EGW-NewsPokémon Friends Review: Puzzle Fun and Plush Collecting
Pokémon Friends Review: Puzzle Fun and Plush Collecting
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Pokémon Friends Review: Puzzle Fun and Plush Collecting

Pokémon Friends is a puzzle game that combines simple minigames with collectible plushies. You complete puzzles, earn yarn, and turn it into Pokémon plushies to decorate rooms or complete quests. With over 1,200 puzzles and 150 plush to collect, it offers plenty of content, but the experience can feel repetitive and limited, especially if you play for long stretches.

ScreenRant’s review points out that while the game is cute and cheerful, it doesn’t introduce anything truly new to Pokémon puzzle games. The main appeal is its plushies, which are charming and collectible, but the core puzzle gameplay is straightforward and often aimed at a younger audience.

The game was announced during the July 2025 Pokémon Presents stream and launched immediately, available on Nintendo Switch 1 and 2, as well as iOS and Android. The mobile version is free but relies heavily on microtransactions, which can interrupt the relaxing vibe the Switch version offers. On Switch 2, purchasing the full game with DLC adds extra puzzles and plush, making the experience more complete.

At its core, Pokémon Friends revolves around solving puzzles to earn yarn, which feeds the Plush-O-Matic machine. This machine produces plushies that can be placed in customizable rooms or used for completing daily quests from town NPCs. The puzzles are small, minigame-like challenges, often starting very easy but increasing in difficulty as you progress. The base game includes 30 puzzle styles, and the DLC adds 20 more, each with different mechanics that help keep the gameplay fresh.

Pokémon Friends Review: Puzzle Fun and Plush Collecting 1

The Plush-O-Matic itself acts like a gacha machine, randomly generating plushies based on the yarn you use. This randomness can lead to duplicate toys, which is frustrating since there’s no trading system. The game encourages daily play through quests, but there are very few quests per day—typically one or two—which can make playing for long sessions feel unrewarding.

The game’s reward system—using puzzle completion to untangle yarn—is a bit odd. Completing puzzles earns yarn, which is then turned into plushies, but the connection between the puzzles and the yarn is tenuous. It doesn’t break the game, but it feels like a missed opportunity to make the puzzle-plush loop more intuitive.

Pokémon Friends is designed to be played in short bursts. The game’s pacing encourages brief daily sessions rather than long marathons. When daily limits are disabled, the gameplay can become repetitive, even with 50 puzzle variations. This pacing aligns with other Pokémon spin-offs like Pokémon Sleep, emphasizing light, casual engagement over extended play.

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Decorating your digital rooms with plushies is satisfying but not perfect. The drag-to-place mechanic can be frustrating, often putting plushies in unwanted locations. An overhead view or more precise placement options could improve the experience, but arranging rooms still offers a small dopamine boost as your collection grows.

Despite these limitations, Pokémon Friends has its charm. The puzzles, while simple at first, become engaging enough to hold attention for a while, and the graphics and presentation are cheerful and appealing. The plushies themselves are the real highlight—they’re cute, collectible, and give the game a cozy, whimsical feel.

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The quest system, while limited, provides some purpose for your plushies beyond decoration. Completing quests grants furniture and room decorations, helping you manage duplicate plushies and giving a sense of progress. However, waiting 24 hours for new quests can be frustrating for those who want a more continuous experience. Tying quests to puzzle completion rather than time might have been a better design choice.

Overall, Pokémon Friends is a fun diversion with solid visuals and an appealing collection mechanic. It doesn’t break new ground in the world of Pokémon spin-offs or puzzle games, and its daily-limited structure may make it easy to forget once the novelty wears off. For mobile players, short sessions feel natural, but on Switch 2, the lack of long-term engagement can make the game feel shallow after a few days.

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Pokémon Friends Review: Puzzle Fun and Plush Collecting 4

The game is a good fit for fans who enjoy casual puzzles, cute graphics, and Pokémon collectibles, especially if they prefer playing in short bursts. Hardcore puzzle enthusiasts or players seeking deep, long-term engagement might find Pokémon Friends underwhelming.

Sadly, even after just a couple of days of playing it, I found myself forgetting the game existed. - ScreenRant

In conclusion, Pokémon Friends offers a pleasant, visually appealing puzzle experience with an adorable plush-collecting mechanic. Its charm is undeniable, but the repetitive gameplay and slow quest progression keep it from becoming a must-play. It’s enjoyable for what it is, but not a game that will dominate your Switch library.

The mix of short, casual puzzles and collectible rewards makes it a lighthearted distraction rather than a serious puzzle challenge. The plushies and room decoration bring personality and a sense of accomplishment, but ultimately, Pokémon Friends is a game that’s easy to enjoy for a little while and just as easy to set aside.

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