Nintendo Switch Online subscribers have a new wave of Pokemon Pokopia icons they can download for free, but they’ll need to act quickly because they’ll be replaced on March 18. At that time, new icons for Pokemon Pokopia will rotate in, but that rotation itself comes to an end on April 1.
Pokopia‘s popularity as a cozy life sim set in a ruined Kanto comes as no surprise, and the numbers back it up. Nintendo’s official website reports that Pokopia has sold over 2.2 million copies in just four days, with a little more than a million units being sold in Japan. That number is only going to go up as sales increase, not to mention that not everyone has a Nintendo Switch 2 yet (and it is exclusive to that platform). Still, it’s a critical and commercial success, with the game being the highest rated Pokemon game on the market, too.
Pokemon Pokopia is Currently the Highest-Rated Pokemon Game of All Time
Critic reviews for Pokemon Pokopia start rolling in, and there’s enough praise going around to make the game the best-rated title in the franchise.
As such, many fans likely want to celebrate the new game as much as possible. Nintendo Switch online subscribers can do that by claiming Pokopia icons celebrating the game. The first wave went live on March 4 at 5 PM PT/8 PM ET, and the latest set went live on March 11 at the same time. However, these icons can only be snagged for a week before they are replaced by the next wave. Four planned waves last until April 1, and the current icons are for Professor Tangrowth and Peakychu—the pale-white feeble Pikachu variant with tragic lore. Nintendo Switch Online subscribers will want to act quickly and snatch up these icons before March 18 rolls around and replaces them.
How to Claim these Pokopia Icons on Nintendo Switch Online
- Players do not need to own Pokopia to claim these icons.
- They do need an active NSO subscription, which is not unlike PS Plus or Game Pass.
- Navigate to the Nintendo Switch Online app
- Select Missions and Rewards
- Enter the Pokopia Section
- Each icon requires 10 Platinum Points to claim, and most players will have this much in spades just through normal use. If not, they are easy to get.
Who’s That Character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)
Peakychu and Professor Tangrowth are popular enough that this is arguably the best selection until the icons expire. Mosslax is competition, however, when it releases on March 18, as well as Smearguru on March 25. If players want to claim those icons, then it is recommended to pay attention to the wave release schedule and claim them ASAP, so they don’t pass them by.
Pokemon Pokopia Icon Wave Schedule
- Wave 1: March 4 to March 11 at 5 pm PT/8 pm ET (EXPIRED)
- Wave 2: March 11 to March 18 at 5 pm PT/8 pm ET (ACTIVE)
- Wave 3: March 18 to March 26 at 5 pm PT/8 pm ET
- Wave 4: March 25 to April 1 at 5 pm/8 pm ET
Meanwhile, the Switch 2 exclusive’s base content is enough to give players 20-40 hours of playtime too. There’s certainly enough to keep players busy during these waves, but there are also events in Pokopia to consider. The More Spores for Hoppip event is currently underway and will last until March 25 at 1 pm PT/4 pm ET. It features Hoppip, Skiploom, and Jumpluff. A second event for Pokopia is also scheduled for April 29 to May 14, likely following a similar time schedule. It will feature Sableye, and like the Hoppip line before it, these Pokemon are not available in the base game.
However someone chooses to celebrate, in-game or outside it, it’s clear that Pokopia is a big win for the franchise, not just filler until the next generation of games. Pokemon Winds and Waves releases in 2027, and Pokopia is a gleeful way to spend time until then.
- Released
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March 5, 2026
- ESRB
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Everyone / Users Interact, In-Game Purchases
