Pokemon: Let's Go Pikachu And Eevee Don't Appear To Have Held Items Or Abilities

Nintendo Switch's first Pokemon RPGs, Let's Go, Pikachu and Let's Go, Eevee, arrive this November, and while they retain many of the core elements found in every mainline Pokemon game, they also mark a more simplified take on the series. We already know the games eschew wild Pokemon battles for a catching system inspired by Pokemon Go, but it appears that isn't the only feature they're missing.

Pokemon fansite Serebii recently shared hands-on impressions of the upcoming titles. Among other tidbits the outlet gleaned from the demo, it appears held items and Pokemon abilities--two staple elements of mainline Pokemon games--are nowhere to be found in the Let's Go, Pikachu or Eevee.

Held items have been a fixture of the series since they were introduced in Pokemon Gold and Silver. They are equippable items that a Pokemon can carry into battle; one popular held item, the Life Orb, boosts a Pokemon's power at the expense of a little health after every attack. Abilities, meanwhile, are passive Pokemon powers first introduced in Ruby and Sapphire; for instance, when a Pokemon with the Intimidate ability enters a battle, it will automatically lower its opponent's Attack stat.

This revelation only reinforces that the Let's Go games are meant to be more accessible to younger and newer players. It also raises some questions, particularly pertaining to Mega Evolutions, which The Pokemon Company confirmed are returning in Let's Go, Pikachu and Eevee. In previous games, a Pokemon had to hold a corresponding Mega Stone in order to Mega Evolve, and it would often gain a different ability after transforming. It's unclear how Mega Evolutions will be triggered in the new games and whether the Pokemon will gain any other powers besides a stat boost.

While not all of the series' core features will appear in Let's Go, Pikachu and Eevee, the games do introduce some new elements. In particular, the games feature a handful of new attacks that your partner Pikachu and Eevee can learn. They also replace HM moves with new Secret Techniques, which serve a similar role and can be used to explore previously inaccessible areas of the Kanto region.

Pokemon: Let's Go, Pikachu and Let's Go, Eevee launch for Nintendo Switch on November 16. Alongside it, Nintendo is releasing adorable Pikachu and Eevee-themed Switch console bundles. Each retails for $400 and includes a digital copy of either title, the aforementioned Poke Ball Plus, Pikachu and Eevee-themed Joy-Cons, and a Switch dock adorned with Pikachu and Eevee designs.