Pokemon Let's Go Eevee: The Easiest Pokemon Game Yet

I just finished playing Pokemon Let's Go Eevee. While the game was an enjoyable re-creation of Pokemon Yellow on the old Game Boy Color with some questionable mechanics fit for the Nintendo Switch, the easy difficulty surprised me. In fact, Pokemon Let's Go Eevee is the easiest Pokemon game I have ever played. You can beat every trainer in this game with minimal amounts of grinding for experience, and the game is a great exposure to the world of Pokemon for younger gamers.

I cannot talk about Pokemon Lets Go Eevee without talking about the new game mechanics for the Nintendo Switch. The biggest change from the Game Boy Color to the Switch is that you now gain experience in the wild by catching Pokemon instead to battling them. It certainly gives credence to the phrase "Gotta catch 'em all!" that is for sure. Catching Pokemon in the wild and battling trainers will give experience to all Pokemon in your party instead of just one Pokemon. This is good, because it reduces the need for mind-numbing grinding for experience, but this mechanic also does not make any sense. When it comes to battling trainers, how does every Pokemon gain experience when only one Pokemon is battling? How does every Pokemon gain experience when in the game, only the trainer is involved in catching the wild Pokemon? I do not understand.

The way you catch Pokemon is similar to the catching mechanics in Pokemon GO, where you have to throw your ball inside the circle for an increased chance to catch the Pokemon. I do not recommend playing Pokemon Let's Go on your TV, as you have to fling your arm with your Joy Con toward the TV to throw the ball. This is a one-way ticket to putting a hole in your TV if you let go of the Joy Con mid-swing. Catching Pokemon is much easier on handheld, as you have to line up the Pokemon with the middle of the screen and press a button to throw the ball. You can also switch Pokemon between your party and the Pokemon Box on the fly (instead of going to a PC).

If you take all of the new game mechanics into account, it decreases the game difficulty greatly. However, I welcome the changes, as the Pokemon video games have suffered from stagnation over the years. I appreciate Game Freak for trying some new things for this remake. 

I also like the updated graphics for this game, as the color palette makes the game pop and stand out. The repeated trainer models got stale quickly, but overall, it is amazing to see a colorful 3D rendering of the Kanto region. This game also skews toward cuteness, as you have the option to play with Eevee (or Pikachu, if you have Let's Go Pikachu) by petting it or feeding it berries.

Pokemon Let's Go Eevee is a good game and a fun experience. I compare the game to a nice Sunday drive down a boulevard. You will get your 25-30 hours of enjoyment, but once you beat the final trainer, there is not much of a point to do any of the limited post-game material. This game is not groundbreaking for the Pokemon games or for the Nintendo Switch, but if you miss the nostalgia of trying to catch all 151 Pokemon, then Pokemon Let's Go will surely whet your appetite.