A Eurogamer writer sunk nearly 24 hours into Pokémon Pokopia over a weekend, including a late-night bridge-building session in Bleak Beach. The game's post-apocalyptic rebuilding—distinct from mainline Pokémon or Animal Crossing—hooks players with immediate rewards from crafting and environmental fixes, despite some wait timers.
Since its launch last week on Nintendo Switch 2, Pokémon Pokopia has proven irresistibly addictive. The Eurogamer writer reports staying up until 2am restoring bridges in the perpetually overcast Bleak Beach, amid a weekend totaling nearly 24 hours of play.
Each campaign area presents unique challenges and Pokémon: Rocky Ridges for party-building amid ash-covered ruins, Bleak Beach for harbor and bridge repairs. Quirky side quests, like helping Graveler break up with Machop by transforming into it, unlock tools and secrets.
The restoration core evokes Power Wash Simulator, with players piecing together pre-calamity worlds from clues like lamp positions and eroded paths. Experimenting with irrigation, electricity for windmills, and precise rebuilding delivers constant satisfaction, overriding built-in waits through endless crafting and decorating loops.
Pokémon bring charm, frolicking in restored spaces or napping on deckchairs, despite rote dialogue. Amid skepticism for recent Pokémon games, the writer calls it 'genuinely great,' captured by the 'insatiable urge to fix and clean and restore' one brick at a time.
