Hey You, Pikachu!

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Hey You, Pikachu!
Hey You, Pikachu! Coverart.png
North American cover art, featuring Pikachu
Developer(s)Ambrella
Publisher(s)Nintendo
Producer(s)Tsunekazu Ishihara
Composer(s)Miki Obata
SeriesPokémon
Platform(s)Nintendo 64
Release
  • JP: December 12, 1998
  • NA: November 6, 2000
Genre(s)Digital pet, life simulation
Mode(s)Single-player

Hey You, Pikachu![a] is a virtual pet Pokémon spin-off video game for the Nintendo 64 developed by Ambrella and published by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on December 12, 1998, and in North America on November 6, 2000. The player is asked to help Professor Oak test the PokéHelper, a device that lets humans communicate with Pokémon. Gameplay is set in the Kanto region between Pewter City and Viridian City, where the player is introduced to a wild Pikachu. The player is able to communicate with a 256-word database through the Voice Recognition Unit (VRU), a Nintendo 64 hardware accessory that, when paired with a microphone, can comprehend and analyze human speech.[1] Along with speaking with Pikachu, the VRU also allows the player to move around and gather items.

Hey You, Pikachu! is one of only two games to utilize the console's VRU, with the other title being Densha de Go! 64, the Japan-exclusive N64 port of Densha de Go! 2 Kōsoku-hen. The game received generally mixed reception from critics. Though no direct sequels have been made, the virtual pet game Pokémon Channel, first released for the GameCube in 2003, resembles Hey You, Pikachu! and shares similar gameplay, with the exception of the microphone peripheral.

Gameplay[]

The main character is asked to test out the PokéHelper, a new device of Professor Oak's that is used to talk to Pokémon. The player then meets a wild Pikachu and befriends it. Once the player earns Pikachu's trust, 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, the currency used at Abra's Shop to unlock new items.

After 365 gameplay days, Professor Oak notifies the player that Pikachu, still a wild Pokémon, must be released. The player ventures to the woods to find Pikachu and repeatedly says "goodbye", upon which Pikachu realizes it must return to the wild. After the credits, while the player looks around the front yard and reminisces, Pikachu returns, and the game continues as if Pikachu was never released.

Reception[]

Hey You, Pikachu! has scores of 55% and 57% on the review aggregators GameRankings and Metacritic, respectively, both indicating a mixed or average reception.[2][3] The Arizona Republic's Dustin Packwood commented that fans of the anime would enjoy this game.[14] Retronauts cited Hey You, Pikachu! as an example of a terrible Pokémon console game.[15] 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."[16]

Greg Orlando of Next Generation rated it three stars out of five, stating, "It tastes like chicken made of glucose."[11]

Legacy[]

A spiritual sequel to Hey You, Pikachu!, Pokémon Channel, was first released on the GameCube in 2003 and was also developed by Ambrella. Another spiritual sequel, PokéPark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure, was first released on the Wii in 2009, which in turn had its direct sequel, PokéPark 2: Wonders Beyond, first released in 2011.

See also[]

  • Densha de Go! 64, the other game that uses the VRU.

Notes[]

  1. ^ Known in Japan as Pikachū Genki Dechū (Japanese: ピカチュウげんきでちゅう). It is a pun on "Pikachu genki desu", meaning "Pikachu is fine", and the suffix "-chu" from Pikachu's name. The pronunciation "dechū" for "desu" is also used in Japanese affected speech intended to sound childish and cute, including baby talk.

References[]

  1. ^ Moyer, Michael (September 2000). "Back Talk". Popular Science. Retrieved November 2, 2018.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b "Hey You, Pikachu!". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on September 8, 2017. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b "Hey You, Pikachu!". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on January 10, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  4. ^ Tom Zjaba. "Hey You, Pikachu! - Review". Allgame. Archived from the original on February 15, 2010. Retrieved July 22, 2013.
  5. ^ Chris; Mark; Milkman (January 2001). "Hey You, Pikachu!". Electronic Gaming Monthly. Vol. 14 no. 1. p. 200. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  6. ^ Helgeson, Matt; Fitzloff, Jay. "Hey You, Pikachu!". Game Informer. Archived from the original on March 13, 2008. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  7. ^ Liu, Johnny. "Hey You, Pikachu". GameRevolution. Archived from the original on December 9, 2000. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  8. ^ Provo, Frank. "Hey You, Pikachu! Review". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on July 22, 2013. Retrieved July 22, 2013.
  9. ^ Mirabella III, Fran (November 6, 2000). "Hey You, Pikachu!". IGN. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  10. ^ Evans, Geraint (January 2001). "Hey You, Pikachu!". N64 Magazine. No. 50. pp. 54–57.
  11. ^ Jump up to: a b Orlando, Greg (January 2001). "Finals". Next Generation. Vol. 4 no. 1. Imagine Media. p. 99.
  12. ^ Jennifer; Chris (November 2000). "Hey You, Pikachu!". Nintendo Power. Vol. 138. p. 126. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  13. ^ "Hey You, Pikachu!". 64. No. 48. December 2000. pp. 42–47. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  14. ^ Packwood, Dustin (December 8, 2000). "A Day in Nintendo Heaven". Arizona Republic. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012.
  15. ^ "Retronauts Podcast". The1UpNetwork.com. Archived from the original on July 24, 2012. Retrieved January 27, 2013.
  16. ^ Basile, Sal (July 6, 2010). "The Top 50 Games That Belong On the 3DS". UGO. Archived from the original on May 28, 2018. Retrieved May 28, 2018.

External links[]

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