DEXERTOThe recent Nintendo Direct dropped a surprise announcement for Pokemon fans around the world: Pokemon Pokopia, a fresh spin-off that follows Minecraft‘s and Animal Crossing‘s art styles and mechanics.
While everyone was waiting for a new, groundbreaking Mario game to be announced as a celebration of his 40th anniversary, a new cozy Pokemon game featuring the Transform creature Ditto was announced during September’s Nintendo Direct.
Pokemon Pokopia, a brand-new spin-off set to arrive on Nintendo Switch 2 in 2026, doesn’t follow the traditional catch-‘em-all affair. Instead, this title leans into creativity, promising a very different kind of Pokemon experience.
Pokopia could be the coziest Pokemon spin-off yet
In this new adventure, a human-shaped Ditto must rebuild an island by discovering new Pokemon and learning their abilities.
These powers won’t just be for show, as they’ll shape the environment in meaningful ways. This means that, for example, to grow grass, our Ditto must first learn a Grass-type move (such as Leafage), and to water that grass, a Water-type move will be required.
Besides altering the terrain and growing crops, you’ll be able to collect materials like rocks and wood to build new structures and grow your island, inviting even more Pokemon to live with you.
What’s most striking about this new adventure is its similarity to cozy games like Minecraft and Animal Crossing. The blocky terrain, material gathering, and building aspects are reminiscent of Mojang Studios’ game, while the art style, cozy vibes, and community building make it feel more like Animal Crossing.
This is a first look at what’s to come, so there are still plenty of questions to be answered, mainly regarding the depth of the building mechanics and customization options.
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However, if Pokopia can balance Pokemon’s charm with the addictive freedom of Minecraft and the wholesome social loop of Animal Crossing, then it could easily become one of the most memorable spin-offs in the series.