Growing up as a 90’s child, everyone I knew (myself included) loved Pokémon, so much so that it would be safe to consider it a cultural phenomenon. Between the playing cards, merchandise, and the TV shows and movies, Pokémon was and still is an iconic staple to almost every age group. I often recall being allowed to stay up late and watch the newest Pokémon episode as a reward for good behavior while growing up, and I personally use Pokémon cards to bribe my boyfriend’s little brother to like me. Pokémon in a way has become a form of currency. (at least within our family dynamics)
My older brother and I, having around a year and a half age gap, shared a lot of similar interests growing up, as we used to watch the same shows and spend time together often. Sometimes, we would stay with my grandmother in the early 2000s while my parents would travel abroad. We were always extremely excited about their return as they always brought us new toys or dolls. Imagine our surprise when our parents came back from vacation and brought home my first memory of digital in 2003. My parents brought home the Hey You, Pikachu! Nintendo 64, knowing how engrossed we were with Pokémon. This console absolutely blew my mind. Being a child who could barely grasp how a fax machine worked, this console had features that I couldn’t even imagine.
Within the packaging, we got a Nintendo 64 in a Pokémon edition, a game cartridge, a wired controller, and most surprisingly, a microphone. Originally believing the microphone to be for karaoke intentions at five years old, my parents gracefully explained that it was to talk to Pikachu, and indeed not for my own private concert. I didn’t quite understand what they meant at the time, but as soon as we started playing, my brother and I caught on quickly, and it soon became our favorite game.
I recall being able to use the microphone to talk to Pikachu. This blew my mind away when Pikachu could understand what I was saying. The voice recognition used in the game seemed extremely advanced for its time and could only share some insight on what games might be able to look like in the future, and what they would be capable of.
Aside from having high-tech accessories, the gameplay was equally as entertaining and diverse. The premise of the game is to test out a new contraption introduced by Professor Oak, called the PokéHelper. When beginning the game, a wild Pikachu shows up and upon befriending this Pikcachu, he will come and live with you. Every day the player could play different adventures with Pikachu, using the PokéHelper to communicate with Pikachu through speech.
And now, roughly twenty years have passed since my parents introduced me to this digital. I realize that this completely altered my view of the possibilities that new and modern technology could have to offer. Now with both me and my brother moved out, our Hey You, Pikachu! Nintendo 64 remains in their living room, collecting dust, waiting for us to return and play again.
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