Topic: Pokémon Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee!

@MarcelRguez Game Freak confirmed that they've been working on the next core game since before the Switch released. That implies that they're taking their time with it, hopefully to make it a more ambitious game than Let's Go. So I think Let's Go releasing this year serves three purposes: 1, give Pokemon a bigger presence on Switch, 2, reach the 20 million goal this year, 3, get the GO audience into the core series. So I really do feel that Let's Go, whatever we may think about it, is just setting up the real debut next year.

I honestly think it’s a Wind Waker moment. Aside from apparently getting rid of random battles (which will be mega popular outside the circles who have “thou shall enjoy annoying random battles” inscribed into a stone slab” - even Dragon Quest has seen the light and dumped them) and rejigging the catching mechanics for the ones from Pokemon Go (which were the satisfying part of that game and - let’s face it - catching was never a huge part of the original games anyway) it looks like a fairly bog standard Pokémon game. Certainly the battle system - the core of the games - seems to be intact

It’s just been presented in a slightly different way.

The other things they’ve either hinted at or shown like Pokemon followers in the field and a more anime involved story progression are things that people have asked for for years.

I personally wanted Pokémon BoTW but TPC was never going to give us that.

@Grumblevolcano So the people who are into free mobile games will suddenly drop €330 on a Switch, €60 on the game, and get the €50 controller while they're at it?

I assume you’ll be able to transfer the Gen 2 and Gen 3 Pokémons caught in Pokémon Go into Let’s Go?

@MarcelRguez Well, for me the Switch has so far been... Super Mario Odyssey and that's it. Super Mario Odyssey is fantastic and I'm glad they brought back more open world style levels. However, 3D Mario platformers have never been my favorites, to be honest. So having that be the only exciting new, non-port game is just not impressing me at all.

I have a feeling that Super Smash Bros 5 will be standard fare and thus won't inspire me. So I was hoping that Pokemon would at least be decent. This isn't even decent.

Here's to hoping that SSB5 is a surprise, and that there are other exciting franchises like Animal Crossing, but... I'm doubting it. Looks like the Nintendo that produced BoTW and Odyssey has run out of steam.

@Mrtoad They said you can't. Only "Kanto" Pokemon from Pokemon GO can be transferred over. Soooo flipping lame. I can't even.

@Octane No. But their parents will. I have a friend who has a GameCube with just Pokémon Colosseum and no other games. I'm pretty sure he only had Pokémon games for his GBA as well. Of course, it doesn't happen that easily all the time but there are some people who will buy a console for one game.

@Harmonie Well, to be fair, the "Core Experience" Pokemon game is coming next year, while this year's is aimed at casuals. Which means we might actually get a genuinely not watered down Pokemon RPG for Gen VIII. That's good news in my book at least. I'm curious though, have you tried Mario and Rabbids? It's probably my favorite exclusive after Super Mario Odyssey, incredibly well done.

@MarcelRguez Well, it's Pokemon, it will sell regardless. They don't have to worry about that.

I fired up Pokemon Go right now (I wasn't playing it before because I had issues logging in but I fixed it) and I had fun catching that Alolan Eggxecutor I found. I never really thought Pokemon were that hard/fun to catch in the main games. I might actually try to catch them all this time seeing there's only 150.

@Tsurii Yeah, I think that the stuff from ORAS is a perfect middle ground. Pokemon exist as individual entities on a route, they can walk around, but they can also hide (if that makes any sense). And yeah, Animal Crossing is a good example of how fishing could work. I can already imagine what a Sharpedo encounter would look like.

I have no idea how SMT plays though, so I cannot comment on that.

You know, this game's "spin-off/main game" shtick reminds me of Shadow the Hedgehog for Sonic, where that can be looked upon as a spin-off but has multiple elements of main 3D Sonic games back during that era.

Just a funny thought.

@link3710 But they were still in the game data for transfers, meaning they needed move sets, stats, models, and animations from day 1. It doesn't matter if Pokemon are readily available or not, having them there at all still takes up dev resources.

The Pokemon can pop-out of grass and the ground Who knows if they can pop back in after a certain amount of time or something. One of the leakers said Pokemon can pop out of these areas as well as trees and water so I'm guessing he was telling the truth.

@Haru17 I'll give you that, partially. It's quite normal for Pokemon not available in game to not have any moveset changes, stats don't change between games, models and animations were the same for all games post-XY. Even Dex entries for old Pokemon always come from old games. Most of importing old Pokemon should be little more work than copying and pasting in old data assuming a competent development process, not a significant cost on dev time. The big exception to that of course was X/Y, which did in fact have a ton of work to do to bring in all those old Pokemon.

The thing that confuses me still is when they said last year that the next core Pokemon RPG would come out in ''2018 or later'', they knew very well that the Let's Go games were on its way for a 2018 release. Why even bother with the 2018 at that point? Just say they're in development, they were never coming out in 2018.

@link3710 The idea is that they're going to have to keep making models for all of the back catalogue of Pokemon, all their stupid little gimmicks like seasons and mega evolution. Like, I don't know, when they finally decide to make some sort of new gen console Pokemon game. That's a clear development burden. I'd rather they just have like 100 new Pokemon + Pikachu and flesh them out with side quests, interactions with the environment and their predator/prey Pokemon, more specific animations, unique moves, gameplay gimmicks, etc.

The messaging around this entire thing has been a mess. First there is the thing @Octane detailed, then there is the confusion that the official accounts cant seem to decide if they are or aren't core games, and it probably doesn't help it was revealed in the middle of the night and the only way we heard any of this was live tweets from second hand people at the event leading to a Chinese whispers scenario.

Because you know, cant just release information anymore, had to get this stuff second hand.

@Octane It could be that there'll be 2 main Pokemon franchises like Metroid has 2D Metroid and Metroid Prime (not a fantastic example given Metroid's hiatus but it's the best I could think of) and the 2 franchises alternate. So like:
2018 - Let's GO Pikachu & Eevee
2019 - Gen 8
2020 - Next Let's GO games
2021 - Sinnoh remakes
2022 - 3rd batch of Let's GO games
2023 - Gen 9
... etc.

Apparently there are no wild Pokémon battles in this game. You just catch the Pokémon although the only thing that has me excited for this game is two people can play together. Essentially this is just a version of GO for the Switch. Plus Eevee and Pikachu can ride on your shoulder and head.

@Haru17 (and @Tsurii) They redid them all for gen 6 actually! And it's Creatures who did that, not GameFreak, so it's not much of a burden. They have a company that specifically handles the 3D models (of Pokemon at least).

@Tsurii I see! Yeah, something like that. I wouldn't mind a bit more interactivity. Seeing certain Pokemon actually walking around, but keep them hidden in the grass. You can have rock Pokemon concealed as actual rocks. I think Pokemon Ranger did that too. They should take some notes from that game lol. Having them walk around willy-nilly without any interaction like we saw in the trailer looks a bit silly too. So I don't mind the idea of having to ability to hunt for specific Pokemon if you will, just make it look a bit more realistic (and again, preferably with an element of surprise).