Which Pokémon Nintendo Switch Game Should You Buy in 2026?
By Dexhaul Team · August 7, 2026
Most people choosing their first Pokémon Switch game will get the most out of Scarlet or Violet.
Both games are widely available for under $45 from independent shops, cover the full open-world Paldea region, and will keep you busy for 30 to 50 hours on the main story alone. If you want one answer and you're done here: grab whichever of the two costs less where you're buying.
There are six Pokémon games for Nintendo Switch as of 2026. Four are mainline RPGs in the traditional mold. Two are from the Legends line, a separate format with different gameplay. Knowing which category each title falls into is the most useful thing this guide can tell you.
The Mainline Games
Sword and Shield: The Galar Region (2019)
Sword and Shield were the first Pokémon games built natively for Switch, released in November 2019. They introduced the Wild Area: a semi-open zone where Pokémon appear in the overworld before any battle begins.
Dynamax is the Galar-specific battle mechanic, enlarging Pokémon to enormous scale and converting their moves into Max Moves during specific battles. Max Raid Battles let up to four players take on a powerful Dynamax Pokémon together online. The Galar region draws from the United Kingdom, with gym matches staged in football stadiums rather than traditional Pokémon arenas.
Both games are fully complete without any downloadable content, and used copies are now among the most affordable Pokémon Switch titles. The only meaningful difference between Sword and Shield is a handful of version-exclusive Pokémon and two exclusive gym leaders. If you plan to play solo and don't need version-specific catches, pick whichever is cheaper.
Scarlet and Violet: The Paldea Region (2022)
Scarlet and Violet are the current mainline entries, released in November 2022. They are the most expansive Pokémon games on Switch.
According to Bulbapedia, Scarlet and Violet introduced over 100 new Pokémon and were the first mainline games to offer three simultaneous story campaigns: the gym circuit, a storyline involving a rival student faction, and a path tied to the game's Legendary Pokémon. You can tackle all three in any order from the start, with no required sequence.
The entire Paldea region is open from the start. Nothing is locked behind a required story beat, which makes these games the most replayable of the mainline Switch lineup. Scarlet and Violet share the same storyline and core game; the differences are version-exclusive Pokémon and one exclusive professor character.
The Legends Line: A Different Genre
This is the most important distinction in this guide.
The Legends games are not mainline Pokémon RPGs. They share Pokémon, characters, and lore with the mainline series, but the gameplay is categorically different. Buying a Legends game expecting the gym-and-Champion format will lead to disappointment.
In Pokémon Legends: Arceus (2022), you catch Pokémon directly in the open world by throwing Poké Balls at them, without entering a separate battle screen for most encounters. Gym leaders do not exist. The objective is completing the first-ever Pokédex for the ancient Hisui region, the prehistoric version of Sinnoh. Bulbapedia's overview of Legends: Arceus describes it as the first core-series Pokémon game to move away from the traditional turn-based encounter as its primary mechanic.
The shift divides players. Fans who wanted exploration and a slower collection focus loved it. Players expecting the gym-and-Champion loop found the format disorienting. Before buying, know which camp you're in.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A is the next title in this line. It is set in Lumiose City, the metropolitan center of the Kalos region from Pokémon X and Y, making it the first Legends entry placed in a contemporary city rather than an ancient wilderness. The game is a confirmed Nintendo Switch release and is available from independent shops now at a $59.99 launch price.
The Sinnoh Remakes: Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl (2021)
Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are faithful remakes of the 2006 Generation IV games, developed by ILCA under Game Freak supervision. Faithful is the operative word: the region map, gym order, item placements, and story follow the originals almost exactly.
Two things worth knowing before buying. The content from Pokémon Platinum (an expanded third version with a deeper Distortion World storyline and a wider Pokédex) is not included. The chibi visual style also divided fans at release, though the gameplay underneath is unchanged from the originals. If you have strong Sinnoh nostalgia and want that exact experience on modern hardware, these deliver it cleanly. If you hoped for a Platinum-expanded remake, these are not that version.
Which Game Is Right for You?
The decision simplifies once you place each title in its category.
Returning player after years away
Start with Scarlet or Violet. They are the most modern version of what mainline Pokémon has always done, with the largest available Pokédex and the most open structure. The secondhand price has dropped enough to make either a low-risk entry point.
Player who prefers structured pacing
Sword or Shield. The Wild Area gives you open exploration, but the gym circuit provides a clear progression path from start to finish. These games are also the strongest for online multiplayer through Max Raid Battles.
Someone who wants Pokémon to feel different
Pokémon Legends: Arceus. Many players who found the mainline RPG format repetitive discovered they enjoyed the open-world collection focus of Arceus significantly more. The pace is slower and the moment-to-moment gameplay asks different things from you.
Sinnoh nostalgia
Brilliant Diamond or Shining Pearl, with the clear understanding that these are intentionally faithful remakes. What you remember is what you get.
Want the newest release
Pokémon Legends: Z-A is the current newest entry, bringing the Legends format to Lumiose City. If you want to start on the most current title in the series, that is your pick.
One practical note: if playing with friends matters to you, Sword and Shield have the deepest co-op content in the lineup. Max Raid Battles are built around group coordination in a way the other titles are not.
Browse Pokémon Nintendo Switch games from independent shops on DexHaul's Games and Media collection. DexHaul is independent and unofficial, with no affiliation to Nintendo, Game Freak, Creatures Inc., or The Pokémon Company.