Will we get a Pokemon Let's Go demo before launch day?

With Pokemon Let's Go Eevee and Pikachu now only weeks away, many fans are wondering whether they'll be able to sneak in a cheeky taster of what's to come before then. Questions then of a Pokemon Let's Go demo are starting to surface, but so far it's unclear whether we're going to get one.

Will we get a Pokemon Lets Go demo?

Nintendo has a great history with offering demos for its big titles ahead of release. Particularly with some of the best Nintendo Switch games, including Splatoon 2, Arms and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, we've had beta-style early access periods called Global Testfires. But for Pokemon Let's Go, it feels more appropriate to have a more traditional demo. 

The last Pokemon game in the series, Pokemon Sun and Moon, had a rather substantial demo, which actually featured unique unlockables that you could carry over into the full game, including Ash's Greninja. It was a lovely way to encourage fans to get involved with the game ahead of release, and get people talking about the various unlockables there were to discover. 

The Pokemon Go dilemma

But, of course, Pokemon Let's Go is a slightly different proposition. Not only is it the first Pokemon game to arrive on Switch (aside from Pokemon Quest, that doesn't count), but it's also unique in that it's intended to be played with Pokemon Go as a companion. Anyone who plays Pokemon Go will be able to transfer their captures between their phone and Pokemon Let's Go, which makes creating a demo quite awkward. 

Potentially the only way to create a Pokemon Let's Go demo would be to make it standalone, and not interact with Pokemon Go at all, or make it a limited time event like a beta, where people could test the functionality for themselves ahead of the full launch. 

Is Meltan basically acting as the Pokemon Lets Go demo?

Interestingly, developer GameFreak and The Pokemon Company have been drumming up some hype around Pokemon Let's Go through Pokemon Go itself. On a Community Day where people were caught up trying to catch shiny Chikorita, and its various evolutions, a mysterious Pokemon started cropping up in-game. The strange bolt-shaped Pokemon appeared, but when you caught one, it transformed into a Ditto. It turns out that this Pokemon was Meltan, a brand new generation 9 Pokemon that hadn't even been announced at that point either in game form, or in the anime. 

The Hex-Nut Pokemon, and its evolution Melmetal are coming to both Pokemon Go and Pokemon Let's Go. But, the only way to get it is to transfer a Pokemon from Pokemon Go to your copy of Pokemon Let's Go, which will award you a Mystery Box inside Pokemon Go. The Mystery Box can only be opened for 30 minutes, which will then let multiple Meltan out into the wild within your Pokemon Go world. Then you just have to catch 'em all. Slightly odd and confusing, but definitely a way to drum up some intrigue for Pokemon Let's Go within the Pokemon Go community, as this is currently the only way to get Meltan. 

And then you have to transfer Meltan from Go to Let's Go to see it appear there. 

So this adorable, and also rather bizarre, new Pokemon might be the answer to a Pokemon Let's Go demo. It may be that we won't get an early slice of the latest Poke pie at all, only in-game teases through Pokemon Go. But of course, as soon as we have any news we'll update you. 

If you are looking to get back into Pokemon Go ahead of the Let's Go launch, here's our top Pokemon Go tips, from the GamesRadar crew that still plays it every day.