Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! / Let's Go, Eevee!

Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! are a pair of 2018 RPGs by studio Game Freak that brought a modern reimagining of the legendary Kanto region to Nintendo Switch, first introduced back on the Game Boy in the original Pokémon Red and Blue games. The player again sets out on a journey as a beginning trainer, but this time alongside one of two titular mascots, Pikachu or Eevee, who can accompany them directly outside of their Poké Ball, react to their surroundings, and be petted or fed as part of a new interaction system.

The major new feature is a catching system borrowed from the mobile game Pokémon GO – battles with wild Pokémon were replaced by throwing Poké Balls using joy-con motion controls or classic buttons, which made the game accessible even to complete newcomers and younger children, though it also drew criticism from some long-time fans who missed the traditional turn-based battles against wild Pokémon known from previous generations. Trainer battles, on the other hand, remain fully turn-based and follow the classic, well-established formula of the series.

The games became a commercially very successful entry point into the world of Pokémon on a modern console, connected generations of players through a two-way link with the mobile game Pokémon GO, and prepared both the player base and the technical groundwork for the full-fledged main series entries that came to Switch later. Despite the simplified mechanics, they remain a popular choice for families and players looking for a more relaxed, less competitive entry into the vast Pokémon universe. Visually, the games significantly benefit from the Switch's power compared to the older handhelds the previous generations released on, and they offer a colorful, richly detailed Kanto region along with the companion accessory Poké Ball Plus, which can also be used on its own as a more advanced variant of the classic Poké Ball.