DLC REVIEW: ‘Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass Part 1: Bubbly Basin’ Highlights What Makes It Special

Pokémon Pokopia was a genuine change-up to the Pokémon formula when it came out earlier in 2026. The social simulator dropped in March and instantly caught the hearts and minds of fans all over. Ditching the creature-catching formula the main series is known for, Pokémon Pokopia instead adopted cozy life sim mechanics.

Taking on the form of a Ditto who wakes up to find the world very different from what they remember, players set out to bring the world of Pokémon back to life: restoring habitats, finding friends, crafting, decorating, and plenty more. All of this while learning the truth of what happened to the world at large. 

We gave Pokémon Pokopia a 10/10, saying, “Pokémon Pokopia is a massive love letter to the series, one that fittingly hits in the 30th year. It’s the gold standard of Pokémon spin-offs, letting you live in a Pokémon playground. There are tons to do, see, and discover, all while slowly unraveling the central mystery. It nails the wonder and discovery that Pokémon Red/Blue did all those years ago, every new space just adding more to the whole. Pokémon Pokopia is a genuine system seller and will easily go down as one of the best games on the Switch 2.”

Bubbly Basin is the perfect start to Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass.

All of that remains true in Bubbly Basin, the first part of the Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass. It gives you more of what made the base game work so well: a new area to explore, new bits of story, more Pokémon, all while including a new way to explore the world.  Alongside the 2.0 update, it makes for a compelling add-on to an already fantastic experience. 

To access Bubbly Basin, players first need to make sure they’ve raised the environment level in Bleak Beach, along with learning Dive. Professor Tangrowth points the player to a new island just off the coast, with a Manaphy stuck stranded and hungry. After giving it some seaweed, it teaches you Dive, kicking off the adventure into the depths, where Bubbly Basin lies.

The new area is almost entirely underwater, with some pockets and overland exploration as well. Bubbly Basin continues the lore build-out that the base game did so well. I won’t spoil it here, but this is another area that longtime fans of the series will recognize, with plenty of lore bits scattered around that help fill in details on fan-favorite characters. There are so many secrets and fun references hidden in the area, making each expedition into the unknown an exciting one. 

There are plenty of secrets and fun things to uncover once players go underwater.

Since the majority of Bubbly Basin takes place underwater, the majority of the 50 new Pokémon are water types. Popplio is the guiding starter and your first friend in the new area, with Totodile, Corsola, Luvdisc, and more waiting for you behind habitats. Bubbly Basin works so well because it’s really just an extension of what made the base game so great, with each new Pokémon find being full of personality. Seeing these little critters swim around and play together never gets old. 

Movement is now further refined as well, with diving and swimming underwater being quick and breezy. It cuts out a lot of the more clunky platforming from the original, now moving up and down through water effortlessly. This makes building easier and more accurate than before, with free control over height and orientation. Swimming around is fast, fun, and well implemented. 

There’s plenty more in Bubbly Basin, with new recipes, crops, buildings, and plenty more. The only potential knock against the DLC is that it’s part of the expansion pass at large. Details on what exactly is included in future drops are still unclear, making the current price point a question.

Movement is a lot smoother, removing some of the clunkiness from Pokopia’s start. 

Part 2 is coming in late 2026 and adds new features and crafting options, but no new area. Part 3 is coming in 2027, with another new town. If the quality of the rest of the pass lines up with Bubbly Basin, it’s well worth it for folks looking to continue their journey with Ditto. Even at its current price, there’s plenty of worthwhile content in Bubbly Basin alone. 

The 2.0 update, which is free for existing owners of the game even if they didn’t grab the expansion pass, just makes the game even better. Portal pods for quickly accessing items and storage across different levels are a fantastic addition, alongside batch appraising relics and better inventory management. Graveler form can finally suck up materials without switching back to base Ditto. It all works in tandem to make even the base game feel better than before. 

Overall, Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass Part 1 – Bubbly Basin is an easy recommendation for those who love the base game. It adds an exciting new area, new movement, and plenty more Pokémon to hang out with. While the question of the rest of the expansion pass’s parts lingers, Bubbly Basin is a fantastic start to it, adding tons of hours to an already incredible experience. 

Pokémon Pokopia is out now on Nintendo Switch 2.