Good news for all areas that did not originally get Great Detective Pikachu in February 2016: the game has been confirmed for a worldwide release that includes the existing first episode and entirely new second one! Now, people with Japanese systems have been able to enjoy the game, cliffhanger and all, for a while. But those who are only just hearing about this special Pikachu may wonder what is so special about this spin-off. Well, we’re here to help.

My Japanese is atrocious. The only reason I’m successfully helping Tim and Detective Pikachu solve case after case in Great Detective Pikachu is because it’s impossible to fail. But, it’s meant I’m playing another game in this game, and that’s Pokemon Snap.

Our Pokemon perspective is skewed. We’re constantly seeing the world through the eyes of trainers. Out on the road, always battling hostile creatures and never getting a chance to really see what life is like in small towns.

Great Detective Pikachu is here! Well, in Japan he’s on the case. The small sleuth is out to solve crimes, but the question is, how? All of the preliminary footage revelled in the conversations characters would have with humans and Pokemon as Great Detective Pikachu and Tim Goodman tried to solve various cases. I’ve been messing around with the game as best I can, given my limited Japanese language skills, and am happy to report it’s a fairly typical and extraordinarily forgiving adventure game.