The Pokémon franchise is expanding its presence on the Nintendo Switch with two new role-playing games: Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! When both games launch on November 16th, players will get the chance to experience many firsts for the series: couch co-op, mobile integration, and big-screen play, all in the style of Pokémon’s traditional RPGs. It’s a step forward for Pokémon that begins with a look back.
The Let’s Go games draw heavily from the handheld Pokémon titles, but they’re also as close to a reboot as the game series has ever come. These new games focus primarily on the Kanto region, home to the original 151 pokémon; the player’s titular partner, whether Pikachu or Eevee, prefers to hang outside of its pokéball, just like in Pokémon Yellow. “These games, Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee!, we took inspiration from and used Pokémon Yellow version, Special Pikachu Edition, as the base for these,” says Game Freak director Junichi Masuda.
Yellow was special for many reasons. It launched after Pokémon Red and Blue (also known as Pokémon Green in Japan), and offered a more complete version of both. It prioritized Pokémon’s rising mascot, Pikachu, and incorporated characters and themes from the animated TV show to “better really resonate with young kids,” Masuda says.
The Let’s Go series is an effort to recapture some of that magic by offering an experience that’s friendly to new or younger players. It isn’t the core RPG experience Game Freak has promised, but rather a more accessible expansion on the Pokémon experience. Players will be able to see wild pokémon on a map, for example, and choose their encounters. The game will also offer drop-in co-op, where a friend can jump in anytime to help the main player catch a difficult pokémon or help in battle. ”With these games specifically, we’re trying to introduce an all-new playstyle,” Masuda says. “It’s really a much more simplified experience compared to the traditional series.”
They’re also games that should be considered through the lens of Niantic’s breakout hit, Pokémon Go. The game was downloaded more than 750 million times and significantly boosted Nintendo 3DS sales. Let’s Go will incorporate Pokémon Go in some major ways, starting with the ability to catch pokémon in the mobile game and then transfer them into the Switch experience. The Pokémon Go Plus peripheral that launched specifically for the mobile game has been reimagined as the Pokéball Plus, which will act as both the current version of the Go Plus and a joy-con for Switch players. Game Freak has also teased further crossover between the two games, including “something special [that will make] the connection between both games even more appealing for trainers,” with details yet to come.
Let’s Go demonstrates the company’s continuing ambitions to keep the Pokémon series fresh and relevant for new audiences, while also delivering the experiences that existing fans enjoy. If the company wants to capitalize on the success of Pokémon Go, it will need to find a way to keep those new players engaged. A free smartphone game is an easy sell, but the barrier to entry is higher when potential Let’s Go players need both a Nintendo Switch and a copy of the game.
Masuda says he’s confident players will pay for the pleasure of playing. On a phone, Pokémon Go players would swipe to toss pokéballs and capture their targets. With the Switch, there’s even more free range with motion controls; flicking the remote to mimic the feeling of tossing a ball, or — with the Pokéball Plus remote — playing with a ball itself to feel more like a real trainer. And playing on a big screen with friends “to really enjoy the experience together” can’t hurt either.
If Game Freak learned one thing from Pokémon Go, it was that the series has more to offer through different design experiences. “I really felt the possibilities that came with simplifying that [pokéball] throwing mechanic to [reach] a much wider range of players of all ages to be able to really enjoy the game,” says Masuda. “I think in that sense, of how it kind of simplified the gameplay, it will affect the business going forward, as well.”
Of course, Pokémon’s strongest card has long been that of nostalgia, and Game Freak is eager to reintroduce those original 151 monsters to the general public. Its focus once again on these core pokémon is reminiscent of Pokémon Go’s initial launch. “We started with the 151 and I think because of Pokémon Go, those pokémon were introduced to a much wider audience than before,” Masuda says. “I kind of feel like those original 151, they kind of represent Pokémon as a whole. Those are the ones I would like kids to experience for the first time.”
New games aim to mix mass appeal of Pokémon Go with nostalgia of classic titles
The Pokémon Company and Nintendo have announced new Pokémon games for the Nintendo Switch.
The announcements were headlined by two games that aim to mix the approachable nature of the hit mobile app Pokémon Go with the more in-depth appeal of the mainline role-playing game series, alongside a healthy hit of nostalgia.
Based on a combination of the first-generation 1998 game Pokémon Yellow and Pokémon Go, Pokémon: Let’s Go Pikachu and Pokémon: Let’s Go Eevee return players to Kanto, the setting of the original games, in an updated graphical style. Various familiar elements of the mainline series, such as battling, trading and exploration, are also shown.
Catching Pokémon now involves players flicking the Switch’s Joy-Con controllers or a new gadget, the Poké Ball Plus, at the screen in a manner familiar to players of Pokémon Go. Other elements, such as cooperative play and the ability to transfer Pokémon captured in Go into the new games, point to an attempt to capitalise on the wildly successful worldwide phenomenon.
“I wanted to bring the fun of this more intuitive, as well as widely accepted and popular, Pokémon-catching gameplay, right back to the Pokémon main series RPGs,” said director Junichi Masuda, one of the original developers, at the reveal event in Tokyo, Japan.
“Not only have we managed to make these titles great entry games for those who are new to the Pokémon RPG series, but at the same time really provide a new and fresh experience that fans of the series will enjoy.”
Nintendo and the Pokémon Company also said a “free-to-start”, simplified RPG titled Pokémon Quest would release on the Switch’s digital storefront on Wednesday, coming to mobile phones in June, and an “all-new core series” title was in development for the second half of 2019.
IT'S the news Pokemon fans have been waiting for since E3 last year - details on the games that will bring the franchise to Nintendo Switch for the first time, and two of them are coming out this year.
Game Freak is developing two full Pokemon RPG games for Nintendo's new console and today released a spin-off game called Pokemon Quest.
Pokemon Quest features new pixel-art inspired Pokemon
Pokemon Quest features new Pokecell versions of traditional Pokemon, on Tumblecube island
Pokemon Quest is described as a "rambunctious" free-to-play action RPG for Switch and for smartphones and is out today for Switch and coming in June for Android and iOS.
November 16 will see Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu and Pokemon Let's Go Eevee - which are full Pokemon RPG games - released for Switch. There is also an as-yet-untitled third full title coming next year which will be a direct follow-up to the previous handheld RPGs Pokemon Sun & Moon.
Pokemon Quest sees players attracting cube-like pixelart Pokemon to their encampment on Tumblecube, then sending them out in squads of three to do battle with wild Pokemon, without the obvious involvement of a trainer.
While it will be free to download and play, players can buy Expedition packs on the Nintendo shop which well allow them to attract more Pokemon, get more loot, and give players special Pokemon directly.
Pokemon Let's Go will feature several modes of control - the Pokeball plus, the touchscreen and the regular joycon controller for Switch
MYVIEW: An odd start, but news to please all Pokémon fans Today's announcements really did have something for everyone. Pokémon Quest is an interesting diversion from the main series, and it's always good to get a new toy to play with right away. Pokémon Let's Go Pikachu and Pokémon Let's Go Eevee, however, aren't that far away and look like a great attempt to bring a huge number of players who got their first proper taste of Pokémon with Pokémon Go into the main franchise. The innovations with the new Pokéball Plus, interactions between the two games, and the addition of local co-op play mean that even established Pokémon fans have something to look forward to. Announcing a third as-yet-untitled game also ensures that the 'hardcore' Pokémon fan isn't left out either. They may be irked at having to wait until next year for a true follow-up to Sun and Moon, but knowing it is very much in development and on the way should reassure those who thought that they'd be left behind entirely as the company chased new players.
2019 will see a more traditional Pokemon game coming to Switch - Pokemon Let's Go! Pikachu and Pokemon Let's Go! Eevee. These two are "inspired by" the original Pokemon Yellow/Red games and will initially feature the first generation of Pokemon.
It features gameplay inspired by Pokemon Go, although with a physical Pokeball controller.
The Let's Go games provide a "more casual, lighter experience" than previous Pokemon RPGs to bridge the gap between Pokemon Go and full games.
They also integrate with Pokemon Go, with the ability to transfer items and Pokemon between the two.
Pokemon and GameFreak executives pose with Pikachu, Eevee, the new games and the Pokeball Plus controller
Pikachu and Eevee will travel with the player throughout the entire campaign
The two titles are based on the original Pokemon Yellow/Red, but with gameplay inspired by the mass appeal achieved by Pokemon Go, which has been downloaded by millions more than have played any other game in the firm's history.
Pokemon Let's Go! Pikachu and Eevee will primarily feature the original first-generation 151 Pokemon, but also with Alolan variants of the original Kanto Pokemon. The games will also feature at least one "all new" Pokemon that has never been seen before in any form.
The game's developer GameFreak has confirmed to The Sun that it has no current plans to expand on this number for the Pokemon Let's Go titles with future updates, unlike Pokemon Go.
Game Freak's managing director and director of the Let's Go games Junichi Masuda also confirmed that the Let's Go games could see sequels in their own right and be the start of a new parallel main series depending on sales.
Return to the Kanto region and experience a classic Pokémon journey in a whole new way with Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee! on the Nintendo Switch! Coming November 16, 2018: https://t.co/kXLdxUMjjA #PokemonLetsGo pic.twitter.com/EKzQsTbDuE — Pokémon (@Pokemon) May 30, 2018
Wild Pokemon battles have been removed from the game and replaced with Pokemon Go inspired catching mechanics, but traditional battles will remain when battling other trainers to progress in the story.
In both games, Pikachu and Eevee will be your "partners" who will travel with you on your quest. They will have deep customisation options, with both Pikachu and Eevee being shown off in a variety of different outfits, from traditional clothing to sports uniforms.
The game will feature local two-player co-op using a single Switch - controlling the game only requires one of the Switch's two controllers per player, or one of the new Pokeball Plus controllers.
The Pokeball Plus controller alongside the traditional Nintendo Switch controllers
The Pokemon catching gameplay is directly inspired by Niantic's Pokemon Go
The Pokeball Plus controller looks like an in-game pokeball, and features motion control and a central button.
The Pokeball Plus will also be compatible with Pokemon Go for mobiles, and offer benefits if carried around with you with a Pokemon transferred from either game into it.
Any Pokemon caught in Pokemon Go can be sent to Pokemon Let's Go games -- either yours or someone else's.
One way this might work, according to Masuda, would be a parent playing Pokemon Go while out and about, then bringing a Pokemon they've caught in the wild home to then add to their child's game.
There are also other ways the games will integrate, which will be announced later on.
The Pokeball plus controller will be released alongside the games and give bonuses when carried around by players
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A third Pokemon RPG was also confirmed for the second half of 2019. This game will follow in the mould of previous Pokemon RPG titles, and so will bring a new generation of Pokemon, in the way that all main series games other than the Let's Go! games have done.
The Pokemon Company recently reported a 50 per cent drop in profits for the past year but the £61 million made in the twelve months up to February 2018 still made it the company's second-most profitable year ever. As KantanGames reports, this profit is roughly equal to all of the profits the company had ever reported before last year.
The launch of Pokemon Sun & Moon, and the phenomenal initial revenue from Pokemon Go, saw the company report a £109million profit in the year ending February 2019, and the firm will hope that these announcements will return it to a similar level next time around.
