Given the current ongoing discourse surrounding physical games, particularly when it comes to PlayStation’s recent decision to push for an all-digital future, I figured this one was rather fitting. I just randomly stumbled upon what is, quite possibly, one of the most endearing creations I’ve seen in a long time: a fan-made manual for Pokemon Pokopia on the Nintendo Switch 2. It’s cute, it’s precious, and my hat is off to its creator, Rowan Fox-Noble, who appeared in my X feed as though it was fate that I find them. The question of whether Pokemon Pokopia actually needed a physical manual in this increasingly digital age doesn’t even need to be asked at this point, because it’s irrelevant to those who want it—and I’m one of them.
I don’t know how I managed to miss this one, except I know exactly how I did. Physical media within the gaming space is gradually being pushed out of the picture as gamers continue proving how effortlessly convenience can win over cost. With every purchase of a digital game over a physical copy, we are telling developers, publishers, and platform holders what we value, and that has unfortunately led us to where we are. Now, the idea of a tangible manual insert finding its way into a physical game case for Pokemon Pokopia is absurd, because it largely doesn’t happen anymore apart from the occasional special, more expensive edition. That’s why I’m thankful for creators like Rowan Fox-Noble, who have taken it upon themselves to preserve that bygone era with the skill, dedication, and passion it requires.
I Can Practically Smell This Custom Pokemon Pokopia Manual
To be honest, I actually stumbled on a more recent manual Rowan Fox-Noble made for Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, but the sentiment is all the same. Once I went to their page, I found the post for the Pokemon Pokopia manual they made just a few months earlier pinned to the top of their feed, and a dimple-ended smile immediately appeared on my face. At that point, I could practically smell the manual, and if that sounds weird to you, it’s because you weren’t there to experience it. But trust me—if you only knew, you’d wish you were.
Guess the games from the emojis.
Guess the games from the emojis.
Easy (120s)Medium (90s)Hard (60s)
Once upon a time, there was something special about opening a brand-new game and immediately being greeted by a manual that you could flip through before ever inserting the disc or cartridge. Sometimes it was only a few pages explaining the controls, while other manuals were filled with character profiles, maps, artwork, lore, and details that made the game feel even larger than it already was. Even the most basic of them gave the case a sense of purpose beyond keeping a tiny cartridge from getting lost underneath the couch.
The question of whether Pokemon Pokopia actually needed a physical manual in this increasingly digital age doesn’t even need to be asked at this point, because it’s irrelevant to those who want it…
I remember reading game manuals in the car on the way home, studying every screenshot and pretending I understood mechanics I hadn’t even encountered yet. It was a way of “playing” the game before I actually got to play it, and we all know how good it felt to get a new game as a kid. But by the time I finally got home and actually started playing it, that meant I already felt connected to the world, its characters, and whatever adventure was waiting for me. Digital downloads may be convenient, but there is no equivalent to holding a piece of the game in your hands while anticipation slowly eats away at you.
Rowan Fox-Noble’s custom Pokemon Pokopia manual taps directly into that feeling. At 52 pages, it’s packed with information about Pokemon Pokopia‘s habitats, characters, items, controls, and various systems, all presented in a way that looks like it belongs inside the official Switch 2 case. It isn’t simply an instruction booklet telling players which button makes Ditto jump, either, as it gives Pokemon Pokopia‘s physical release the sort of personality video games once had by default.
The manual can even be inserted into the clips inside the case, which might be the most frustrating detail of all. Those clips are still there, waiting to hold something, yet most physical games leave them completely empty as if they are tiny monuments to an era publishers have already decided is over. Rowan’s manual sitting inside the case instantly makes the entire package look complete, and suddenly, the empty version feels far more noticeable than it ever did before.
Physical Games Used to Reward Us Before We Even Played Them
Modern games obviously don’t need traditional manuals in the same way older games did. Tutorials now explain nearly every mechanic, controls are always available through the pause menu, and developers can update digital guides whenever a patch changes how something functions. Then there’s the internet, which now offers quicker access to more specific information, thereby largely eliminating the need for a physical manual. However, none of that replaces what manuals gave physical games, because their appeal was never limited to teaching players how to play.
Once upon a time, there was something special about opening a brand-new game and immediately being greeted by a manual that you could flip through before ever inserting the disc or cartridge.
Manuals were part of the ceremony of buying a game. They made the journey home feel shorter, gave siblings something to fight over while someone else was playing, and occasionally contained information, jokes, or artwork that couldn’t be found anywhere else. Losing them removed another layer from physical ownership until buying a game on a cartridge began offering little more than the ability to lend it out, trade it in, or place its mostly empty case on a shelf.
Pokemon Pokopia is especially suited for something like this because it’s already a game about building, discovery, and filling a world with life. A colorful manual detailing its habitats and systems feels like a natural extension of the experience rather than a useless relic forced into the package for nostalgia’s sake. Rowan’s more recent Yoshi and the Mysterious Book manual arguably fits even better, since the entire game revolves around a magical book, yet Nintendo still left it to a fan to create something tangible that could accompany it.
I understand why manuals disappeared, and I know asking publishers to start printing thick booklets for every physical game is probably unrealistic. Printing costs money, cases have become smaller, and plenty of players would toss the manual aside without ever reading a single page. Still, physical games are currently fighting for their survival, and removing nearly everything that once made them exciting to own has hardly helped their case.
A custom manual like this may not reverse the industry’s march toward an all-digital future, but it reminds me why some of us are still reluctant to let physical media go. We aren’t clinging to plastic boxes because we hate convenience or enjoy filling our homes with clutter. We remember when opening a new game felt like opening a complete package, and Rowan Fox-Noble has managed to recreate a small piece of that feeling with some paper, ink, and an obvious amount of love.
- Released
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March 5, 2026
- ESRB
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Everyone / Users Interact, In-Game Purchases
Rowan Fox-Noble’s physical manuals for games like Pokemon Pokopia, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, and many more are available for purchase on their official Etsy shop page.
