Nostalgic Pokémon fans must play this new Switch game

Pokémon: Let's go, Pikachu! and Eevee! are the last games for the seventh Pokémon generation and the first main game to be released on the Nintendo Switch. They are remakes of Pokémon Yellow for the Game Boy, a free adaptation of the original Pokemon Anime. The games take place in the Kanto region, but the story is not about Red's rivalry with Blue. Instead, the main characters are Chase and Elaine and rival Trace. These are not meaningless renamings, but completely different characters. Red and Blue appear as separate characters in these games. Both games are compatible with the Poke Ball Plus accessory, which allows players to take a Pokémon on the go and earn in-game rewards.

Instead of the three traditional starters, players are set to Pikachu or Eevee, depending on the version. As in Pokémon Yellowthe player's starter will not evolve and will remain outside of its Poké Ball. Fortunately, these starters have higher base stats than their normal counterparts, along with perfect individual stats. The Play with Pikachu/Eevee action involves a wider variety of interactions with the player's starter than Pikachu in Pokémon Yellowsuch as customizable hairstyles and outfits. These games also include a two-player feature that is activated by sharing a Joy-Con controller. The second player acts as an independent helper, using another Pokémon in the first player's party.

Wild Pokémon have been fundamentally redesigned

It's like a safari zone where skill trumps luck

Pokémon: Let's go, Pikachu! and Eevee! introduces a much appreciated quality of life change that will be retained in future Pokémon games – wild Pokémon now appear in the overworld. Players encounter them when they come into contact with them. Unique to these games are wild Pokémon that emit a red or blue aura. These auras represent a larger or smaller version of a Pokémon and refer to size differences in Pokémon GOSpeaking of which, players don't fight most wild Pokémon. Instead, they can throw Poké Balls at them using the Joy-Con's motion controls.

Each Pokémon's moves and catch rates vary depending on the species. When playing in handheld mode, players must use the Nintendo Switch's gyro controls to aim and use the A button to throw a Poké Ball. This may not seem very fun, as the Safari Zone is one of the more despised elements in the early Pokémon games. Thankfully, two rings alert players when to throw a Poké Ball. Players can increase their Pokéball's catch rate by timing it correctly. when the shrink ring is small. The color of the shrink ring determines the catch rate of a particular Poké Ball – green is the easiest and red is the most difficult.

Although wild Pokémon don't usually battle, party Pokémon gain experience with each successful catch. Players are also rewarded with candies and berries based on their performance. Berries can make catching wild Pokémon easier or increase the chances of receiving rewards after a catch. A second player can coordinate their Poké Ball throw with the first player's to increase the chances of a successful catch, but this will deplete the Poké Ball supply twice as fast.

Fortunately, players start with a lot of Poké Balls and receive more money with each victory in a Trainer Battle. When catching a Pokémon, aiming is crucial. A missed throw will result in the Poké Ball being wasted, so players are expected to practice throughout the game. Some Pokémon can perform moves to defend themselves against Poké Balls even if the player's aim is perfect.

Once a player catches a Pokémon, they begin a Catch Combo. Catch Combos grow as the player repeatedly catches the same type of Pokémon, but break once a different Pokémon is caught or the Nintendo Switch is turned off. This also applies to Pokémon in the same evolutionary line—a Metapod will break a Caterpillar Catch Combo, for example. Catch Combos do not break if the Nintendo Switch is put into Rest Mode, the player flees from a wild Pokémon, or leaves an area entirely. The higher a Catch Combo is, the more maximized the individual stats of each subsequent Pokémon are. A rare type of Pokémon or even a Shiny Pokémon will also become more common until the chain is broken. However, to maximize these chances, a Catch Combo of at least 31 is required. Players can continue and get lots of candies and berries.

Kanto includes some of the features of the 7th generation

Mega Evolutions, Alola Forms and the Physical/Special Separation

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While held items and abilities do not exist in Pokémon: Let's go, Pikachu! and Eevee!, This is the case with every Mega Evolution and Alola Form of a first generation Pokémon. Each Mega Evolution's corresponding Mega Stone is activated from the player's inventory, but only Venusaurite, both Charizardites, and Blastoisinite can be acquired before the post-game. Alolan forms can be acquired by selling their cantonal counterpart to an NPC. There are also Steel-, Dark-, and Fairy-type Pokémon and moves, and each Pokémon repeats its corresponding retyping from games released after the game. Pokémon Yellow – Magnemite is part steel, Jigglypuff is part fairy, and so on.

There is also the separation Physical/Special, and some moves from later generations like Shadow Ball and Dazzling Gleam make these games more balanced than Pokémon Red, Blue and Yellow. The starters, Pikachu and Eevee, also learn special overworld techniques as they play – another wonderful quality of life change that replaces HMs. They can also learn unique moves from tutors in Cerulean, Celadon, and Fuchsia City that provide type coverage or secondary effects that are difficult to replicate. Partner powers are also available for the starters Pikachu/Eevee as a “fifth move” by shaking the Joy-Con, which doesn't miss and deals damage based on that starter's friendship level.

Some combat conditions, such as weather and terrain, do not exist in Pokémon: Let's go, Pikachu! and Eevee!. Some aspects of Kanto's Nostalgia have been changed to meet modern standards. Certain moves – Solar Beam, Teleport, and Giga Drain are some examples – have been reworked. The Cycling Road has been changed to Pokémon Road, as the bicycle does not appear in that game. The slot machines in the Celadon Game Corner cannot be played, as Gambling is prohibited in the modern world Pokemon games. Ironically, the Safari Zone will be replaced by GO Park, where players can interact with their Pokémon.

Last but not least, two new Pokémon will be added to Kanto’s regional Pokédex of 151 – Meltan and Melmetal. These Mythical Pokémon must be acquired from Pokémon GO be transferred to this game. Fortunately, Mythical Pokémon are not required to complete the Pokédex, and there is no National Pokédex or other Pokémon to collect other than the original 151. Even Players who hesitate to buy a modern Pokemon Game with hundreds of Pokémon to collect will not have this problem with Pokémon: Let's go, Pikachu! and Eevee!

The gaming experience is different from other Pokémon games

Master Trainers give players a reason to train them all

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Nostalgic players may be happy to hear news about post-game content. Although it is not as comprehensive as other Pokemon Title, Pokémon: Let's go, Pikachu! and Eevee! introduces a concept that no other game has – Master Trainers. Once the player completes the main game, these special trainers are scattered throughout the Kanto region and specialize in a single Pokémon.

Master Trainers are easy to spot – they wear red clothing and a symbol that represents their specialized Pokémon. To participate in these battles, players must own the same specialized Pokémon and items are prohibited. Their specialized Pokémon are very high level and most have TM moves to surprise players. Completists can spend hours raising each species of Pokémon to a powerful level after catching them all.

As for raising Pokémon, Only in these games is the effort rating system replaced by awakening ratings. Like EVs, AVs increase a Pokémon's stats, but they aren't gained by battling Pokémon. Instead, Pokémon gain AVs by leveling up and eating Candy. Six types of Candy represent the six core stats – Health, Strength, Toughness, Intelligence, Bravery, and Speed.

Initially, regular candies can quickly boost a Pokémon's AV, but more candies are required for each stat increase. Large candies and XL candies are required for higher AVs and have level requirements. Specialized species candies increase a Pokémon's AV for all stats, provided it or its lowest evolution has the same name—Dratini candies can boost a Dragonite, for example.

Each stat has a maximum of 200 AVs, and each stat can be maxed out at once. While 4 EVs only grant a single stat point for a level 100 Pokémon in the main series games, each AV grants a stat point regardless of level. Therefore, it is possible to have a level 5 Pokémon with stats commensurate with a level 100 Pokémon. Optimized Pokémon are extremely bulky compared to the main series EV system, with some stats potentially exceeding 500. Therefore, online multiplayer follows a different meta that Nostalgic players can follow without messing up an EV spread.

Pokémon Let's Go

Platform(s)

Switch

Approved

16 November 2018

developer

Gambling addict

Genre(s)

role playing game

ESRB

E for everyone: Mild cartoon violence

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