Hey You, Pikachu! review (Nintendo 64)

Although Hey You, Pikachu! Is not a visual powerhouse, its crisp lines and colorful atmosphere do an excellent job of portraying the world of Pokémon. Each area, be it Viridian Forest or Ochre Woods, is rendered in such a way that fans of the TV series will easily recognize popular landmarks. Where Hey You, Pikachu! really excels, though, is in the area of sound. Interacting with Pikachu and telling him what to do is fun, and the responses thrown back by him and his Pokémon cohort are hilariously uplifting. Pikachu's understanding of the English vocabulary is limited to approximately 200 words and phrases, but the game's voice recognition is fairly solid - it even allows for the sloppy speech patterns of younger children and toddlers. Hey You, Pikachu! has intermittent issues with background noise, but nothing that backing away from the television wouldn't cure.

Despite the positive nature of this review, a huge flag of caution must be waved in the direction of the adolescents and adults out there: This game is not a powerhouse of voice recognition, nor is it a bastion of deep gameplay. If you're not a fan of the series or not into solving puzzles, your needs will be better met elsewhere. However, if you're a dyed-in-the-wool Pokéfan or if you happen to care for young children, then Hey You, Pikachu! is right up your alley. Its price tag may be steep, but there is limitless replay value to be found in the hands of the right audience.