After all the rumours, it turns out Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee are both real games and they’re coming to Nintendo Switch on November 16. The Pokemon Company has released quite a lot of information about the games, but here are 10 things you might have missed in the Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee trailer:
1. We’re going back to Kanto and it’s a faithful reproduction
The trailer doesn’t specifically tell you that we’re heading back to good old Kanto for Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu and Let’s Go Eevee, but we totally are. Professor Oak is back (move on over Professor Kukei), all the original generation 1 Pokemon, plus some Alolan variants, and some very familiar old turf. And if you want to see just how faithful the games are to their source material - namely Pokemon Yellow - just check out the images below of the same city featured in the trailer, Vermillion City. They’re screens from Pokemon Red/Blue, Pokemon Gold/Silver and Pokemon FireRed/LeafGreen compared to a gif from the Pokemon Let’s Go trailer:
2. You don’t actually fight wild Pokemon
Now it might look like you’re going up to this rogue Pokemon in this game and heading into battle as per usual, but if you look closely, when you meet a wild Pokemon, the only options on screen when it appears are:
Those options are much more akin to what you do in Pokemon Go. Get Ready lets you throw a Poke Ball, Items could refer to using Pokemon Go-like items such as Pinap berries or Raspberries, Help might just be some throwing tips and Run Away is fairly self-explanatory. The Pokemon Company has actually since confirmed in a Q&A that you can’t actually battle wild Pokemon, only catch them, which is a major deviation from the core RPG series.
3. Co-op might be more limited than you hope for
We’re loving the idea of roaming around Kanto with a buddy, but looking closely at the trailer seems to suggest that your buddy’s experiences will be locked to your game. They don’t have a buddy with them, and the players in-game are only listed as Player 1 and Player 2, rather than usernames or anything identifying.
4. Pokemon Go trading is finally coming
From the looks of the trailer and its mention of gifts, you’ll be able to trade Pokemon between Pokemon Go and Let’s Go by the means of a present system. Seeing as trading has been a very long-awaited Pokemon Go feature, it’s great news for trainers looking to complete that Pokedex. But…
5. Your Pokemon Go monsters might be trapped inside the Go Park
In this trailer at least, you only see your Pokemon from Pokemon Go being transported into an area called the Go Park. It’s not clear, but it may mean that your mobile-caught friends don’t actually make it into the main Let’s Go games. Hopefully that does count towards your Pokedex count though.
6. Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee are going to feature a brand new Pokemon
That part at the end of the trailer where someone receives a “special present” from a Pokemon Go player is definitely a Pokemon. According to The Pokemon Company, it’s a Pokemon you’ve never seen before, so probably one of the alleged Generation 8 creatures coming to the core RPG Pokemon Switch game.
Pokemon CEO: one completely new Pokemon will be in the game. Completely all newMay 30, 2018
7. Petting your Pokemon is still a thing, but you’ll also be able to feed them with a familiar set of berries
The popular Pokemon Anime feature seems to be a main part of Pokemon Let’s Go, as you probably saw from Pikachu’s adorable little face lighting up when you pat him. It goes one step further though, with the ability to dress up your buddies in little outfits. However, if you look closely, there’s an icon in the corner when Pikachu’s on screen, being petted - a little raspberry icon to be clear. It could well mean that all the items you know from Pokemon Go - Pinap berries, Raspberries, Golden Raspberries and Nanab berries - are going to play a part in Pokemon Let’s Go.
8. The heroes are basically younger versions of the Pokemon Go characters
Did anyone else think that the two main characters in Pokemon Let’s Go looked at all familiar? Well, I think it’s because they’re actually the younger versions of the two trainers you can play as in Pokemon Go. Just look at these side by sides, complete with concept art for the Let's Go characters and tell me it’s not true:
9. Team Rocket are back to cause trouble
The little icon that flashes up mid-way through the trailer is absolutely unmistakable as the logo of the infamous Team Rocket. Are they up to their old tricks again? It looks like we’ll be battling them again and singing the old theme tune at the top of our lungs.
10. HM functionality is there, but not the actual HMs
It looks like Surf, Fly and other HMs are still in the game but actually physically represented, although The Pokemon Company has said that there are no HMs in the game. I think it’ll function a bit like the PokeRide mechanics from Pokemon Sun and Moon, with some additional options, as it looks like you can race with the Nidoqueen and Nidoking in this trailer.
