Try For Free The Weirdness That Is Detective Pikachu

Detective Pikachu is certainly one of the stranger Pokemon games in some time, between its point-and-click inspirations and its gruff-talking title character. If you're not quite sure but still Detective-Pikachu-curious, you can try the game for free now.

The "special demo version" is available now through the 3DS Eshop. It covers a portion of the first chapter, and save data is transferable to the full game. In addition, Nintendo is still offering a Detective Pikachu 3DS theme for those who purchase Detective Pikachu on the eShop or through select retailers by April 22.

Detective Pikachu is a departure from the usual catch-em-all pitch of most Pokemon games. Instead, it partners a human boy with a self-proclaimed (and English-speaking) Pikachu to solve mysteries around Ryme City. The result is a Pokemon game that harkens back to old-school adventure games. Nintendo also produced an extra-large Detective Pikachu Amiibo for the event, which retails for almost as much as the game itself at $30.

In GameSpot's Detective Pikachu review, Kallie Plagge praised the game's quirky humor and unique setting, but found the mysteries, twists, and evidence-gathering less novel.