What Pokémon Can Learn From Let’s Go Pikachu & Eevee

Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu & Eevee were far from what Pokémon fans were expecting for the first title in the series on Nintendo Switch. A cute and casual Pokémon experience marketed towards young players and the Pokémon GO community meant that hardcore fans had to wait a bit longer for their next mainline experience. Little did they know, Game Freak had some great ideas that should be implemented in all future Pokémon games.

Pokémon Sword & Shield took a lot of risks, many of which disappointed fans. The semi-open world Wild Area is one of the biggest technological leaps of the series, but the way it was presented in-game left some fans with a sour taste in their mouth. Low resolution, choppy framerates, and bland presentation meant that exploring the 3D environment with a moveable camera was exciting but tough on the eyes. Adding in the fact that many of the 800+ Pokémon weren’t returning in Sword & Shield, and it’s clear why fans online were making a fuss.

Although Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu & Eevee scaled back a lot of the core features of Pokémon games like held items and abilities, there’s a lot they did so well that they could arguably be considered the best Pokémon experiences on the Nintendo Switch.

Pokémon Let’s Go’s Best Features

One of the most interesting things about Let’s Go Pikachu & Eevee is how the game handles linearity. This can be attributed to the design of the original Pokémon Red & Blue titles, but being able to tackle some of the later gyms in Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee in any order gives a real sense of choice and adventure in the story. Caves and routes have winding paths, several hidden areas, and even the towns (compared to Sword & Shield) seem bustling with multiple buildings to enter. One of the biggest issues with Sword & Shield is how boring exploring any of the locations outside of the Wild Area is. One of the towns in the game only has a Pokémon Center and a gym, despite having multiple doors that look like they could be entered. The Wild Area has plenty of areas to explore, but the traditional routes and caves in the game are some of the most linear the series has seen.

Having a partner Pokémon follow the main character is one of the most requested features in a Pokémon game since it was introduced in Pokémon Heart Gold & Soul Silver. The newest Sword & Shield DLC allows for this feature but it isn’t implemented as well as in Let’s Go Pikachu & Eevee. Riding Pokémon is a blast and there’s something oddly satisfying about watching a trainer hop on a Snorlax’s belly to roam the map.

The removal of Hidden Machines, or HM’s, needed to navigate terrain is a welcome quality of life update to the series. Previously, an HM was needed on a party Pokémon in order to solve overworld puzzles or cross bodies of water, but once learned the moves couldn’t be deleted. While removing HM moves is great, the lack of puzzles and things to do outside of battles was severely lacking in Pokémon Sword & Shield compared to Let’s Go Pikachu & Eevee.

The latest Pokémon games for Nintendo Switch did some really innovative things, but there’s a lot holding them back compared to some of the more cherished titles in the series. If Game Freak wants to keep their loyal fanbase they’re going to have to listen to feedback a bit more. Hopefully, the next generation of Pokémongames takes some of their biggest criticisms to heart.