There have been some unusual Pokemon spin-offs over the years, from photography sim Pokemon Snap to Tetris clone Pokemon Puzzle League. There's even been Pokemon Pinball. There's never been a Pokemon game where Pikachu dresses like Sherlock Holmes, talks like Humphrey Bogart and solves crimes though. Until now.
What is Detective Pikachu about?
Set in the bustling metropolis of Ryme City, where humans and Pokemon live side by side, Detective Pikachu follows a young boy called Tim Goodman, and his best friend Pikachu. Tim's father is missing, Pokemon are starting to act strangely, and - most alarming of all - Pikachu is talking and sounding like a middle-aged man. All these mysteries are somehow connected, and it's up to you to explore the city, interrogate the people and Pokemon you encounter, and get to the bottom of it all.
When is Detective Pikachu released?
Detective Pikachu came out in Japan way back in February 2016, but finally reaches North America and Europe on 23rd March this year. It's exclusive to the Nintendo 3DS.
What do you actually do in Detective Pikachu?
You solve crimes and mysteries around Ryme City, talking to characters such as cafe owner Pablo, TV cameraperson Meiko, and Inspector Frank, of Ryme City’s police department. You'll explore each location for clues, interrogate witnesses and suspects, and then assemble everything you uncover in the right order to solve a case. Think of it as a cross between Ace Attorney and the classic point-and-click adventure games from the 1990s. You can also buy an oversized Detective Pikachu amiibo, which will unlock extra content and gameplay hints.
It can't possibly get any weirder, right?
Wrong. Detective Pikachu will also be the inspiration for the first ever live action Pokemon movie, due for release in 2019. And get this: in the movie, Pikachu won't just talk, he'll be voiced by deadpan Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds. The weirdness, it seems, is only just beginning...
