The first Pokémon RPG to appear on a modern home console is here! The adventure of Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! for Nintendo Switch is inspired by the beloved Game Boy game Pokémon Yellow: Special Pikachu Edition. That classic has been reimagined to take advantage of the unique capabilities of the Nintendo Switch system while also incorporating the fun and intuitive Pokémon-catching mechanic found in Pokémon GO.
There is much to do and many Pokémon to catch throughout the Kanto region, so it’s a good idea to have a plan before diving into the action. To help you get started on your journey, we’ve compiled some helpful tips that will prepare you for the quest at hand. Whether you’re a longtime Pokémon fan or this is your first time playing a Pokémon RPG, these hints will prove useful as you attempt to complete your Pokédex and become the Pokémon League Champion.
Catch Ample Pokémon
It may seem like pretty obvious advice for a Pokémon game, but one of the most important things that you can do in these titles is catch a lot of Pokémon. But wait—we can explain why! Aside from the obvious benefit of completing your Pokédex, there are other reasons for catching multiple Pokémon.
First of all, catching Pokémon is essential to earning Exp. Points, which increase the level of all the Pokémon in your party. Avoiding wild Pokémon early in the game could lead to a situation later where you’re facing off against other Pokémon Trainers and Gym Leaders whose Pokémon are at significantly higher levels than your own. Catching loads of wild Pokémon early on will help guard against that.
Likewise, you can also earn Candies by catching Pokémon. You can even earn additional Candies if you transfer a Pokémon to Professor Oak. Your Candies can then be used on your Pokémon to increase their stats, such as HP, Attack, Defense, Speed, and more.
In addition to powering up your team, catching plenty of wild Pokémon can earn you rewards from certain people that you encounter throughout the Kanto region. Want to add the popular Grass-type Pokémon Bulbasaur to your team? A friendly woman in Cerulean City will give you one as a reward for catching 30 Pokémon—they don’t even have to be different species. You’ll eventually encounter other people who will offer you a Charmander and a Squirtle if you continue to increase your catch total.
Another benefit of catching multiple Pokémon is that you will occasionally encounter one of Professor Oak’s assistants hanging out in the gate at the end of a route. They’re interested to see how many different species of Pokémon you’ve caught and will reward you with items and new gameplay functions if you meet their requirements.
Make Use of Lures
So we know that it’s a good idea to catch loads of Pokémon, but you’ll have to take however many wild Pokémon randomly pop up in the tall grass, right? Well, not necessarily. If you’re a Pokémon GO player, you’re probably familiar with the Incense item. This useful tool lures wild Pokémon to your location for a limited time. A comparable item exists in Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee!—the simply named Lure.
You will be able to purchase Lures at any Poké Mart or at the Celadon Department Store once you’ve earned two Gym Badges. Lures cause an increased number of Pokémon, especially rare Pokémon, to appear in your immediate vicinity for a limited time.
Creating a flood of wild Pokémon in your path might cause a delay in reaching your next destination. But for the reasons we’ve already mentioned (and more!), it is well worth your time to catch as many wild Pokémon as you can, especially early in the game. Don’t be tempted to just rush to the next area—take some time to wander the tall grass in search of Pokémon and throw a few Poké Balls.
As you progress in your adventure, you will eventually find more-powerful Lures for sale. Super Lures and Max Lures become available for purchase once you earn four and six Gym Badges, respectively. The effects of these upgraded items last longer than those of a standard Lure, giving you more time to build your Pokémon collection.
Create Catch Combos
There’s yet another reason to lure multiple wild Pokémon to your location—a new feature known as Catch Combos. By catching the same species of Pokémon consecutively over and over, you will build up your Catch Combo. As your combo count increases, you will earn more Candies to power up your Pokémon. It will also increase the odds of encountering a Pokémon that has more impressive stats, allowing you to form a stronger team.
Another benefit of a large Catch Combo is that it becomes more likely that a rare Pokémon appears near you. For example, as your Catch Combo gets higher while you’re in Viridian Forest, there’s an increasing chance that a wild Bulbasaur will appear. There are some Pokémon in the game that will appear in the wild only via these unusual encounters, so experiment with Catch Combos in each area to see what Pokémon show up. Large Catch Combos also boost your chances of finding Shiny Pokémon, so if you’re a fan of unusually colored Pokémon, this is something you’ll want to try.
If you happen to run into a different Pokémon when working on building your Catch Combo, don’t worry. If you run away from the encounter, your streak will not be broken. However, if a wild Pokémon runs away from you, the Catch Combo will end. Stay focused and make good use of Lures, and you’ll find that all sorts of great bonuses open up for you.
Track Down Elusive Pokémon
The Kanto region in Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! will be very familiar to fans who played the original Pokémon adventure. However, there are a few key differences now that will affect how you complete your Pokédex. In particular, a couple of prominent areas from the previous games have different functions in the updated games.
For example, the Rocket Game Corner in Celadon City and the Safari Zone north of Fuchsia City were once places to get rare Pokémon, such as Kangaskhan, Tauros, Porygon, and Dratini. This is no longer the case, so you will need to find them through different means. Many of these Pokémon will now be available as wild Pokémon, so make sure to thoroughly explore the many routes throughout the Kanto region. But be aware that some of these rare Pokémon require high Catch Combo counts before they will appear.
It’s also worth noting that a few of these rare Pokémon, such as Scyther and Pinsir, are exclusive to the different versions of the game, so you’ll need to trade in order to collect them all. And be sure to talk to every person in the game—you might be pleasantly surprised to receive a rare Pokémon from a generous Kanto resident.
Find Helpful Items with Pokémon
Although your partner Pokémon will prove to be a faithful companion as you explore the Kanto region, don’t forget that you can also bring another Pokémon out of its Poké Ball to have it travel with you. Aside from it simply being a ton of fun to have another Pokémon follow you around, there are benefits to reap as well.
For example, your Pokémon companion will occasionally spot hidden items as you travel. When your Pokémon stops following you and runs over to a spot on the ground, that’s good news for you! The Pokémon may uncover items such as Berries, sellable items (such as Nuggets or Big Pearls), and even stones that can be used to evolve certain Pokémon.
A Pokémon that follows you around will grow more emotionally attached to you, making it more effective in battle. As its love for you grows, you will find that the Pokémon gains a bit more Exp. Points from battles and catching other Pokémon. It may also be able to recover from status conditions on its own and have an increased chance of landing critical hits.
Ride on Your Pokémon
If you’re looking to get around more quickly in the Kanto region, take a look at your collection of Pokémon. When you release some Pokémon from their Poké Balls (such as Arcanine and Onix), they don’t simply follow along behind you—you get to ride them! Riding a Pokémon generally increases your travel speed around the world, allowing you to reach your destination more quickly.
Of course, when you’re on the back of a Pokémon, you are a much larger target for wild Pokémon to run into, so if you want a fast and uninterrupted commute, consider using a Repel before hopping onto a Pokémon. Repels are basically the opposite of Lures, preventing wild Pokémon from appearing for a while after their use (and like Lures, Repels are also available in longer-lasting Super and Max varieties).
Unlike the Pokémon that follow you around, Pokémon that you’re riding will not detect hidden items, so you’ll need to decide if you would rather get a speed boost or potentially find some valuable goodies.
Get Alolan Form Pokémon
Those who have played Pokémon Sun, Pokémon Moon, Pokémon Ultra Sun, or Pokémon Ultra Moon already know that the tropical Alola region is home to some wonderful regional variants of Pokémon that were originally discovered in the Kanto region. And wouldn’t you know it—you can get these special Alolan form Pokémon in Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee!
One way to do this, of course, is to connect your Nintendo Switch game to Pokémon GO and send these regional variants from Pokémon GO to the console game’s GO Parks (which are located just north of Fuchsia City). Another way is to trade for them! As you travel through the Kanto region, be on the lookout for people who will offer to trade their Alolan form Pokémon for its Kantonian equivalent. These generous Trainers tend to hang out in Pokémon Centers, so don’t miss out on your chance to make a cool trade.
Alolan form Pokémon are always different type combinations than their Kanto region counterparts, and they will learn some different moves, so having these Pokémon around is a great way to have more options when you’re forming your best team!
Master Secret Techniques
Longtime Pokémon players will remember HMs as a way to teach Pokémon special moves that are used both in battle and while wandering around the world to affect the environment. For example, the HM Cut is both a Normal-type attack in battle and a handy way to chop down path-blocking shrubbery. In Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee!, you can instead get the more convenient Secret Techniques. These are special skills only used outside of battle that your partner Pokémon learns, so unlike HM moves, all the Secret Techniques can be known by a single Pokémon. They can clear foliage (Chop Down), fly you to previous locations (Sky Dash), allow you to travel through the water (Sea Skim), and more.
Another notable difference between these useful skills and HM moves is that you can begin using Secret Techniques as soon as you discover them, without having to possess a specific Gym Badge.
Some Secret Techniques are required to advance through the game’s story, so if you find yourself stuck and unable to progress, retrace your steps and talk to everyone that you can—you may have simply missed the person who can teach your partner the technique. By the way, Pokémon veterans—the places where you discover Secret Techniques are not necessarily the same places where you found the equivalent HMs back in the day...
Make Money
Aspiring Pokémon Trainers need a solid cash flow if they hope to make it in Kanto. You’ll earn some money at the end of Trainer battles, but there are ways to help maximize your income, which is certain to be a huge boon during your journey.
As mentioned already, Pokémon that follow you around will occasionally uncover items that can be sold at the various Poké Marts throughout the game. Check out each item in your Bag after collecting it—the descriptions will let you know if it’s something worth selling. Keep a special eye out for Star Pieces, which are very valuable and will fetch you a hefty sum. Chatting with people in each town is also a good idea, as some of them will offer you opportunities to earn items every day in exchange for doing a simple chore for them. For example, there’s a woman in Pewter City who will give you a valuable Big Pearl in exchange for babysitting her Slowpoke for a few moments.
Your newfound fortune can be used to buy all sorts of things, such as powerful TMs like Hyper Beam or adorable outfits for your Pokémon, but be sure to save a little money to stock up on useful items, such as Lures, Great Balls, and Ultra Balls. You’ll need plenty of those to complete your Pokédex and help build a powerful team. And don’t forget to swing by Celadon Department Store in Celadon City. This multifloored shopping center is a treasure trove of goodies to purchase.
Manipulate Natures
A good way to make sure your Pokémon team is operating at top efficiency is to take a peek at your Pokémon’s Nature. Most Natures can help improve your Pokémon’s stats (such as Attack, Defense, Speed, etc.), but the trade-off is that while Natures may help one stat, they can hinder another. If you check out a Pokémon’s stat screen, the stat highlighted in pink is being helped by the Pokémon’s Nature while a stat highlighted in blue is being hindered.
Luckily, there’s a way to manipulate the Natures of wild Pokémon that you encounter. Head over to the Pokémon Center in Celadon City, and chat with Madam Celadon. For a fee, this fortune-teller will present a pair of questions to you. Your answers will cause the Pokémon you encounter for the rest of the day to have a specific Nature. One of her questions corresponds to the stat that is helped by the resulting Nature, while the other corresponds to the stat that is hindered.
Experiment with the various combinations of answers to see which Natures you trigger and which stats each Nature affects. Traditionally, serious Pokémon Trainers like to boost their team’s Attack, Special Attack, and Speed stats, so keep that in mind as you assemble your Pokémon crew. Of course, your dream team might rely on other improved stats, so find out what works best for you!
Parting Words
This guide should help you get started as you first dive in to Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee!, but there’s plenty more to discover in the Kanto region. Explore everywhere and see what you can discover, and make sure to check out other video game and Pokémon TCG tips at Pokemon.co.uk/Strategy.
