Pokémon HOME currently connects to Pokémon Legends: Z-A, Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet, Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl, Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield, and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee!. Pokémon Bank and Pokémon GO act as import sources, and Pokémon Champions is a visit destination rather than a standard storage link. Being on that list does not mean every Pokémon in HOME can enter every title. Per Pokémon HOME’s official wording, “Pokémon can only be moved to games in which they appear.”
Supported games at a glance
The official Pokémon HOME website lists the titles below. Game lists change with updates, so confirm on the official page before starting a large transfer.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Pokémon Pokopia - Nintendo Switch 2 | $69.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
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 |
|
Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee! - Nintendo Switch | $53.87 | Buy on Amazon |
| Game | How it connects to HOME | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pokémon Legends: Z-A | Game to HOME | Linking is available only through the Nintendo Switch version of HOME. |
| Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet | Game to HOME | Eligibility is checked per Pokémon (see the steps below). |
| Pokémon Legends: Arceus | Game to HOME | Species eligibility depends on the game. |
| Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl | Game to HOME | Species eligibility depends on the game. |
| Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield | Game to HOME | Some Pokémon from GO need to be registered in the Pokédex before they can move in. |
| Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! | Game to HOME, through the Nintendo Switch version | Pokémon can move between the two Let’s Go titles. See the one-way rule below. |
| Pokémon Bank | Import source | Requires a paid HOME Premium Plan for Bank transfers. |
| Pokémon GO | Import source | Only eligible Pokémon can be sent, using the GO Transporter. |
| Pokémon Champions | Visit destination | Pokémon are sent to visit Champions. The official page says certain Pokémon from Z-A can be brought to Champions. |
Why a listed game can still reject a Pokémon
Whether a Pokémon can enter a game depends on whether that species appears in the game. HOME shows this for each Pokémon, and the official help page states: “If a game image is grayed out, that Pokémon cannot be used in that game.” The help page’s Sword and Shield examples do not list every Pokémon that can be sent, so use the in-app check rather than a list.
Check one Pokémon on mobile
- Open the Pokémon HOME app and select the Pokémon.
- Open its details screen.
- Scroll to Games it can travel to.
- If a game is grayed out, that Pokémon cannot be used in that game.
Check one Pokémon on Nintendo Switch
- Select the Pokémon in HOME.
- Open Check Summary.
- Press + to view Connected Games.
Transfer rules that cannot be reversed
Several connections are one-way. Check these before moving anything you cannot afford to lose access to in its original form.
#1 Best Overall
- 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.
Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee!
Pokémon move between the two Let’s Go titles. Once a Pokémon is moved from a Let’s Go game into another game, it cannot return to its original Let’s Go title.
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
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 Bank
- Bank transfers into HOME require a paid HOME Premium Plan.
- Pokémon moved into HOME cannot go back to Bank.
- When Bank and HOME accounts are linked correctly, the connection instructions describe moving all Bank Pokémon together when you proceed without a 3DS. This step is irreversible.
Pokémon GO
- Link GO and the mobile version of HOME to the same Nintendo Account.
- Complete the HOME mobile tutorial.
- Use the GO Transporter. The energy cost varies by Pokémon and recharges over time.
- Receive the transferred Pokémon in HOME. Received Pokémon appear in Boxes; transfers that have not been received block further GO transfers.
- A GO transfer cannot be sent back to GO.
- Some special Pokémon cannot be transferred at all.
- Some GO Pokémon must be registered in the destination Pokédex before they can move into Sword or Shield.
Setup requirements
- Nintendo Switch 2: HOME is usable on Switch 2. To link HOME with a game such as Scarlet or Violet, that game’s save data must be on the same console where HOME is launched.
- Nintendo Switch Online: Pokémon Support states that a paid Nintendo Switch Online membership is not required for the HOME connection functions it describes. This is separate from the paid HOME Premium Plan needed for Bank transfers.
- Mobile devices: Pokémon Support’s requirements page lists iOS 16 or later and Android 9.0 or later (64-bit). The page warns that meeting these minimums does not guarantee compatibility on every device, and it was last updated 17 October 2024, so confirm the current requirements before setting up a new device.
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.
