WhenPokemon Let’s Go PikachuandEeveewere unveiled in mid 2018, they were met with varied interest from fans with a significant dash of skepticism. Due to the previous remakes ofPokemon’sGen 1 games withFireRed and LeafGreenand given the striking similarities toPokemon GO, it was difficult not to see the games as an effort to cash in on Gen 1 nostalgia andPokemon GO’spopularity. Despite this, thePokemon Let’s Gogames were generally well-received, with some even congratulating Game Freak for bringing classicPokemongames to a younger unfamiliar audience.
However, following the release of the first two games in what was presumably a new spin-off series from Game Freak, no further entries have been made under theLet’s Gotitle. The future of the series then remains in limbo, as for the time beingGame Freak seems focused on other gameswith the exciting prospects ofPokemonLegendsand remakes being handed over to third-party developers. IfLet’s Gois to have a chance at competing on the same platform that both mainlinePokemongames andLegends: Arceuscurrently occupy, then it’s going to need to refine its scope, and cover its weaknesses.
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Let’s Go Versus Legends
Let’s Gocarries more markers of a spin-off series than a series of remakes. Core mechanics to the game are substantially changed, such as replacing wild Pokemon battles withPokemon GO-inspiredencounters, and the game followed efforts to align the mainline series with thePokemonanime as had been reflected inPokemon Yellow.To this end, Game Freak should approach the series as an opportunity to reimagine its original games and avoid dubbing them as remakes, as ultimately this would detract from the hybridpotentialLet’s Gohas.
The influencePokemon Yellowhad on theLet’s Gogames highlights one of the reasons whyLegends: Arceusbecame a huge success whileLet’s Gohas lapsed in popularity.Legends: Arceus, much likeYellow, avoided the tradition of Game Freak introducingtwo versions of the samePokemongame with exclusivesto each. While permissible for the mainline games, for spin-off games this could hamper their possible success, as it is asking players to choose which game they’d prefer when it hasn’t been established if they would like the spin-off concept overall.
Let’s Gohad the opportunity to just create aLet’s Go Pikachugame, delivered solely as a remake ofYellow, allowing players to focus their attention on one entry. This could have paralleledLegends: Arceussuccess as it also introduced only one game alongside otherchanges to thePokemonformula, abandoning the tradition of version exclusives and instead delivering a complete, unified gaming experience. Should theLet’s Goseries continue, with many players anticipating a Gen 2 remake in the same vein, then it will need to likewise abandon version exclusivity.
Let’s Go 2: How It Should Look And Work
WithLet’s Gorefined to just one game and not two, this spin-off series can focus on unifying the gameplay experience of previousPokemongames and reimagine them as an old adventure with a new twist. For example, presuming thatthe nextLet’s Gogame would visit Johto, then it should bring together not justGoldandSilver, butCrystaltoo, which would improve its storyline, including the Ruins of Alph and Unown subplots as well as an improved story behind the three legendary dogs, assuming that Suicune wouldn’t pull focus.
For the game’s mechanics, it actually appears to be a great idea to continue to trend ofblending theLet’s Goseries withPokemon GO, as this help draw in new players and expandPokemon’smultimedia platform. Some small quality of life changes would need to be made, such as an improved method of obtaining money, since in-game costs are often sunk into PokeBalls, but it wouldn’t need to be an overhaul in terms of design, asPikachuandEeveegenerally performed well for the experience they intended to deliver.
Additionally, by revising two games down into one, Game Freak can avoid the potential hurdles of deciding which Pokemon should become mascots. Many players have speculated that Gen 2Let’s Gogames would likely feature Togepi or Marill, but with just one game, one obvious choice is Pichu. Not only does this reflectGen 2’s introduction of pre-evolutions and baby Pokemon, but it would also align withPokemon’soverall mascot as a member of the Pikachu line. Furthermore, by choosing Pichu, Game Freak has the opportunity to revisitHeartGold and SoulSilver’sspiky-eared Pichu and celebrate the previous remake’s iconic additions.
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Letting Go of Let’s Go
The only question left to answer then is whether players will see a game likePokemon Let’s Go Pichucoming to the Switch or not. Some indicators that the series still lingers on comes from small details like the continued production and sale of the PokeBall Plus controllers that were introduced alongsideLet’s Go PikachuandEevee,but it seems hopes were dashed when in 2019Junichi Masuda confirmed that no plans existedfor anotherLet’s Go-style game. However, that does leave the door open for a new entry in the far future.
Given that Game Freak weathers criticism from fans for releasing newPokemongames too quickly, a possible solution to this would be a “new” game based on an old title. Not only could this help maintain Game Freak’s bottom line,owing toLet’s Go’scommercial success, but it would still deliver aPokemongame that fans will love without reinventing the wheel. A newLet’s Gogame fits the bill perfectly, as it could help stave off future remakes catching up to the current generation while still providing a classic remake to new audiences.
However, ifBrilliant DiamondandShining Pearlare indicative of anything, Game Freak could be distancing itself from remakes and handing these projects to other developers. This might be so that Game Freak can focus on delivering newPokemongames instead of revisiting older titles every few years, but it does putLet’s Goin a difficult position. As a series dedicated to remakes, it seemsLet’s Gois either going to remain shelved by Game Freak until it decides otherwise, or fans will just have to wait until another developer takes over the mantle of the spin-offs.
