Hey You, Pikachu!
| Hey You, Pikachu! | |
|---|---|
 North American cover art | |
| Developer(s) | Ambrella |
| Publisher(s) | Nintendo |
| Producer(s) | Tsunekazu Ishihara |
| Series | Pokémon |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo 64 |
| Release date(s) |
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| Genre(s) | Life simulation game |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
Hey You, Pikachu!, known in Japan as Pikachū Genki Dechū (ピカチュウげんきでちゅう, lit. a pun on "Pikachu genki desu" (Pikachu is fine)), is a Nintendo 64 video game developed by Ambrella and published by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on 12 December 1998, and in North America on 6 November 2000.
The game features voice-recognition technology used to talk to Pikachu, the star of the game. It is one of only two games that utilizes the N64's Voice Recognition Unit (VRU), a piece of hardware that can comprehend and analyze the human voice. It is also the only game to use the VRU that was released in the United States. The player can move around and pick up items, in addition to speaking with Pikachu and can describe everything.
Gameplay
The game begins when the main character is asked to try out a new device of Professor Oak's that is used to talk to Pokémon. The player soon meets a wild Pikachu and befriends it. The player must earn the Pikachu's trust and eventually it will come and live in the player's house. There are three different activity days: Pikachu's Daring Days, Discovery Days, and Play Days. Each day has a different objective (e.g. collecting food, going fishing) and the player can earn Pika Points, which is the currency used at Abra's Shop to unlock new items.
Eventually, if the player reaches day 365, Professor Mommy appears and says that Pikachu has to be released, as it is a wild Pokémon. The player has to go to the woods where Pikachu was found and say "goodbye" several times, upon which Pikachu realizes it can't live with the player anymore, and, sadly, leaves. After the credits, while the player is looking around the front yard and reminiscing about Pikachu, it returns, and the game continues as if Pikachu was never released.
Reception
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Arizona Republic's Dustin Packwood commented that fans of the anime would enjoy this game.[3] Retronauts cited Hey You, Pikachu! as an example of a terrible Pokémon console game.[4] UGO listed Hey You, Pikachu! on their list of the "Top 50 Games That Belong On the 3DS", stating "Using the 3DS' built-in microphone should make it simple to speak and interact with the wild Pokémon."[5] The Voice Recognition Unit packaged with the game has also been criticized; it was calibrated to accept higher pitched voices, like that of a child.
Legacy
A spiritual sequel to Hey You, Pikachu!, Pokémon Channel, was released on the Nintendo GameCube and was also developed by Ambrella. Another spiritual sequel, PokéPark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure, was released on the Wii, which in turn had its direct sequel, named PokéPark 2: Wonders Beyond.
See also
- Densha de Go! 64, the other game that uses the VRU.
References
- ↑ Zjaba, Tom. "Hey You, Pikachu! - Review". Allgame. Retrieved July 22, 2013.
- ↑ Provo, Frank. "Hey You, Pikachu! Review". GameSpot. Retrieved July 22, 2013.
- ↑ Packwood, Dustin (December 8, 2000). "A Day In Nintendo Heaven". Arizona Republic.
- ↑ http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/podcast.the1upnetwork.com/flat/Retronauts/R030611.mp3
- ↑ Sal Basile (July 6, 2010). "The Top 50 Games That Belong On the 3DS - UGO.com". UGO. Retrieved 2011-04-25.