Pokemon Japan website

Recently, Nintendo released a trailer for an upcoming game that some hardcore fans found odd. Apparently though, the title which places fan favorite Pikachu as a detective is a real game from the "Pokémon" franchise, and it will be released next week.

According to EuroGamer, "Detective Pikachu: Birth of a New Duo," will launch as "Meitantei Pikachu-Shin Konbi Tanjo" in Japan next week. The game will be released for the Nintendo 3DS via the eShop on Feb. 3 and will be available for the first three weeks for 1,200 Yen, and then will have a general price tag of 1,500 Yen.

The industry follower said that although the game was confirmed only recently, Nintendo started developing the title as far back as October 2013, when an early tech demo for the game was seen. It also seems that Nintendo plans for the title to be the first in a series.

Meanwhile, ScreenRant mentioned that while the gameplay itself greatly deviates from the main premise of training Pokémon, Pikachu still has a human partner, who is the main playable character in the story.

However, instead of traveling to different locations and battling it out for Pokémon supremacy, the child and "Detective Pikachu" solve crimes and mysteries and the Pokémon has even developed detective skills aside from human speech. The industry follower added that although the game itself might seem odd, "Detective Pikachu: Birth of a New Duo" lives up to its promise of "a Pikachu like you've never seen before."

Aside from a broad description of the game, no other details are highlighted in the trailer, which Nintendo released as one of the surprise titles for the franchise's 20th anniversary. In addition to "Detective Pikachu: Birth of a New Duo," new series titles are also expected to appear, such as the highly anticipated "Pokken Tournament."