Ready, Set, Let's Go!

Let's a go, Pikachu!

 

 

That dumb joke aside, you probably heard of the new Pokémon games coming out for the Switch. Let's Go, Pikachu and Let's Go, Eevee is a creative take on Pokémon Yellow and launches this fall. If you haven't seen it yet, I recommend you check out the trailer:

 

I totally understand if you need tissues -- I was crying too. Ever since promotion for the 20th anniversary, Pokémon's been on their A-game with trailers! It's all about adding that human element, you know? Anyways, how do I feel about Let's Go? It's a mixed bag.

 

Let's start off with the good! I've been playing Pokémon Go since it first came out and consistently do so. It's a great way to spend time while commuting to and from work, and there are a few people I know who still play. My collection of creatures has gotten pretty big since, so I'm excited transfer them over to Let's Go. Apparently, you can't send them back to Go, but that doesn't bother me.

 

The new artstyle for Kanto is also adorable! It might be the big eyes of the trainers or the more brighter tones, but gosh darn it, it works! Almost reminds me of a Kirby game with how happy-go-lucky the setting is.

 

And, probably my favorite feature, following Pokémon returns! I loved this feature in Yellow, HeartGold, and SoulSilver, so it's great that it's back -- makes you feel more connected with your partner. Plus, the fact you can dress up your partner Pikachu or Eevee. I'm going to burn all my in-game money on that.

 

Darn it, I want this outfit!

While I wish I only had good things to say, there are a few gripes I have. No, I'm not a vengeful Gengar using Grudge, but some features just don't click with me. For instance, battling is only reserved for trainer battles. The Pokémon Go gameplay of catching Pokémon is fine, but it's not as engaging as traditional battles. I understand the reasoning behind it (to appeal to more casual players), but I feel this was a step back from previously established mechanics that are easy enough to grasp.

 

Furthermore, mechanics for training are said to be kept more simple. This is disappointing, since variety in Pokémon battles comes from not only movepool diversity, but also how you train a Pokémon. An Arcanine could be physically bulky, mixed attacking, physically attacking, specially attacking, doubles support, the list goes on. Its stats could be further customized by EVs, giving more depth in how you train your Arcanine. A simplified training system would mean that Arcanine's versatility drops -- if there's no way to specifically train in Defense, it'll be harder to be physically bulky. We don't have full details yet, but elimination of generation mainstays like Abilities also takes away a Pokémon's uniqueness in battle style.

 

Probably the biggest offender for me is that Let's Go will only be limited to Generation 1 Pokémon. I wrote about this back in 2012, but Pokémon's strength is their huge catalogue of creatures they've made throughout the years. Limiting us to the original 151 takes away fan favorites from later games. What's more, apparently you can't transfer newer Pokémon to Let's Go! Hopefully, they're taking a page from FireRed and not letting you use newer Pokémon until after you defeat the Elite Four. But if that's not the case, it's a move that takes away from the inclusiveness and spirit of Pokémon games.

 

So yeah, a lot of thoughts with the new games. We still haven't scratched the surface with 2 player co-op, the Pokéball accessory, and the new Pokémon you can transfer to Go. Sure, there are some things holding me back from being all in with these titles, but I'm optimistic it'll all work out for the best. For now, let's go! 

 

 

It's Go Time!

Right before I started typing, a Clefairy popped up on my radar. Good news, I caught it.

 

As you can tell, Pokémon Go has been pretty much been top of mind as of late. Not just in my life -- the whole world seems to be playing! I remember when it was first announced and knew Pokémon fans would be all over it. But never would I imagine Pokémon Go would have this much of an impact in little over a week.

Y'all have seen the news coverage, the promotions from small businesses and big corporations, and the Snapchat stories of people ranting and raving. But what really inspires me is how much appeal this game has for fans and non-fans alike. The day right after Go came out, I got in the office pretty early -- two of my coworkers walked over to show me their collection. One of them had never played a Pokémon game before, so it was really cool to relive the sheer joy of discovering Pokémon through a new player's perspective. Soon, the office started a chat group and organizing Pokémon hunts during our lunch break. Pretty much everyone got into it -- even my manager! Even if she didn't know its name, she was pretty pumped to catch a Weezing.

You hear that, Weezing? Someone likes you!

Pokémon Go honestly brought me back to my VGC days. Oftentimes, you'll start chatting up with random strangers on these Pokémon hunts. On our second visit to the Capital, we helped a couple of trainers find a Pikachu. A few days later, I talked to a gentleman about a Squirtle he caught, gave some tips to a lady about what to do with all her Zubat candy, and pointed a couple to a Bulbasaur at Walmart. These are people who, under any other circumstance, I might have not said hi to. There's something magical about how a simple game can bring so many people together.

You can talk about the cool AR features and how revolutionary this game is -- it's all good. But the appeal of Pokémon Go for me is the same appeal as any other Pokémon game. It's a shared experience -- something that breaks down barriers and can be understood in any language. Pokémon Go just breaks down that barrier even further. So whether repping Team Mystic (like your boy Smiles), Valor, or Instinct, go out there and make new friends! After all, that's what Pokémon's about.

Pokémon Go with the Pokémon Bros.