The Nintendo Switch is more than six years old, and it has already seen more Pokémon games than some of its predecessors had in their entire lifetimes. With the console's immense popularity and the recent release of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, the Switch just might outpace progenitors like the 3DS. That said, deciding which Pokémon game is the best on Switch when only a handful of them are critically well-received is more difficult.

The Switch is home to some Pokémon games that provoke praise from critics, while others prompt confusion. When taking into account each title's Metacritic and OpenCritic score, the numbers suggest there have been significant fluctuations in quality between releases. Even so, this should help prospective players wondering what are the best Pokémon games for Switch owners to buy.

Updated on March 5, 2024, by Guillermo Kurten: The Nintendo Switch console era appears to be winding down as rumors of the next-gen system swirl, but the Pokémon franchise has maintained a noticeable presence throughout the current generation. In addition to mainline games, spinoffs and emulated ports from elsewhere in the Pokémon video game space have been made available. This list is being updated to add more info on each release, as well as the addition of Detective Pikachu Returns and the classic games added to the Nintendo Switch Online service.

18 Pokémon Quest's Gameplay Loop Was Unmemorable

Pokémon Quest is a free-to-play action-adventure game that was also released on iOS and Android devices. Pokémon Quest features a Minecraft-styled voxel take on the Pokémon world, with blocky iterations of the original Kanto-region Pokémon. The game is set on Turnblecube Island and players build up their base, in addition to teams of Pokémon. Pokémon are used to tackle the island's challenges, eliminating the wild Pokémon from the area.

Quest is the worst-reviewed Pokémon game on the Switch and saw plenty of criticism after its 2018 release. Namely, Pokémon Quest's energy system and forgettable gameplay drew a negative response from reviewers. However, critics did praise the game for its ease of access for casual players looking to pick it up. Nonetheless, the game was too much of a superficial gameplay loop to feel novel in any way. Simply giving the Pokémon world a Minecraft-themed coat of paint was far from enough to garner a positive critical reception.

17 Pokémon Café Mix Is A Charming Concept With Underwhelming Mechanics

Pokémon Café Mix is a free-to-play puzzle game that saw a simultaneous release on mobile platforms. Pokémon Café Mix puts players in the shoes of a café owner who caters to Pokémon customers, with gameplay revolving around using the touchscreen to connect Pokémon-themed icons. As players accomplish objectives and complete orders, they can add Pokémon to their staff and upgrade their cafe.

Pokémon Café Mix sits just above its mobile gaming colleague, Pokémon Quest. The title was released in 2020, with reviews painting a picture of a mediocre free-to-play puzzle game. The puzzles aren't all too challenging, and many weren't happy the game's touchscreen controls require handheld mode. Only Pokémon Café Mix's charming art and unintrusive microtransactions have kept the game from fading into obscurity.

However, somewhat similar to Quest, the gameplay design wasn't creative enough to feel like a worthwhile use of the Pokémon IP as a spin-off title. It's a fun premise that certainly fits the family-friendly tone of the franchise, but as a game, the mechanics are far too shallow to appeal on a long-term basis.

16 Detective Pikachu Returns Is A Middling Sequel To The Original Spinoff

The original Nintendo 3DS game paved the way for the theatrical movie, but the Switch sequel left a great deal to be desired. Detective Pikachu Returns is set in Ryme City and follows the titular Pokémon sleuth as he reunites with his partner Tim Goodman to solve a series of cases.

The game retains the core investigation gameplay mechanics of its predecessor but, overall, Detective Pikachu Returns garnered a middling reception for lacking creativity or any challenge. Its story and characters were as charming as fans expected, but the detective-based gameplay was far too simplistic to keep most engaged.

15 Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX's Repetitive Gameplay Doesn't Rise Above The Originals

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX is a remake of 2005's Mystery Dungeon: Blue and Red Rescue Team for the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS, respectively. It stands as the first Pokémon game remade outside the main entries and features a new art style, as well as additional features like Mega Evolution and auto-mode. Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX reintroduces fans to a spruced-up version of the first entry in the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon spin-off series. The series saw players take on the role of a human who is turned into a Pokémon, undertaking mission-based jobs to rescue Pokémon and deliver items.

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX has style but doesn't rise above the sum of its parts. Originally received as an average game, the remake scores similarly to Mystery Dungeon: Blue and Red Rescue Team. The new take on art and an improved story help the title, but not enough to propel it to new heights. Critics were quick to point to outdated and repetitive gameplay under a fresh new coat of paint, in addition to frustrations with an overall unremarkable experience.

Overall, it's a shame that this remake squandered its chance to revitalize the original games, as the early entries in the Mystery Dungeon series earned cult-classic status. The turn-based JRPG genre of the mainline games combined with the rouge-like subgenre seems like a perfect fit, and it should have succeeded given the latter's renewed prominence in more indie spaces. However, Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX sticks far too closely to tradition for its own good, especially when rogue-likes like Dead Cells and Hades have since reinvigorated the subgenre.

14 Pokémon Sword And Shield: The Isle Of Armor Expansion Didn't Alleviate The Base Games' Criticisms

Pokémon Sword and Shield was uncharted territory in the Pokémon series in numerous different ways — the controversial "Dexit," and its approach to post-launch content, just to name a few. Typically, the Pokémon series will release a third game sometime after the initial two games of a generation. This third game will often add new bells and whistles and become the definitive release of that Pokémon generation.

Sword and Shield took a different approach by releasing two expansions instead of a third game. The first expansion was The Isle of Armor, which sees players travel to an Isle of Man-inspired collection of islands where they train in the dojo of a former Galarian champion. While critics praised The Isle of Armor's Wild Area, most found the story too short and not doing enough to improve the grievances they and other players had with Sword and Shield.

If anything, this DLC expansion came across as an underbaked version of what the "third-game" formula might have already done — but as a more expensive overall package alongside the base game. While it was nice to finally see the mainline games take their first full-fledged venture into the console space, Sword and Shield were already partially criticized for lacking ambition. This expansion didn't do much to alleviate that, as it felt like they merely made Galar larger for the sake of it.

13 Pokémon Unite Is A MOBA Retread Reliant On Microtransactions

Pokémon Unite is the franchise's first foray into the multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) genre. Though some wondered why Pokémon was getting into the genre after its height had already come and gone, Pokémon Unite strode ahead without fear. Like other MOBAs, Unite pits two teams of players against each other as they compete as different Pokémon on the battlefield. Players control individual Pokémon in a variety of roles, and while they start matches relatively weak, they'll grow in strength as they defeat other players or earn points.

Pokémon Unite has been generally received well for its gameplay, though it has been criticized for its microtransactions. Most critics agree that Pokémon fits seamlessly into the MOBA genre and that there's longevity thanks to the massive number of Pokémon that can be added over time. That said, Pokémon Unite is clearly trying to compel players to spend money on it, something that's not a good look for a kid-friendly Pokémon game.

Again, much like spinoffs in the vein of Quest, Unite was critically seen as an overall average experience and garnered this reception for feeling derivative. Even before taking into account the questionable gacha mechanics of its in-game purchases, relying squarely on the League of Legends and DOTA formula being given a Pokémon wrapping will only take this game so far.

12 Pokémon Scarlet And Violet Were Aggressively Held Back by Technical Problems

The most recent Pokémon game to be released on Nintendo Switch only managed to garner relatively mediocre reviews from critics. Scarlet and Violet are the first games to attempt to transition the franchise into an open-world setting, and it has had mixed success in doing so. The core adventure is undoubtedly compelling, but the stripped-back in-game systems, and Scarlet/Violet's performance issues and glitches throughout hold the game back from becoming a truly notable entry.

The capability of the hardware moving forward has undeniably been brought under significant scrutiny. Though future patches could address some of the more egregious technical difficulties, it's looking like more of an uphill struggle with each release. Dissatisfaction with the games has been further accentuated by the public review bombing the games received after release, scoring a 3.4 (Scarlet) and 4.1 (Violet) compared to a more respectable, if unremarkable, 71.5 combined average on Metacritic.

This was particularly disappointing after Legends: Arceus — released earlier that same year — felt like such a breath of fresh air for the mainline series. There is a solid open-ended gameplay loop at the core of these titles, even if they might only be half-steps forward from Legends: Arceus. But, critically speaking, that goodwill is lost under the overwhelming technical and performance issues, which shouldn't exist in a franchise this lucrative.

11 Pokémon Sword And Shield: The Crown Tunda Expansion Is A Modest Improvement

The Isle of Armor wasn't the only expansion for Sword and Shield as The Crown Tundra was announced at the same time. The Crown Tundra region is inspired by Scotland and is full of legendary Pokémon and legendary Pokémon raids. These legendary Pokémon include Galarian versions of the three first-generation legendary birds, Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres, as well as new members of the Regi family of legendary Pokémon in Regidrago and Regieleki.

At the heart of The Crown Tundra is a new legendary Pokémon in Calyrex, a royal hare-like Pokémon that can fuse with two different horse-like Pokémon in Spectrier and Glastrier. Critics saw The Crown Tundra as a much better expansion than The Isle of Armor for its improved narrative and features on top of the abundant legendary Pokémon.

Even if it isn't anything exceptional, the final expansion for Sword and Shield merits its moderately positive critical reception for taking a more substantive approach to its content. The new areas to explore and the mixed batch of new and returning Pokémon species made the DLC feel much more purposeful, justified its existence, and made Sword and Shield, as a whole, a more convincing package.

10 Pokémon Brilliant Diamond And Shining Pearl Stuck Too Close To The Original Script

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl are remakes of the 2006 Nintendo DS titles Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. The titles seek to faithfully recreate the Generation IV experience for first-time players while offering an update to the classic adventure for returning fans. Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl feature an overhauled presentation compared to their predecessors and continue the franchise's trend of introducing quality-of-life improvements in remakes, but they fall short of being the best Pokémon remakes.

With combined Metacritic and OpenCritic scores of 73 and 74, respectively, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl have garnered relatively average reception from critics. Some praised the title for being "a perfect starting point" for players who've been absent from the Pokémon series for a while and even better for those who missed the original DS games 15 years ago. That said, critics have pointed out a lack of innovation and new additions to the remake that keep it from achieving higher aspirations.

ILCA is a newer studio, but lacking ambition is a common trend among some of the more recent Pokémon games — mainline or otherwise. Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl should satisfy fans simply looking for a glossier version of the DS games, and the Grand Underground feature is a more than welcome addition. However, beyond those two points, these remakes are examples of how the 1:1 approach to remakes can backfire.

9 Pokémon Snap Was A Clever Safari-Inspired Take

Before the long-awaited sequel arrived on the Nintendo Switch years later, the original Pokémon Snap was fondly received on the Nintendo 64. The game puts players in the role of Todd, a photographer tasked by Professor Oak to venture to an island and take pictures of the wild species living there to accompany his scientific research.

Pokémon Snap was critically well-received for being an innovative spin-off to the flagship video game series at the time, combining rail-shooter gameplay with a safari-themed premise. With the overall focus on the franchise being its titular mystical animals, the safari setting was an ingenious idea to view this world from, and even with the new sequel, playing the first Pokémon Snap emulated through the Nintendo Switch Online service is a true time capsule experience.

8 Pokémon Sword And Shield Brought Welcome Open-Ended Elements, But Left Unrealized Ambition

In essence, Sword and Shield are respectable role-playing games continuing the trend of following a young Pokémon trainer through their journey. Featuring a locale based on the United Kingdom, Sword and Shield took some of the best features of previous titles and incorporated them in this latest entry. Pokémon roam the overworld much like in Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Eevee!. There are even raid encounters players can team up to tackle.

With combined scores of 80 on both Metacritic and OpenCritic, Sword and Shield stand as some of the best Pokémon games on Switch. Sword and Shield capture just enough of what has made Pokémon great over the franchise's lifetime while finding a few places to introduce new features and improvements. It's all accomplished without rocking the precariously perched boat enough to scare off longtime fans or newcomers.

Critics praised the title for streamlining tedious activities and adding some open-world exploration elements. On the more critical side, though, the lack of innovation in the turn-based combat and overly linear route and dungeon design in favor of simplifying an already easy gameplay loop were common complaints.

7 Pokkén Tournament DX Was An Inventive Fighting-Game Take On The Franchise

A remastered port of the original Wii U release, Pokkén Tournament DX is a unique entry in the Pokémon franchise. It's an outright fighting game akin to Tekken in which the player controls a Pokémon. Focusing on the less technical aspects of fighting games, Pokkén Tournament DX has two phases in battles. The Field Phase allows players to move freely about the arena, powering up or utilizing long-range abilities, while the Duel Phase brings the combatants in close for some action.

Pokkén Tournament DX was released in 2017 and is a remastered port of the 2015 Japanese arcade game ported to the Nintendo Wii U in 2016. Featuring an expanded roster and improvements to local multiplayer, the Switch version holds a score of 79 on Metacritic and 80 on OpenCritic. All iterations of the game can stand proudly as one of the best spin-off games in the Pokémon franchise.

It's an example of an otherwise completely unrelated franchise adopting the conventions of a separate genre and series without feeling like a pale imitation. The game wears its Tekken influences on its sleeve, but since the Pokémon series has an inherently diverse roster of creatures with unique powers, it can afford to do so while feeling inventive in its own right.

6 Pokémon Stadium And Stadium 2 Were The Original Premium 3D Experiences

While the novelty of 3D Pokémon battles has long since worn off for the franchise, Pokémon Stadium and Stadium 2 for the Nintendo 64 were game-changing experiences for the time. Stripping the JRPG mechanics of the traditional formula and sticking squarely with the turn-based strategy of the battling, these games allowed players to take on tougher Gym Leader and Elite Four challenges based on the first and second generation of mainline games, respectively.

Pokémon Stadium and Stadium 2 were exciting ways to translate the turn-based combat of the Game Boy/Color games into the home console experience, complemented by compatibility with the handheld titles, local multiplayer, and delightful Mario Party-style minigames. The drawback to the emulated ports on Nintendo Switch, though, is that compatibility with Red, Blue, Yellow, Gold, Silver, and Crystal is rendered useless due to the handheld titles not being officially available on any currently supported platform.

5 Pokémon Puzzle League Is An Effective Tetris Crossover

As one of the earliest and best-selling games ever, Tetris was another franchise bound to have a crossover with Pokémon -- at least in spirit. Pokémon Puzzle League for Nintendo 64 has players try to clear a series of blocks off the screen across a variety of Pokémon-themed levels.

Also available through the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service, Pokémon Puzzle League succeeds in its simplicity by combining The Pokémon Company's mascot franchise with the gameplay systems of Tetris Attack. It did well to balance the challenge of the gameplay, offering light puzzle-solving mechanics perfect for younger players while staying entertaining and charming enough for older fans who want a breezy experience.

4 Pokémon Trading Card Game Was The Original Video Game Version Of The TCG

The trading card game side of the Pokémon franchise is even more lucrative than the video games, making a crossover of both inevitable. Pokémon Trading Card Game for the Game Boy Color was the first video game rendition of the TCG, incorporating a story somewhat similar to the mainline games to introduce players to the card game's mechanics.

Now made accessible again on the Switch via Nintendo Switch Online, Pokémon Trading Card Game was well-received for being an equal parts faithful and seamless transition of the TCG's ruleset — at the time — onto the Game Boy Color. It did an excellent job of getting players acquainted with the fundamentals while still engaging gameplay-wise, and it's still a fun throwback even with the modern rules and subsequent video game adaptations of the TCG.

3 Let's Go, Pikachu! And Let's Go, Eevee! Were Endearing And Nostalgic Remakes

Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Eevee! are remakes of the '90s Game Boy game Pokémon Yellow. Though the titles follow the same path, an adventure challenging eight Gym Leaders and the Elite Four members, Let's Go, Pikachu! and Eevee! introduce several twists to the classic formula. Depending on the players' game version, they'll have a customizable Pikachu or Eevee accompanying them throughout their journey. Additionally, Pokémon appear visibly in the overworld and do not require battling to capture. The game also integrates with Pokémon Go and supports motion gameplay with the Switch's Joy-Con controllers.

With scores ranging from the high 70s to the low 80s, Let's Go, Pikachu! and Eevee! resonated with fans and critics alike making it the best Switch Pokémon game that uses the traditional formula. Complemented by the best visuals in the mainline games, critics loved the elements of nostalgia, clever use of Pokémon GO-style capture mechanics, and how accessible the game was for new or younger players. This said, even the title's endless charm couldn't stop some from souring over the inconsistent motion controls and the desire at the time for a true console mainline Pokémon game.

2 New Pokémon Snap Is A Stunning And Worthwhile Sequel To A Cult Classic

New Pokémon Snap marks the return to a cult classic Pokémon Snap game for the Nintendo 64. New Pokémon Snap sees the player play as a Pokémon photographer visiting the Lental region to help Professor Mirror with research. As players go on photo expeditions, they set out on a mini on-rail adventure and can photograph Pokémon in their natural habitat. Players are graded on the quality of the pictures they take based on how close the target is or if the Pokémon is facing the camera. Additionally, players can use items to coax out rarer Pokémon or otherwise improve their current situation, like waking up a sleeping Pokémon.

New Pokémon Snap has received generally favorable reviews, making it one of the best Pokémon Switch games with critics loving the sense of immersion it creates. Improvements to the decades-old formula are also felt and appreciated, with many applauding the added features and depth.

The original N64 title is fondly remembered for being innovative for its time, as well as using the "rail-shooter" arcade game genre and neatly applying it to the Pokémon world. This long-awaited sequel is no exception, building upon a solid and creative gameplay foundation. Likewise, due to the game's smaller scope, New Pokémon Snap features the most stunning graphics of any of the franchise's games — spinoff or otherwise.

1 Pokémon Legends: Arceus Takes The Mainline Series In An Exciting New Direction

Based on critic reviews, the best Pokémon game on Switch is easily Legends: Arceus. The game proves that the best Pokémon games don't need to stick to gameplay features that debuted a quarter-century ago. Pokémon Legends: Arceus tosses away the classic-yet-restrictive form of old and throws players into a near-open world completely alive with the iconic "pocket monsters." A young character's journey to become the best trainer or capture all Pokémon is replaced with a refreshing narrative centered around time travel, warring clans, and the creation of the first Pokédex.

Critics have been quick to point out how far the game's new style carries the title, with VGC calling Pokémon Legends: Arceus, "the breath of fresh air the series has needed for so long." Fans and critics alike have likened the game to the Pokémon experience they'd always wanted where they found the classic formula lacked. By taking a design approach similar to Capcom's Monster Hunter action-RPG series by having a semi-open-world structure anchored by a hub village, Legends: Arceus feels like a full step forward for the mainline series. However, while praise for the game has been consistent, critics pointed out the title's dated visuals and sometimes tedious quests.