Detective Pikachu Returns is the next part of the game Detective Pikachu, which came out in 2016 for the Nintendo 3DS. This new game continues the story from where the last one ended. You might wonder if you have to play the first game to understand this one, but the answer is not as complicated as it seems.
It’s good to play the first Detective Pikachu game before starting Detective Pikachu Returns, but it’s not absolutely necessary. In Detective Pikachu Returns, you’re still in Rhyme City, following Pikachu and his human friend, Tim Goodman. Tim’s dad is still missing, which is a big problem in this new game. However, the previous game already finished its story on the 3DS.
Normally, we’d say you should play the first game before this one, but this game has its own separate story. It’s a new mystery to solve, and you don’t really need to know what happened in the previous game. However, knowing the characters and how the game works might make some parts easier. The issue is that you can’t buy the first game online because the 3DS store is no longer available. So, if you want to play it, you’ll need a physical copy. Buying it from places like eBay can cost between $40 to $70, or even more or less.
This might be a problem for some Detective Pikachu Returns fans who don’t have a 3DS. If you want to understand the characters and story better, Nintendo UK made a short video that explains what happened before. It’s less than two minutes long, so it’s easy to catch up. If you want to play the first game before the new one on the Switch, it’s not a bad idea. The only really important thing to know from the previous story is that Harry Goodman is still missing. Knowing that will help you as you explore the new story in Rhyme City.
Image Source: https://www.sportskeeda.com/pokemon/5-things-need-know-detective-pikachu-returns-launch