Detective Pikachu Returns: release date, trailers, gameplay, and more

By Jesse Lennox June 24, 2023 6:30AM

One of the more forgotten entries in the monster-catching franchise is also the most unique. Detective Pikachu was originally a 3DS game (and a feature film) that cast Pikachu as a smooth-talking (that’s right, he talks!) detective that teams up with a kid named Tim Goodman to solve various mysteries. Rather than play like an RPG, this entry was more of an adventure game, focusing on story and, naturally, solving mysteries. After the success of the game and film, it was only a matter of time before a sequel was announced. That turned out to be quite a bit longer than many expected, but now that Detective Pikachu Returns has been officially announced, we’ve put on our caps and collected all the clues about this upcoming adventure.

Contents

Release date
Platform
Trailers
Gameplay
Preorder

Release date

Pikachu with detective cap and boy with brown hair and red jacket eating breakfast — Nintendo

Detective Pikachu Returns is right around the corner. The game will launch on October 6, 2023.

Platform

Pikachu with detective cap smiling and drinking coffee cup

The Pokémon franchise has always been exclusive to Nintendo consoles, so Detective Pikachu Returns will only be coming to the Switch.

Trailers

The reveal trailer for Detective Pikachu Returns reveals the, well, return of Detective Pikachu and Tim Goodman. We see shots of Ryme City as humans and Pokemon live together as the mayor announces the beginning of Pokémon Friendship Week.

Aside from shots of new Pokémon the duo will meet and work with, including Mewtwo, we are completely in the dark about what cases our heroes will need to unravel.

Gameplay

Detective pikachu thinking standing on a bed. — Nintendo

Not a single hint of gameplay was shown off in the initial trailer, but it would be safe to bet that it will follow the same adventure game style as the original of exploring areas for clues and speaking with people and Pokemon to gather information before solving the case.

Preorder

Detective Pikachu and a Slowpoke wearing a cowboy hat. — Nintendo

You won’t have to do any sleuthing to find preorders for Detective Pikachu Returns. The game is available now to preorder on Nintendo’s official site. You only have the one, normal edition to pick from which costs $50.

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