Summary
With early previews ofDetective Pikachu Returnsstarting to roll in, it seems the game is being praised for its interactions with Pokemon but might be lacking in the visual department. Regardless, there’s no doubt that excitement is continuing to build toward next month’s release date. With a few weeks left,Detective Pikachu Returnsis available for preorderon the Nintendo eShop and a few other participating sites.
AlthoughDetective Pikachu Returnswas announced in 2019, Nintendo was fairly quiet concerning its development in the following years. However, when the title was re-announced at the June Nintendo Direct, many in the community were pleased to hear that it would be debuting soon. Considering the success of the 2019 live-action film, there might be a drastic increase in player count when it does premiere. Those particularly excited for it can also look forward to some pre-order bonuses.
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Nintendo is Exceeding Expectations With Detective Pikachu Returns Preorder Bonuses
At this point, The Pokemon Company is well-known for including goodies with preorders of its popular IPs. For example,Pokemon ScarletandVioletoffered fans a variety of items if they ordered the game in advance. Additionally, whenPokemon Legends: Arceuswas set to release in 2021, fans could earn two in-game clothing sets for their character.
Still, the benefits that are available forDetective Pikachu Returnsmay outclasssome of the past rewards thatPokemongames have offered. Unfortunately, the bonuses are limited to Japanese retailers for now, as other regions have yet to be announced. Some people who buy the game early at Pokemon Center locations in Japan will have the chance to get a 5.5-cm tall figure of the titular character alongside an exclusive TCG Growlithe card. It’s important to note that not everyone will be able to receive these gifts as Nintendo announced that they are in limited supply.
For those looking to get a pre-order bonus, but can’t order through the official JapanesePokemonwebsite, there are other sites that can still potentially yield these physical treasures. Some Reddit users noted that if people choose toorder through Amazon Japan, they’re still eligible for the Growlithe trading card. Though it can become a bit pricey, if it’s worthwhile to gamers, they may also consider using the Pokemon Center Japan website to get both bonuses.
Interestingly, using other platforms like Biccamera or Yodobashi might see different pre-order bonuses. This includes themed coffee mugs, sticky note sets, trading cards, tote bags, item cases, steel tumblers, mini towels, standee coasters, and acrylic keychains. These will also only be available while stock lasts, so ordering sooner rather than later may be the best course of action. Reservations began for theseon the Pokemon Japan websiteon August 9 for stores nationwide though not all locations are carrying the same items.
Of course, if players are simply looking to pre-order a digital copy ofDetective Pikachu Returns, they won’t need to look any further than the Nintendo eShop. For the US, physical copies are already live fromseveral retailers like Walmart, Amazon, GameStop, Best Buy, and so on. Pre-ordering is never required, but if someone wants to guarantee that they’ll get to play on release day then it’s certainly worth considering.
It could very well be that Nintendo will utilize the Platinum Points system again, like how it did withPokemon Scarlet and Violet’s rewardsin the My Nintendo program. However, whether Nintendo has any pre-order bonuses planned for its Western markets is still to be seen. It’s likely that as October draws closer, more information will be revealed.
