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! are made for Pokémon fans of all ages.
As the remakes of Pokémon Yellow, the games follow the story of a renamable character that explores the region of Kanto with either a Pikachu or Eevee as the starter Pokémon.
The defining element in Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! is the way you can capture Pokémon. You have to use the motion controls of the JoyCon controller to catch wild Pokémon, which requires careful timing to increase the chances of success.
If you are new to the series, this game can be a great starting point for learning more about the world of Pokémon.
07. Pokemon Sword and Shield (Paid)
Pokémon Sword and Shield are the first Pokémon games that introduced a new generation in Switch. The game takes place in the region of Galar, which is based in the United Kingdom.
Despite limiting the number of available Pokémon, Pokémon Sword and Shield added something that many Pokémon fans have been waiting for – an open-world setting through the region’s Wild Area.
In the Wild Area, you can explore a vast piece of land where you can enjoy a free camera movement experience. Here you can catch different species of Pokémon and use them to compete in Galar League’s gym challenges.
Apart from Galar’s beautiful landmarks, “Dynamaxing” and “Gigantamaxing,” are also two new features that both gave a new flavor to Pokémon battling. Through these phenomena, a Pokémon can grow to a gigantic size and may even change its appearance for a few turns.
06. Pokemon Cafe Remix (Free)
Looking for a break from the intense fighting and wearying adventure? Pokémon Café Remix offers a mild deviation from the Pokémon formula – by serving drinks to Pokémon.
Formerly known as Pokémon Café Mix, this game is centered around solving puzzles to make drinks in a café. The café is regularly visited by Pokémon customers, and you can even hire some to help you operate the business.
Perhaps the only downside to Pokémon Café Remix is that microtransactions are present, though the paywall doesn’t stop you yet from completely enjoying the game.
On a brighter note, this game is quite easy to learn, and finding Pokémon to work with you brings a uniquely rewarding experience.
05. New Pokemon Snap (Paid)
Enjoying photography in Pokémon is the main concept utilized in the Nintendo 64 game Pokémon Snap. After a couple of decades, players are again free to take Pokémon pictures with a sequel on Switch, the New Pokémon Snap.
New Pokémon Snap contains nearly all the qualities of its predecessor, but with a new twist: you are to snap amazing photos of Pokémon in their natural habitat that populate the islands of the Lental region.
With the advanced graphics brought by the power of Nintendo Switch, this game enables deeper immersion into how wild Pokémon behave in a National Geographic-esque fashion.
Another thing to know about New Pokémon Snap is that there are at least 10 legendary Pokémon lurking around the corners of Lental, and you’ll never know when you’ll find one unless you’re willing to spend many hours in the game.
04. Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl (Paid)
Despite being released for the Nintendo Switch console, this remake of the Pokémon Diamond and Pearl versions remained faithful to the chibi art style that many players are probably missing right now.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl is an excellent game to relive the memories of traveling the Sinnoh region and encountering the masters of time and space, Dialga and Palkia.
While the game basically feels like a more interactive version of Diamond and Pearl, it still added a number of unique features, like the Grand Underground, more TMs, and access to Pokémon boxes anywhere.
The developers of Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl limited the number of Pokémon available in the game, with the same roster as the original version.
However, the scarcity of Pokémon species provides an increased level of difficulty when building a team, making the battles a bit more challenging compared to other modern titles.
03. Pokken Tournament DX (Paid)
As the first Pokémon title for the Nintendo Switch, Pokkén Tournament DX definitely packs a punch when it comes to offering different game modes for its players. You can play solo through its single player modes, or test your skills in online multiplayer.
Pokkén Tournament DX is a revamped version of Pokkén Tournament, a fighting game featuring Pokémon as characters.
Unlike the mainline games that use a rock-paper-scissors-type of battle mechanics, Pokkén Tournament DX lets you take control of the Pokémon movements and skills in combat.
There is a total of 21 Pokémon to choose from, and each one can be played differently according to a player’s playstyle. But what’s even cooler about this game is that you can unlock and play the sick-looking shadow Mewtwo!
02. Pokemon Legends: Arceus (Paid)
The Wild Area of Pokémon Sword and Shield became such a good idea that Game Freak finally decided to integrate this feature into future Pokémon Games.
The result of their efforts became successful with the release of Pokémon Legends: Arceus.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus is set around the region of Sinnoh (known as Hisui) during ancient times. You can witness how people interacted with Pokémon in the past, and some Pokémon species may have a different variant, like this Hisuian Arcanine:
In the overworld, you can find wild Pokémon and engage them in different ways, like throwing a Pokéball, throwing an item, or simply sending out your Pokémon to challenge them to a battle.
Playing Pokémon Legends: Arceus is worth a try if you want the most realistic Pokémon experience so far for the Nintendo Switch.
01. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (Paid)
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet further pushed the limits of every Pokémon fan’s imagination by adding more RPG elements into the game, like the free exploration feature where the story won’t stop you anymore from going wherever you want.
Together with a new generation of Pokémon, Scarlet, and Violet also introduced the region of Paldea. You will play as a student enrolling at an academy, where you’ll meet different kinds of people and interact with them as you progress in the game.
Paldea is a well-designed region filled with various landscapes that are just downright captivating. In battles, Pokémon can “terastallize” to change their type and boost their attacks.
The only issue though, is that this game is originally riddled with glitches and bugs. Thankfully, with the February 2023 update, the developers fixed some of these bugs, so players can enjoy this game to the fullest.
Conclusion
Nintendo Switch is no doubt a revolutionary console that paved the way for the continuous innovation of Pokémon games.
Also see: Best Pokemon Games for GBA
The concept of an open world where you can explore to your heart’s content will likely play a vital role in the future of Pokémon games.
We can expect that the franchise will create more games that aim to make your experience more memorable than ever.
Hopefully, Game Freak and other developers will capitalize on these kinds of ambitious updates without any significant bugs that ruin the overall gameplay.
Time to catch ‘em all!
Get more tips and tricks for the latest Pokémon games and ROM hacks here on Pokémoncoders:
- Where and How to Get Shiny Stone in Pokemon BDSP
- How to Get Hidden Ability in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet
- How to Evolve Charcadet in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet
- How to Find Shiny Pokémon in Pokémon Legends: Arceus
