Pokémon Pokopia Proves the Main Series Is Missing a Crucial Element

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I wasn’t expecting to enjoy Pokémon Pokopia. I’ve been a longtime Pokémon fan, so it’s not that I dislike the series. I just usually struggle with cozy games – Animal Crossing is the only one I’ve really gotten into, and even that took some effort. But Pokopia has completely won me over, like it has for most players, and I’m trying to figure out why.

I really wanted to enjoy Pokopia – you always hope a $70 game will be good! But it surprised me with how much I actually loved it, mostly because it does some really clever and fresh things with the traditional Pokémon formula. That’s why I can see why so many people think it’s the best Pokémon game ever. Honestly, I hope the main series takes some inspiration from Pokopia because it’s clear they could really use it.

Pokémon Pokopia Makes You Care About Your Pokémon

What’s most striking about Pokémon Pokopia is how much you genuinely care about the Pokémon you encounter. It’s more than just a casual interest, unlike the recent Animal Crossing villagers – you become truly invested in their well-being. This is a key reason why Pokopia is a more compelling game; even while you’re busy completing fun tasks and unlocking new abilities, you’re also enjoying the company of the Pokémon whose homes you’re helping to restore.

Despite being a massive game – potentially even larger and more detailed than the core Pokémon series – Pokémon Pokopia manages to be incredibly engaging. You can easily lose hours perfecting every detail of its beautiful world, and you’ll likely want to, as it’s surprisingly heartwarming. The game’s unique Pokémon dialogue has become a hit online, and rightfully so. It’s rare to see Pokémon with actual personality in a video game, and Pokopia finally delivers that.

The key difference between the core Pokémon games and Pokopia isn’t how they play. While Pokopia shares similarities with Dragon Quest Builders 2, it’s much more than just a Pokémonthemed version of that game. Pokopia truly understands the importance of forming strong emotional connections with your Pokémon – something the main Pokémon* games haven’t achieved. This is what the core games should focus on, because without it, they risk losing sight of what makes the series special in the first place.

Pokémon Needs To Make Pokémon Feel Important Again

It’s always struck me as odd that Pokémon in the Pokémon games often feel… unimportant, despite how much we love them. Your first Pokémon, the one you’re supposed to connect with throughout the whole adventure, rarely feels truly special, and can even become a hindrance. Even when you build a full team, the games encourage you to constantly swap Pokémon for newer, stronger ones, making them feel disposable. It’s all focused on power, levels, and evolving – never on forming real connections with your Pokémon. In all the main Pokémon games, building a bond with your team has never been a priority.

While several games have tried, I think Pokémon Scarlet and Violet got closest to truly integrating a legendary Pokémon into the experience, despite their other issues. Giving players the legendary Pokémon right away and using it for exploration and quests, rather than just battles, was a smart move. However, even then, Koraidon or Miraidon often felt like simple ways to get around. They only felt truly important in a few story moments, and especially at the end. This is disappointing, because Pokémon, particularly in the anime, is fundamentally about the connection between a trainer and their Pokémon.

The idea of truly connecting with your Pokémon is often brought up within the games themselves, even by minor characters. However, Game Freak hasn’t yet managed to make players genuinely care about their Pokémon beyond fleeting moments of lucky wins. The games need to make Pokémon more than just collectibles for the Pokédex or tools for battle. A good step would be to build on the ideas from Scarlet and Violet, focusing on developing Pokémon as characters within the story, rather than simply a set of battle moves.

Game Freak could also learn from the game Pokopia by giving Pokémon distinct personalities, starting with your first Pokémon. This would let you feel a real connection with the Pokémon you catch, based on who they are as individuals, rather than just their strengths and abilities. Pokémon shouldn’t feel like simple tools, unlike in many other role-playing games. They’re living creatures with unique personalities, and the games should reflect that. While Pokémon Pokopia isn’t flawless and you might not connect with every Pokémon, it’s a bolder and more impressive effort to create the kind of bond we’ve always wanted – like the one Ash has with Pikachu. The main Pokémon games need to prioritize these relationships to make the Pokémon feel more important and the games themselves more memorable.

Do you believe the Pokémon franchise should put more emphasis on the Pokémon themselves? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-03-29 22:40