Every Pokemon Game On Nintendo Switch

Pokemon Unite is a new, fast-paced MOBA that's just landed on Nintendo Switch, giving Pokemon fans another strong game to check out on the popular platform. For those new to the Pokemon franchise, or anyone looking for more monster-battling and monster-catching action, there are plenty of great Pokemon games on Nintendo Switch spanning multiple genres. From free-to-play spin-offs through to full RPG adventures, Switch owners are spoilt for choice when it comes to the widely-adored franchise.

To help you find your next adventure with Pikachu and the gang, we've listed every Pokemon game on Nintendo Switch available right now. This list will only grow in the coming months, with Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl coming later this year and open-world adventure Pokemon Legends: Arceus launching in January, both of which will release on Nintendo Switch.

While you're here, be sure to check out our other Switch guides, including the best Nintendo Switch games for kids, best multiplayer Nintendo Switch games and the overall best Nintendo Switch games--there's a lot of good stuff.

Pokemon Unite

If you've ever wanted to try a MOBA but found the likes of League of Legends or Dota 2 too tricky to get into, Pokemon Unite on Nintendo Switch is a great starting point. Unite is set on Aeos Island, where Pokemon participate in competitive matches where two teams of five face off to score the most points by slam-dunking accumulated Aeos energy into the opposing team's zones. In swift 10-minute matches, you select from a roster of Pokemon--including fan-favorites like Pikachu and Charmander--battling wild Pokemon and opposition players in an arm-wrestle for territory dominance. Although Pokemon Unite includes series staples such as leveling up and evolving, matchups between Pokemon types go out the window; the focus is instead placed on real-time skill attack execution. With new content already on the way, plus a mobile version including cross-platform play, we're expecting Pokemon Unite to grow even bigger.

See our Pokemon Unite review.

---

Pokemon Quest

Another free-to-play spin-off for the Nintendo Switch and mobile devices, Pokemon Quest transforms the original 151 Pokemon from the Kanto region into adorable cube-shaped versions of the characters, befitting the setting of Tumblecube Island. An action-adventure game that plays out in real-time, Pokemon Quest tasks you with going on expeditions to find loot, upgrade your camp, and befriend other blocky Pokemon. It's up to you to choose a party of Pokemon to venture forth, after which they move automatically, leaving you to time attacks strategically to defeat opponents encountered along the way. There's also a bit of strategy involved, too; Pokemon learn new moves through gaining experience and equipping Power Stones, augmenting their stats to suit different playstyles. Also, Pokemon Quest has a wonderful method of recruiting new Pokemon friends: you cook dishes for them on the campfire using ingredients found on expeditions. It's an extremely cute game to play alongside the main Pokemon RPGs.

---

Pokemon Cafe Mix

Pokemon Cafe Mix is another in a long list of adorable free-to-play spin-off games on the Nintendo Switch. As the owner of a cafe, you recruit Pokemon to serve as staff while cooking all sorts of Poke-themed culinary delights, created by solving puzzles. Everything about Pokemon Cafe Mix is wonderfully endearing, especially your cute Pokemon companions who wear matching cafe outfits highlighted by a gorgeous hand-drawn art style. Lucario wearing a little cafe apron is quite the sight! Even Pokemon Cafe Mix's puzzles mimic the act of stirring a drink, requiring you to swirl a circle of matching Pokemon icons around the ingredients to complete the order. Different Pokemon have unique abilities to help solve puzzles, making team composition just as important as your puzzle-solving skills. Pokemon Cafe Mix is a pleasant puzzler to visit when it's time to chill out.

---

Pokemon Sword and Shield

The first mainline Pokemon RPG on the Nintendo Switch, Pokemon Sword and Shield impressed us with various new features to the series, including the Wild Area, adding open-world exploration elements to the Pokemon formula. Co-op raid battles, Dynamax transformations, and the ability to make delicious curries round out the other major additions Pokemon Sword and Shield introduced. Additionally, Pokemon Sword and Shield mark the first games in the main RPG series to receive expansion passes, containing substantial DLC add-ons in the form of The Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra. Make sure to download Pokemon Home as well so you can import your Pokemon Go collection, too. With so many Pokemon to catch and beautiful places to explore, Pokemon Sword and Shield are among the best in the series.

See our Pokemon Sword & Shield review and Isle of Armor DLC review.

---

New Pokemon Snap

More than 20 years passed between the original Pokemon Snap on Nintendo 64 and its Nintendo Switch follow-up, New Pokemon Snap. It was absolutely worth the wait. Based on the same premise as its predecessor, New Pokemon Snap places you in the role of a photographer snapping pictures of Pokemon in their natural habitat for research purposes. It's essentially a non-violent, wholesome first-person shooter on rails with plenty of cute critters to enjoy. In addition to many photogenic subjects, New Pokemon Snap weaves in several mystery elements that provide ways of discovering Pokemon engaging in unexpected behavior. In a world full of combat-centric games, it's refreshing to relax and enjoy the positive vibes of New Pokemon Snap while taking copious amounts of Instagram-worthy photos.

See our New Pokemon Snap review.

---

Pokemon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go Eevee!

A blend of conventional RPG and Pokemon Go gameplay, Pokemon: Let's Go, Pikachu and Let's Go, Eevee on the Nintendo Switch introduced a new generation of Pokemon trainers to the Kanto region, with stylish reimagining of the original Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow Game Boy games. Instead of randomly encountering Pokemon in tall grass, you can see potential companions wandering around in the wild, making it easier to complete your Pokedex. Another significant change to the series' norm is the focus on (sometimes unwieldy) motion controls for catching Pokemon. You can either emulate the act of throwing a Poke Ball using a Joy-Con or tilt the Nintendo Switch in handheld to aim your throw, using the same circle timing system seen in Pokemon Go. Above all else, Pokemon: Let's Go, Pikachu and Let's Go, Eevee are a lovely way to experience Kanto, where it all began.

See our Pokemon: Let's Go, Pikachu! & Let's Go, Eevee! Review.

---

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX--a Nintendo Switch remake of Blue Rescue Team on Nintendo DS and Red Rescue Team on Game Boy Advance--poses the question: What would you do if you woke up one morning as a Pokemon? This dungeon-crawling RPG assigns you a Pokemon based on the results of a cute personality test, and after waking up in the Pokemon world, you soon meet up with other Pokemon to form a rescue team, going on missions and helping those in need. As you've been unknowingly transformed into a Pokemon, you can now understand and converse with your kind beyond the standard repetition of Pokemon names humans hear. Rescue Team DX also has a great story at its core as you slowly unravel the mystery of why you became a Pokemon in the first place. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX gives the original games one heck of a glow-up with a vivid new painterly style that pops beautifully. A heartwarming story and new coat of paint make Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX a worthy entry for Pokemon fanatics.

See our Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX review.

---

Pokken Tournament DX

Pokken Tournament was something of a revelation upon its initial Wii U and arcade release, a fighting game where you have full control of a Pokemon's movement and attacks in real time. Pokken Tournament DX is a Nintendo Switch upgrade of the original, complete with a padded-out roster of Pokemon to duke it out with. From the fighting game experts at Bandai Namco--known for working on the Tekken series--Pokken Tournament DX is a strong fighter in its own right. Its fighting mechanics are deep, and powerful attacks pack a mighty impact with spectacular visuals reminiscent of the classic Pokemon Stadium games. Pokken Tournament is for anyone who's ever wanted an unprecedented level of control over their characters as well as fighting game aficionados.

See our original Wii U Pokken Tournament review.