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Nintendo Switch

Pokémon Games on Switch: Releases, Platforms, and Save Data

Nintendo’s current HOME-connected Switch lineup spans Champions, Legends, Scarlet and Violet, and more—but Pokémon transfers and save-data transfers are different.

By VGSources Team 5 min read
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If you’re asking what Pokémon games are on Switch, Nintendo’s current Pokémon HOME compatibility list is a practical guide to the Switch-era lineup. It includes Pokémon Champions, Pokémon Legends: Z-A, Scarlet and Violet, Legends: Arceus, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, Sword and Shield, and Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee!. HOME compatibility does not mean every Pokémon can move between every game, and moving a Pokémon is different from moving a game save to another console.

What Pokémon games are on Switch?

Nintendo’s support FAQ lists the following Nintendo Switch titles as compatible with Pokémon HOME. This is a practical list of HOME-connected Switch games, not a formal definition of the entire mainline franchise or a complete history of Pokémon releases.

Game Platform information HOME relationship
Pokémon Champions Nintendo Switch and mobile versions are announced by The Pokémon Company. Certain eligible Pokémon can visit from HOME; Pokémon obtained in Champions cannot be sent to HOME.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A Nintendo lists it as Nintendo Switch software, released October 16, 2025. Regional dates can differ. Connects to HOME, but transfers into Z-A cannot be reversed to previous main-series games.
Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet Nintendo Switch Deposit and withdrawal through HOME, subject to which Pokémon can appear in each game.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus Nintendo Switch Deposit and withdrawal through HOME, subject to destination-game eligibility.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl Nintendo Switch Deposit and withdrawal through HOME, subject to destination-game eligibility.
Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield Nintendo Switch Deposit and withdrawal through HOME, subject to destination-game eligibility.
Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! Nintendo Switch Compatible with HOME, but a Pokémon transferred from a Let’s Go title to a newer game cannot return to its original Let’s Go title.

Nintendo’s corporate software schedule also lists Pokémon FireRed Version and Pokémon LeafGreen Version as downloadable-only Switch titles. The schedule notes that regional release dates may differ and that dates and titles can change. These two releases are not included in the HOME-connected Switch list above. Nintendo software release schedule; Pokémon HOME compatibility information.

How Pokémon HOME compatibility and transfers work

Pokémon HOME is available on Nintendo Switch and compatible mobile devices. The Switch version connects with the listed Switch games; the mobile version connects with Pokémon Champions and Pokémon GO. You can link the Switch and mobile versions using the same Nintendo Account. Pokémon HOME.

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For games that support deposits and withdrawals, HOME is not a universal bridge for every Pokémon. A Pokémon can be moved only to a game in which that Pokémon appears, and each destination title has its own eligibility rules. The fact that two games both connect to HOME does not guarantee that a Pokémon can travel between them. Pokémon Support: compatible games and transfer rules.

Transfers that cannot be reversed

  • A Pokémon transferred from Let’s Go, Pikachu! or Let’s Go, Eevee! to a newer game cannot be sent back to its original Let’s Go game.
  • Once a Pokémon is moved into Pokémon Legends: Z-A, it cannot be returned to previous main-series games. This applies both to Pokémon arriving from earlier games and Pokémon moved into Z-A from HOME.
  • Pokémon Champions allows certain eligible Pokémon from HOME to visit, but Pokémon caught or otherwise obtained in Champions cannot be transferred to HOME.

Check the current rules before moving a Pokémon you may want to use in its original game. Pokémon Support transfer rules; The Pokémon Company: Pokémon Champions.

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Can I transfer my Pokémon to a new Switch?

Yes, but the right method depends on what you mean by “transfer.” A system transfer moves console users and game-save data between consoles. Pokémon HOME moves Pokémon between compatible game saves; it does not move a game’s save file to another console.

To connect HOME to a game such as Scarlet or Violet, the game’s save must be on the same console where you launch HOME. Pokémon Support states: “To link Pokémon HOME with games like Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet, the game’s save data must be present on the same console where you launch Pokémon HOME.” The guidance appears in Pokémon Support’s Pokémon HOME on Nintendo Switch 2 FAQs, updated January 30, 2026.

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Move game saves between Switch consoles

For a move from Nintendo Switch to Switch 2, Pokémon Support recommends Nintendo’s system-transfer feature and using the same Nintendo Account on both consoles. A full transfer moves all users and their save data together. The older server-upload method resets the original Switch; a local transfer when the Switch 2 is available does not reset the original console. If you want to move only selected users or saves, use Nintendo’s selective-transfer instructions rather than assuming a full transfer is appropriate.

  1. Choose the system-transfer method that matches your situation: full transfer or selected users and saves.
  2. Follow Nintendo’s current on-console instructions, using the same Nintendo Account for the original Switch and Switch 2 as directed by Pokémon Support.
  3. After the game save is on the console where HOME is running, open HOME there and check whether the relevant game appears.

Transfer steps and console prompts can change, so follow the current instructions on the consoles and Nintendo’s support site. Pokémon Support: Switch 2 and HOME.

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Why won’t Pokémon HOME link to my game?

For a game such as Scarlet or Violet, first check whether its save data is present on the same console as the HOME app you launched. This is especially important after changing consoles: transferring Pokémon through HOME does not itself transfer the game save that HOME needs to find.

  • The game is missing from HOME: Confirm the game has save data on this console and that HOME is being launched on that same console.
  • You moved to Switch 2: Check that the save is present on Switch 2 and that you followed the relevant system-transfer instructions with the appropriate Nintendo Account.
  • A Pokémon cannot be withdrawn into a game: Check whether it can appear in that destination title. HOME compatibility between games does not make all Pokémon eligible in every game.

For console-specific troubleshooting, consult the Switch 2 HOME FAQ and the compatibility rules.

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Do I need Nintendo Switch Online or Pokémon HOME Premium?

Nintendo says a Nintendo Switch Online membership is not required to use Pokémon HOME, and paid HOME Premium is not required to transfer Pokémon on Switch or Switch 2. Premium offers additional features; check Nintendo’s current plan information for details, since prices and plan terms can change. Pokémon HOME plans; Pokémon HOME transfer FAQ.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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