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Pokemon Let's Go! Pikachu And Eevee Officially Announced

by Donald Theriault - May 29, 2018, 6:31 pm EDT
Total comments: 26 Source: Pokemon Company

Put EEVEE on HEAD.

After weeks of rumors and speculation, GameFreak have pulled the cover on the first full Pokémon RPG for the Switch.

Pokémon Let's Go! will release for Switch on November 16 in two versions, starring Pikachu and Eevee. The game will feature split Joy-Con co-op play, as well as online interactions.

Let's Go! reimagines the 1998-99 release of Pokémon Yellow, with a choice of Pikachu or Eevee as a starting Pokémon. The starter will always be with you, but does not necessarily have to be on the battling team. Unlike previous Pokémon titles, the storage system will always be accessible. Only the original 151 Pokémon will be in the game, but variations will be present such as Alola forms and Mega Evolutions.

Pokémon Go will also heavily integrate into Let's Go, as Pokémon caught in Go can be transferred to the Switch game through a version of the Safari Zone. A controller shaped like a Poké Ball and called Poké Ball Plus can also be used, either to give Pokémon experience while walking, or as a controller for Let's Go for the sequences which include Go-style Poké Ball throwing.

Pokémon Let's Go will have Pokémon following the trainer, and the trainer will ride the Pokémon in certain situations such as riding on Lapras when Surfing. HM moves will not take up move slots.

The Pokémon Company have confirmed that these games are part of the 7th generation of Pokémon that began with Sun and Moon in 2016: the 8th generation will begin in the second half of 2019 on Switch.

In a Q&A following the announcement, it was confirmed that the new games would not have traditional wild Pokémon battles.

A previous version of the story contained a reference to the games not using Nintendo Online.

Talkback

SorenMay 29, 2018

As a filthy casual who doesn't care for the Pokemon franchise...I am totally for this game.

ShyGuyMay 29, 2018

Better get your Switch paid online subscribed up

broodwarsMay 29, 2018

Yet another half-assed Pokemon game. As someone who is really only a fan of the Kanto Pokemon games, I was looking forward to this one. But no...it's just another no-effort Nintendo cash-in, since apparently there's no catching component outside of Pokemon Go.

pokepal148Spencer Johnson, Contributing WriterMay 29, 2018

"Only the original 151" If that means they're pulling that bullshit where they don't let you evolve Golbat and Chansey until after the elite 4 than they can fuck right off.

Edit: This seems like some gimmicky ass shit.

ShyGuyMay 29, 2018

Pokepal, wait for the expansion ;)

AdrockMay 29, 2018

Quote:

In a Q&A following the announcement, it was confirmed that the new games would not use Nintendo Online nor have traditional wild Pokémon battles.

As someone who hasn’t played a Pokémon game since Blue, the rumors piqued my interest as a means to get back into the franchise. What better game to do so than an update to one of the first generation games?

I wouldn’t call it half-assed. Let’s Go Pikachu/Eevee just isn’t really what I was looking for. No traditional wild Pokémon battles? I’m still unclear on a lot of things.

I never played Pokémon Go. I didn’t have anything against it. I liked that it got people moving. Just not my scene.

broodwarsMay 30, 2018

Quote from: Adrock

Quote:

In a Q&A following the announcement, it was confirmed that the new games would not use Nintendo Online nor have traditional wild Pokémon battles.

As someone who hasn’t played a Pokémon game since Blue, the rumors piqued my interest as a means to get back into the franchise. What better game to do so than an update to one of the first generation games?

I wouldn’t call it half-assed. Let’s Go Pikachu/Eevee just isn’t really what I was looking for. No traditional wild Pokémon battles? I’m still unclear on a lot of things.

I never played Pokémon Go. I didn’t have anything against it. I liked that it got people moving. Just not my scene.

I'm tired of half measures & partially-developed Pokemon console games. This reeks of the same design philosophy as that GameCube Gale of Darkness game. "You can battle your Pokemon in full 3D against other trainers...but you can't battle/catch Wild Pokemon and you can only 'befriend' existing trainers' Pokemon."
This is Nintendo doing as little as possible to make as much money as possible and set the bar as low as possible for the next iterative, barely advanced from the DS, Pokemon game.

Seriously, Nintendo half-assing console Pokemon games is one of the reasons I stopped following the series. Well, that & the ludicrous Pokemon counts each new handheld installment added.

I don't think this is any kind of philosophical thing about console Pokemon games since they confirmed the next full mainline Pokemon game will be on Switch and coming out just a year later. They just want something else to come out in the mean time and thought they might as well try to get some people who liked Pokemon Go to buy a Switch. The "bridge title" strategy is alive and well in 2018.

LemonadeMay 30, 2018

I like Pokémon Go, but not the main Pokémon games. I like the look of this one.
I still need more details, but there is a good chance I will buy it.

AdrockMay 30, 2018

While I’m sure I’ve done so in the past, I feel really uncomfortable these days calling developers lazy or their work half-assed. Working in IT helped me realize just how difficult some of this stuff can be.

I don’t have any issues with The Pokémon Company trying something new especially with a brand new traditional Pokémon game announced for next year.

Evan_BMay 30, 2018

It's hard to be truly miffed by this announcement with the confirmation of "true" RPGs in 2019, and all in all, there are some neat ideas here. The removal of actual wild battles is disappointing, but as a bridge for GO players into the core RPG mechanics and systems, it feels valid (as well as the non-random encounters).

My real problem here is the inclusion of "only" the original 151. While Pokemon GO started with Kanto Pokemon and gradually diversified, leading to Kanto Pokemon being harder to find, limiting this game's Pokedex feels like a deliberate and somewhat backwards attempt to encourage players to spend more time in the GO app because Kanto Pokemon are now more difficult to obtain. However, allowing players to transfer all of their Pokemon to Let's Go! would likely give them just as much incentive to hunt using GO. Likewise, why not feature all the currently available Pokemon in GO? It could be that they unlock in a post-game, though I doubt it.
I also have a concern about level-scaling and the odd level/CP mixture going on in this game, though I assume they'll gate player control via gym battles, so that players can't automatically transfer their maxed out GO Gyarados to the game and steamroll the competition.
Eh, these are mindless ramblings. I think this is a wise move for Nintendo/Game Freak and a great way to push Switch over 20mil this year, and gives them a strong holiday 2019 game in the form of a core RPG, so I guess everyone except those who hate Pokemon GO's mechanics wins...?

Ian SaneMay 30, 2018

Okay, so real Pokémon game in 2019.  I can safely skip this one.  I first found out about this in an email from Nintendo (at some point I signed up to some Pokémon newsletter to get a demo I think?) and though I glanced over it I didn't notice the 2019 announcement so I was worried for a second that this was the "proper" Pokémon game for the Switch.

Pokémon is very much a series where I care about the main games but don't have the slightest interest in the spin-offs, and the spin-offs don't seem to be designed in a way where they even want my interest in the first place.

nickmitchMay 30, 2018

I'm also not comfortable with calling this a half-assed measure.  It looks like they really are trying to bridge the gap between Go and the main series, plus the game looks pretty good graphically but with the same art style from 3DS.

But there's so many unanswered questions.  I'm mostly worried they'll bring over the candy/stardust mechanic.

Whew, divisive comment thread.  Ian Sane (and the article if anyone read it) already brought up the important point that the "mainline series" game comes in 2019, so I'll only touch on this announcement.


This game is great for someone like me who generally has had a falling-out of the series.  Like many, I had a copy of Blue on Gameboy and had a neighbor friend with Red who I battled with and traded to get all 151 Pokemon (+Missingno).  I didn't pick back up the series until X/Y after seeing if it would capture me and my wife's interest if we played together, but we both promptly dropped-off.  The game felt bigger in a way I wasn't sure was good for it, the Pokemon total count felt daunting, and the battle system largely felt the same as when I played Blue to a point where it felt stale and boring.


Kanto is a great place for it to be located for me, because it'll have a familiarity and comfort zone if I decide to give the game a try.  My son watched the first cartoon first, too, so he'll love that Pikachu can be his starter Pokemon.


It being the Original 151 is great for us because of that same familiarity, and it's a number that's a little more manageable than the number in X/Y (450+?!?).  I'm not at all opposed to them adding/amending new Pokemon as the series goes along, but for me personally, 250+ is where it gets burdensome to even attempt catching them all. 


Most importantly, and maybe it's something not everyone can relate with here, this is exactly the kind of Pokemon game I could share with my son.  He can't read yet so he can't play a traditional game, but he definitely remembers most of the Pokemon from the shows, and loves the concept of Pokemon go where you find them out and about and catch them outside.  He's going to love swinging a joycon at the tv to throw the Pokeball to catch them, and having a game that we can play together in a series he loves.


If this hits the right notes, I could even consider giving the mainline series a chance if it re-ignites my interest in the franchise.


I can see if you die-hards are disappointed the mainline series isn't coming til next year, but please try not to hate just because it exists.
 

AdrockMay 30, 2018

Quote from: lolmonade

Whew, divisive comment thread. 

...

I can see if you die-hards are disappointed the mainline series isn't coming til next year, but please try not to hate just because it exists.

How many posts did you read before labeling them divisive? Most in this thread seem neutral to positive.

Quote from: Adrock

Quote from: lolmonade

Whew, divisive comment thread. 

...

I can see if you die-hards are disappointed the mainline series isn't coming til next year, but please try not to hate just because it exists.

How many posts did you read before labeling them divisive? Most in this thread seem neutral to positive.

Maybe divisive is the wrong word, mixed or agitated maybe more appropriate.  I wouldn't necessarily label Broodwars, or Pokepal's comments or responses neutral or positive. 


Fair enough, wrong of me to paint it as antagonistic.  But pretty presumptuous of you to suggest I didn't read any of the comments in the thread.

nickmitchMay 30, 2018

Quote from: Adrock

Quote from: lolmonade

Whew, divisive comment thread. 

...

I can see if you die-hards are disappointed the mainline series isn't coming til next year, but please try not to hate just because it exists.

How many posts did you read before labeling them divisive? Most in this thread seem neutral to positive.

Now, you're being divisive!

Quote from: nickmitch

Quote from: Adrock

Quote from: lolmonade

Whew, divisive comment thread. 

...

I can see if you die-hards are disappointed the mainline series isn't coming til next year, but please try not to hate just because it exists.

How many posts did you read before labeling them divisive? Most in this thread seem neutral to positive.

Now, you're being divisive!

I'll give you a divisive.

AdrockMay 30, 2018

Quote from: lolmonade

Fair enough, wrong of me to paint it as antagonistic.  But pretty presumptuous of you to suggest I didn't read any of the comments in the thread.

I asked you a question about how many posts you read. That’s like the opposite of suggesting you didn’t read any.

Quote from: Adrock

Quote from: lolmonade

Fair enough, wrong of me to paint it as antagonistic.  But pretty presumptuous of you to suggest I didn't read any of the comments in the thread.

I asked you a question about how many posts you read. That’s like the opposite of suggesting you didn’t read any.

When I read the sentence "How many posts did you read before labeling them divisive?", the implication I read into that sentence is "did you read hardly anything before making your comment?".  I'm usually pretty good at reading comprehension, although I admit it's not always as easy to recognize tone, subtext, etc in an online setting.


This is a silly thing to have a back-and-forth on either way.  It wasn't my intention to debate my incorrect usage of one word and then devolve into a weird side discussion on it.  I just wanted to talk Pokeman's and was surprised at the reaction a few here got when it's been confirmed that this isn't the Mainline thing they're looking for.

KhushrenadaMay 30, 2018

Man, this new Pokemon game is.... oh, I see we've stopped talking about that now and gone into weird conversation territory. Alright. I can adjust. Hmmmmmm.


Oh yeah? Well, how many posts did you not read to not realize this thread was divisive? (There. That should work.)

Quote from: Linkle

Man, this new Pokemon game is.... oh, I see we've stopped talking about that now and gone into weird conversation territory. Alright. I can adjust. Hmmmmmm.


Oh yeah? Well, how many posts did you not read to not realize this thread was divisive? (There. That should work.)

My head hurts from that sentence.  Time to lie down and turn off the internet for a while.

AdrockMay 30, 2018

Quote from: lolmonade

When I read the sentence "How many posts did you read before labeling them divisive?", the implication I read into that sentence is "did you read hardly anything before making your comment?".  I'm usually pretty good at reading comprehension, although I admit it's not always as easy to recognize tone, subtext, etc in an online setting.

I meant if you skimmed through the posts, you may get the impression that people are down on Let’s Go. However, they seemed mostly neutral to positive. Granted, I’ll probably pass, but I’m not against the game.

Quote:

This is a silly thing to have a back-and-forth on either way.  It wasn't my intention to debate my incorrect usage of one word and then devolve into a weird side discussion on it.

Welcome to NWR.

Yep, should have known better after posting here for 8 years.

KhushrenadaMay 30, 2018

NWR - Numerous Word Roundtables

Mop it upMay 30, 2018

I was interested in the "Let's Go" game when I heard the rumours, but upon seeing it, I think it might be too simplistic. But I'll keep an eye on it and see how the final product turns out. As for Pokémon Quest, without multiplayer I don't see myself playing it for more than a few minutes.

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