Pokémon Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee demoed at E3 2018

Nintendo has debuted gameplay of the upcoming Switch titles, Pokémon Let's Go Pikachu and Pokémon Let's Go Eevee, at their Nintendo Treehouse Live event during E3. Various gameplay elements were shown and certain features confirmed.

As mentioned during the announcement event, the games are based on Pokémon Yellow. The footage we saw showed the same progression as the original Game Boy games, though Viridian Forest to Pewter City and taking on the gym leader Brock. Wild battles have been replaced with a Pokémon GO-like system where Poké Balls are thrown. Berries can be given to the wild Pokémon to make it easier to catch. Trainer battles are the same as previous games.

PokéCenter shows classic Pokémon sprites

Other details:

• The starter Pikachu or Eevee sit on your shoulder or head respectively. However, an additional Pokémon from your team can follow behind you.
• Wild Pokémon are visible in the overworld, and even leave the regular grassy areas, so you need to watch out!
• Wild Pokémon come in different sizes, indicated by an aura in the grass. A blue aura means the Pokémon is smaller than normal while a red aura means it is bigger than normal.
• All Pokémon in the your team gain EXP after catching wild Pokémon. There are bonuses based on catching technique that give more EXP.
• Pikachu wags its tail when items are nearby.
• Pokémon being healed in the PokéCenter show as pixel sprites on the big screen.
• Your rival is named Trace and is a bit more friendly than older games.
• There are many additional events/side-quests peppered throughout the games, such as taking care of a Slowpoke for another trainer.
• Various types of Candy are available, each of which increase a particular stat of a Pokémon (presumably by increasing EVs but the exact mechanic was not confirmed). The Candy is obtained by sending extraneous Pokémon to Professor Oak for study.

Pewter Gym has been redesigned

More Pokémon-related news was revealed during the earlier Nintendo Direct. The Poké Ball Plus peripheral - which allows players to take Pokémon with them on the go - will come with a Mew inside that can be transferred to Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee to complete the Pokédex.

Super Smash Bros Ultimate was also revealed for the Switch and features every playable character from previous versions of the game - which of course includes Pokémon too. Pikachu (male and female), Pikachu Libre, Mewtwo, Jigglypuff, Pichu, Lucario and Greninja are all included, as well as Pokémon Trainer (male and female versions based on Red and Leaf respectively) who can use Squirtle, Ivysaur, or Charizard. More Pokémon including Bewear, Solgaleo and Alolan Raichu can appear as assists.

The mythical Pokémon Mew is available from the Poké Ball Plus