Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu!

"Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu!" is a role-playing game developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company for the Nintendo Switch. Released in 2018, it is a remake of the 1998 game "Pokémon Yellow," integrating gameplay elements from the mobile game "Pokémon GO." Gameplay Mechanics: The game combines traditional Pokémon RPG mechanics with simplified controls and the capturing system from "Pokémon GO." Players explore the Kanto region, battle trainers, and catch Pokémon. Catching Pokémon: Instead of battling wild Pokémon, players catch them using a throwing mechanic similar to "Pokémon GO," which can be done using motion controls or handheld mode. Battles: Trainer battles retain the turn-based system from classic Pokémon games, allowing players to use strategy to defeat opponents. Pikachu Partner: Pikachu is the player’s constant companion, riding on their shoulder and participating in battles. Pikachu can learn exclusive moves and interact with the player. Graphics and Design Visuals: The game features bright, colorful graphics with a chibi-style design. The Kanto region is beautifully rendered, bringing a nostalgic yet fresh look to familiar locations. Animation: Pokémon animations are smooth and expressive, adding personality to each creature. Pikachu’s interactions with the player are particularly charming. Story and Setting Plot: The storyline closely follows "Pokémon Yellow," with the player starting their journey in Pallet Town, aiming to become the Pokémon Champion by defeating the Elite Four and Team Rocket. Region: The game is set in the Kanto region, with all original 151 Pokémon available, plus their Alolan forms. Features Co-op Play: A second player can join the game at any time, allowing for cooperative gameplay. This feature is great for playing with friends or family. Poké Ball Plus: An optional accessory that can be used as a controller. It enhances the catching experience and can store a Pokémon to take on walks in the real world. Integration with Pokémon GO: Players can transfer Pokémon caught in "Pokémon GO" to "Let's Go, Pikachu!" via Bluetooth, adding an extra layer of connectivity between the games. Pros and Cons Pros: Nostalgic appeal with modern updates Simplified gameplay suitable for new players High-quality graphics and animations Integration with "Pokémon GO" Co-op mode for shared play experiences Cons: Simplified mechanics may not appeal to veteran players Motion controls can be imprecise at times Limited to the original 151 Pokémon, which might feel restrictive to some players Reception "Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu!" received generally positive reviews from both critics and players. It was praised for its nostalgic value, charming graphics, and accessibility for newcomers. However, some longtime fans felt the simplified mechanics were a step back from the more complex systems of recent mainline Pokémon games. Conclusion "Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu!" is a delightful blend of nostalgia and modern gaming, making it an excellent entry point for new players and a charming revisit for longtime fans. Its simplified mechanics and integration with "Pokémon GO" offer a fresh take on a classic adventure, even if it might not fully satisfy those seeking a more traditional Pokémon experience.

For parents/family buying it for kids: A very cute little game with a lot of features for kids. Pokemon games have always been a long-standing family-friendly choice and this installment is no different. Your character moves through the world with a little story (same as all the others really) about starting your own adventure as a Pokemon trainer, and you find wild Pokemon in the environment and use the Switch's motion-sensing aiming functionality to throw Pokeballs to catch them to add to your team. This is also how your team gets stronger. Other trainers in the game can and will challenge you to fight with your team of Pokemon, and when you win you get money and more Pokeballs. The Pokeball Plus is a great addon item for this game, as it will simulate the throwing motion (HOWEVER a word of warning to parents; be sure your kid knows to use the wriststraps securely and only make the throwing motion with it, don't actually throw the Pokeball Plus as it could break! I don't recommend it for smaller children who don't know any better). You can also use the Pokeball Plus to level up Pokemon when you aren't playing the game. If you use the Save menu, you can put a Pokemon of your choice into the ball, then as you carry the ball around with you and take steps it will level up. For more hardcore Pokemon fans: The first thing you have to keep in mind is that this really is a remake of Red and Blue. I kept thinking that a lot of their newer features from the latest games would be here but they were not. It's not a bad thing, because they definitely added a lot of other features that weren't even present in other games, but it's definitely something to keep in mind. As a result, you don't have breeding. If you want a pokemon with good IVs you'll have to keep catching them over and over until you get one. The nicest new feature so far is the portable Judge system to allow you to immediately check IVs on new 'mons you capture (however, you don't unlock it until a little after Cerulean/Vermilion City). Pokemon given to you through the game itself from NPCs will generally always have amazing IVs, which is nice. They also made the Pokemon Box usable on the go, so you can switch out your team wherever you are. EV training is handled by catching certain types of Pokemon over and over again in "combos". You get candies reflecting a stat that Pokemon represents which you can then feed to your 'mon of choice. If your 'mon is one easily caught in the wild, catch a lot of that same one and send them to Professor Oak to get a candy for that Pokemon that ups all its stats. A neat way they handled HMs in this game was to have your partner Pokemon learn the majority of them without them taking up move slots. So Cut, Flash, etc get learned by your partner. Surf is handled by a few water-types like Gyarados and Lapras (who you get for free when you unlock the ability) as, again, additional features instead of actual moves. I haven't gotten this far yet but I believe Fly isn't gotten until after the Elite Four, and again will only be handled by specific Pokemon, Charizard being one. All in all, some fancy new stuff to check out, the Switch controls are fun imo, I love the Pokeball Plus for catching and powerleveling 'mons.

Although this isn't a main series game, I think it was totally worth the buy. Serious gamers might find the game a little easy, but I think it's got a good balance for beginning, causal and young gamers. I think it's interesting that the players in-game "rival" has now become a very friendly. Pros: -Low challenge game, letting the player relax and have fun reliving the nostalgia of the past. -Parents of small children will find the two player features great! Your child can run along side you and actually help you catch Pokemon and fight trainers (without hindering your progress!) -Being able to take Pokemon out of their poke balls to ride or walk is a lot of fun, I think kids will really enjoy that feature. -Connects to Pokemon Go(no limit how many accounts can connect!) and lets you transfer Pokemon in. You can achieve 100% in this game even if you don't have access to Let's Go Eevee. Cons: -Low challenge game. This game might be boring or uninteresting to more skillful players. -There doesn't seem to be a way to change the outfit on the second player. They are just dressed to as the opposite gender doppelganger of the main player. The can also get lost off camera. -The map is awkward to access. They just threw it in the item pocket and it acts like any other item. It's not even anchored to the top of the list, so it can get lost under your items. -Connecting to Pokemon Go can be tricky depending on your phone and it's Bluetooth capabilities. As a bonus, we don't have to feel guilty about leaving a trail of dead Pokemon behind us on our quest to become the best trainer!

I love this game so much y'all srsly. This is a remake of the original Pokemon Yellow, with the pokemon mechanics reconfigured to support the game's more recent developments, especially focused on the Pokemon Go throwing mechanics. This also incorporates the bonding features from the most recent couple of pokemon games (although you can only interact with your starter in this way) and adds some new elements I love - you can actually see the pokemon available to catch animated and wandering the wild. The items features are super simplified - you have berries for catching pokemon and bonding with your starter, health and other effect potions, candy that each raise a specific pokemon stat, and then a whole lot of items made just to sell. While the catching mechanic means you'll be spending a lot more on pokeballs in-game to account for your missed shots, it's really super easy to get cash. And level up your pokemon. And also to get the starters - there are characters in-game that will just hand you a charmander, squirtle, and bulbasaur. So like, it's a little unbalanced, but this also makes for super fun gameplay - I think this a great game for people who haven't been introduced to the main pokemon games very thoroughly, especially those who are more familiar with pokemon go than anything else. It beautifully incorporates the motion mechanics of the switch - but it uses surprisingly few buttons; you can play the game with just a joycon, which almost feels like a waste, but it makes it a lot easier for a second player to join in without having to purchase extra controllers. (The second player makes battles and catching like EVEN easier btw.) So it's a really fun game to introduce you to Pokemon, to play with a companion, or just to mess around in - and it also makes it waaay more feasible to get Melmetal in Pokemon Go btw.

If you are a fan of old pokemon; this is nothing like the old games; this is a pokemon go version without GPS fundamentally. This does not mean that is lesser fun or for kids only; just that it is different. I did buy it knowing that there won't be RPG elements like random encounters, and that the story is pretty much a clone of the yellow version; and honestly it does not bother me much. Although this game is horrible when it is time to catch pokemon, if you play it in TV mode. The motion control on the controllers is horribly implemented; you will throw pokeballs straight and they go sideways; you try to throw a curveball and it goes anywhere but where you want it to go; and this is bad. The issue is that the pokemon, move at times, or jump, so you can't just throw the pokeball straight to catch them. If the controls were accurate, this would be the challenge of catching the pokemon, but since they are horrible at register movements, you end up frustrated. To circumvent the issue, you need to use the handheld mode. In that mode, you can use the gyroscope on the controller to move the camera angle, so when you press the A button to throw the ball, you are much more precise in that way. I love to play the game in TV mode but when I need to get a hard to catch pokemon, I switch to handheld mode. Also the pro controller won't work with the game; only the motion controls. Other than that, the game is enjoyable; kids love it and so do I. You can play with a second player locally at anytime; which is great. They can jump in your game and help; although their progress is never saved. Graphics and sounds are nice; I just wish your main pokemon would evolve, but it stay the same form all the time, so if you want to evolve a pikachu you need to catch one :) The difficulty of the game is OK; some say it is too easy; but for me it is good that it is easy, because being a very long game, and very time consuming; I don't really have time to look for a "challenge", and just want to experience the story and the game. And I did play the old games; but I was also 15 at that time, so I had plenty of time at hand :) In short, the game is great for kids and adults; the catch mechanic is meh but fun after a bit; and if you are ready to swap between tv mode and handheld mode when a pokemon is hard to catch; then you will have a lot of fun playing this game. BTW the Eevee version is 100% the same game; the difference is in the rare pokemon you find. So no reason to buy 2 version, especially if you are a pokemon Go player: you can transfer all the pokemon you own on your go account to this game, so there is no need to buy twice the same exact game.

Fun game.

I was hesitant about this game and more excited about the mainline game yet to be released but now I’m apprehensive about the next game. Let’s Go Pika is what I’ve wanted for a long time but just didn’t know it. I didn’t realize how drawn out catching Pokémon in the previous games was until I played LGP. I like that it’s been simplified in terms of time and honestly some of the little turd Pokémon still have me wasting 10 Pokeballs. I like being able to avoid battling wild Rattatas after catching 10 of them. I like being able to always see my Pokémon box and not have to go to special locations to change my main party. I like that it’s not backbreaking (time intensive) to level up new Pokémon to Switch things up. I like that I can focus on catching them all and not worry about my berry farm or who know what else. The graphics are fantastic. I can play on my TV- and it’s great. Playing in handheld is also fantastic. The motion controls are fun ( even though I don’t foresee myself partaking too often). The game plays smoothly. This game has a lot going for it that is good and as a fan of previous titles there is definitely room for this game in the Pokémon lineup. My only wishes would be that online trade was easier but I haven’t spent much time or effort messing around with it. Overall this game is awesome and I feel like it will be a good value for the money. Don’t listen to the haters- there’s plenty to be happy about with this title.

It like playing pokemon yellow all over again. Really enjoying the blast from the past. The graphic looks amazing and game runs smooth. I like that you are able to connect your pokemon go account and transfer pokemon to the game once you get to Fuchsia City.