The Pokemon franchise has just unveiled exciting new forms for Pikachu and Snorlax, both scheduled to debut in the forthcoming cozy life simulation title Pokemon Pokopia. Throughout its extensive history, Pokemon has consistently introduced alternative designs for its most iconic creatures, spanning from Mega Evolutions to distinctive regional variants such as Alolan and Hisuian forms. However, these newly revealed Pikachu and Snorlax transformations might rank among the franchise's most impressive alternate designs, particularly in recent memory.

First showcased during the September 2025 Nintendo Direct presentation, Pokemon Pokopia presents an intriguing fusion of gameplay elements reminiscent of Pokemon, Minecraft, and Animal Crossing. The game's core mechanics involve players collaborating with Pokemon to construct their ideal island paradise. Scheduled for release on March 5, 2026, Pokemon Pokopia will be exclusively available on the Nintendo Switch 2, though original Switch owners can participate through the GameShare feature to join their friends' gaming sessions.

A comprehensive new Pokemon Pokopia gameplay demonstration has recently been published on the official Pokemon YouTube channel. This extensive trailer highlights numerous innovative gameplay features coming to the relaxing Pokemon experience, including the player-character Ditto's capability to transform into Lapras for aquatic navigation and morph into Dragonite for aerial exploration. The concluding segment of the 10-minute Pokemon Pokopia presentation showcases three remarkable new Pokemon forms. The initial reveal features a vibrantly colored, paint-splattered Smeargle variant designated as 'Smearguru.' Following this is a pale Pikachu with drooping ears named 'Peakychu.' The final introduction presents a Snorlax completely enveloped in vegetation, crowned with a blooming flower, appropriately called Mosslax.

As the Pokemon franchise's primary mascot, Pikachu has undergone numerous redesigns and special variations throughout the years, including recolored shiny versions and numerous costumed iterations. Despite this extensive history, aside from the Gigantamax form introduced in Pokemon Sword & Shield, Pikachu has never received a completely unique form until now. Similarly, Snorlax has followed this pattern. While both Pikachu and Snorlax previously obtained Gigantamax forms, Pokemon Pokopia's Smearguru represents the very first alternative design ever created for Smeargle.

Developer Koei Tecmo has not yet officially confirmed the specific roles that Peakychu, Mosslax, or Smearguru will play within Pokemon Pokopia's gameplay systems. However, speculation suggests these new forms might grant the player-character's Ditto additional abilities, similar to how Bulbasaur enables grass cultivation and Squirtle facilitates crop watering. Alternatively, these special variants could function as newly confirmed quest-givers within the game, assigning players specific objectives to complete in exchange for rewards that contribute to the island's overall development and progression.