Pokémon are coming to Nintendo’s Switch, but it’s via another updated port of a Wii U game.
During a Nintendo Direct stream today, the Japanese game company announced that the fighting game Pokkén Tournament is heading for the new system. Pokkén Tournament is a 3D fighting game featuring popular Pokémon like Pikachu and Mewtwo. It is coming out on September 22.
Pokkén Tournament Deluxe is getting a similar treatment as Mario Kart Deluxe, which was an updated version of a Wii U game that came out for the Switch. It will include five new Pokémon as playable fighters: Decidueye, Darkrai, Scizor, Empoleon, Croagunk
Many fans were hoping that we would see a main series Pokémon game on the Switch, with a lot of people predicting that Nintendo would release an updated version of last year’s Sun and Moon on the new console. Well, Nintendo announced Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, but they’re coming to the 3DS.
The main Pokémon games have stuck to the portables while spinoffs like Pokkén Tournament head to the home consoles. Since the Switch is a hybrid system that can dock to a TV or act as a portable, it seemed likely that Nintendo could put a traditional Pokémon game on it.
But it looks like Nintendo wasn’t ready to make that switch (heh) yet.