The Pokemon Let’s Go green icon that appears in the bottom right corner of the Nintendo Switch screen has become the subject of much confusion online. It seems to appear at arbitrary moments while players are playing Pokemon Let’s Go, and it isn’t explicitly explained in-game. However, this is actually the icon that marks the availability of Pokemon Let’s Go co-op, meaning another player can play with you using the other Joy-Con controller. Here’s everything you need to know about the Pokemon Let’s Go green icon with full details of how to play co-op in Pokemon Let’s Go.
Pokemon Let’s Go Green Icon – What is It?
The Pokemon Let’s Go green icon will appear in the bottom right corner of the screen to signal that co-op mode is currently available. In co-op mode, another play can join you locally on the same Nintendo Switch unit. You’ll both have individual avatars on-screen that you can move around and use to interact with the surrounding world.
In order to unlock the second player’s ability to play, all they need to do is shake the second Joy-Con controller when the Pokemon Let’s Go green icon is showing. This will cause their avatar to drop into the game world from the sky, joining Player One on their quest to become one of the greatest Pokemon trainers of all time.
Pokemon Let’s Go Green Icon – How to Play Co-Op
As mentioned above, all you need to do in order to play Pokemon Let’s Go co-op is to shake the second Joy-Con controller when the Pokemon Let’s Go green icon is displayed. However, Pokemon Let’s Go co-op doesn’t afford full agency to the second player, who is kind of just along for the ride most of the time.
For example, if the other player wanders too far off screen, they’ll be zapped straight back to where Player One is standing. The camera always follows Player One, so Player Two needs to consciously keep up or else they’ll be involuntarily teleported across the map anyway. It’s best to play Pokemon Let’s Go co-op when you’re doing something like Shiny hunting, as playing it while you’re attempting to progress the story will likely cause you to get irritated very quickly. It slows the whole process down.
Pokemon Let’s Go Green Icon – Co-Op Features in Pokemon Let’s Go
There are lots of other limitations to Player Two’s capabilities in a Pokemon Let’s Go co-op session, too. For instance, while Player Two will be able to join you in Pokemon battles, they can’t talk to NPCs or interact with anything on their own.
Player One, for example, will need to instigate all trainer battles and wild encounters, which Player Two can then join in on. Interestingly, you can both throw your own individual Poke Balls when attempting to catch a wild Pokemon, but this Pokemon will go to Player One’s Pokemon Box regardless of which player catches it. You’ll actually get a special capture animation if you manage to sync your throws up when attempting to catch a wild Pokemon, so be sure to count down from three.
If you’ve taken a Pokemon out of its Poke Ball and it’s currently following you and Eevee or Pikachu around, the Pokemon in your party that’s placed after the one you’ve taken out of its Poke Ball will follow Player Two around the map. This isn’t just an aesthetic novelty, though, as this Pokemon will also be the Pokemon that Player Two will be using in trainer battles. Be sure to give them a strong Pokemon, but maybe not your strongest.
So, if you happen to see the Pokemon Let’s Go green icon in the bottom right corner of your screen and you have a friend nearby, it’s time to play Pokemon Let’s Go co-op style. Just be wary of the fact that doing so will possibly cause game progression to slow down in order to accommodate for all of the teleporting that’s going to go in if both players don’t manage to keep perfect pace with each other. Pokemon Let’s Go co-op is fun, but just because the Pokemon Let’s Go green icon means you can play co-op doesn’t necessarily mean that you should.
