During a Japanese variety show called Pokénchi, Pokémon game director Junichi Masuda showed off some more new features that will be introduced in Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu and Let’s Go Eevee. Here are all the new features edited together in a video made by Switch GamingBlood.
The first thing that we are shown in the video is Pikachu both using cut and using surf. This is some pretty significant footage as it proves that HMs will not return to the Yellow remakes. HMs were always an unpopular feature within the Pokémon games. You were required to teach them to your Pokémon in order to bypass certain roadblocks in the game, like smashing rocks or surfing on water, but they would take up move slots of your Pokémon while being generally weak moves.
In Pokémon Sun and Moon HMs were replaced with Pokéride which was one of the best things introduced in the game. However, since the Nintendo Switch games are remakes of Yellow it was previously uncertain whether they would remove. As it turns out, they won’t. Pikachu and Eevee will be able to clear obstacles with special moves such as “Diagonal Cut (ヒジュツ・ケサギリ)” or “Water Walk (ヒジュツ・ミズバシリ)”. These moves won’t take up move slots. Please note that the English translations are fan translations and not official.
The next big things that they show are 2 completely new moves. We see Pikachu using a move called Splash Surf (ざぶざぶサーフ) against a Geodude which looks like a different version of regular surf but pays homage to surfing Pikachu. The other move we see is a fire type move called Flare Burn (めらめらバーン) that Eevee uses against a Magnemite after which Magnemite gets burned. It’s unsure whether these moves will be exclusive moves to the starter Pikachu and Eevee that you will obtain in the games or whether other Pokémon will also be able to learn them.
Lastly, we Masuda showing off a bit of the petting feature that will be present in the games. This does not look that different from the petting feature that was present in X & Y or Sun & Moon although Pikachu and Eevee are shown sitting on the arm of the main character. We see that we will be able to feed the starter Pokémon and it looks like Eevee is holding some sort of gift as well. This also seems like the feature where we can change the hairstyles of the 2 Pokémon. It’s still unknown if we will also be able to pet other Pokémon in a similar matter.
