Pokemon: Let’s Go, Eevee & Pikachu
Switch
Alarm bells were ringing for Pokémon: Let’s Go as soon as Game Freak pointedly explained a new mainline RPG would be out next year – in other words, don’t expect a proper Pokémon this time round. The clamour grew louder when it was revealed it would borrow Pokémon Go’s capture mechanics, rather than have you battling wild Pokémon. Yet we suspect most will acclimatise more quickly than they’d dare admit; those easy encounters are hardly missed here, not least since you now gain experience from catching ’em all. It would be wrong to say this isn’t for the fans, too, because a particular subset of Pokémon players will get a real kick out of it. Those who grew up playing Red, Blue or Yellow and now have kids of their own should find this the ideal way to introduce their offspring to their new favourite series.
Pokémon now roam visibly, letting you choose your capture opportunities. Lobbing a Poké Ball is a simple matter of flicking the Joy-Con forward, though mastering the technique is something of an arcane art. It’s never fully clear why some throws miss the mark, though botched catches only add to the delighted relief when the clasp finally closes around your target. It’s even better with the pleasantly weighty Poké Ball Plus peripheral, with which you can play the entire game. It wobbles, rumbles and lights up in time with the onscreen device, the Pokémon’s cry sounding when they’re safely tucked up inside. Like Go’s AR features, it brings the game’s fiction into the real world in a way that’s certain to fire the imagination of younger trainers. Just make sure the wrist strap’s secured.
Shake another Joy-Con and another player can instantly drop in or out, controlling a second trainer of the opposite gender to assist in battles and with catching more elusive creatures. The satisfaction of landing a legendary beast with a perfectly synchronised throw is not to be underestimated, not least since you’ll multiply the experience you earn – even if it turns the campaign into a procession. As a game ostensibly aimed at first-timers, it’s surprisingly happy to let you get lost in its labyrinthine caves, circuitous routes and, yes, that Silph Co building. But trainers with good memories will be able to help a newcomer through: Kanto might look prettier, but by and large it hasn’t changed much.
Its cooperative rather than competitive focus certainly won’t be to all tastes, and though some streamlining is sensible – there’s no need to trek to a Pokémon centre to switch up your party – it isn’t one for the min-maxers and stat-tweakers. But as a first adventure for beginners, young or old, this gets a lot right. No alarms, then, but a fair few surprises.