Pokémon Channel
| |
| Pokémon Channel | |
| Developer | Ambrella |
| Publisher | Nintendo |
| System | Nintendo Gamecube |
| Release Date | JP July 18, 2003 US December 1, 2003 EU April 2, 2004 |
| Rating | ESRB: E |
Pokémon Channel is a casual spin-off Pokémon game featuring Pikachu. It could be considered to be the Nintendo Gamecube's successor to Hey You, Pikachu! due to the focus on Pikachu in a manner similar to a pet simulator.
Story
The player character has been chosen by Professor Oak to help test out a new television network that is being developed to be enjoyed by Pokémon and trainers alike. A wild Pikachu wanders into the house and winds up also testing the network due to a love of television. The player character and Pikachu bond in the process.
Gameplay
The main feature of the game is the television network. The game uses the inbuilt timer to measure days, and more channels will appear as time goes by. The various channels feature Pokémon in different types of entertainment such as news reports or quiz shows, and some channels qualify as minigames which can earn the player money if won. The player can spent money at the Shop N' Squirtle channel, which imitates an infomercial, although the number of items available per day is limited. One channel also gradually releases installments of an anime short known as Pichu Bros. in Party Panic, which is notable as being the short containing Meowth's Party. The player can choose programs that please Pikachu and also teach Pikachu how to change the channels itself.
The player can also go out and explore several different areas connected to the game's setting, Mintale Town. Different Pokémon appear throughout these areas, and answering their questions will unlock the Pokémon's corresponding Nice Card. The Pokémon of a given area will vary depending on the time of day and weather. There is also a total of 101 Nice Cards. A Pokémon Mini can also be found within the game, and all of the original minigames are contained with the addition of a new one known as Snorlax's Lunch Time.
In the European and Australian releases of Pokémon Channel, it was possible to unlock Jirachi after receiving all of the Pichu Bros. episodes, and this Jirachi could be transferred to any of the third generation color versions. This was the only way to receive Jirachi without aid from a Nintendo event, at least for those regions.
Legacy
The game has not received a sequel. The next casual Pikachu-centered game for the Nintendo Wii wound up moving away from the pet simulator angle to instead feature Pikachu as the playable character in a setting with various minigames. This was PokéPark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure.