The codename for Let's Go was "Beluga". When I heard this, it made me wonder: why something so random? Then it hit me: this game is heavily focused on getting hardcore Go fans to buy a Switch. They want the big spenders to throw more money towards Nintendo. And what are big spenders on free to play games called?
Whales.
The game literally began with the name of their marketing strategy.
That's hilarious! Never thought about that to be honest.
And really, I think it may just work. Personally, I really hope this game doesn't sell as much as pokemon games usually sell. They've just removed so many mechanics, pokemon and other things that I don't think is worth the $60 price tag. However, I seen some big Pokemon Go YouTubers say that they'll be buying and streaming it so some of their fans may do so as well. So yeah, it is pretty genius.
Sadly the simplistic game will be a sale success (no matter how much people complain about it afterwards, Nintendo already got their $60) since so many people is so invested into pokemon that the first game for consoles in a while is a must buy, either because of nostalgia for gen 1, you play GO or you have played every main series game it appeals to a massive audience, casuals and hardcore alike
Some aspects of the let's go games are now somewhat appealing... The master trainers seem challenging for sure, a challenge you definitely won't find in go. If the master trainers all carry low level Pokemon then it's a joke, but if some of them are close to 100 you'll struggle to beat them (and in some cases the only viable strategy may be to hope for luck with status moves).
I mean, how do you use a Lapras to beat a Lapras with solar beam and thunder (without a significant level advantage)?
I'm not sure if the catch animation replaces injuring wild Pokemon or simply is an addition. I hope it's an addition.
Regardless, I agree that a gen 1 remake isn't worth a full game price tag, even if there are some notable additions (especially because I don't believe Gen 1 cost that to begin with...), but it's definitely not going to be a total let down.
I'm pretty sure they're post-game. From a leaked screenshot the Weedle master trainer had one at level 65.
If by "catch animation" you mean the Go style mechanics of throwing the ball with the Joycon then yes, that replaces wild battles entirely. The only exceptions are legendary Pokemon, which I guess are timed battles similar to Go's raid battles. In this case it's an addition, as from what I can tell you're required to fully defeat the legendary before being taken to the catch screen.
Huh that's a shame. Was hoping wild Pokemon would just have the animation if you chose to throw a pokeball
On that note though, it would add challenge to the game in that you can no longer grind levels on wild Pokemon, you need to face trainers to level up.
A level 65 weedle is definitely fine, as that's way beyond the evolution level. If that translates to a level 80 kakuna and level 95 beedrill I'd be thrilled (as the beedrill would be a real challenge). However if all master trainers have level 65 Pokemon then it's a joke as level 100s will crush them with even simple strategies.
You get experience for catching Pokemon. So instead of grinding wild Pokemon by fighting them you grind by catching them. So technically you still grind against wild Pokemon, just in an entirely different manner. The argument I don't get is that the removal of random encounters being seen as a good thing in that random encounters are tedious and monotonous. Having to grind via catching everything in sight is equally tedious and monotonous, unless the game as a whole is so easy that grinding isn't required at all.
The way it appears is that there is a master trainer for every species. So you'd have separate trainers for Weedle, Kakuna, and Beedrill. I don't know if they're all set to level 65, I've only seen the Weedle screenshot at 65. Given the nature of everything else in this game I'd be surprised if any of them went beyond level 75. According to the guy who runs Serebii, you might be able to use the LGPE candies to boost stats to obscene levels making the fights trivial even at the same levels. I don't know how true that is though.
If the game was a "normal price" for games, this might work with me. But I'm looking at about $150CDN PER GAME and $500 for the system, so $800 altogether.
Nope.
edit: It looks like they're FINALLY offering the game without the Pokeball, so there is an $80 version now, and a Switch Bundle with Eevee or Pikachu. But still looking at $650 for both games ($500 + $80 + Tax) and that doesn't included the peripheral, so the answer is still Nope.
For an extra kick in the nads, take this from the official Pokemon website:
"Please note that you will not be able to bring a Mew caught in Pokémon GO into Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee! The ability to claim your gift of Mew may be discontinued at some point after the initial sales period of the Poké Ball Plus."
So not only is the Pokeball Plus the only way to get Mew, if you don't jump on it right away you may not even be able to get it.
As I've only got 2 testicles, I'm not sure if I should go looking for more bad news about this product because I'm now immune to future kicks in the nads based on this product, or if the nads will be even more aggravating than the first two.
On the bright side, I'm quite thankful that I cut the cable years ago, so there's much less chance that my kids will pick up on this game and want to play it.
