Pokémon Pokopia is the highest-rated Pokémon game since X/Y on Metacritic, and it's not even out on Nintendo Switch 2 yet

• Pokémon Pokopia is Metacritic's highest-rated Pokémon game of all time
• The Nintendo Switch game beats out Pokémon X/Y in average score and ties with Resident Evil Requiem
• The game launches on March 5

Pokémon Pokopia launches on Nintendo Switch 2 this week, and it's already Metacritic's highest-rated Pokémon game of all time.

As of writing, the upcoming Pokémon is sitting at an overall score of 88 on Metacritic based on 59 critical reviews. That makes Pokopia the best-rated game in the entire series.

Although Pokémon Y also has an 88 Metascore, its counterpart Pokémon X is sitting at 87, lowering the average score across both 3DS games. Pokopia also beats out Pokémon Sun/Moon, HeartGold/SoulSilver, and Black/White, all of which have an 87 score.

It's a cool achievement for Pokopia, but more so for the Pokémon series overall, which has seen middling critical reviews across its modern games for the past few years.

The game is also tied up with Resident Evil Requiem, which has an 88 Metascore, as well as Mewgenics and Esoteric Ebb, in Metacritic's Best Games of 2026.

Pokémon Pokopia is a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive launching on March 5, so we'll have to wait and see what Metacritic score it receives from fans of the series.

TechRadar's Lifestyle Managing Editor Josephine Watson said she "underestimated how well Nintendo would tackle its latest town-building / cozy life sim" in her five-star Pokémon Pokopia review and praised its well-balanced gameplay loop, charming character design, broad customization options, and ample storyline content.

"It’s story-driven, offering a great gameplay loop, inventive mechanics, and very few friction points; Nintendo clearly learned from some of Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ quality-of-life hiccups," Watson said. "My only wish would be for a little more individuality in Poké-personalities, but it’s still plenty charming as it is."

The best handheld games consoles for all budgets

➡️ Read our full guide to the best handheld games consoles
1. Best overall:
Nintendo Switch 2
2. Best for PC gamers:
Steam Deck OLED
3. Best budget
Nintendo Switch Lite
4. Best for remote play:
PlayStation Portal

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