Pokémon Friends: Everything We Know

Have you played Pokémon Friends yet? It makes sense if you haven’t, seeing as it seemingly popped out of nowhere as a single-player puzzle game for gamers of all ages. The newest addition to the Pokémon franchise is already out now on mobile, including Android and iOS platforms, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2.

If you’re still unsure whether it will be worth your time, we’ve got just the right article for you. Below, we compile everything we know about Pokémon Friends to help you make the right decision on whether it’s for you. 

What is Pokémon Friends?

Pokémon Friends is a puzzle game, seared with cozy and adorable vibes. But don’t let its allure fool you. There is a worthy challenge here for gamers of all ages. The puzzles aren’t too complicated for kids to easily grasp. And there’s a Pokémon reward upon completing the puzzles on time, which can be the perfect incentive for a child.

Meanwhile, adults will enjoy the stress relief that comes from solving the puzzles. You can always boot up the game whenever and challenge yourself to as many as 1,200 puzzles. They come in sets of three random types, making for the perfect escape into a visually beautiful game. 

There are plenty of factors to love about Pokémon Friends. But first, let’s get to the nitty gritty of its specific gameplay elements. 

Story

Pokémon Friends doesn’t quite have a specific story that’s set in stone. That doesn’t mean, though, that you can’t craft your own, unique adventure. At the game’s core is solving puzzles. With every set of three random puzzles you solve within the set time, you unlock different types of yarn. 

Untangling the yarn in the Plush-O-Matic special machine will dish out a Pokémon Friends plush. While these creatures are in-game, they are quite adorable designs of your favorite Pokémon. And you can plop them in a room as desired, coming up with cute arrangements. 

Further, you can take up quests from NPCs, some of which ask you to gift them with a specific plush. When you find your Pokémon plush a forever home, you increase your friendship levels and gain rewards like furniture in return. These can go a long way to spicing up your plush rooms, making them unique and stylish. 

These may not be defined campaigns. But they sure do provide a path to follow, one that’s filled with Pokémon goodness and friendships along the way. 

Gameplay

Pokémon Friends’ gameplay is very straightforward. Its core element is giving you bite-sized puzzles to solve. The puzzles are designed to be cozy, varying across the 1,200+ different types available. You’ll find puzzles as easy as connecting the dots in a straight line to more complex ones like rotating the box to free the Pokémon. 

Some are pretty easy for young kids to solve. Yet, even in their simplicity, they carry some level of thought and problem-solving. And upon completing the puzzles successfully and on time, you unlock new, cute, and adorable in-game Pokémon Friends plushies. 

As is Pokémon’s M.O., you’re collecting the most impressive Pokémon set. However, your collectathon is powered by solving puzzles. 

To make your playthrough fuller, though, Pokémon Friends adds quality-of-life features. For instance, it provides a way to track your collectathon progress in an in-game catalog. Moreover, every time you play, you can leave a stamp on the calendar and freely backtrack to replay previous puzzles. 

And then there’s the “friend quests” feature, which tasks you with gifting specific Pokémon plushes from your collection to different NPCs. And in return, you increase your friendship levels, as well as gain rewards like furniture to decorate your in-game plush rooms. 

Development

Pokémon is no doubt one of the biggest franchises, not just in gaming but also in other media, including movies and anime. Usually, players catch fictional creatures called Pokémon to train and battle against other Pokémon. However, there have been multiple spin-offs that experiment with other genres, from trading card games to puzzles. 

Pokémon Friends is mainly a puzzle game, rewarding you with Pokémon plushes for your trouble. The game is developed by The Pokémon Company and seems to have come out of nowhere at the July 2025 Pokémon Presents event. Yet, in the duration of its release, it has already accumulated over 500 thousand downloads on the Google Play Store. 

Trailer

The best rough idea you can get about Pokémon Friends is via the overview trailer. It’s pretty thorough in illustrating some of the puzzles you’ll play. Some of the puzzles will be iterations of games you have played before. However, Pokémon Friends does add its Pokémon spice and flavor. With over 1,200 puzzles, you’re likely to enjoy a deep variety of puzzle designs.

Furthermore, the graphics are as colorful as you might expect, alongside the delightful Pokémon plushes you will unlock. The only weak point seems to be the yarn mechanic. You earn yarn from solving puzzles and throw it in a special machine to make plushes. But it doesn’t seem to be too hands-on, which can eventually grow boring. 

Release Date, Platforms, & Editions

Good news, Pokémon Friends is already out on mobile (iOS and Android), Switch, and Switch 2. It was released on July 22, 2025, to mixed reviews. You can get the game on the Google Play Store or App Store for free. While it’s free-to-play, though, you’ll run into optional in-game purchases. 

Alternatively, you can opt for the Switch or Switch 2 version. However, the Basic Pack will set you back $9.99 and will include additional content compared to the mobile version. Specifically, it’ll have 30 puzzles, 70 craftable plush, and 11 yarn types. 

There are DLC packages as well, at an additional cost. These include the Puzzle On! Pack #1 and Puzzle On! Pack #2 at $14.99 each. Or you can get both DLC packs for $25.99. These packs will essentially provide you with more puzzles, plushes, furniture, plush rooms, etc.