Since the release of Pokemon Red and Green in 1996, the Pokemon 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.
Here are 10 of the Pokemon games you should try for the Nintendo Switch:
Also check:
- Best Pokemon ROM Hacks
- Fan Made Pokemon Games List
- Best Pokemon DS ROM Hacks
- Best Pokemon Games for 3DS
- Best Pokemon Games for Nintendo DS
Editor’s Update (September 2025): Now that we finally have the Switch 2, this list should all do it for Switch 1. We still made some adjustments so that this content follows our current editorial guidelines.
10. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX (Paid)
Nostalgia is perhaps one of the reasons behind the success of many Pokemon games. For every 90s kid, it would be quite thrilling to see some old and familiar titles resurface on Nintendo Switch.
Pokemon 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 Pokemon 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 Pokemon 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 Pokemon, you have the freedom to select and accomplish a wide variety of missions.
9. Pokemon Unite (Free)
Pokemon 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, Pokemon Unite introduces something unique and fresh for the genre.
While the mechanics of Pokemon 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, Pokemon Unite players must accumulate scores for their team around the map within 10 minutes.
Scores can be obtained by defeating wild neutral Pokemon, leveling up, or beating players from the other team. The team that gets the higher score wins the game.
8. Pokemon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! (Paid)
Released in 2018, Pokemon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! are made for Pokemon fans of all ages.
As the remakes of Pokemon 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 Pokemon.
The defining element in Pokemon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! is the way you can capture Pokemon. You have to use the motion controls of the JoyCon controller to catch wild Pokemon, 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 Pokemon.
7. Pokemon Sword and Shield (Paid)
Pokemon Sword and Shield are the first Pokemon 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 Pokemon, Pokemon Sword and Shield added something that many Pokemon 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 Pokemon 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 Pokemon battling. Through these phenomena, a Pokemon can grow to a gigantic size and may even change its appearance for a few turns.
6. Pokemon Cafe Remix (Free)
Looking for a break from the intense fighting and wearying adventure? Pokemon Café Remix offers a mild deviation from the Pokemon formula – by serving drinks to Pokemon.
Formerly known as Pokemon Café Mix, this game is centered around solving puzzles to make drinks in a café. The café is regularly visited by Pokemon customers, and you can even hire some to help you operate the business.
Perhaps the only downside to Pokemon 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 Pokemon to work with you brings a uniquely rewarding experience.
5. New Pokemon Snap (Paid)
Enjoying photography in Pokemon is the main concept utilized in the Nintendo 64 game Pokemon Snap. After a couple of decades, players are again free to take Pokemon pictures with a sequel on Switch, the New Pokemon Snap.
New Pokemon Snap contains nearly all the qualities of its predecessor, but with a new twist: you are to snap amazing photos of Pokemon 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 Pokemon behave in a National Geographic-esque fashion.
Another thing to know about New Pokemon Snap is that there are at least 10 legendary Pokemon 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.
4. Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl (Paid)
Despite being released for the Nintendo Switch console, this remake of the Pokemon Diamond and Pearl versions remained faithful to the chibi art style that many players are probably missing right now.
Pokemon 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 Pokemon boxes anywhere.
The developers of Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl limited the number of Pokemon available in the game, with the same roster as the original version.
However, the scarcity of Pokemon species provides an increased level of difficulty when building a team, making the battles a bit more challenging compared to other modern titles.
3. Pokken Tournament DX (Paid)
As the first Pokemon 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 Pokemon 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 Pokemon movements and skills in combat.
There is a total of 21 Pokemon 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!
2. Pokemon Legends: Arceus (Paid)
The Wild Area of Pokemon Sword and Shield became such a good idea that Game Freak finally decided to integrate this feature into future Pokemon Games.
The result of their efforts became successful with the release of Pokemon Legends: Arceus.
Pokemon Legends: Arceus is set around the region of Sinnoh (known as Hisui) during ancient times. You can witness how people interacted with Pokemon in the past, and some Pokemon species may have a different variant, like this Hisuian Arcanine:
In the overworld, you can find wild Pokemon and engage them in different ways, like throwing a Pokéball, throwing an item, or simply sending out your Pokemon to challenge them to a battle.
Playing Pokemon Legends: Arceus is worth a try if you want the most realistic Pokemon experience so far for the Nintendo Switch.
1. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (Paid)
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet further pushed the limits of every Pokemon 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 Pokemon, 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, Pokemon 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 Pokemon games.
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 Pokemon 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!
