The Pokémon franchise took a journey back to its past while still holding on to the present with the release of Let’s Go Pikachu and Let’s Go Eevee for the Nintendo Switch. The games see players return to the world of Kanto, the home of the first generation of Pokémon, with old favorites such as Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, and the titular characters all returning. While sporting a bright new 3D appearance and map, the new Switch games also took elements from the Pokémon GO mobile games to give the original adventure a brand-new feel. With all-new video games, there are a number of secrets or hard-to-find elements that can add to the overall playing experience. These secrets and hidden gems can grant players new abilities, help them find shortcuts through games, and provide some overall benefit to players or give them a new experience.

  • With the latest Pokémon title, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, now available on the Nintendo Switch, players will likely be revisiting their collection of modern and retro classics to enter back into this fictional world. The Let’s Go series innovated so many areas, pushing the franchise forward. Experts will certainly recognize these specific areas of gameplay opportunity and Let’s Go Pikachu secrets.

One of the best-hidden secrets in Pokémon games gone by was being able to face Red, the main character from the original Pokémon games, in battle in Pokémon Gold and Silver. Discovering him after already defeating the Elite Four and winning the Pokémon championship came as a wonderful surprise for players of the original series of games. Since then, a number of different secrets have cropped up in Pokémon games, adding a new experience for players.

Get A Free ‘Ride’ Pokémon In Vermillion City

With the release of Let’s Go Pikachu came the ability to ride around the Kanto map, forgoing the bicycle or rollerblades used in previous Pokémon iterations. Certain Pokémon were designated ‘ride’ Pokémon, allowing players to hop onto their back and travel across the map far more conveniently.

But little do many know, there is a way to receive a free ‘ride’ Pokémon in Vermillion City — potentially the first one players can obtain in the game unless they catch an Onix before reaching Cerulean City. When the player first enters Vermillion City, they should talk to the person that is sitting on a bench between the Pokémon Fan Club and a house. This person will ask to catch five Growlithes. After catching these fiery dogs, return to the person, and they will reward players with a brand-new Persian. In Let’s Go Eevee, they have to catch five Meowths and receive an Arcanine instead.

Playing Docked Gives A New Secret Move

Very rarely do video games use their hardware to add to the overall experience. The battle between Solid Snake and Psycho Mantis in the original Metal Gear Solid game is one example that comes to mind in this area. Needing to plug the game controller into the second controller port in order to avoid Mantis’ psychic powers was a genius move that many still talk about today. Let’s Go Pikachu is a Pokémon game that uses the Switch to add a little extra also.

When players play the game in either docked or tabletop mode, there is a small chance that a prompt will appear during battles that will allow Pikachu to do a special move that could be ‘devastating’ to opponents. If Pikachu is not being used, there is a small chance that this ‘power’ can be used to buff whichever Pokémon is currently battling instead. Using the Switch to add something to the gameplay is a neat trick by Nintendo and could be beneficial to anyone during battles.

Using Catch Combos To Find Shiny Pokémon

Fans have coveted Shiny Pokémon for generations, with the unique color palate adding to the excitement of catching a wild Pokémon. While the color change has no impact on battle stats, it is still something people are interested in to this day. If fans are determined the find themselves a shiny version of a wild Pokémon, then they should be looking at catch combos to aid the journey.

Catch combos grow when someone catches the same Pokémon over and over again, without breaking the chain with another type. If fans catch a Pidgey in the wild, and they want to find themselves a unique shiny version, keep catching more Pidgeys without catching any other Pokémon — this will increase their chances of encountering a Shiny. If the chain is broken, the chances of encountering a Shiny are reset and the combo will need to be built up once again.

Gaining Candies Through Catch Combos

Throughout Let’s Go Pikachu, catching Pokémon brings with it unique rewards that can be used to help boost particular stats. These are called Candies and can be used to boost anything from attack and defense to speed.

With catch combos, this increases the chance of obtaining more and more Candies with each caught Pokémon — increasing the stockpile of valuable Candies that can be used to boost battling buddies. With higher-level Pokémon needing to consume a larger amount of Candies in order to increase certain stats, it makes sense to take full advantage of catch combos in order to stockpile a large number of Candies that can be used to either help the strongest Pokémon reach its full potential, or simply help a low level grow much faster early on.

Unlocking ‘Master Trainer’ Titles

Much like in previous games in the franchise, if somebody defeats the Pokémon League in Let’s Go Pikachu there will be some new challenges unlocked to help keep the game going even after completing the main objective. After becoming the champion, 153 new trainers will appear across Kanto for people to battle. However, these trainers aren’t like ordinary opponents as they require everyone to battle them using just one specific Pokémon.

The challenge is difficult and will require someone’s Pokémon to be at a higher level in order to compete, but should the player win, they are granted the title of ‘Master Trainer’ of that particular Pokémon. What also makes it difficult to defeat these Master Trainers is the fact that no items can be used, so players better hope the Pokémon they have chosen is strong enough to battle on its own. This is a valuable Let’s Go Pikachu secret.

Facing Red

Just like the second generation games, the famous trainer Red shows up in Let’s Go Pikachu, but there are some requirements needed before he will appear in the game. Red is the ultimate challenge for any trainer and will only appear once someone has won the Pokémon League and then defeated six subsequent ‘Master Trainers.’

Once people have completed these requirements, Red will appear on Indigo Plateau directly outside of the Pokémon League, just waiting for them to challenge him. Like the Master Trainers, players are unable to use items, so they must have the strongest possible Pokémon ready for the battle. This will reward them with the coveted ‘Battle Master’ title upon defeating Red.

Upgrading Starting Pokémon Move-Sets

Pikachu has a designated move-set for battles, but this can be re-jigged fairly easily and early on in the game if players wish. In Cerulean City, at the Poké Center, players will find the Move Tutor standing in the top-right corner.

If gamers speak to him, he will offer one of three moves unique to their starter, in this case, Pikachu, which can be done multiple times throughout the game to upgrade and adjust the move-set the Pokémon has even at an early stage of the game. Pikachu is capable of learning Electric, Water, and, surprisingly, Flying-type moves, and returning to speak to this person can help players set an ideal combination of attacks before setting off on the main portion of the game.

Using Handheld Mode To Make Catching Pokémon Easier

Catching wild Pokémon in the GO style might seem an easy task for some, but for others, it can be a bit of a challenge. To simplify, switch the game to handheld mode as this makes it far easier to control the throwing of the Pokéball when trying to catch the wild creatures. Moving to handheld mode turns catching into gyroscope aiming, meaning that the character does not need to simply flick at the screen like before.

Players can make their aim far more precise, providing a higher chance of success — particularly if they encounter some higher level or rare Pokémon on their travels. It might be unusual to make the switch during combat, but the benefits of changing and ensuring that harder, more elusive Pokémon are caught will be worth it in the end.

Interact With Pikachu Using The Joy-Con

Like in the original Yellow version during Generation One, players are able to interact with Pikachu in Nintendo’s latest outing in Kanto. In the original games, interacting with Pikachu allowed fans to see how he was feeling, with various expressions shown for happiness or if he was poisoned.

In Let’s Go Pikachu, wagging the joy-con or Pokéball accessory opens up a new view where gamers are able to interact with their traveling companion in a number of ways. The cute encounter with Pikachu allows gamers to caress or stroke their Pokémon and even feed them, increasing their happiness and giving them a daily dose of cuteness all in one.

Happiness Is The Key

Pokémon deserve to be happy, and if they are, they will usually reward players with gifts and special abilities that were previously unavailable. While walking around the overworld, an icon of Pikachu might appear in the corner of the screen if they are adequately happy. This means they have a gift for the player, which can be used for their benefit at a later point in time, but the real benefits from the Pokémon’s happiness come during battles.

If Pikachu is happy, he will be able to dodge attacks much easier than before and can even shake off pesky status effects such as poison or burn. Additionally, that same icon that appears in the overworld could appear during a battle — shaking it sees the Pikachu unleash a special one-off attack that could prove decisive in a difficult battle — And it’s all thanks to the bond gamers have built with their companion.

Use Pokémon Go To Fill The Pokédex

Starting with the very first games in the franchise, it is not possible to catch all 153 Pokémon in the wild in Let’s Go Pikachu, with some only being available in the counterpart Let’s Go Eevee. However, there is one way to circumvent this situation thanks to Pokémon GO. In Fuschia City, players are able to access Pokémon Go Park, where they are able to link the game to the Pokémon GO account.

Doing this allows players to transfer the Pokémon they have captured in GO across to the Switch game, helping them to fill up their Pokédex — including any that are not available in this particular game. This can make life easier for many players, particularly with Legendary Pokémon such as the Legendary birds. The one hitch is that once the Pokémon have been transferred over to the Switch game, they can’t be returned, so they will remove that particular creature from the mobile game.

Co-Op Can Improve Capture Chances

The spinoff title Let’s Go Pikachu might appear to be a single-player experience, but there is a way of playing ‘co-op’ and improving the chances of catching Pokémon solo. If players shake the other joy-con but keep a controller in each hand, they are able to throw two simultaneous Pokeballs at any wild Pokémon they are attempting to catch.

If gamers can throw the balls so that they connect with the Pokémon at the same time, it will trigger a special animation that is otherwise unseen, and it will, in fact, increase the chances of capturing them. Fans do not need to play the entire game using the co-op mode, but if a rare Pokémon, such as the Legendary birds or Mewtwo, appears then switching to that mode could help increase the success while putting forth little effort.

Find Wild Spawns Of The Legendary Birds

Catching the Legendary birds is an impressive feat for any trainer, and it is very clear where they can be found within the game. Just like the original games from the ’90s, Zapdos is found in the Power Planet, Articuno is found in Seafoam Islands, and Moltres is found on Victory Road.

Now, imagine encountering a second version of each bird in the wild. It seems unthinkable due to the fact that they are supposed to be unique, one-off, creatures, but it is very possible to find another one of each bird randomly during travels. They will only appear after the original version is caught in regular circumstances and trainers will need to keep a Flying-type Pokémon on hand to help catch up to them. One Let’s Go Pikachu secret is that all three of the birds have a chance of appearing on Routes 1-4, 6-8, 10-19, and 21-25 after they have already been captured.

Obtaining Mew

Just like the original games, the first 150 Pokémon available to capture did not include the mythical creature called Mew. The games had the larger, arguably more powerful clone of the original, however, with trainers able to capture it in Cerulean Cave after winning the Pokémon League. Original games had glitches that allowed people to capture Mew in the wild after going through a number of steps, but an easier way (at the time) was for players to attend conventions and be given a Mew for free or for a certain price.

In the latest games, a low-level Mew will be included with purchases of the Pokéball Plus accessory. There are 153 Pokémon in Let’s Go Pikachu, including the new game exclusives, but purchasing the Pokéball Plus will see players increase this total to 154 and give them one of the best Pokémon in the game — with an ability to learn many attacks, with a pure Psychic type. If someone buys the Pokéball Plus and starts a new game, they can even have Mew join the party early on, giving them a very powerful early-level Pokémon to take on the Kanto world.

Obtain The Original Three Starters

As Let’s Go Pikachu is essentially a modernized version of Pokémon Yellow, it’s understandable that people would want to obtain the three original starters: Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle. All three of the Generation One starters are in the game, but there are some specific milestones that need to be reached before anyone can earn them at the three set locations.

Just like the original game, Bulbasaur can be obtained in Cerulean City, but players will need to have caught at least 30 different Pokémon before they can get it. Charmander will be given to trainers that have caught over 50 different types of Pokémon on Route 24, and Squirtle can be obtained from Officer Jenny in Vermillion City once over 60 different types have been caught. What is interesting about obtaining Squirtle in this Let’s Go Pikachu secret is the fact that Officer Jenny is the one to give it to players — a subtle nod to the animated series where Squirtle and Officer Jenny crossed paths.

Using Catch Combos For Extra XP

Catch combos will become a key part of any trainer’s journey throughout the Kanto region, with the new mechanic helping trainers increase not just their stockpile of Candies, but also their XP bonuses from catches. Every time a Pokémon is caught during the game, trainers receive XP bonuses, with this number differing depending on what creature is caught, how large they are, and whether it’s the first time this species has been caught or not.

When catching the same type of Pokémon over and over again, this will add a catch combo bonus that will increase the XP earned through each catch. This is a surefire way of gaining a lot of experience quickly and can be a huge benefit to players early on in their journey.

Using The Partner Power/Secret Eevee And Pikachu Moves

During the original string of some of the best Pokémon games, some special moves were required at various points of the game in order to help players progress beyond a certain area. These moves were called HMs and were used for things such as cutting down trees and bushes (cut), lighting up pitch-black caves (flash), and allowing trainers a way to cross vast stretches of water (surf).

Now, within Let’s Go Pikachu, there some ‘Secret Techniques’ have been included, which effectively replaced HMs in this version of the game. While essentially taking on the same role as the HMs of the original games, these new Secret Techniques have been given new names and can only be used by the starting Pokémon, in this case, Pikachu. STs now no longer take up attack spaces for the Pokémon, meaning no one needs to remove their helpful attack powers in order to use this overworld ability.

Shiny Magikarp

Everyone loves Magikarp, right? In the original Pokémon games, the large fish was able to be purchased for just 500 Poké Dollars. In Let’s Go Pikachu, it is possible to purchase a Magikarp in exactly the same way as the original Generation One game — simply talk to the Magikarp seller and cough up hard-earned cash. But there is a way of obtaining a special Shiny Magikarp as opposed to the regular type.

This will require a lot of patience, as players will need to save their game before talking to the Magikarp salesman and check how their new Magikarp looks every time it is purchased. If the Magikarp is ordinarily colored, restart the game. Do this process over and over again, and eventually, fans will land a Shiny version of the weakest Pokémon in existence — though it does, of course, evolve into one of the best regular Pokémon going in Gyarados.

Get The IV Checker/Judge Function

Let’s Go Pikachu has used a number of features from Pokémon GO, which makes it a great Pokémon game for newbies. One other feature and Let’s Go Pikachu secret that has been brought across is the IV Checker/Judge function that allows players to inspect the stats and IVs of their caught Pokémon, though it is not accessible immediately in the game.

The way players obtain this function is reminiscent of obtaining things such as the EXP Share in the original games. First, they will need to catch 30 different types of Pokémon in the game before heading to the building at the very far end of Route 11 (the one that connects to the road blocked by the Snorlax on Route 12). If players go inside the building and head upstairs, there will be one of Professor Oak’s assistants. If fans have the 30 different types of Pokémon, he will simply update the Pokédex to utilize this highly useful function.

Walk Around With A Pokémon In The Pokéball Plus To Get Bonuses

Purchasing Pokéball Plus is a great way of obtaining the Legendary Pokémon Mew, but it is not the only thing that it is useful for. Imagine it is like a modern-day Tamagotchi, where gamers are able to put a Pokémon inside the Pokéball Plus, and walking around and interacting with it can help it to grow.

If fans place a Pokémon inside the Pokéball Plus, it will grow in experience at a steady rate and will even reward players with extra bonuses such as Rare Candies depending on how much it is used and how much the Pokémon grows. So if gamers don’t have the time to sit down and play Let’s Go Pikachu in the comfort of home, why not put a traveling companion inside a Pokéball Plus and help it grow?