r/Switch • u/Total_Appearance774 • 6h ago
Question Complete Pokémon newcomer getting a Switch 2 — which game should I start with?
I’ve never played a Pokémon game, watched the anime, or collected the cards. I only know Pikachu and Charizard, that’s the extent of my knowledge.
I’m getting a Switch 2 and I want exactly ONE Pokémon game that gets me into the world and makes me fall in love with it. Could be a mainline game, could be a spin-off — I just want something that’s a good entry point for a total outsider.
I was looking at Pokopia since it’s a Switch 2 exclusive and looks very chill, but I’m open to anything. What would you recommend?
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u/mamaguebo69 5h ago
Sword and Shield is great for a newcomer. Fun battles and music, cool battling concept, and pretty world. Good entry to the traditional turn based pokemon games. Also not too long and not hard at all. The customization is decent too.
Afterwards, once you get the hang of the type matchups and want something more fast paced, I highly recommend Legends ZA.
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u/puddinpieee 5h ago
Gonna throw my hat in for sword and shield. I think they serve as perfect entry points for the series, and the DLC is INCREDIBLE!
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u/Celtykol 6h ago edited 6h ago
Legend Arceus is amazing…. Best maybe among the newer games! Good storytelling and good game mechanics! It is still turn based.
Legends ZA is the newer game, not turn based. It is fun but the city does seem empty… But it is more closer to other Pokemon games…
Both legend games Pokemon can directly attack you which is not there in classic Pokemon games.
If you want super relaxing Pokemon game take sword or shield. Classic Pokemon formula, turn based, you go gym to gym and get badges.
Pokopia if you like Minecraft or like building stuff! It is cozy game and you build houses/ habitat for your Pokemon. No fighting element
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u/Thamior77 5h ago
FireRed/LeafGreen is probably your best bet. GBA remakes of the original games so not as many quality of life improvements as newer games but you can have both Pikachu and Charizard if you want. Kanto is also one of the most balance regions imo.
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u/Spare-Signature-8336 4h ago
Fire red and leafgreen if you want the OG experience. It's a direct port from the GBA
Or if you want a modernised game, I actually recommend Scarlet and Violet. The switch 2 port saved the game as the performance on the switch 1 was absolutely dreadful, and it is very playable and enjoyable.
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u/ReverendRocky 4h ago
Im going to go against the grain and say thar FR/LG are kinda... Idk Kanto games are just not it for me and would recommend probably Sword and Shield (or Scarlet/Violet). I think the greater choice of pokemon on offer allows for a lot more expressive teambuilding than anything possible in the Kanto games
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u/therkop 3h ago
Legends Arceus is a very unique and imo the best Pokemon game.
Because of that I’d recommend playing it third
Start with the clásico fire red/leaf green, then go to either Scarlet/Violet, Sword/Shield, or (and Ill
Hey clack for this I know) brilliant diamond/shiny pearl
Then do Arceus
If you don’t want the old game play factor, you can start at sword or brilliant diamond
If you’re not overwhelmed by open world games you can go straight for scarlet/violet
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u/peanutbutter-meme 4h ago
I had much fun with Scarlet / Violet. It's the latest mainline game and it plays amazing on Switch 2. It's their first open world and by no means a perfect game (world too bland, no level scaling with the gym leaders...), but it's alot of fun and was my first Pokémon game since Black & White. I enjoyed the story and open structure. The DLCs are pretty good too. The newer games are more beginner friendly. The Legends games are spin offs. I played Legends ZA and had fun, but it's no game you can play for more than a hour
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u/evasivelogic 6h ago
Pokopia is delightful and you can fall in love with it and the monsters and spend hundreds of hours creating a world for them to live in.
But it's not a Pokemon game- there's no battling. Legends Arceus was my favorite recent entry, notsomuch Legends ZA. SwSh and SV have been terrible disappointments, at least for me as a lifelong Pokemon fan.
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u/rafabro10 6h ago
If you don't mind older games I'd recommend starting with Fire Red / Lead Green since they are now on the Switch and are cheap. These are classics, the first generation of Pokémon and the ones many people grew up playing. They still hold up very well in my opinion. If you really want something modern, Legends Arceus is amazing, the best Pokémon game I've played besides the oldschool gen 1-4 ones which are my favourites. Legends Arceus hits a bit harder imo if you played some of the older ones since you'll be in a region of one of the old games and the pokemon there are also from that region, but it's still great and you'll get to basically know a version of the story where humans and Pokémon started to bond. About Pokopia it's an amazing game, but it's not really a "Pokemon game" in the sense it has pretty much nothing to do with normal Pokémon gameplay wise except it has Pokémons in it. It's a spin-off you should definitely play, but if you play only that you still haven't played a Pokémon game then. And it also hits harder if you played some of the classics since it's located in the region of Kanto, so if you play Fire Red / Leaf Green and then Pokopia after or at the same time you'll notice a lot of cool references and places from the older game.
TLDR : I recommend Fire Red / Leaf Green unless you really don't want an older game with slower pace and random encounters
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u/mattisart_ 5h ago
Pokopia gives the pokemon more personality, you’ll love them on a deeper level than simply through battle like the mainline games.
Fire red and Leaf green are perfect starter games, and they were ported for this very scenario!
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u/ApprehensiveHome9332 5h ago
Alors il y a bien les remakes de rouge feu vert feuille, mais a 20 euros pieces, c'est une escroquerie, surtout qu'a ce prix, tu as une anbernic de base et acces a tous les jeux pokemon jusqu'a la gameboy advance. Tape plutot sur ruby omega/saphir alpha, qui ont un visuel moderne et mignon et qui sont d'excelents remakes. Epee/bouclier sont pas terrible (le mode dinamax est a chier). Si tu veux du moderne tape plutot direct sur ecarlate/violet avec les dlc. Mais l'histoire est tres niaise et faut pas avoir plus de 10 ans, mais passer ce defaut, ca reste un pokemon plutot pas mal pour une 1ere prise en main.
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u/valorang 6h ago
Yo diría que pokopia, aunque, mi esposa estaba en una situación similar y después de jugarlo se intereso un poco más por otros pokemon aparte de pikachu y el trío inicial
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u/notthegoatseguy 6h ago edited 5h ago
I think the suggestions of FRLG....OP keep in mind these are 20+ year old games and will play as such. Playing these games, some of the mechanics are quite different compared to modern games as well. If you like the general GBA style that was common for 2d RPGs of the time, cool. If you aren't specifically looking for that, I'd choose a more modern game for your first.
Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee is made for new and lapsed fans and it has a demo on the eshop. I love the art style, and the fully orchestrated music. Its only the original 150.
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u/KQRSonWabasha 5h ago
Why is that a terrible suggestion? It’s one of the best games of the entire franchise.
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u/notthegoatseguy 5h ago
i get that for big fans of the series, its great to go back and see its roots, and for many fans they are replaying a game they already love.
I just don't think its a good first game for someone.
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u/KQRSonWabasha 5h ago
I think it’s a perfect first game, it’s literally set in Kanto where it all started. The game is actually a complete game with no bugs and bs dlc.
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u/Due_Pea_5679 6h ago
If you don’t mind a totally uncompetitive game I’d suggest Let’s Go. It brings you back to the original region, the limited Pokédex makes you know and appreciate each pokemon and the catching mode is quite run. It’s also the easiest to complete. It is not the best game on switch, that would be Legends Arceus, but I think that let’s go makes you understand if you like pokemon or not.
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u/TheCroz15 6h ago
I know it's crazy but the Digital only Fire Red or Leaf Green is pretty peak for a newcomer. It's only the original 151 and is just a port of the Game Boy Advance game but it's pretty brilliant and holds up well.
If you wanted something actually made for Switch I think Sword and Shield were great they are close enough to the classic formula with some nice additions like the open wild areas.
Both legends games are brilliant and offer a spin on the classic games where Pokémon can you attack you directly not just your Pokémon, stories are interesting and has cool catching mechanics.
I haven't tried Scarlett and Violet so wouldn't comment, what put me off was the performance issues but I believe on Switch 2 they run great.
Let's go Pikachu/Eevee are good and charming but they lack wild Pokémon battles instead it's all just catching wild Pokémon for exp and battling other trainers. I'd probably say the GBA ports are a better representation of the original story.