‘Pokopia’ scratches a familiar itch, reminding this writer of her childhood spent gaming [Unscripted column] | Entertainment

Nearly six years ago, I wrote an ode to life-simulator games like “Stardew Valley” and “Animal Crossing: New Horizons.”

Life looked a lot different, then.

The COVID-19 pandemic had just started, and many were social distancing and staying home. We had to find connection through any means possible, which was usually virtual. My 24th birthday, on April 17, 2020, was spent with a virtual birthday party in “Animal Crossing: New Horizons.”

“Animal Crossing” is a series that encourages players to build up and manipulate their environments, and make animal friends along the way.

A year later, when restrictions had eased significantly, and the “new normal” was kicking in, it was hard to go back to playing “Animal Crossing,” as that game reminded me so much of the uncertainty around the pandemic and what life might look like.

“Pokemon Pokopia” released on the Nintendo Switch 2 on March 5, nearly six years after “Animal Crossing” (released March 20, 2020).

Boy, does it scratch the itch that “Animal Crossing” left. But it also appeals to my inner child, too.

It’s a new concept for the Pokemon universe. Most of the series’ games focus on catching Pokemon, and using your Pokemon to battle other Pokemon. The games are usually pretty story focused and linear.

My Game Boy Advance SP and I were practically glued to each other when I was growing up. My favorite games were Pokemon’s third generation, which includes Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald. I’d spend countless hours leveling up my Pokemon, internally cheering any time I caught an uncommon Pokemon, like Seviper, a fun snake. I played a lot of the first two generations, too, but the third generation released in 2002, which was a formative time for me.

This new game, “Pokopia,” takes that traditional linear concept and asks, what if the humans were gone because of some freak climate events, and Pokemon didn’t have to fight anymore?

In enters a game that encourages the player, a Ditto (a Pokemon who can easily morph into any other Pokemon), to restore habitats and make friends with the Pokemon who live in that land afterward. It’s so, so fun.

(Its post-apocalyptic vibes remind me often of roleplaying game “Horizon Zero Dawn,” in which the main character, Aloy, discovers the dark secrets that led to the world’s demise. “Pokopia” is much simpler and discreet in its messaging.)

The player can build special houses for each Pokemon, or create more of a communal living situation with a larger structure. The game is surprisingly complex, with options to add infrastructure, power lines, a subway system and more. In this game, the world is truly your oyster. The player can be as creative or as simple as they’d like.

For many who grew up on the now 30-year-old video game franchise, it was easy to attach to certain Pokemon and deem them your favorites. But, through this game, the player gets to be best friends with practically any Pokemon. 

My favorite Pokemon is Ralts, described as a “feeling Pokemon” with telekinesis. Its evolutions are pretty cool, too. But through this game, I’ve really taken a special interest in Chansey from the first generation and Fidough from the ninth generation. 

In today’s day and age, it’s a winning formula: Take a nostalgic game series and add modern elements to it that draw inspiration from “Minecraft,” “Stardew Valley” and “Animal Crossing” games, and voila. A game with massive interest, done very well.

“Pokopia” has been a wonderful way to unwind after a stressful day. Even if I only have 20 minutes to spare, that’s enough to get something done. Every day, the player gets to admire their playing areas and their creations. It’s very rewarding.

My sentiment about “Animal Crossing” six years ago bears repeating for “Pokopia:” After all, life’s a whole lot better with a few animal pals.

Mickayla Miller is LNP | LancasterOnline’s entertainment reporter. “Unscripted” is a weekly entertainment column produced by a rotating team of writers.