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Detective Pikachu Returns is dropping later this year as just one of the hotly anticipated upcoming Switch games for 2023. After its initial announcement, we got a lengthy look at gameplay thanks to a recent Nintendo Direct, which gave us a fantastic idea of the antics we'll be getting up to in the sequel to one of the best 3DS games. Clad in his flat cap and magnifying glass, Pikachu will set out to solve mysteries in Ryme City. What's more, he's joined by a host of familiar faces from the first game and the franchise in general.
Being a spin-off, you won't find Detective Pikachu on our rankings of the best Pokemon games. The original quickly stole our hearts back in 2016, and with its 3D cheerful colors and mysterious story yarn, Detective Pikachu 2 looks better than ever. We've gathered all the latest news on the hard-hitting PI's latest exploits, so here's what you need to know about Detective Pikachu Returns ahead of its Nintendo Switch release this year.
Detective Pikachu Returns release date
It's official: four years since its announcement, Detective Pikachu Returns will launch for Nintendo Switch on October 6, 2023. Time to get your Sherlock Holmes hat on as well as your Halloween costume.
Detective Pikachu Returns trailer
A trailer for Detective Pikachu Returns was showcased during June 2023's Nintendo Direct, showing the cutesy little guy teaming up with Tim Goodman again for more sleuthing antics in the Pokemon universe.
According to the trailer, we'll be "working together with Pokemon to solve the city's mysteries". Featuring Pokemon from across the generations, including a stetson-sporting Slowpoke and a suitably majestic Mewtew swooping in for a surprise, it looks like Tim and Pikachu are in good company for their Ryme City adventuring.
Detective Pikachu Returns platforms
Being a first-party Nintendo game, Detective Pikachu Returns will be released solely on the Nintendo Switch when it comes out later this year. The last time we saw the rosy-cheeked sleuth was on the Nintendo 3DS back in 2016, so it will certainly be a change to not have a stylus in hand this time around.
Detective Pikachu Returns gameplay
Described as a "cinematic adventure game" detailing the eponymous Pokemon's origin story, Detective Pikachu's gameplay will see us exploring Ryme City – "a place where humans and Pokémon live side-by-side" – and solving mysteries with its inhabitants.
He's a "tough-talking, coffee-loving" hero this time around, and from the trailer alone we can tell that Detective Pikachu is a lot more articulate and gruff than his anime TV show counterpart. There's not much else we know just yet in terms of storyline or in-game features, but watch this space for more as we wait for news from Nintendo.
Detective Pikachu Returns pre-order and price
According to the Nintendo store, the Detective Pikachu Returns pre-order is currently on sale for £39.99 / US$49.99. This is the digital price only, but we will update you with details on hard-copy prices and pre-orders when they become available.
