Best Pokémon Games to Play in 2023

Pokémon is one of the most beloved franchises out there. We’ve had a few good games released in the last few years, and here are some of the best that you can play in 2023.

In this list, there are all sorts of games, but we made sure that all games are suitable for Nintendo Switch rather than older consoles. Even though those do have some legendary titles to play.

Pokémon UNITE

Image by Nintendo

We’ll start off this list with Pokémon UNITE, a free-to-play MOBA available on Switch, Android, and iOS. And don’t worry, it’s not as infuriating or complicated as League of Legends.

Pokémon UNITE in fact is very beginner friendly and probably the most casual MOBA out there. It has a classic 5v5 format on a map with 2 lanes and a unique twist on the scoring. Your goal is to kill enemies to collect Aeos energy balls and dunk them into enemy towers to earn points, with enough energy dunked, the tower will fall. The winner is the team with the most points at the end of the time limit.

And that is pretty much it. We tried it, and it was effortless to play. You don’t have items or builds, simply pick a pokemon, and head to the arena. There are over 30 pokemon to choose from so you will definitely find a favorite.

Will this become your new MOBA of choice? Probably not, it’s too casual for that. But it is a great time killer when you’re on the go and have a good internet connection.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

Image by Polygon

Scarlet and Violet are the latest iterations of the Pokémon franchise that will take you to the region of Paldea.

Paldea is a big open world filled with cities, wild Pokémon, and various NPCs. The open-world format leaves you to do whatever you want, whenever you want. And you can find and catch more than 400 monsters in it.

The story is also really good and emotional for a Pokémon game. And we bet that many players will agree. Combine all that with great Pokémon design and new behavior features and you will have fun in this game for hours.

What the game became infamous for is the range of visual and performance issues. From dropping framerates to crashes and broken animations. IGN put it like this: “The proper care we’ve all come to expect has not been shown here”. And that’s fair.

Still, even though players were left dissatisfied they say that Scarlet and Violet is some of the most fun they’ve had with Pokémon games. And with the DLC releasing in 2023 this game might just be one of the best Pokémon games to play.

Image by Nintendo

Pokémon Legends: Arceus reimagines a lot within the Pokémon series. Instead of the modern-day world, you travel back in time to the ancient, long-gone era of Sinnoh to complete the first ever Pokédex

The world is semi-open and big but similarly to Scarlet and Violet, is quite empty. Even emptier. Most of the attractions are catching and battling Pokémon. But that is also a part of the core progression system within the game. So it’s both fun and rewarding.

Capturing Pokémon is now different and will make you feel like you are playing Assassin’s Creed. You can hide in the grass, throw decoys to distract them, battle them, or throw a Pokeball at them. And some Pokémon will flee if let you let your guard down.

The battles in Arcaeus are much more fast-paced with heavy damage output. At last, the game will not feel stale and instead, you are in for hours of action. But that works both ways, and you have to be careful not to get knocked out quickly.

Even though the world and the environment of Arceus could have been better, the new gameplay style of the series is definitely a must to try.

Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu and Eevee!

Image by Nintendo

If you want to explore the universe of Pokémon with a dedicated companion, Pokémon: Let’s Go games are for you. In these games, you get Pikachu or Eevee as your loyal and trusty friend to battle with and grow.

Of course, you are not limited to Pikachu or Eevee, you can catch and battle with many other Pokémon. It’s just that you will have special interactions with Pikachu or Eevee.

The game takes you to Kanto, where in a top-down design you can explore, battle, and complete quests. The gameplay is simple and accessible. Many highlighted that both Pikachu and Eevee feel overpowered, and that is made to appeal to a wider audience.

Pokémon: Let’s Go refines Pokemon Yellow is a perfect choice for a relaxed and casual gaming session with its pretty environment and polished gameplay.

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX

Image by Nintendo

The latest edition of the Mystery Dungeon series – Rescue Team DX, will take you on a hand-drawn adventure to form a Pokémon rescue team. There are no humans in this game, just you as a Pokémon and your Pokémon friends.

As you probably noticed, the visuals in this game are like no other. The game is designed to be more like a drawing or a cartoon rather than a 3D animation. It is a great refresher to the Pokémon games that already give this game enough points to be higher than most on your list.

The game itself is a rogue-like dungeon crawler. The dungeons are procedurally generated, with battle encounters, Pokémon to rescue, and treasure to find. The game is about dungeons. Period. You will spend a lot of time in them and for an average player, it can become monotonous quickly. So bear that in mind when picking up the game.

But if you don’t mind the grind, you are in for a good story, lovable characters, relaxing dungeon crawling, and just some good time.

New Pokémon Snap

Image by Polygon

We’ll finish off with a bit of a unique game in the Pokémon series. New Pokémon Snap is quite literally a National Geographic cameraman simulator in the world of Pokémon.

You will head into the depths of the beautifully designed locations of the Pokémon world to interact and take pictures of different Pokémon. There are deserts, jungles, beaches, and more, all filled with different kinds of creatures and unique behaviors that evolve as you play.

You sit in a vehicle so you can’t move by yourself, instead, there is a set course that you will traverse, and will have to take pictures along the way. The path has different turns and branches that you can travel, each with distinct Pokémon.

Interactions with Pokémon can vary from throwing something, playing a tune, or just simply revisiting them. Once you see the reaction, snap a photo. With enough research material taken, you will be able to solve the mystery of the game (which is just an excuse to have some sort of story in the game).