Should You Play Detective Pikachu Returns Before The First Game?

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Playing the first game before seems like the natural step, as the new Nintendo Switch title is a sequel to the original one. Nevertheless, that can be quite complicated, as the previous game was released for a previous generation of consoles. While ’s release is on the Nintendo Switch, the first came out in 2016 for the Nintendo 3DS. As such, access to it at this point can be somewhat difficult.

The new game is a direct sequel to the original and continues to follow the story of the titular Pikachu and his human partner, Tim Goodman. ’ Ryme City setting is also the same as the first title, though there have been significant improvements. There are also new Pokémon present in Ryme City, such as Generation 8’s Galarian Darmanitan, which was abundantly seen in promotional materials. Despite the direct connection between the games, it may not be necessary to have played the original before diving into the new one.

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While it is a sequel to the first game, is setting up a brand-new story to follow. As such, it is not necessary for players to have gone through the original title to understand and experience the Nintendo Switch game. There is no need at all to know of the past game to fully enjoy the new game. immediately inserts players into Ryme City and contextualizes them, making them meet the characters and the area.

In addition to that, for players who are interested in catching up with the events that led up to, Nintendo has released a “” video on the official channel on YouTube. The short video explains how Detective Pikachu and Tim Goodman became partners in the first place and how they were connected to the main plot of the first game. One