When we played the E3 2018 demo of Pokémon: Let’s Go! — the franchise’s first original Nintendo Switch games — we came away feeling optimistic about the newcomer-friendly pair. Their latest trailer gives us more hope that Let’s Go! is as much for nostalgic fans as it is Pokémon newbies, because Pikachu Version and Eevee Version look like the cutest series reinventions ever.
We get all of this and more in the trailer above: trainers riding around a beautiful, fully 3D version of the Kanto region; bonding with Eevee and Pikachu; and getting rides from your bigger Pokémon best friends. It’s all beautiful and, frankly, a convincing take on what we’d hope for a Pokémon adventure to be on console.
The kid-friendly aesthetic means we get tons of bright colors and friendlier designs for Professor Oak, along with gym leaders like Brock and Misty. There’s even a “friendly rival.” Socializing is a huge part of the game, with full cooperative play, trainer battles and trading all included. Even as they maintain the competitive spirit of Pokémon, though, the Let’s Go! games still package everything within an adorable, inviting world.
Most importantly, you can dress up both your player and your primary partner Pokémon. Want Pikachu to wear a safari outfit? Heck yeah, you got it. Want Eevee to have a little bowtie? Done. The customizable hairstyles for Pikachu and Eevee are a little less, uh, satisfying, but these trainer kids are doing their best.
is this grimes pic.twitter.com/dEZdCUcLUc
— Adam Moussa (@adamjmoussa) July 12, 2018
The Japanese version of the trailer has even more pure, Pokémon friendship. Watch that below.
Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! are out Nov. 16.