Pokémon Friends
A puzzle game where yarn becomes plush.
Pokémon Friends is a 2025 spin-off mobile puzzle game in the Pokémon franchise. Developed by Wonderfy in collaboration with The Pokémon Company, the game tasks players with solving a variety of puzzles to earn yarn items, which can be used to craft plush toys. These plushes may be used to decorate an in-game room or given as gifts to residents of the game's setting, Think Town. The game was designed as an educational and relaxing experience, particularly for children, and was released on mobile devices and the Nintendo Switch shortly after its reveal in July 2025.
Quick Facts
- Series
- Pokémon
- Developer
- Wonderfy
- The Pokémon Company
- h.a.n.d.
- Platforms
- Android
- iOS
- Nintendo Switch
- Released
- July 22, 2025
- Genre
- Puzzle game
- Modes
- Single-player
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Pokémon Friends was developed by Wonderfy, an education-focused company that previously worked on educational properties and games, including the 2020 toothbrushing game Pokémon Smile and the 2023 sleeping game Pokémon Sleep. The game was also developed by H.a.n.d. All puzzles were created in-house with the aim of being relaxing for a wide age range. Wonderfy's CEO and COO, Kei Kawashima, stated that the target audience is around five years old, and the company hoped the game would have an educational benefit for players, particularly children.
The game was first revealed on July 22, 2025 during a Pokémon Presents presentation and released immediately afterward on iOS, Android, and Nintendo Switch. A trial event for media was held prior to release. The mobile version is free to play, while the Nintendo Switch version must be paid for. The Switch release includes a basic set of puzzles with more available for purchase, while the mobile version allows only one puzzle per day, with additional puzzles becoming playable after a set time. Additional downloadable content packs can be purchased to expand the number of puzzles and gameplay options. Shortly after release, the game topped the free games list on the Japanese iPhone App Store. A free update on December 2, 2025 added new puzzles, plushes, and furniture items.
Reader's Guide
Pokémon Friends received mixed reviews from critics. On Metacritic, it garnered a 'mixed or average' rating, while OpenCritic reported weak approval, with only 8% of critics recommending it. Many reviewers found the puzzle gameplay fun, particularly when played in short bursts, and praised the plush crafting feature. The puzzle system was described as intuitive and suitable for children. However, criticism centered on the game's paywalls and microtransactions. Several critics felt that the cost required to access all content was too high, with some noting that the gameplay grew stale and was overpriced relative to the amount of content. The gacha-like plush system also drew concern from some reviewers, who worried it could encourage negative behaviors. Despite these criticisms, the game was considered worth trying by some critics for a broad audience, not just its target age group.
Did You Know?
- Players can earn yarn based on how quickly they solve puzzles, with different yarn types used to craft different plushes.
- Up to five save files can be created, allowing multiple people to have individual playthroughs on one copy of the game.
- The game includes a catalog where obtained plushes are registered, along with a description of the Pokémon species they are based on.
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