Pokémon Pokopia: How to Use GameShare to Play on Nintendo Switch 1

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Recently, Pokémon turned 30! While new games weren’t released on the exact anniversary date, fans didn’t have to wait long. Just a few days later, the newest game, Pokémon Pokopia, was released.

Pokopia, created by Game Freak and Omega Force, is the first Pokémon game to explore the life simulation genre. Players take on the role of a Ditto who transforms into their Trainer, helping Pokémon restore a barren landscape.

When Pokopia was revealed in late 2025, it immediately became one of Nintendo’s most hyped Pokémon games in years. However, the announcement was a bit of a disappointment for some, as Pokémon Pokopia would only be available on the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2.

Even if you have the original Nintendo Switch, you can still play Pokopia, but you’ll need someone with a Nintendo Switch 2 to help you access it.

How to Gain Access to Multiplayer in Pokémon Pokopia

So, when you first jump into Pokopia, you can’t immediately play with friends. You’ll need to play through a bit of the story with Professor Tangrowth first to unlock the multiplayer features.

Players can raise the environment level on their PC by completing quests, assisting other Pokémon, and tidying up the surrounding area. Reaching Environment Level 2 requires completing these tasks.

Players can now use the Link Play feature on PC to invite friends to join their game, visit a friend’s world, or play together on a Cloud Island.

Everyone with the new Nintendo Switch 2 will be able to play Pokémon Pokopia with friends, either in person or online. However, players with the original Nintendo Switch will have to wait before they can join in.

How to Find Palette Town

You can only play Pokémon Pokopia on the original Nintendo Switch. It might be hard to locate in the game menus if you’re not sure where to look.

If you come across a ruined Pokémon Center, check to the left for a rocky wall hidden under the broken bridge.

To move past this obstacle, players need to lure a Hitmonchan. They can do this by building a workout area – just place a punching bag close to a seat or bench.

Okay, so I found out you can snag both of these items in the abandoned building right by that first ruined Pokémon Center. The cool part? If you get a Hitmonchan to show up, it’ll teach you Rock Smash! That move is a lifesaver because it lets you smash those rock blocks and open up a path under the broken bridge – seriously, it’s how you get through!

Players will discover a beach and a small cove. Heading left from the beach leads to a broken road. To continue, they’ll need to build a bridge to cross the gap and connect to the path leading to Palette Town.

Connecting to a Nintendo Switch in Pokémon Pokopia

Okay, so the game suggests you should probably level up a bit and get comfortable before heading to Palette Town. But honestly? You can go whenever you want! They don’t actually stop you, even if you’re not fully prepared. I’m excited to check it out even if I’m a little underpowered!

Once the game finishes loading, players start in Palette Town. They can change the town’s name using a computer located close to a damaged Pokémon Center.

Players with the new Nintendo Switch 2 will now be able to connect with original Nintendo Switch consoles using a feature called GameShare, letting them play with friends even if those friends don’t own a copy of the game Pokopia.

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To start, the person with the Switch 2 and Pokopia needs to open the Link Play option on their computer. Then, they should choose “Invite Others to Visit” and select “GameShare,” either with people nearby or through GameChat.

On the original Nintendo Switch, players can start by choosing the GameShare option from the home screen, then selecting ‘Join GameShare’.

This feature instantly links two Nintendo Switch consoles for a Pokopia GameShare, and it generates a random Ditto character for the player on the first Switch.

Players on the original Switch can build, craft, and play with Pokémon like before, and they’ll still have all the skills they’ve unlocked. However, they won’t be able to see Pokémon tracks or revisit the Withered Wasteland.

When you end a GameShare connection, any items the original Switch player had will be moved to a special chest called the Lost & Found, located near the ruined Pokémon Center.

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2026-03-07 07:39