Red Version nostalgia...
The first time I played a Pokémon game was in 1998 — I have many fond memories of long car trips and rainy days discovering and catching little pixelated creatures.
Nearly 12 years later, I got nostalgic and picked up a copy of Pokémon Heart Gold, a polished re-make of my favorite game in the franchise, Pokémon Gold. After cracking the seal on the box and popping the game into my DS I fell in love with Pokemon all over again. The gameplay was exactly what I expected from a Pokémon game in 2010 — refreshing color graphics and an oh-so-adorable passel of digital critters. Also included in the box was a small Pokéball shaped pedometer with a belt clip: the Pokéwalker.
The Pokéwalker
The Pokéwalker has small LCD screen and three command buttons functioning as select, forward and back. As you walk, you earn a currency per step called “watts”. The watts you collect can be used to play mini-games like dowsing to earn items and rustling grass to catch Pokémon. You can also earn special items by connecting the Pokéwalker to a friend’s Pokéwalker. Any items or Pokémon caught, collected or earned while you’re on the stroll all are transferred back to your Nintendo DS when you connect the game-pack and the pedometer.
I was a little sceptical of this Poké-pedometer at first. I was about 4ish hours into game-play when I found some time to bring Ulysses, my level 13 Cindaquil, with me to meet up with some friends at a craft fair nearby. I was pleasantly surprised by how fun it was to collect watts while simply doing my daily walking. I was even more excited when my friend Beth pointed enthusiastically at my waist and proclaimed, “Is that a Pokéwalker? I have one with me too!”. Subsequently, we connected our Pokéwalkers, got in-game items, and Ulysses and Beth’s Mareep went on adventures. It was simply thrilling!
Cindaquil
Ever since my first day just running around with the Pokéwalker, I’ve experienced some unexpected benefits. Here’s a short list of what I’ve discovered while living the ‘Pokéwalker lifestyle’:
Pokéwaker in action!
1. When walking with a Pokémon I tend to take longer routes to get to where I am going, encouraging a less frenetic pace.
2. I’ve been immensely surprised about the number of friendly and adult (gasp!) Pokéwalker users there are. It has been an amazing way to connect with nice people in random places.
3. I find that I ran faster and longer on the treadmill with my little buddy, racking up watts to play the mini games. It’s quite the motivator!
When I was little, I never thought that Pokémon would still be popular when I was in my mid-twenties, but I’m oh so glad it is. I’d recommend picking up a Pokéwalker to any Pokéfan — even if you’re too-cool-for-school.
I couldn’t believe the number of people at PAX East with Pokewalkers. There was 20,000 people there on any given day, and the little devices were everywhere!
I think the reason we are surprised that Pokemon games are still popular with normal, well-adjusted adults, is that the games are inherently social. The basement dweller and real weirdos don’t play a game that required you to meet up with people in real life.
I want. one. so. bad.