Nintendo Switch 2 gamers urged to claim Pokémon freebie

Now that the Nintendo Switch 2 is here, Pokémon fans will start looking forward to new games, and we don’t have to wait too long.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A will be hitting the console, and the OG Nintendo Switch, on 16 October, bringing the monster catching action to the latest Nintendo hardware.

For now, we’ll have to make do with replaying Pokémon Scarlet and Violet with a hefty upgrade that is impressing fans, but if you want more Pokémon goodies, Nintendo does have some freebies to grab now.

You can now personalise your Nintendo Switch Online profile with your favourite starting Pokémon, or simply a Pokéball.

This image remains your icon for your Switch when you log in, and it will be what users see when they navigate to your profile online.

Along with fan-favourites Pikachu and Eevee, there’s Piplup, Charmander, Squirtle, Bulbasaur, Totodile, and many more.

These all hail from the previous games as a celebration of the franchise, giving you a chance to rock the best starter, in your opinion.

We’ve previously ranked all the starting Pokémon across every single game, and while I won’t spoil our top choice, it’s worth seeing if you agree.

Will you be picking a fire, water, or ground type to showcase your Nintendo profile? Or are you sticking with the beloved mascot of Pikachu?

It’s nice to see Nintendo shining the spotlight on these well-loved characters, and even Oshawott, who is awful. Just the worst starter ‘Mon.

Hopefully, this gets you excited to play more Pokémon adventures during this generation of Nintendo hardware, as there’s surely plenty to come over the next decade of games.

While we already know about Pokémon Legends: Z-A, but there will be a new mainline entry in the series coming to the Switch 2, and the potential is huge.