Hey You, Pikachu!

Hey You, Pikachu![lower-alpha 1] 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 October 30, 2000. The player is asked to help Professor Oak test the PokéHelper, a device that lets humans communicate with Pokémon. The game 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.[2] Along with speaking with Pikachu, the VRU allows the player to move around and gather items.

Hey You, Pikachu!
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[1]
Genre(s)Digital pet, life simulation
Mode(s)Single-player

Hey You, Pikachu! is one of only two games to utilize the VRU, with the other being Densha de Go! 64, the Japan-exclusive N64 port of Densha de Go! 2 Kōsoku-hen. The game had a 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 game makes heavy use of the Nintendo 64 VRU.
The player interacts with Professor Oak's Pikachu.

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! received "mixed" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[3] The Arizona Republic's Dustin Packwood commented that fans of the anime would enjoy this game.[18] NextGen's Greg Orlando, however, said that the game "tastes just like chicken made of glucose."[15] GamePro stated, "If you're a little kid or a big kid with a little kid's love for Pokémon, Hey, You, Pikachu is calling for you."[19][lower-alpha 3] In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of 30 out of 40.[7]

Retronauts cited the game as an example of a terrible Pokémon console game.[20] UGO Networks listed the game 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."[21]

The game was nominated for the "Console Family" award at the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences' 4th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; that award ultimately was given to Mario Tennis.[22]

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

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.
  2. Three critics of Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the game each a score of 4.5/10, 3.5/10, and 6/10.
  3. GamePro gave the game two 3.5/5 scores for graphics and fun factor, and two 4/5 scores for sound and control.

References
  1. "N64 Games of November". IGN. November 3, 2000. Retrieved May 22, 2023.
  2. Moyer, Michael (September 2000). "Back Talk". Popular Science. p. 42. Retrieved November 2, 2018.
  3. "Hey You, Pikachu! for Nintendo 64 Reviews". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on January 10, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  4. Zjaba, Tom. "Hey You, Pikachu! - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 14, 2014. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  5. Torres, Ricardo (November 7, 2000). "Hey You, Pikachu! [Incomplete]". Gamecenter. CNET. Archived from the original on December 3, 2000. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  6. Johnston, Chris; MacDonald, Mark; Mielke, James "Milkman" (January 2001). "Hey You, Pikachu!". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 138. Ziff Davis. p. 200. Archived from the original on January 29, 2001. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  7. "ピカチュウげんきでちゅう". Famitsu (in Japanese). Enterbrain. Archived from the original on May 27, 2022. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  8. Helgeson, Matt (January 2001). "Hey You, Pikachu!". Game Informer. No. 93. FuncoLand. p. 136. Archived from the original on March 13, 2008. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  9. "Hey You, Pikachu!". GameFan. BPA International. November 6, 2000.
  10. Liu, Johnny (November 2000). "Hey You Pikachu [sic] Review". GameRevolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on September 10, 2015. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  11. Provo, Frank (November 3, 2000). "Hey You, Pikachu! Review". GameSpot. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on December 3, 2000. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  12. Mirabella III, Fran (November 6, 2000). "Hey You, Pikachu!". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on November 14, 2022. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  13. "Pikachū Genki Dechū". N64 Magazine. No. 25. Future Publishing. February 1999.
  14. Evans, Geraint (January 2001). "Hey You, Pikachu!". N64 Magazine. No. 50. Future Publishing. pp. 54–57.
  15. Orlando, Greg (January 2001). "Hey You, Pikachu". NextGen. No. 73. Imagine Media. p. 99. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  16. "Hey You, Pikachu!". Nintendo Power. Vol. 138. Nintendo of America. November 2000. p. 126. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  17. Jones, Alex (February 5, 2001). "Hey You, Pikachu! (N64) Review". Extended Play. TechTV. Archived from the original on June 6, 2001. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  18. Packwood, Dustin (December 8, 2000). "A Day in Nintendo Heaven". The Arizona Republic. Gannett Company. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012.
  19. Pokémaxx (January 2001). "Hey You, Pikachu!" (PDF). GamePro. No. 148. IDG. p. 90. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 27, 2022. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  20. "Retronauts Podcast". 1Up Network. IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on July 24, 2012. Retrieved January 27, 2013.
  21. Basile, Sal (July 6, 2010). "The Top 50 Games That Belong On the 3DS". UGO Networks. IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on May 28, 2018. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  22. "Fourth Interactive Achievement Awards: Console Family Game of the Year". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on April 17, 2001. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
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