Pokémon Channel
Encyclopedia
Pokémon Channel, released in Japan as is a virtual pet
video game for the GameCube
, developed by Ambrella
. Its focus is the adventures the player has with Pikachu
, most of them involving a new television network. The game can be considered the spiritual sequel
to Hey You, Pikachu!
.
Professor Oak is developing a network that can be enjoyed by both Pokémon
and their Trainers
. The player has been chosen as a beta tester for the network, and is given a TV to watch the programs on. A television-loving Pikachu
, seeing the TV being delivered, takes an interest in the TV and follows the Magnemite delivering it to the player's in-game house. As the network is to be enjoyed by both Pokémon and humans alike, the Pikachu becomes a beta tester as well. As the game progresses, the Pikachu grows closer to the player, and can be nicknamed early on in the game.
The game uses the GameCube's internal clock to count real time as game time. As days progress, more channels become available, including the serial Pichu Bros. show.
A Channel in which the player uses to save the game. The channel may also come on when the player starts the game to tell new channels, or to show how much money has been made in an auction for the player's painting.
that concerns another channel.
where a Squirtle (named Spencer) sells 3 items which the player can buy. Usually items are delivered the next day or some may arrive as soon as the player orders it. The player has a limited number of products he/she can buy.
in which he/she chooses one of them. The player is only given 1 a day.
where 3 Pokémon compete. There are 3 types of quizzes. "Silhouette Quiz", "Peekaboo Quiz", and "Match-That-Cry"
that consists of 5 parts. One is given a day. It is also available in 4 different languages in all.
. After unlocking the full version of The Pichu Bros., Jirachi will appear, and the mini-movie will be shown above the campfire. After the movie finishes, Jirachi can be obtained from the menu screen. Doing so will also fix the infamous berry glitch in Ruby and Sapphire.
X-Play
was the most harsh on the game, considering it to be the 2nd worst GameCube game to date ahead of Aquaman: Battle for Atlantis
. X-Play considers Pokémon Channel as an example for a game deserving a 0 out of 5 score, following the belief that Pokémon Channel is not truly a game because it really lacks a sense of interactivity. They also found it annoying that if the player leaves the Pikachu alone, it will buy items off the channel with the player's points.
The reviews average out to a score of 53% which Game Rankings places at rank 283 out of 489 GameCube games as of November 2006. IGN
rated the game a 5/10, stating they "can hardly find enough compelling gameplay to call this a game".
Digital pet
A digital pet is a type of artificial human companion. They are usually kept for companionship or enjoyment. People may keep a digital pet in lieu of a real pet....
video game for the GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
, developed by Ambrella
Ambrella
Ambrella is a Japanese video game development company that works under a publishing agreement with Nintendo best known for making spin-off games for the Pokémon video game franchise...
. Its focus is the adventures the player has with Pikachu
Pikachu
is one of the species of Pokémon creatures from the Pokémon media franchise—a collection of video games, anime, manga, books, trading cards, and other media created by Satoshi Tajiri. As do all Pokémon, Pikachu fight other Pokémon in battles central to the anime, manga, and games of the series...
, most of them involving a new television network. The game can be considered the spiritual sequel
Spiritual sequel
A spiritual successor, sometimes called a spiritual sequel or a companion piece, is a successor to a work of fiction which does not directly build upon the storyline established by a previous work as do most traditional prequels or sequels, but nevertheless features many of the same elements,...
to Hey You, Pikachu!
Hey You, Pikachu!
Hey You, Pikachu!, known in Japan as , is a Nintendo 64 video game developed by Ambrella and published by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on December 12, 1998, and in North America on November 6, 2000....
.
Plot
Pokémon
is a media franchise published and owned by the video game company Nintendo and created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1996. Originally released as a pair of interlinkable Game Boy role-playing video games developed by Game Freak, Pokémon has since become the second most successful and lucrative video...
and their Trainers
Pokémon trainer
People with at least one Pokémon creature can be considered a Pokémon Trainer. In this sense, people in related Pokémon occupations, such as Pokémon coordinators or Pokémon breeders, can also be considered to be Pokémon Trainers....
. The player has been chosen as a beta tester for the network, and is given a TV to watch the programs on. A television-loving Pikachu
Pikachu
is one of the species of Pokémon creatures from the Pokémon media franchise—a collection of video games, anime, manga, books, trading cards, and other media created by Satoshi Tajiri. As do all Pokémon, Pikachu fight other Pokémon in battles central to the anime, manga, and games of the series...
, seeing the TV being delivered, takes an interest in the TV and follows the Magnemite delivering it to the player's in-game house. As the network is to be enjoyed by both Pokémon and humans alike, the Pikachu becomes a beta tester as well. As the game progresses, the Pikachu grows closer to the player, and can be nicknamed early on in the game.
The game uses the GameCube's internal clock to count real time as game time. As days progress, more channels become available, including the serial Pichu Bros. show.
Report Channel
(Known as "Professor Oak Report)A Channel in which the player uses to save the game. The channel may also come on when the player starts the game to tell new channels, or to show how much money has been made in an auction for the player's painting.
Hatch up Poke egg
A channel where an egg is shown at differing locations. The player can choose between 4 selections to which Pokémon may hatch from the egg. Pokémon facts scroll at the top which are answers to Pokémon quizzes. The time it takes for the egg to hatch ranges from 5 minutes to one and a half hours. If the player is right, they are given 180 Poke.Pokémon News Flash
A newscast in which reports facts such as a Meowth on the scene interviewing other Pokémon, or a News Reports that tells about events or scientific findings about Pokémon that cannot be done in the game . Most of the time, the news reporter, Psyduck, will fall asleep during or at the beginning of the show. On the last day of the storyline, when the player starts the game, the news flash starts with a breaking newsBreaking news
Breaking news, also known as a special report or news bulletin, is a current event that broadcasters feel warrants the interruption of scheduled programming and/or current news in order to report its details. Many times, breaking news is used after the news network has already reported on this story...
that concerns another channel.
Slowpoke's Weather
A Slowpoke is shown at a location in the game. A weather board is behind him with symbols of Rain, Cloudy, and clear, respectively. When Slowpoke points to a weather symbol with its tail, it changes to that condition. Slowpoke may fall asleep and the weather stays the same.Smeargle's Art Study
An Art Show where a Smeargle shows the painting that is currently hanging on the players room. He goes in-depth with the paintingsShop 'N Squirtle
An infomercialInfomercial
Infomercials are direct response television commercials which generally include a phone number or website. There are long-form infomercials, which are typically between 15 and 30 minutes in length, and short-form infomercials, which are typically 30 seconds to 120 seconds in length. Infomercials...
where a Squirtle (named Spencer) sells 3 items which the player can buy. Usually items are delivered the next day or some may arrive as soon as the player orders it. The player has a limited number of products he/she can buy.
Chansey's Fortune
A channel where the player is given 5 fortune cookiesFortune Cookies
Fortune Cookies is the second album by Alana Davis, released in 2001. It peaked at #34 on Billboard's Heatseekers Album chart at the time of its release.-Track listing:...
in which he/she chooses one of them. The player is only given 1 a day.
Chum Chum Rankings
A channel that shows rankings of different things such as the top 5 channels the player has watched the longest.Quiz Wobbufet
A game showGame show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
where 3 Pokémon compete. There are 3 types of quizzes. "Silhouette Quiz", "Peekaboo Quiz", and "Match-That-Cry"
Odd one Out
A game in which the player guesses if there are going to be either an even or odd number of different Pokémon.Pichu Brothers
An animeAnime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
that consists of 5 parts. One is given a day. It is also available in 4 different languages in all.
Jirachi
Players can obtain the rare Pokémon Jirachi in both the European and Australian versions of the game; it can be transferred to a version of Pokémon Ruby and SapphirePokémon Ruby and Sapphire
are the third installments of the Pokémon series of role-playing games, developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance. The games were first released in Japan in late 2002 and later released to the rest of the world in 2003 . Pokémon Emerald, a special edition version,...
. After unlocking the full version of The Pichu Bros., Jirachi will appear, and the mini-movie will be shown above the campfire. After the movie finishes, Jirachi can be obtained from the menu screen. Doing so will also fix the infamous berry glitch in Ruby and Sapphire.
Pokémon mini
Pokémon Channel also includes a virtual Pokémon mini. Pikachu must find it under the bed before it can be played. The virtual Pokémon mini comes with a Pokémon Channel exclusive game, Snorlax's Lunchtime (known simply in the North American release as Lunchtime). The player may also purchase virtual demos of actual Pokémon mini games on Shop N' Squirtle.Reception
The game received mixed receptions from critics. The main complaint from critics was over the game's lack of interactivity since most of the gametime is spent watching television. In addition to this, the fact that many animated sequences cannot be bypassed was found to be annoying, particularly when the player has already seen them or is familiar with them. The good reviews were more lenient on these points, stating that it was likely designed with younger players in mind.X-Play
X-Play
X-Play is a TV program about video games, known for its reviews and comedy skits...
was the most harsh on the game, considering it to be the 2nd worst GameCube game to date ahead of Aquaman: Battle for Atlantis
Aquaman: Battle for Atlantis
Aquaman: Battle for Atlantis is a console video game for the Xbox and Nintendo GameCube systems, based on the DC Comics character Aquaman. It was developed by Lucky Chicken Studios and published by TDK in conjunction with DC Comics...
. X-Play considers Pokémon Channel as an example for a game deserving a 0 out of 5 score, following the belief that Pokémon Channel is not truly a game because it really lacks a sense of interactivity. They also found it annoying that if the player leaves the Pikachu alone, it will buy items off the channel with the player's points.
The reviews average out to a score of 53% which Game Rankings places at rank 283 out of 489 GameCube games as of November 2006. IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
rated the game a 5/10, stating they "can hardly find enough compelling gameplay to call this a game".