Sometimes. On Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, compatible games generally use the language selected in the console’s system settings—but that does not guarantee every Pokémon title will switch language after you start a save. The answer depends on the specific game, platform, and release. Apps such as Pokémon HOME have separate language controls.
How language selection works on Switch and Switch 2
Nintendo says a game defaults to the console’s selected language if the game or software supports that language. To change the console setting, open System Settings and select System > Language, then choose a supported language. The setting may affect other compatible software too.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Pokémon Pokopia - Nintendo Switch 2 | $69.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Pokémon Legends: Arceus - US Version | $54.25 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Pokemon Shining Pearl - Nintendo Switch Shining Pearl Edition | $52.49 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee! - Nintendo Switch | $53.87 | Buy on Amazon |
This is a platform rule, not a guarantee about every Pokémon game. A title may not include your chosen language, and Nintendo’s general guidance does not establish whether changing the console language after starting a particular game changes its display language or affects that game’s save.
Check the exact game and release
Before changing settings—or buying a copy—check the language options for the precise title and regional release. Some releases are language-specific rather than offering every language in one version.
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- Shape the world and build a cozy new life with Pokémon as a Ditto transformed to look like a human.
- Use other Pokémon’s moves, like Bulbasaur’s Leafage, to revitalize and navigate the world around you.
- Meet and befriend more Pokémon as you help nature flourish.
- Gather materials to create items and furniture, till the fields to grow delicious crops, build homes for the Pokémon you meet, and more—there’s so much to do!
- Experience a world with varied weather, real-time days and nights, and other surprises.
Example: current FireRed and LeafGreen releases in the Americas
Nintendo’s FAQ says the current Americas releases of Pokémon FireRed and Pokémon LeafGreen are digital-only and that each has three language versions: English, European French, and European Spanish. Nintendo advises buyers to verify the language version before purchasing. These details apply to those releases in the Americas; they should not be assumed to describe other regions or Pokémon games. See the FireRed and LeafGreen FAQ.
Language selection can vary by title
Some games have offered language choices within a single release. In a historical interview about Pokémon X and Y, Nintendo described including seven languages in one software release for players to choose from. That is an example for those games, not a rule for newer titles or other platforms. Read Nintendo’s Pokémon X and Y interview.
Rank #2
- Action meets RPG in this new take on the Pokémon series
- Study Pokémon behaviors, sneak up on them, and toss a well-aimed Poké Ball to catch them
- Unleash moves in the speedy agile style or the powerful strong style in battles
- Travel to the Hisui region—the Sinnoh of old—and build the region’s first Pokédex
- Learn about the Mythical Pokémon Arceus, the key to this mysterious tale
Pokémon HOME and mobile apps have their own controls
Do not treat an app’s language setting as part of a Pokémon game save. Pokémon HOME has its own controls: on Switch, users can change the language after starting, but cannot change the app’s region; the mobile version lets users change both language and region. Changing HOME’s language does not change its language icon, which reflects the initial selection. Consult Pokémon HOME’s language-setting guidance.
- Pokémon Café ReMix: Look for the language control in Options. Check the app’s supported-language list in its current version. Pokémon Café ReMix language support.
- Pokémon Sleep: Use the Language Settings menu and check the supported-language information for the app. Pokémon Sleep language support.
- Pokémon TCG Pocket: The language selection is under Menu > Other > Settings > Language Selection. Confirm the current supported-language list in the app. Pokémon TCG Pocket language support.
Can you change language after starting, or do you need a new save?
There is no single answer for all Pokémon games. The official guidance cited here does not establish whether changing language after starting will work without restarting—or what happens to progress—for every title, platform generation, and regional release. Check the official support information for the exact game before changing settings or beginning again. A confirmed procedure for one title is not proof that another handles language the same way.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- Don the role of a Pokémon Trainer as you travel through Kanto
- Discover a new species of Pokémon with the Pokémon Lets Go series
- Catch Pokémon in the wild using a gentle throwing motion with either a Joy-Con controller or a Poké Ball Plus accessory, which will light up, vibrate, and make sounds to bring your adventure to life
- See the world in style by customizing Pikachu and your Trainer with a selection of outfits
- Connect to Pokémon GO* to transfer caught Kanto-region Pokémon, including Alolan and Shiny forms, as well as the newly discovered Pokémon, Meltan, from that game to this one
Rank #3
- Revisit the Sinnoh region from the original Pokémon Pearl Version game and set off to try and become the Champion of the Pokémon League
- The Pokémon Shining Pearl game brings new life to this remade classic with added features
- Explore the Grand Underground to dig up items and Pokémon Fossils, build a Secret Base, and more.
- Test your style and rhythm in a Super Contest Show
- A reimagined adventure, now for the Nintendo Switch system
What to check before changing anything
- Identify the exact title and platform. Include the console generation and whether you mean a game or an app such as Pokémon HOME.
- Check the release and region. Confirm that your copy supports the language you want; a system setting cannot add a language that the software does not include.
- Look for a documented in-game or app setting. Apps may have their own language menu, separate from console settings.
- Verify post-start and save behavior for that title. If official guidance does not explain whether progress is retained, do not assume a language change will—or will not—require a new game.
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.
