New “Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu & Eevee” Games Announced for Nintendo Switch!

Jorge Arenas |

Jun 1, 2018

Are you ready to catch them all? Well I know I am. The Pokemon Company and Nintendo just announced two brand new games, Pokemon: Let’s Go, Pickachu! and Pokemon: Let’s Go Eevee! for the Nintendo Switch.

Check out the trailer here!

We now know officially that the Nintendo Switch will be hosting a pair of Pokemon RPGs called Let’s Go Pikachu & Let’s Go Eevee, both games are slated to be released on November 16, 2018.

Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu!, Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee!, and the #PokeBallPlus will be released on November 16, 2018 worldwide! https://t.co/kXLdxUMjjA #PokemonLetsGo pic.twitter.com/bUU3ZcnApi

— Pokémon (@Pokemon) May 30, 2018

What does this mean? Well for me, it means 1.) I just found my wife’s present and 2.) My social life has an expiration date.

Maybe the most interesting aspect of this pair of games is its connectivity with the popular Pokemon Go mobile game. The game will allow you to bring Pokemon you’ve caught in Pokemon GO to Pokemon Let’s Go! You will be able to catch the Pokemon you have transferred in a specific area of the Let’s Go games. However, you won’t be able to transfer Pokemon from Let’s Go to Pokemon Go. You will also be able to send gifts from Pokemon Go to Let’s Go.

Pokémon originally discovered in the Kanto region that you’ve caught in Pokémon GO can be brought into #PokemonLetsGo! https://t.co/kXLdxUMjjA pic.twitter.com/2tE59uyzlb

— Pokémon (@Pokemon) May 30, 2018

How it’s Like Pokemon Go!

The game will also feature the capture mechanics introduced in Pokemon Go! Instead of the traditional capture tactics where you would use your Pokemon to battle and weaken wild Pokemon before throwing a Poke Ball, players will just throw Poke Balls at the Pokemon in order to catch them, much like in Pokemon Go. Let’s Go will also adapt Pokemon Go’s map interface. Players will be able to see wild Pokemon on the map. This is a significant change from traditional Pokemon games where you would have to run through tall grass, surf on water surfaces, or crawl through caves in order to find Pokemon that would randomly spawn.

Traditional Pokemon Features

Players will receive experience points for their Pokemon for not only catching them, but also participating in battles.

Let’s Go brings back the much beloved traditional Pokemon Battle system against NPCs and fellow humans. This shouldn’t come as a surprise for veteran trainers, but for newcomers it means there will be a turn-based battle system where you chose your Pokemon’s attack moves. This is quite different than Pokemon Go’s current battle system.

Along with bringing back the traditional battle system, you will also be able to trade Pokemon with other players. Though the big elephant in the room is whether or not you can trade Pokemon from other games. Game Freak’s Junichi Masuda, who was the long-time Pokemon composer and now a producer, didn’t commented on the issue of compatibility.

Pokemon Yellow and Kanto

Masuda did confirm these two Let’s Go games are based off the Gameboy game, Pokemon Yellow. Players will return to the Kanto region and will be able to choose either Pikachu or Eevee as their starting Pokemon depending on which version you purchase. Pikachu or Eevee will also stay by your side the whole game instead of waiting in a Poke Ball.

Since you’ll be in the Kanto region. You can expect to encounter the original 151 pokemon with the addition of Alolan forms from the Sun and Moon games.

There will also be a brand new Pokemon introduced in the game.

Even more news! Trainers, the special Pokémon referenced at the end of the #PokemonLetsGo trailer is referring to a Pokémon never seen before! pic.twitter.com/Vm8uCAhHSJ

— Pokémon (@Pokemon) May 30, 2018

New Features

A feature that is new to the game is a two-player co-op mode. While the first player can play using one of the Joy-Cons, the controller for the Nintendo Switch, a second player may join in as a support character when you’re in an open area or in a battle by simply shaking the second Joy-Con.

Two players can adventure at the same time in #PokemonLetsGo! Explore, catch Pokémon, and battle together in-game! https://t.co/kXLdxUMjjA pic.twitter.com/ZFT3T00gw3

— Pokémon (@Pokemon) May 30, 2018

Speaking of controllers, something that caught my eye in the trailer was the Poke Ball Plus controller. The controller will launch at the same time as the two Let’s Go’s games in November. However, it will be sold separately. It works just like a Joy-Con and even has an analog stick in the center of the Poke Ball. It can even be “thrown” as a way to catch Pokemon.

You can use the #PokeBallPlus as a Joy-Con in #PokemonLetsGo! Good things may happen if you place one of your favorite Pokémon into the device and walk around with it in the real world. It will be able to connect to Pokémon GO as well! pic.twitter.com/I18Y55odpp

— Pokémon (@Pokemon) May 30, 2018

Hopefully, folks won’t destroy their TVs by throwing the Poke Ball through the screen!

So what do you think? Does this make you want to buy a Nintendo Switch if you don’t have one? Let us know in the comments below!