Google’s Pokémon game is back with a vengeance

The Pokémon franchise has often surprised me over the years — things like the introduction of real-time combat in Legends: Z-A and the open world of Scarlet and Violet were certainly a shock to my system, but I’d never been actively jump-scared by the series until today. In the process of writing an article, I did a quick Google search to remind myself of the release date of Legends Arceus, and was immediately greeted by a big Poké Ball hovering at the bottom of my screen and a pang of desire in my chest to catch ’em all.

The existence of Google’s Pokédex wasn’t a secret by any means. It first launched in 2025, initially only for mobile users, as a fun little minigame in which fans could “catch” the original 151 Pokémon by searching for them. However, it wasn’t always so overt. Originally, players could initiate the game only by searching for a Kanto region Pokémon. I hadn’t even included the word “Pokémon” in my search, only Legends: Arceus, but nonetheless was accosted by the specter of procrastination. I work with several Pokémon nerds (complimentary) who also frequently search for related terms, and none of them have seen it presented so front-and-center before either.

The game itself is simple, but still a fun nostalgia trip for fans of the original 151. As players search for Pokémon, they’ll be added to their Pokédex, with Master Balls being rewarded at certain milestones. These Master Balls allow players to catch different Legendary or Mythical Pokémon, like Zapdos and Mewtwo. Google will offer hints along the way, showing silhouettes reminiscent of the original “Who’s that Pokémon?” segment. There’s no ultimate prize for collecting all 151 besides bragging rights, but it’s a nice trip down memory lane.

With Pokémon Day — which marks the franchise’s 30th anniversary — rapidly approaching on Feb. 27, it makes perfect sense that the game would see a heavier dose of promotion on Google. The Pokémon Company has not held back when it comes to celebration, kicking off 2026 with a bang by announcing a year-long “What’s Your Favorite?” campaign via a star-studded Super Bowl commercial. With a Pokémon Presents planned for Feb. 27, fans are expecting the trend to continue, predicting a myriad of exciting new announcements from news about the upcoming competitive game Pokémon Champions to a reveal of Gen 10. Whatever may happen later this week, the increased proliferation of the Google Pokémon game will undoubtedly derail many fans in the meantime.