Here's Why You Probably Shouldn't Shell Out For a 'Pokemon Let's Go' Bundle

Pokémon: Let’s Go and the optional Poké Ball Plus controller launch on November 16. Ahead of that release, Nintendo announced bundle packs that will ship with both items together, but is it actually a good deal?

Although Pokémon: Let’s Go is being released on the Switch, The Pokémon Company does not consider it a core title in the franchise. That will be another game slated for 2019. Instead, the very deliberately named Pokémon: Let’s Go is a sort of middle ground between the mobile Pokémon GO and core Pokémon titles which are more in line with traditional role-playing games. Basically, Pokémon: Let’s Go is a journeyman game for casual players who are interested in trying something with a bit more complexity with the goal of transitioning them into full-on hardcore fans.

That makes the Poké Ball Plus kind of weird. It’s an accessory for a casual title, but the price and high degree of specialization also make it an enthusiast’s item. The Poké Ball Plus only works with Pokémon: Let’s Go and Pokémon GO. At $50 dollars, it’s also barely cheaper than the game it’s intended to be used with. For $10 more dollars, you could buy another copy of Pokémon: Let’s Go.

The Poké Ball Plus also comes packaged with a free in-game Mew, so it’s clearly intended for people who consider themselves more than just casual players. In which case, it doesn’t matter what I say, you’re going to buy this bundle anyway. However, you can do so with the comfort of knowing that you’ll be making the right decision. The bundle costs $100, so you’re essentially getting the Poké Ball Plus for $40, which saves you $10 bucks.

For the casual fans who are buying Pokémon: Let’s Go to get a taste of the core games, you’re probably better off passing on the extra accessory (even at a slight discount). If you like what you’re playing and you do decide to splurge for a Poké Ball Plus, a difference of $10 dollars is probably not going to deter you. But if you decide the Switch JoyCon is fine as is then you’ll have saved $40 bucks, which you can put towards getting another game.

Pokémon: Let’s Go and the Poké Ball Plus are set to release on November 16