Sadly underappreciated within the Pokémon community. While I’m not the biggest fan of the mechanics taken from Go, this game is still a fantastic introduction to the franchise and one I would definitely recommend to newbies.

The visible Pokémon, the inclusion of Jesse and James, and the expanded experience share make it a sufficiently different experience to Red/Blue/Yellow and Leaf Green/Fire Red. And then there’s the graphics and art style. I have no idea why Sword/Shield didn’t adopt the charming visuals of Let’s Go. I also appreciated that I could complete the Pokédex all on my own without needing to trade because of the ability to transfer Pokémon from Go.

Leaf Green is still my go-to for whenever I want to revisit the Kanto region, but if I want a fast and easy playthrough (made possible through experience share), Let’s Go is the one to go for. My partner, who had previously been a Pokémon virgin, completed this game in just a few days and is now open to trying more in the series. I’d love a Johto version of Let’s Go, but that seems extremely unlikely given the success of Legends Arceus and the new mechanics it introduced.