The greatest detective of all time makes his debut on the Nintendo Switch this year. And no, we're not talking about Sherlock Holmes or Batman, but instead the lovable electric mouse, Pikachu. Detective Pikachu Returns is the latest installment in the ever-growing Detective Pikachu series. The first game came out back in 2018. A live action movie with the same name released a year later in 2019.
But as long as there are mysteries that need solving, Pikachu will always be there.
The news comes from the Nintendo Direct which aired earlier today and showcased a bunch of new games, including content for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. In case you missed it, here's the trailer for Detective Pikachu Returns:
Detective Pikachu Returns Release Date – October 6th, 2023
Detective Pikachu Returns releases on Friday, October 6th, 2023. It will be available exclusively on Nintendo Switch for $49.99 (USD) plus tax. The game is now available for pre-order.
As mentioned previously, this marks the second full video game entry in the Detective Pikachu series. The series technically started on the Nintendo 3DS with Detective Pikachu: Birth of A New Duo back in 2016, with the full version (Detective Pikachu) being released in March of 2018.
Voice Actor Taji Kang reprises his role as Pikachu from the first game, after Ryan Reynolds voiced him in the live-action film. Tim Goodman, protagonist from the first game, will also return.
Gameplay
The trailer didn't seem to show a whole lot of gameplay, but we can predict what it will be like based on the first entry. You'll likely walk around Ryme City, search for clues, and speak with people and Pokémon alike to gather more information. The first game was split into chapters, and likely will be again in the sequel.
You'll likely have to take all your evidence you've gathered to make deductions in order to progress through the story as well. Other than that, no new features were shown, and we don't know which gameplay elements from the original are returning.
Story
It seems the story will take place within Ryme City, the setting of the first game. The trailer starts off with the mayor declaring Pokémon friendship week.
There's not much else to go on, but if we knew everything, that wouldn't make for a very fun detective game would it? We do know that Pikachu and Tim Goodman are back at it again, solving mysteries within the city
Additionally, Mewtwo returns as well, which leads to even more questions. We're curious if it has to do with the gaseous chemical R which caused Pokémon to go berserk in the first game. Perhaps a new villainous individual has plans to involve R, or something else entirely.
For more information on upcoming Nintendo Switch titles, check out ClutchPoints Gaming.