Pokemon: Let's Go Pikachu
- Doomacheal
- Dec 1, 2018
- 3 min read
Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! is an RPG developed by Game Freak and published by The Pokémon Company and Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch.
This game marks the first time that the main Pokémon series has appeared on a home console Switch. Pokemon: Let’s Go, Pikachu is an enhanced remake of the 1998 video game Pokémon Yellow and features new intergrations with the hit mobile game Pokémon Go and supports a new optional controller, the Poké Ball Plus.
Pokemon Yellow was the very first Pokemon game I ever played, so being able to revisit the game with it's gloriously updated graphics was a real treat for me. Everything about the game is so nostalgic in the best way possible, and with all the graphical improvements it all still feels fresh.
All of the music has been given a revamp with I love. It all feels new again and I really hope they release the soundtrack in the future.
A number of design changes have been implemented in Pokemon: Let's Go Pikachu. The PC which was used to store Pokemon in previous games has been removed and instead you access all of the Pokemon you've caught in your menu just as you would for medicines and technical machines. I loved this quality of life improvement as it allowed me to shuffle around my team anywhere on the map.
A lot of people have been complaining about the Pokemon Go style catching mechanics and the fact that there aren't random encounters but I have no issue with it. Catching Pokemon is fun and the lack of encounters is made up for with additional trainer battles. Being able to see Pokemon to catch in game makes it so much easier to pick and choose exactly what you want to go after, instead of grinding.
Pokemon: Let's Go Pikachu isn't without it's issues. The game is really easy. So far, no trainer battles have provided any kind of challenge. Even the Elite Four were push overs, when in past games they have been extremely challenging. It's a great starting point for new players coming over from Pokemon Go and presents a fantastic opportunity for parents to play with their children. I just wish that a harder difficulty setting had been included to cater for more experienced players. However, I have enjoyed the easy nature of the game due to being very time poor and juggling numerous other games which demand more from me.
The Pokeball Plus is an amazing peripheral. It acts as a joycon controller which you can play the entire game with, a Pokemon Go Plus to help you catch Pokemon and spin Pokestops without having the app open on your phone and a Pokewalker which lets you take one of your Pokemon for a walk to earn experience points and other useful in game items. This particular function has been very useful for me as I carry the Pokeball Plus around all day at work.
Playing Pokemon: Let's Go Pikachu First time I've really been able to utilise and see the Switch’s true functional capabilities. Everyday I've taken it to work to play during lunch and then come home and thrown it up on my TV to keep playing. It's a really great game to have bite sized play sessions with.
Pokemon: Let's Go Pikachu is worth checking out if you're new to the main Pokemon franchise as it is the perfect place to be introduced to the series. And if you're a veteran Pokemon Master, even though the game may not provide much of a challenge, the gameplay differences make it quirky enough to still be an enjoyable ride, plus the nostalgia fix is worth it alone.
4/5
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