Reviewed on Nintendo Switch 2 | Played in handheld and docked modes | Patch 2.0.0
Pokémon Pokopia has taken over my life to a certain degree. Omega Force's cozy sandbox, published by Nintendo on Switch 2, has had me exploring the skies, making pals with my favourite Pokémon, and dragging a certain coastal town back from the brink. I've even instated town politics with a friend on our own Cloud Island, with very little building involved. Even after completing the story and crossing 100 hours of playtime, it still had plenty of hooks in me.
So when the Pokopia Expansion Pass was announced with Bubbly Basin attached, the wave of overwhelm was real. Another town. Another grind. Another dip into my already drained creative pool. My apprehension turned to joy quickly enough, but the value question never fully left my mind. Bubbly Basin is the best town Pokopia has built so far, and the quality-of-life fixes bundled into the free 2.0.0 update make it painless to love. The catch is the pass structure: you pay for all three parts up front, while two of them do not exist yet.
Editor's Take
Pokopia's first expansion delivers its most charming town yet and storage fixes that finally kill the inventory headache, though the full-pass price asks for patience while two parts remain unreleased.
Pros
- Underwater town feels vast, not claustrophobic
- Dive traversal makes water movement effortless
- Portal Pod storage ends cross-town inventory pain
- Whimsical water physics reward experimentation
- Free 2.0.0 update adds genuine value
Cons
- Full-pass price is steep for one town so far
- Floating debris clutters the build camera
- Parts 2 and 3 are still months away
- Only two Portal Pods are available for now
Game at a Glance
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Platform | Nintendo Switch 2 |
| Developer | Omega Force |
| Publisher | Nintendo |
| Genre | Adventure / Creative Sandbox |
| Release Date | August 5, 2026 (Part 1: Bubbly Basin) |
| Price | $34.99 USD full Expansion Pass (Part 1 included) |
| Playtime | 100+ hours across base game, plus a town-length Part 1 |
| Performance | Smooth in handheld and docked on Switch 2 |
| Verdict | The best Pokopia town yet, held back only by a price structure that demands patience. |
Diving Into Bubbly Basin: Story, Setting, and Presentation
Getting started is refreshingly simple. Like most in-game events, a message pops up sending you to Bleak Beach to chat with Professor Tangrowth. An island has appeared out of nowhere, and since the Professor is not exactly an Olympic swimmer, it is your job to investigate. I braced for endless fetch quests, the main story's least favourite habit, but the introduction stays pleasantly short. Feed a sunbathing Manaphy its seaweed, learn the new Dive ability, grab your Popplio companion, and paddle over to your new town. If you need the full picture first, our Pokopia review covers everything leading into this point.
What follows is the submerged version of Cerulean City, my favourite Pokémon town, and it is the most confident piece of world design in the game. The underwater architecture feels far less claustrophobic and far more vast than any other town Pokopia has offered.
A large central square, broken-down buildings, caves, tunnels, and little islands bobbing above the water all give you room to breathe and room to build. When I say the world is your Cloyster, I am not joking. I grew up next to the ocean and default to Water-type teams, so I felt at home immediately. Gliding through the water with no frantic jump-button tapping, surfing and diving the whole way, is the most freeing traversal the game has yet shipped.
The presentation leans hard into whimsy, and it works. Simple water physics sell the fantasy: items drift freely, broken blocks bob with buoyancy, you can float while building, and a bubble helmet pops over your head when you change forms. It is a small detail pile that adds up to something delightful, and the whimsy has me in a chokehold. I am confident I am not the only one. Pokopia feeds both crowds well, the OG Pokémon fan craving nostalgia and the cosy gamer hungry for materials for another beautiful build.
Gameplay: Diving, Building, and Quality of Life
The pacing is where Bubbly Basin earns its keep. Usually I would be bogged down by grind, but the town stays balanced while moving its story forward with very few blockades and almost no back-and-forth. As you meet more Pokémon, build habitats, and unlock requests, everything speeds up in the good way. This is the pacing the base game's early hours promised and only occasionally delivered.
Building underwater is a genuine shift rather than a reskin. New kits, blocks, and items slot neatly into Bubbly Basin and beyond. I love the Dewgong Clock Tower in my town square (it chimes every hour) and the ability to raise floating houses on Buoyant blocks. One wrinkle: building is easier underwater, but broken blocks constantly drift into the camera and clutter your view. It is rarely a problem when my inventory is full, but not every item needs to float. Basic physics, right?
Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Docked)
The standout addition is the Portal Pod, included in the free 2.0.0 update. With matching pods in different towns, you can reach your storage from anywhere instead of trekking back to base. Think of it as an Ender Chest from Minecraft, and pair it with a nearby crafting table for an excellent quality-of-life setup. The update also brings bulk storage transfers, and materials in a nearby box now get consumed before your bag. Small changes, outsized effect. I only have the two Bubbly Basin pods right now, but I plan to dot more across other towns for my ultimate storage solution. Our Pokopia beginner tips and area unlock guide are both updated for the new systems.
I also wondered which Pokémon could call this town home. I assumed aquatic types only, but a quick mini-experiment showed some species thrive above the sea or in non-submerged caves. I will not spoil the results, because that discovery loop is what Pokopia is about: new habitats, new lore, and what you can build when your imagination is vast enough. If you are hunting for rarer finds, our Mysterious Slate guide covers the base game's best scavenger hunt.
Content and Longevity: What the Expansion Pass Delivers
I am not usually one to time-travel or optimise a playthrough, but for this review I partook in some temporal manipulation. Even time-compressed, Bubbly Basin holds a good length without stretching to the point of burnout. This time the experiment helped: I felt less drained and more motivated to build than I have in months. Plenty remains across my older towns, and my cup is full.
Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Docked)
The honest question is whether it is worth the money, and I have been in two minds. Until Part 2 arrives later this year and Part 3 follows in 2027, the $34.99 USD pass price for one town (for now) plus its extras feels steep. If the option to buy Bubbly Basin as a standalone at a lower price point existed, I would recommend splashing the cash without hesitation. Canadian players will find the pass on the Switch 2 eShop for roughly $48 CAD, and the regional pricing math is the same: you fund the whole roadmap before seeing it. For cozy-genre context, our Lumentale review covers another creature-collector with a gentler price of entry.
How Pokopia's Bubbly Basin Compares
| Feature | Bubbly Basin (Pass Part 1) | Pokopia Base Game | Animal Crossing: New Horizons | Minecraft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core Hook | Rebuild a submerged city | Rebuild post-collapse Kanto | Curate a deserted island | Build anything, survive anywhere |
| New Content | New town, Pokémon, kits, Dive move | 5 towns, 300+ Pokémon | 400+ items, seasonal events | Infinite procedural worlds |
| Building Tools | Underwater and buoyant blocks | Habitat-based construction | Room and island decorating | Full block-based freedom |
| Traversal | Dive, surf, glide | Attack-based terrain shaping | Run and vault | Walk, mine, fly |
| Water Systems | Central mechanic | Optional | Swimming only | Swimming and boats |
| Quality of Life | Portal Pod shared storage | Storage tied to towns | Pocket storage, limited slots | Ender Chests |
| Playtime | Town-length campaign (Part 1) | 100+ hours | Hundreds of hours | Endless |
| Price | $34.99 USD pass (3 parts) | Full retail | $59.99 USD | $29.99 USD |
| Best For | Pokopia fans wanting a water-focused twist | Cozy Pokémon builders | Slow-paced island curation | Pure creative freedom |
FAQ: Your Questions About the Pokopia Expansion Pass Answered
Is the Pokopia Expansion Pass worth buying now?
If you have exhausted the base game, yes. Bubbly Basin is the strongest town yet, and the 2.0.0 quality-of-life fixes benefit the whole game, not just the DLC. Budget-conscious players should weigh the $34.99 USD pass against the fact that Parts 2 and 3 are not out yet.
How long is Bubbly Basin?
A town-length campaign comparable to the base game's other areas, plus new Pokémon to befriend. Time-compressed testing still delivered a satisfying length, with plenty of post-story building to do.
Do I need to finish the main game before playing Bubbly Basin?
The quest starts with a message directing you to Bleak Beach, so you can jump in once that event appears. Playing through the main story makes the loop smoother, but the DLC does not lock its best content behind completion.
What is included in the free 2.0.0 update?
The Dive move, underwater building, the Portal Pod and safe items, bulk storage transfers, new patterns and hair colours, plus a long list of fixes. It is a genuinely generous companion patch to the paid DLC.
Can non-Water Pokémon live in Bubbly Basin?
Yes. Some species are happy above the sea or in non-submerged caves, so the town is not aquatic-only. Discovering which ones works is part of the fun, and I am not spoiling my experiments.
When do Parts 2 and 3 release, and what is the price in Canada?
Part 2 arrives later this year, with Part 3 following in 2027. The full pass costs $34.99 USD (roughly $48 CAD) on the Switch 2 eShop, covering all three parts as they launch.
Verdict: Is the Pokopia Expansion Pass Worth It?
Bubbly Basin is a confident, charming first dive. Its underwater Cerulean City is the most welcoming space Pokopia has built, Dive traversal removes the game's biggest movement friction, and the Portal Pod quietly fixes the inventory pain that has dogged the base game since launch.
The floating-debris camera clutter is minor, and the pass's price structure is the real sticking point: $34.99 USD buys one finished town and a promise for two more. If you trust that promise, this is the best time to re-enter Pokopia. If you need the finished product first, wait for the later parts and pick the whole thing up. As a piece of content, Bubbly Basin made me love Pokopia all over again. In Bubbly Basin, life is the bubbles, take it from me.
