Popular Games by Game Freak
Pokémon Legends: Z-A: Mega Dimension Switch 2
- 10th Dec 2025 (UK/EU)
- 10th Dec 2025 (NA)
Pokémon Legends: Z-A - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition Switch 2
- 16th Oct 2025 (UK/EU)
- 16th Oct 2025 (NA)
Pokémon HeartGold & SoulSilver DS
- 12th Sep 2009 (JPN)
- 14th Mar 2010 (NA)
- 26th Mar 2010 (UK/EU)
Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire 3DS
- 21st Nov 2014 (NA)
- 28th Nov 2014 (UK/EU)
Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen GBA
- 29th Jan 2004 (JPN)
- 9th Sep 2004 (NA)
- 1st Oct 2004 (UK/EU)
- 18th Sep 2010 (JPN)
- 4th Mar 2011 (UK/EU)
- 6th Mar 2011 (NA)
Reviews of Game Freak Games
Mini Review Pokémon Legends: Z-A (Switch) - Mostly Stable, Much Less Shiny
An evolution on Switch 1, but not a Mega one
Pokémon Legends: Z-A on Switch is 'fine'. For a lot of people, that'll be enough. And certainly, even I'm surprised it's as stable as it is after Legends: Arceus and Scarlet & Violet had more than their fair share of performance woes — the latter of which is almost a completely different game with the...
So that puts it at an M, right?
I honestly never thought I’d fall in love with Pokémon battles. That’s not why I play Pokémon – I don’t play competitively either – because I play a ton of RPGs where combat is the draw. I can get my fix elsewhere. But Pokémon Legends: Z-A may have done the impossible; in Kalos, I can’t wait to get into...
Review Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On! (Switch) - Game Freak's 3DS Gem Is Still A Prize Pony
Yay or neigh?
When the 3DS eShop closed back in March 2023, we were sad for a number of reasons. We were sad at the thought of losing the wonderful Virtual Console library. Sad at the prospect of never seeing the little orange bag mascot again. Sad at the understanding that we'd soon be returning to the silent eShop of the Switch without a...
That's why they call it the blues
What is The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero? That was probably the question on most players’ lips after the Expansion Pass for Pokémon Scarlet & Violet was revealed. Part one, The Teal Mask, was just an appetizer, taking players to a new land in Kitakami and introducing new characters who might just end up being...
Review Pokémon Scarlet & Violet - The Teal Mask (Switch) - DLC That Offers More, But Not Enough
Matcha the mood
As a series, Pokémon is one that has held onto tradition pretty firmly. In the 25+ years since Red & Blue’s release, the fundamentals of the game haven’t really changed – you explore a world, you fight Pokémon, you catch Pokémon. Last year’s Pokémon Scarlet & Violet was the mainline series’ first big attempt to...
Review Pokémon Trading Card Game - A Cracking Adaptation That Still Holds Up
A rare source of fun or just an uncommon?
This review originally went live in 2014, and we're updating and republishing it to mark the game's arrival in the Nintendo Switch Online Game Boy / Game Boy Color library. It’s almost surreal nowadays to think that there was ever a time when portable gaming didn’t have Pokémon. When Red and Blue...
Latest Game Freak News
Thursday27th Nov 2025
News Pokémon Legends Z-A Version 1.0.3 Is Now Live, Here Are The Full Patch Notes
Update today, trainers
Game Freak and The Pokémon Company have this week rolled out another update for Pokémon Legends Z-A on the Switch and Switch 2. This bumps the latest build up to Version 1.0.3. It includes some fixes tied to Mega Stone rewards. Below is the full rundown, courtesy of Nintendo's official support page: Keep in mind, you'll...
Wednesday19th Nov 2025
News Pokémon Legends: Z-A DLC's Next Mega Evolution Is A Mythical One
Shocking
With three weeks to go until the Mega Dimension DLC drops, Pokémon Legends: Z-A has unveiled its next brand new Mega Evolution, and this time it's a Mythical Pokémon getting an upgrade. Zeraora was first introduced in Pokémon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon, way back in Gen VII, and its Mega form makes a few subtle changes to its original...
Thursday6th Nov 2025
News New Pokémon Legends: Z-A Mystery Gift Code Event Has Been Announced
Get your very own Diancie
While today's headline news might be the Pokémon Legends: Z-A Mega Dimension DLC getting a release date, there's another neat announcement tucked in all of the Mega madness. The Pokémon Company has announced a brand new Mystery Gift event, which is available in-game now in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. Accessing this will...
News Pokémon Legends: Z-A Mega Dimension DLC News Coming Today, 6th November
A Mega Announcement?
We're just shy of three weeks past Pokémon Legends: Z-A's release, but today, The Pokémon Company has some news in store for the upcoming DLC, Mega Dimension. At 6am PST / 9am EST / 2pm GMT (or your local time), we'll be getting an "update" on the DLC, which will feature two versions of Mega Raichu and the Mythical 'mon...
Sunday2nd Nov 2025
Back Page Pokémon Legends: Z-A Fit Check - Celebrating Lumiose Fashion Week In Style
Florges? For Spring? Groudonbreaking
In the magazine business, the back page is where you'd find all the weird goofs that we couldn't fit in anywhere else. Some may call it "filler"; we prefer "a whole page to make terrible jokes that are tangentially related to the content of the mag". We don't have pages on the internet, but we still love...
Wednesday29th Oct 2025
Talking Point When Did 'Good Enough' Become Good Enough For Pokémon?
The old magic
Over the weekend, we republished our reader-ranked list of all the Pokémon games after everyone had had a chance to spend some quality time with Legends: Z-A and vote accordingly. That's 22 mainline games by our count. The entries at the top of the table probably won't surprise you, as the inventiveness and sheer novelty (and...
Saturday25th Oct 2025
Guide Best Pokémon Games Of All Time
Where does Legends: Z-A rank?
Updated with Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest mainline entry. Enjoy! Ranking the best Pokémon games is no easy feat given that many of them are considered among the best games of their particular hardware generation. Then you have to consider just how many spin-off Pokémon games have come out over the last 30 years...
Wednesday22nd Oct 2025
Opinion Pokémon Legends Z-A Is The Creepiest Entry Yet, Not In A Good Way
Move!
There’s been quite a lot of talk recently about the lack of voiceover work in Pokemon Legends: Z-A, and I can understand why. Game Freak has made some pretty decent strides with its cutscenes, depicting characters that animate realistically right down to their facial expressions and mouth movements. Yet they don’t actually talk. It’s...
Random Pokémon Legends: Z-A Player Uses 3D Printer To Grind For A Shiny Charm
Missing the point, maybe?
We've seen countless methods over the years in which players have made wild contraptions to help grind battles and progression, and this latest from YouTuber Professor Rex is pretty elaborate. As covered by Automaton, Pokémon Legends: Z-A players will need to complete 1
Friday17th Oct 2025
Poll Is It About Time Game Freak Added Voice Acting To Pokémon?
Discourse is swirling
Pokémon games have never, at least to our knowledge, had voice-over work. At least not the mainline games or direct spin-offs. For many, especially those who have been with the series since the very beginning, this hasn't really been much of an issue. After all, it was only when Pokémon had properly transitioned into the 3D...
Thursday16th Oct 2025
Guide Where To Buy Pokémon Legends: Z-A On Nintendo Switch 2 - Game & Hardware Bundle
And Switch 1, too
The next big Pokémon game has launched on not one, but two Nintendo consoles. Pokémon Legends: Z-A is on the original Switch, but there's also a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition which features improved visuals and better frame rates. And if you haven't got Nintendo's latest console yet, there's also a hardware bundle that includes a...
Friday26th Sep 2025
Random This Pokémon X CMLL Wrestling Collab Is One Of The Best Crossovers Ever
Bulk Up
Okay, this might be one of the most genius marketing collaborations ever: the Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (better known as CMLL) has teamed up with The Pokémon Company to promote Pokémon Legends: Z-A in the best way possible — a Mexican wrestling event (thanks,
Wednesday24th Sep 2025
Preview Pokémon Legends: Z-A's Combat Shines Brightly, But Its Visuals Are Still Dull
Too zazzy?
It’s no secret that I’ve not been the biggest hype-monster when it comes to Pokémon Legends: Z-A. I’m not big on the idea of an open game being restricted to just a city, and the combat, whilst intriguing, left me apprehensive for how it would be executed. Well, I got the chance to go and play the game on Switch 2 in the Eiffel...
Thursday18th Sep 2025
Anniversary Celebrate Unova As Pokémon Black & White Turns 15
Is that a grey hair we spot?
Pokémon's fifth generation kicked off 15 years ago today with the release of Pokémon Black & White in Japan. On 18th September 2010, the world first stepped foot into Unova, a brand new Pokémon region based on North America, specifically New York City's metropolitan area, with a mix of landmarks inspired by the...
Friday12th Sep 2025
News Pokémon Legends: Z-A Is Getting DLC Featuring Two Different Mega Raichu
Plus new starter Megas are coming, but there's a catch
it's not even out yet, but Pokémon Legends: Z-A is already getting DLC, and it was announced during today's Nintendo Direct. Pokémon Legends: Z-A - Mega Dimension doesn't have a release date yet (though it will release by 28th February 2026). Pre-orders are available now on the
News Pokémon Pokopia Looks Like An Adorable Mix Of Minecraft And Animal Crossing
New HoriZ-Aons
We've (read: this writer) has been banging on about a Pokémon life sim for ages, and today, our wish has finally come true. Pokémon Pokopia was announced during today's Nintendo Direct; it's got a pastel aesthetic and blocky structures, a little bit like Minecraft or Dragon Quest Builders, but with a cosy little Animal...
Tuesday26th Aug 2025
News Pokémon Legends: Z-A Seems To Be Teasing Another New Mega Evolution
"Ready for the mega matchup of the millennium?"
Another week, another Pokémon Legends: Z-A teaser. The Pokémon Company is teasing another YouTube Premiere for Thursday, 28th August 2025. This is the second premiere in two weeks, following last week's unveiling of Mega Victreebel. This time, the hook is a little more obvious - no purple
Tuesday19th Aug 2025
News Pokémon Teases A Spooky Legends: Z-A Reveal Later This Week
"Viewer discretion advised"
We've got some more fresh Pokémon Legends: Z-A news coming our way this week, as The Pokémon Company is teasing a little YouTube Premiere for Thursday, 21st August. All we have to go on is a post on social media site X confirming that a video will be dropping at 6am PDT / 9am EDT / 2pm BST on Thursday, a photo of...
Friday15th Aug 2025
First Impressions Pokémon Legends: Z-A Is An Attempt To Catch The Hardcore Again
Smooth sailing on Switch 2
Pokémon Legends: Arceus isn’t a perfect game by any means, but that didn't stop it from syphoning all of my free time when it launched back in 2022. This was the first time in a while where I truly felt the desire to “catch 'em all”. While Arceus still borrowed a lot from the mainline games, it did enough to make...
Tuesday5th Aug 2025
Guide Best Pokémon Spin-Off Games Of All Time
Ranked by you
If there's any franchise that's no stranger to a spin-off or two, it's Pokémon. The inherent appeal of the little Pocket Monsters makes the series ripe for all kinds of genres and video games. Name a genre, and Pokémon has most likely done it. But, dear readers, what's the very best Pokémon spin-off? That's what we're here to find...
Tuesday22nd Jul 2025
Watch Pokémon Presents July 2025 - Live!
From Z to A, and D to J...
For the second time this year, we're getting ready for a Pokémon blow-out. Hopefully! Announced earlier this year, 22nd July marks the second Pokémon Presents of 2025. While you're all jamming along to the DJ-ing Pikachu out there, what do we think we're going to see today? The stream kicks off at 6am PT / 9am ET / 2pm...
Monday9th Jun 2025
News Game Freak's Upcoming Action RPG Looks Awesome, But Don't Expect It On Switch 2 Yet
We're not in Kanto any more...
Game Freak has made games other than Pokémon before. It has also released games on non-Nintendo platforms before. Yet whenever it spices up a launch schedule with either of these curveballs, it never fails to catch us off guard. Yesterday, the Pokémon dev popped up at the Xbox Games Showcase to reveal Beast of...
Monday2nd Jun 2025
Random It Turns Out That AI Isn't Very Good At Pokémon Red
Shocker
OpenAI's o3 model, which is reportedly the "smartest model to date" of AI, can play Pokémon Red — but it's taken 80 hours to get two Gym Badges. Two. And it's rightfully being roasted online. The story was originally published by Dexerto, and the playthrough is being streamed on Twitch
News Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Footage Shows 60fps Gameplay For Switch 2
Smooth surfing
Pokémon Scarlet & Violet is one of the big headlining games getting a free performance update when the Switch 2 launches this Thursday, 5th June. And now Nintendo has shared some gameplay footage showcasing that new, buttery-smooth frame rate. And it is indeed buttery-smooth, and at 60fps. The footage was shared on the Nintendo...
News Amphie's First Pokémon Video Delves Into A Haunting Gold & Silver Memory
Update: First vid is now live
Pokémon, eh? Great, isn't it? Naturally, we're big Pocket Monster fans around these parts, but we can also say without fear of contradiction that certain corners of the Pokéfandom can get a bit, well, heated. A bit het up. A bit much sometimes. What's that noise? Sounds like pitchforks being sharpened... Fortunately,...
Wednesday28th May 2025
News The Next Pokémon Presents Is Coming In July
More details on Z-A, surely?
Yes, we will indeed be getting a second Pokémon Presents showcase later this year. Announced by The Pokémon Company, more Pokémon news is coming our way on 22nd July 2025 (thanks, Serebii!). Right now we have no other details — not even a time — but we can make a few guesses on what to expect. Especially given...
Tuesday20th May 2025
News The Iconic Pokémon Logo Took One Month To Create
“We were given nothing but paper and toys”
Big, bold yellow text, with a thick blue outline, shaped in a gentle arc. This is the Pokémon logo, which is one of the most recognisable logos in the gaming industry — and media as a whole. It's bright and simple, eye-catching and easy to read. And the logo's creator, Chris Maple, revealed that he...
Thursday8th May 2025
News Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Is Now The Second-Best Selling Game In The Series
Overtaking Sword & Shield
We all knew it was coming, but with Nintendo's latest financial results, the inevitable is here; Pokémon Scarlet & Violet has overtaken Sword & Shield to be the second best-selling Pokémon game in the franchise. During the previous financial results, Scarlet & Violet was a mere 220,000 copies behind the...
Thursday20th Mar 2025
Opinion We'll Never Get A Final Boss As Good As Pokémon Legends: Arceus Again
God-like
Editor's note: As the headline suggests, this article discusses late-game spoilers for Pokémon Legends: Arceus. Ask me what my favourite thing about Pokémon Legends: Arceus is, and I can give you a non-exhaustive list. Being able to catch Pokémon without engaging them in battle. Having actual, proper sidequests with rewards. Shiny...
Friday7th Mar 2025
Opinion Legends Z-A's Xenoblade-Style Battles Are Pokémon's Most Exciting Evolution In Years
What? Pokémon is evolving!
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say something crazy: I like the look of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. I reckon I have about five minutes before the torches are lit and an angry mob appears outside my house, so let me throw another bombshell out there. I think the series' turn-based battles have grown stale, and no amount...
Friday28th Feb 2025
Poll Which Starter Pokémon Will You Choose In Legends: Z-A?
Choices, choices...
What's the most important part of a Pokémon game? The roster of 'mons? The setting? The story? Well, sort of the first, but tangential — it's the starter Pokémon. We now know just who the starter trio of Pokémon Legends: Z-A will be. And, similarly to Legends: Arceus, it's a triple threat of returning favourites. Chikorita,...
Guide Pokémon Legends: Z-A - Release Date, Starters, Everything We Know So Far
All details, updates, release dates, and more
Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the second Pokémon game to bear the Legends moniker, was announced at the February 2024 Pokémon Presents. Taking the Legends formula to new heights, Legends: Z-A takes a more modern-day approach to the world compared to its predecessor, Legends: Arceus. As more details emerge...
Thursday27th Feb 2025
Opinion Pokémon Legends: Z-A Looks Cool, But It's Lacking Arceus' Unique Style
We're getting Scarlet and Violet vibes
One year after its initial announcement, Pokémon Legends: Z-A has finally been showcased properly during the most recent Pokémon Presents, giving us a good look at the upcoming title's gameplay and features. It wasn't quite the deep dive many of us were hoping for, but it was certainly enough to whet our...
News Pokémon Legends: Z-A Trailer Confirms Starters And Mega Evolutions, Coming Late 2025
Illuminating
Pokémon Legends: Z-A made a not-unexpected appearance during today's Pokémon Presents, and while it stopped short of getting a solid release date, it has been confirmed for a late 2025 release date — likely in time for the holidays. In the new footage, we got a look at many of the Pokémon you'll be running into, a detailed look at...
Watch Pokémon Presents February 2025 - Live!
Will it be super effective?
Hello there! Welcome to the world of Pokémon Presents! My name is Oak. What up. Anyway, we've got a new Pokémon Presents to watch. Kicking off at 6am PT / 9am ET / 2pm GMT / 3pm CET / 12am AET (Friday), online sleuths have seemingly discovered that the showcase will last roughly 19 minutes. That means it's...
Wednesday19th Feb 2025
Talking Point Should We Actually Get Excited For Pokémon Day This Year?
Is it all Sleep Talk?
Next week, on 27th February 2025, Pokémon will be celebrating its 29th birthday. And you know what that means? It's time for some Pokémon Presents. After a relatively 'muted' 2024, there's a lot on people's minds. Inverted commas there because, come on, if muted means releasing a brand new mobile game which has taken the...
Tuesday31st Dec 2024
Feature A Trip To Machida, The Real-Life 'Pallet Town' That Inspired Pokémon
Pokén around
The first generation of Pokémon games features some of the most iconic locations in the entire franchise. The eerie Lavender Town, the winding Viridian Forest, and the quaint Pallet Town where all players start their journey. Pallet Town isn’t just a fanciful creation, but draws real-life inspiration from Pokémon creator Satoshi...
Monday18th Nov 2024
News Shiny Rayquaza Is Coming To Pokémon Scarlet & Violet
Alongside a whole slate of events
Pokémon Scarlet & Violet is celebrating its two-year anniversary with a bumper list of in-game events, all of which culminate in the arrival of shiny Rayquaza, which you'll be able to get for a limited time via Tera Raid Battles. The black-coloured Rayquaza will be available in Scarlet & Violet from 20th...
Saturday16th Nov 2024
News Pokémon's Major Game Freak Leak Is Apparently Over (For Now)
But the leakers intend to share more "at a later date"
Last month, Pokémon developer Game Freak confirmed a third-party gained unauthorised access to a company server earlier this year - leaking personal information and reportedly all sorts of details about past and present projects. Now that the damage has been done, the leakers have shared an...
Tuesday22nd Oct 2024
Feature What Pokémon Could Learn From Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdom
Ekans of Wisdom
In my first few hours playing Echoes of Wisdom, every new enemy I stumbled across gave me a familiar thrill: Ooh, I haven’t seen that one yet! I can’t wait to have its power! I’d flick through my Echoes, discerning the best one to fight the newbie. A Spark defeated a Hydrozol, a team of Ignizols set a Mothula on fire. And when...
Tuesday15th Oct 2024
Talking Point Just How Damaging Is This Big Pokémon Leak?
Typhlosion of interest
As the dust settles and details emerge following the latest round of internal video game company material finding its way onto the World Wide Web, it's a stark reminder that those monolithic companies we follow are made up of regular, ordinary people. Talented, yes — and erm, imaginative, to say the least — but still just...
Sunday13th Oct 2024
News Pokémon Developer Game Freak Reportedly Hacked, Massive Amounts Of Data Allegedly Leaked
Update: Game Freak releases official statement
Updated [Sun 13th Oct, 2024 15:55 BST]: Game Freak has acknowledged the leak in an official statement. A third-party apparently gained unauthorised access to a company server earlier this year - accessing personal information including names and email addresses of current and former employees. Source...
Rumour Switch 2's Codename Believed To Be In Latest Pokémon Data Leak
From 'NX' to... [redacted]
There's been a massive Pokémon leak and it seems details related to the Switch "successor" have been uncovered. According to the latest reports and findings circulating online, here's what Nintendo's 'Switch 2' is internally known as (via Nintendo Everything): "The new [Pokémon] gen is apparently being developed for...
Monday2nd Sep 2024
Soapbox The Next Pokémon Game Should Rework Old Critters, Not Just Add Dozens More
Gotta not forget 'em all
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Lowell considers how future Pokémon games could do justice to old Pocket Monsters who got lumped in with the also-rans... We’re still a little far out from Pokémon...
Wednesday31st Jul 2024
News Pokemon Developer Game Freak Seeking New Talent For Future Projects
Pokémon Legends: Z-A is due out in 2025
The famous Pokémon developer Game Freak is gearing up for a new era with titles like Pokémon Legends: Z-A, and with this in mind, it appears to be on a recruitment drive. As highlighted by DenFamiNico Gamer (thanks, Siliconera), the developer is holding a new recruitment campaign on 30th August 2024. Some...
Tuesday16th Jul 2024
News Alternative Titles For Pokémon Ruby And Sapphire Reportedly Discovered
No, not Pokémon: Too Much Water
Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire launched over two decades ago on the Game Boy Advance, but according to a couple of Pokémon fans, the third-gen titles may have been called something completely different during development. As highlighted by farore.gba and wobb on social media (thanks, VGC), after looking through data...
Monday8th Jul 2024
News Pokémon Scarlet And Violet Kick Off Four Seasonal Events This Week
Tera raids and mass outbreaks galore
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are hosting four new seasonal events starting this week, including Tera Raids and Mass Outbreaks. The first kicks off this week on 11th July 2024 and is headlined by a black crystal Tera Raid featuring Pikachu with the Mightiest Mark. This is then supplemented by a 'Pikachu and...
Thursday22nd Feb 2024
Talking Point Pokémon Presents Predictions - What Are You Expecting?
'mon Dieu
Following hot on the heels of the February 2024 Nintendo Direct, the inevitable announcement of a Pokémon Presents broadcast to coincide with Pokémon Day on 27th February came along. It's traditional to have a broadcast on this date — the anniversary of the first Pokémon games' Japanese debut way back in 1996 — and it's been a busy...
Wednesday21st Feb 2024
News Pokémon Developer's Brilliant 'Pocket Card Jockey' Bolts To Switch Today
Ride on time
Following on from its non-Nintendo debut on Apple Arcade in January 2023, the sublime horse-racing-solitaire game for 3DS, Pocket Card Jockey, has finally made the jump to Nintendo Switch as Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On! Developed by Game Freak of Pokémon fame, this curious mash-up of puzzling with breeding and racing horses was one of...
Tuesday20th Feb 2024
News Pokémon Presents Announced For 27th February 2024
And another one
The next Pokémon Presents showcase has been announced by The Pokémon Company for the end of the month, on Pokémon Day no less. On Tuesday 27th February at 6am PT / 9am EST / 2pm GMT / 3pm CET / 12am AEST (Wednesday), we'll be getting a presentation on the latest Pokémon news over on the official Pokémon YouTube channel. It's...
