The Nostalgia of Pokemon Let’s Go: A Review

Pokemon Leaf Green was my first adventure in the Pokemon world and to this day it still holds a place in my heart. My partner, Bulbasaur and I met many challenges and explored wonderous new places together. Ever since then, Pokemon has been a part of me.

The last couple of entries in the Pokemon series, Pokemon Sun/Moon and Pokemon Ultra Sun/Moon honestly were not great for me. I didn’t even finish the main story for Ultra Sun. When I play a Pokemon RPG, I like to battle and catch and I feel that recent creations featured too much dialogue and minigames such as taking photographs. I also missed having gym leaders and the elite four. I know that there have been so many Pokemon games with these elements but for me, getting all eight badges and then strategizing myself through the elite four will never get boring, or at least, it has not yet.

I never played Pokemon Yellow. I did consider getting it when it was released on the 3DS virtual console but I had already played Leaf Green several times and so I decided not to get Yellow. When Pokemon Let’s Go was announced, I was so excited. A Switch Pokemon game, a remake of a game that I technically had not played, a Pikachu or Eevee as your starter and collaboration with Pokemon Go, what more could I ask for? (Apart from more regions and Pokemon, of course).

When Pokemon Go was first released I played it every day. After a while I played it less often and now I am not sure when I last played it. It drained battery and it was difficult to find different pokemon. I wish that they had introduced the community days feature sooner. I expected that I would use it more with the release of Pokemon Let’s Go.

I purchased Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu and I was honestly so excited and amazed when I started the game and saw all the updated graphics. The grass, the gyms, the Pokemon centre; everything was so much more beautiful.

I love the capture feature on this game. I was originally concerned that taking out wild battles would mean that there would not be enough battles in the game but there is a great mix of trainer battles and catching. I prefer capturing in portable mode simply because I can move the screen around to target the pokemon rather than trying to use the aim and throw mechanism with the joy con which did not always work.

Further additions to note are pokemon being able to walk with you and your partner pokemon riding on your shoulder. I was so happy to finally have my own Pikachu partner! Additionally, I loved seeing Jesse, James and Meowth. I may be the only one out there but I actually liked when they were in the anime. I wish that Meowth spoke in this game though.

In short, Pokemon Let’s Go was almost exactly the same as I remember Leaf Green being and this game was a welcome relaxing and fun entry for me.