Pokémon Let's Go Eevee/Pikachu (Switch) announced; coming Nov 16th 2018

Serebii said:

If we didn't know Gen 8 was coming next year, I'd probably be jumping in with the doom & gloom. However, seeing as how my nephew struggled to get into Gen 6/7 (to the point I wrote this for NintendoLife http://www.nintendolife.com/news/20...kemon_main_series_could_learn_from_each_other, even suggested catching Pokémon like in GO, though I wanted wild battles still), I see it as a necessary evil to increase the userbase as even though people bash Game Freak for having such a view, kids do have lower attention spans and even some lower capabilities than when we were young.

As long as the casualisation doesn't invade the core core series and remains in the Let's Go core series, I'm happy.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

It's interesting. I was all doom and gloom at first, but then I showed the trailer to my gf and she really seemed to like it. She's a "casual" gamer and isn't interested in the core games. So now I'm looking forward to some co-op action with her. I think it's totally fine to have these more approachable game series from now on, as long as the main series keeps its core userbase in mind.

steviejd1 said:

They wanted to at least keep some current fans interested in the game. Changing the combat would probably be one risk too far.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Probably so. But that's the kind of Pokemon I'd be interested in seeing as a parallel series, knowing that there's still the normal games being made. Simplified and different, not just simplified. But maybe that's just me.

What if this game will sell 3-4 times the units the 2019 game will sell? Would that mean that the "core" series would die out?

And it is even likely that things like this are going to happen, since the Let's Go game reaches a way wider audience.

NicknameMy said:

What if this game will sell 3-4 times the units the 2019 game will sell? Would that mean that the "core" series would die out?

And it is even likely that things like this are going to happen, since the Let's Go game reaches a way wider audience.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

If anything, these games will likely push people to the core games. It's the game sales after 2019 that are in question

Serebii said:

If we didn't know Gen 8 was coming next year, I'd probably be jumping in with the doom & gloom. However, seeing as how my nephew struggled to get into Gen 6/7 (to the point I wrote this for NintendoLife http://www.nintendolife.com/news/20...kemon_main_series_could_learn_from_each_other, even suggested catching Pokémon like in GO, though I wanted wild battles still), I see it as a necessary evil to increase the userbase as even though people bash Game Freak for having such a view, kids do have lower attention spans and even some lower capabilities than when we were young.

As long as the casualisation doesn't invade the core core series and remains in the Let's Go core series, I'm happy.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

So Joe, obviously you're gonna get these games because of Serebii and all that, but are you actually looking forward to playing them? Because I'll be honest, I'm kinda sad that there's so much backlash, I'm actually looking forward to these games. As someone who often needs to take a break from Pokémon because of how boring grinding and looking for a low chance Pokémon sometimes is (I pretty much replay every installment every year), I think Let's Go could be a really fun little subseries as long as they actually mantain a certain level of quality on the main ones and finally stop pandering to the Gen I crowd.

Yeah, this is clearly meant as a bridge to try to graduate players from Go to Let's Go to RPG, but I wouldn't be surprised if the capture mechanic makes it's way into the mainline game.

I do hope that some complexity in terms of stats is retained even if they do simplify the IV/EV concept. Everyone in my Go community is interested in IVs and finding Pokemon with maximum stats, even the most casual of players, so introducing them to the concept is not outside the realm of possibility.

I also wonder if Pokemon Go will receive a CP/stat shake up before these games come out. I remember reading an interview with John Hanke that suggested an update battle system and stat changes could be considered (can't find the source though). Again, my entire Go community would happily swap the 2 move screen mashing for turn based gameplay and also wouldn't mind seeing the stat split from the main games in order to make more Pokemon viable in the Go meta.

MGPanda said:

So Joe, obviously you're gonna get these games because of Serebii and all that, but are you actually looking forward to playing them? Because I'll be honest, I'm kinda sad that there's so much backlash, I'm actually looking forward to these games. As someone who often needs to take a break from Pokémon because of how boring grinding and looking for a low chance Pokémon sometimes is (I pretty much replay every installment every year), I think Let's Go could be a really fun little subseries as long as they actually mantain a certain level of quality on the main ones and finally stop pandering to the Gen I crowd.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Yeah I think it could be a laugh now we know it's not the full new direction of the series.

I'm mostly looking forward to the local 2 player co-op, that seems like it could be fun, despite clearly breaking the game

Serebii said:

If we didn't know Gen 8 was coming next year, I'd probably be jumping in with the doom & gloom. However, seeing as how my nephew struggled to get into Gen 6/7 (to the point I wrote this for NintendoLife http://www.nintendolife.com/news/20...kemon_main_series_could_learn_from_each_other, even suggested catching Pokémon like in GO, though I wanted wild battles still), I see it as a necessary evil to increase the userbase as even though people bash Game Freak for having such a view, kids do have lower attention spans and even some lower capabilities than when we were young.

As long as the casualisation doesn't invade the core core series and remains in the Let's Go core series, I'm happy.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

One thing I'm hoping for is that, if the Let's Go series is aimed more at kids, the main series might get a bit of a difficulty increase.

Blue Ninja said:

One thing I'm hoping for is that, if the Let's Go series is aimed more at kids, the main series might get a bit of a difficulty increase.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

My theory is that's what they did with USUM. USUM had some difficulty spikes and it makes me think/hope it's a taste of things to come

Serebii said:

My theory is that's what they did with USUM. USUM had some difficulty spikes and it makes me think/hope it's a taste of things to come

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Really? I recently bought UM after the hype got to me, skipped it on release. Now I'm intrigued.

Serebii said:

If anything, these games will likely push people to the core games. It's the game sales after 2019 that are in question

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

I highly doubt that a game that in one hand apparently does zero effort to teach new players about "proper" Pokémon aside for type compatibility and in the other keeps enabling the "original 151 or bust" crowd to keep on blindly rejecting anything past #152 won't push anybody to the core games, or if it does it will only be for the 2019 game to be sent back to the store because "it was not the same". But that's my opinion and we've already gone in circles through it.

Blue Ninja said:

Really? I recently bought UM after the hype got to me, skipped it on release. Now I'm intrigued.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Some totem battles in USUM will kick your ass and steamroll over it if you don't come prepared to handle 2 vs. 1 battles full of status effects, stats creeping up and anything that's not resistant to the dominant Pokémon type one-shot.

Beje said:

I highly doubt that a game that in one hand apparently does zero effort to teach new players about "proper" Pokémon aside for type compatibility and in the other keeps enabling the "original 151 or bust" crowd to keep on blindly rejecting anything past #152 won't push anybody to the core games, or if it does it will only be for the 2019 game to be sent back to the store because "it was not the same". But that's my opinion and we've already gone in circles through it.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

You'll just have to wait and see. The Let's Go games have a vastly more complicated battle system than Go so they are already taking a big risk in expecting Go players to comprehend and enjoy that. If they manage to get into it then why wouldn't they want to play another Pokemon game in a new region with some new monsters to catch?

For me, the appeal of a new Pokemon has always been the new region/monsters. If they can get Let's Go players hooked into that feeling then I don't see why the 2019 game can't ride on the success of these games.

Ushojax said:

If they can get Let's Go players hooked into that feeling then I don't see why the 2019 game can't ride on the success of these games.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Because, according to what we've seen, Let's Go apparently doesn't teach players "how to JRPG". In Let's Go the battles have some more depth than the button mash mess that PoGo is, that's right, but if the trainers in the routes can be beat spamming Tackle since they're so underleveled and at the minimum inconvenience you can pop out the other joycon and do a 2 vs. 1 420 blaze it, that's not how you teach players what to do when the equivalent of the USUM totem battles walls the shit out of them in the 2019 game.

Beje said:

Because, according to what we've seen, Let's Go apparently doesn't teach players "how to JRPG". In Let's Go the battles have some more depth than the button mash mess that PoGo is, that's right, but if the trainers in the routes can be beat spamming Tackle since they're so underleveled and at the minimum inconvenience you can pop out the other joycon and do a 2 vs. 1 420 blaze it, that's not how you teach players what to do when the equivalent of the USUM totem battles walls the shit out of them in the 2019 game.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

You're talking like the game is out already, all we've seen is a few minutes of footage.

The intention of these products is to bridge the gap between Go and the main series, if that is going to happen then Game Freak will have to make sure that the basics of the Pokemon series are well understood. Having a 2-player option to reduce the difficulty is not a big deal. What matters is that players understand the types and battle system. If little Timmy needs his dad to help him beat Brock, what does that change? As long as he understands what's happening on screen then it's fine. Hopefully by the end of the game Timmy will understand the concepts and in a year's time be ready for something more meaty.

Serebii said:

My theory is that's what they did with USUM. USUM had some difficulty spikes and it makes me think/hope it's a taste of things to come

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

USUM has a decent challenge, if it wasn't for the game doing more of what I disliked about SM and even ruining the thing I liked the most from SM (the main story) I'd probably really like the games.

Serebii said:

If we didn't know Gen 8 was coming next year, I'd probably be jumping in with the doom & gloom. However, seeing as how my nephew struggled to get into Gen 6/7 (to the point I wrote this for NintendoLife http://www.nintendolife.com/news/20...kemon_main_series_could_learn_from_each_other, even suggested catching Pokémon like in GO, though I wanted wild battles still), I see it as a necessary evil to increase the userbase as even though people bash Game Freak for having such a view, kids do have lower attention spans and even some lower capabilities than when we were young.

As long as the casualisation doesn't invade the core core series and remains in the Let's Go core series, I'm happy.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

In my opinion it's not only Pokemon userbase but Switch one as well.

I recall some words from Kimishima about Nintendo wanting to keep 2DS/3DS life as they thought this would be the hardware parents would most likely buy for their kids, with Switch price and characteristics pushing kids away from it. When it comes to Pokemon, the Sun/Moon 2DS pack sold like cakes in my area. Releasing such Pokemon game on Switch will probably trigger kids interest in the console.

Serebii said:

My theory is that's what they did with USUM. USUM had some difficulty spikes and it makes me think/hope it's a taste of things to come

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

I hope so too. More tough opponents like Ultra Necrozma please!

Serebii said:

If we didn't know Gen 8 was coming next year, I'd probably be jumping in with the doom & gloom. However, seeing as how my nephew struggled to get into Gen 6/7 (to the point I wrote this for NintendoLife http://www.nintendolife.com/news/20...kemon_main_series_could_learn_from_each_other, even suggested catching Pokémon like in GO, though I wanted wild battles still), I see it as a necessary evil to increase the userbase as even though people bash Game Freak for having such a view, kids do have lower attention spans and even some lower capabilities than when we were young.

As long as the casualisation doesn't invade the core core series and remains in the Let's Go core series, I'm happy.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Something similar happened with my 12 years old niece.
She went crazy with Pokémon Go and wanted a Pokémon game on her 2DS, I gifted her UM for her birthday and she was really happy.
After some hours of playing, however, she dropped the game because it was "too hard and boring", I remember her mentioning Totem battles being impossible and the likes, I felt kinda bad for gifting her a "bad" present.

This is why I think the Let's Go series could be good for the modern generations since it seems they don't appreciate deep RPGs mechanics as much and want more an "on the go" experience; I would call these new games a "trojan horse" of sort to bridge the gap.
Gen 8 will be crucial however, if Let's Go sales will crush "regular" Pokémon games I feel like their release will spread out alot more and the next decade would eventually change the franchise forever.

I also wonder...are we sure the Let's Go games are here to "prepare" more casual gamers for a core experience? What if it's actually the opposite, to dilute the fanbase to eventually turn "core games" into an even more spread out niche experience?

Yeah. I can't see my dudes really getting into mainline Pokemon. 9yo was trying out Earthbound and ended up wandering around aimlessly, same with Mario RPG. His history is in playing Minecraft.

4yo, he'd have no chance without being able to read! We can play this forthcoming game together.

I think, fundamentally, the youth market has changed in terms of what sort of gameplay they expect and want.

Serebii said:

If anything, these games will likely push people to the core games. It's the game sales after 2019 that are in question

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

I don't know, Let's Go will obviously sell very well but I don't think it will sell as well on a future second entry in that style. Part of its success will be because of Gen 1 which is more closely linked to lapsed players, which are the main target together with younger kids. I don't see how, for example, a Let's Go game based on gen 3 would interest anyone in particular.

Serebii said:

Yeah I think it could be a laugh now we know it's not the full new direction of the series.

I'm mostly looking forward to the local 2 player co-op, that seems like it could be fun, despite clearly breaking the game

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

What do you think about the art style? It's quite different this time around

fourfourfun said:

I think, fundamentally, the youth market has changed in terms of what sort of gameplay they expect and want.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Yup, if Minecraft has taught us something is that kids are not afraid of games that don't hold their hand and to learn by trial an error, and I'm afraid that some software vendors like Nintendo are not able to keep up with that trend. Games that try to pull you through a storyline you have to sit and read through is somehow such an alien concept for them since online multiplayer and huge open sandboxes happened that I really don't know how are they going to make it.

Oswen said:

Gen 8 will be crucial however, if Let's Go sales will crush "regular" Pokémon games I feel like their release will spread out alot more and the next decade would eventually change the franchise forever.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

What's wrong with that? Times change, Red and Blue came out 20 years ago. The series can't just rely on people who were playing in 1998, it needs to keep bringing in new players. If they have to reinvent some things, so be it.

Pokemon is about going on an adventure with monsters that you capture and care for, it's not about the nitty gritty numbers behind the scenes, the gyms/Pokemon league or the specific battle/capture system. I was there from day one and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't getting bored with the main games. Like Zelda pre-BotW, it's starting to get stale and the essence of the original game is slowly slipping away.

The game structure is still stuck in the GB era yet it's got 20 years of baggage stuck on top, they need to expand the structure of the game for the modern era or strip away some of that baggage. It's not a question of complexity, it's about giving them an accessible entry point to the series. It needs to be something that new players will actually want to play and not become frustrated with if they do.

Aleh said:

I don't know, Let's Go will obviously sell very well but I don't think it will sell as well on a future second entry in that style. Part of its success will be because of Gen 1 which is more closely linked to lapsed players, which are the main target together with younger kids. I don't see how, for example, a Let's Go game based on gen 3 would interest anyone in particular.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

It pains me to say this but it could interest people. A lot of adult players, including lapsed players, now started with Ruby & Sapphire.

Aleh said:

What do you think about the art style? It's quite different this time around

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

I'm not a big fan of the chibistyle. I didn't like it much in Gen 6 but I don't know

Serebii said:

It pains me to say this but it could interest people. A lot of adult players, including lapsed players, now started with Ruby & Sapphire.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

And the Ruby/Sapphire set of Pokémon is what's currently available and hot in Pokémon Go

The chibi style here looks better than it was in Gen 6, also the character expressions are great compared to Gen6 and 7 as well, the world looks nice and colorful, but I'm not a fan of the pokemons models, they look like a big downgrade from gen 6/7.

Beje said:

And the Ruby/Sapphire set of Pokémon is what's currently available and hot in Pokémon Go

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

I know adults who started with Diamond & Pearl.

It makes me sad

AzureFlame said:

The chibi style here looks better than it was in Gen 6, also the character expressions are great compared to Gen6 and 7 as well, the world looks nice and colorful, but I'm not a fan of the pokemons models, they look like a big downgrade from gen 6/7.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

They're the same models...

AzureFlame said:

The chibi style here looks better than it was in Gen 6, also the character expressions are great compared to Gen6 and 7 as well, the world looks nice and colorful, but I'm not a fan of the pokemons models, they look like a big downgrade from gen 6/7.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

They're literally the same models, just shaded in a different way and with volumetric lightning instead of flat + black outline.

AzureFlame said:

The chibi style here looks better than it was in Gen 6, also the character expressions are great compared to Gen6 and 7 as well, the world looks nice and colorful, but I'm not a fan of the pokemons models, they look like a big downgrade from gen 6/7.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

theyre literally the same models with updated textures

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

They seem much more saturated at the very least, but the mouth is very light now

lvl 99 Pixel said:

theyre literally the same models with updated textures


They seem much more saturated at the very least, but the mouth is very light now

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

oh you're right, my bad, i still think they look plasticy without all the pixels and lines, but i like the colors.

Serebii said:

It pains me to say this but it could interest people. A lot of adult players, including lapsed players, now started with Ruby & Sapphire.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Yes but that's the point. Ruby and Sapphire were already more complex than Red and Blue, pretty much on par with the current core games with breeding, abilities, natures, held items, battle facilities, the new IV system, and everything. So simplifying the game to Let's Go levels for those people doesn't really do anything in my eyes, besides disappointing other players.

Blue Ninja said:

One thing I'm hoping for is that, if the Let's Go series is aimed more at kids, the main series might get a bit of a difficulty increase.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

You and me both. I just want to see simple things like Some but not all trainers have a full team at a higher level or a AI that won't use Leer instead of a killing blow that would win them the battle.

Serebii said:

It pains me to say this but it could interest people. A lot of adult players, including lapsed players, now started with Ruby & Sapphire.


I'm not a big fan of the chibistyle. I didn't like it much in Gen 6 but I don't know

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

I'm curious, what Gen you started with? You don't seem old enough to had been there for Gen 1.

All I can say about the art style is that the trainer is finally wearing jeans again. It has nothing to do with the art style but that's all I care about after Sun/Moon and the Ultras. I don't mind the Chibi style here or in Gen 6.

I know the answer is most likely a 0 but chances of trainer customization being in Let's Go?

Gridlock said:

I'm curious, what Gen you started with? You don't seem old enough to had been there for Gen 1.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

?
I'm 21 and I started with Gen 1, and most people my age were playing Pokémon too back then (even before we could read lol)

Gridlock said:

I know the answer is most likely a 0 but chances of trainer customization being in Let's Go?

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

You can customize Pikachu and Eevee and put costumes on them. Be thankful if you can even chose the skin tone this time around.

Aleh said:

?
I'm 21 and I started with Gen 1, and most people my age were playing Pokémon too back then (even before we could read lol)

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

You weren't born when the game was released :b But yeah it's always possible to play games lttp.

Aleh said:

?
I'm 21 and I started with Gen 1, and most people my age were playing Pokémon too back then (even before we could read lol)

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Lol.. yeah I didn't consider that but I was thinking what was the first one you bought and played to get into the series. Usually kids/people start with a more recent game and back tracks to the older generation if they liked what they originally played.

Beje said:

You can customize Pikachu and Eevee and put costumes on them. Be thankful if you can even chose the skin tone this time around.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Honestly I would be happy with just changing my skin tone if that what was all that will be offered.

I'm sure the casual audience would enjoy trainer customization that doesn't involve Microtransaction to get a new pair of pants or sun glasses.

Aleh said:

?
I'm 21 and I started with Gen 1, and most people my age were playing Pokémon too back then (even before we could read lol)

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

I'm curious did you start with gen 1 as in RBY or FRLG?

Maybe he played a sibling's copy when he became old enough to read.

Gridlock said:

I'm curious, what Gen you started with? You don't seem old enough to had been there for Gen 1.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

I started my site in Gen 1 :P

I'm 20 and my first video game was Yellow, so...yeah, late to the party but still started with Gen 1.

Serebii said:

I started my site in Gen 1 :P

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

I laughed out loud when I saw that question. I've used Serebii since I could use the Internet!
Maybe it was gen 2 by that time but your site is the OG Pokémon resource

Serebii said:

I started my site in Gen 1 :P

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

I was actually about to ask when the site started given I only discovered it around gen 3.
It's pretty wild to know it's been around since the start!

Serebii said:

I started my site in Gen 1 :P

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

You must've discovered the fountain of youth. I didn't discover your site until I starting look up stuff on the anime.

It had something to do with season one with Ash, Krabby, and Muk.

LordKano said:

I'm 20 and my first video game was Yellow, so...yeah, late to the party but still started with Gen 1.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Now I just feel old

Playing UM now and I will not miss the random battles. I think they are fine but not needed as long as trainers and gym leaders can be challenged more than once? Catching right now is just not as fun as when I played Blue, Yellow and Gold. It got old after that and if they can build upon the way GO handles it then I think this game will be really enjoyable for me. Actually, depending on how they handle catching and leveling I can see myself enjoy this more than the normal gameplay-loop.

Gridlock said:

You must've discovered the fountain of youth.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Like Sakurai, I keep my youthful complexion through the salty tears of fanboys :p

Yellow came out my senior year of high school, but I had already imported Pikachu edition a year prior. I probably don't have the nostalgia that a person who played it as a 5 year old. They probably have a relationship with it like I do with SMB, and will replay it forever. I however always want a new Pokémon. Hopefully they decide to backtrack a bit and add poke bank compatibility.

Serebii said:

Like Sakurai, I keep my youthful complexion through the salty tears of fanboys :p

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

This last week must have been invigorating then.

Serebii said:

Like Sakurai, I keep my youthful complexion through the salty tears of fanboys :p

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Pokémon creates an endless supply of salt.

So I think I only got on Serebii the first time after hearing about Celebi. What was the site named in gen 1?

The Shadow Knight said:

I'm curious did you start with gen 1 as in RBY or FRLG?

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

With Blue! I also got Gold, Crystal and Ruby on the same year they came out, I think. I even got Emerald before it came out in my own language for my birthday because it was a month or so earlier and I didn't want to wait lol

I was a pre school kid when my parents bought me a game boy and Red. When the dog ate that, Blue. Then I just got them as they came out, but stopped after R/S/E/FR/LG. I got a 3DS when OR/AS were announced and played through X, followed by OR and Sun. Now I'm back in deeeeeeep and starting a virtual console Yellow playthrough to play each region. Yellow, SS, AS, Platinum, White/2, Y, Ultra Moon.