It’s still early in the Game of the Year race, but 2026 already has some strong contenders. Resident Evil Requiem is one, scaring up a series-best concurrent player count on Steam, and Pokémon Pokopia is another, with its cosy, laid-back charm notching the highest all-time rating for the franchise.
The spin-off, co-developed by Koei Tecmo, Game Freak, and The Pokémon Company, now sits at a score of 88 on Metacritic, outperforming even the most popular mainline entries in the series, and joining Capcom’s survival horror title and indie darling Mewgenics at the top of the charts for now.
While the Metascore is tied with Pokémon X, its accompanying title, Pokémon Y, has an 87 rating, resulting in a slightly lower average across both games. Next in line are Black & White, HeartGold & SoulSilver, and Sun & Moon, all of which are listed with a respectable 87. As of the time of writing, the top 10 highest-scoring Pokémon games are as follows:
- Pokémon Pokopia – 88
- Pokémon X & Y – 87.5 (87 for X, 88 for Y)
- Pokémon Black & White – 87
- Pokémon HeartGold & SoulSilver – 87
- Pokémon Sun & Moon – 87
- Pokémon Diamond & Pearl – 85
- Pokémon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon – 84
- Pokémon Platinum – 83
- Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire – 82.5 (83 for Omega Ruby, 82 for Alpha Sapphire)
- Pokémon Legends: Arceus – 83
Marking a departure from the turn-based combat tradition, Pokémon Pokopia is a building and town simulator that puts players into the role of a human-form Ditto, as they befriend new critters and use their abilities to rebuild a desolate island, while collecting resources for crafting, growing crops, building furniture, and creating homes for various companions along the way. It launches exclusively for the Nintendo Switch 2 on 5 March.
As for fans who want to revisit the nostalgia of being a Trainer, Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen are available on both Switch consoles as download-only titles. When 2027 rolls around, Pokémon Winds and Waves will kick off the 10th generation with three new starter Pokémon in a tropical setting that seems to feature underwater exploration.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
