Back in 1996, Nintendo released one of its most successful consoles, the Nintendo 64. As part of the fifth generation, it produced the most immaculate and innovative games. Examples of such would be Super Mario 64, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Super Smash Bros., and many more.
There was one title released for the console that should have been a part of that list, but was held back by the technology of its time. It is a spin-off of one of Nintendo's most popular franchises, Pokemon, and its concept was brimming with potential: Hey You, Pikachu!
For those who have never played or heard of it, the game is essentially a virtual pet simulator, as the entire gameplay revolves around doing different activities with the adorable Pikachu daily. That alone sounds interesting, but what truly made it special was that you could talk to or command the yellow mouse by using the microphone that comes with buying the game.
This all sounds like the perfect formula for success, and it should have been. However, the issue was that the game never or barely ever properly carried over your commands, which is not something you want when the entire point was to be able to communicate with Pikachu at all times.
Because its main function rarely worked, people struggled to play the game, which is a shame, as there were many fun activities, such as babysitting Caterpie, making stew with Bulbasaur, answering Pokemon quizzes together, and much more. Hey You, Pikachu! could have provided some of the best experiences, but unfortunately, its one issue made it memorable for the wrong reasons.
However, now that it has been over 20 years since its initial release, perhaps it is time Nintendo gives it the remake treatment. As I said earlier, the game had a lot of potential, but couldn't show it due to the system not properly picking up the microphone's commands.
But with the current technology, that should no longer be the case. In fact, with the powerful hardware of the Switch 2 and its microphone with noise-canceling technology, a remake of Hey You, Pikachu! could result in one of the best virtual pet simulators to exist.
Because, aside from working on the already great ideas that the game had and making them work, it's now possible to implement new ones that would make gameplay even better. For instance, there could be an activity that involves you directing Pikachu to make poses by himself or with other Pokemon, allowing for many picturesque moments.
Another would be a new feature that utilizes the Switch 2's GameChat function, allowing others to communicate with Pikachu should they wish to do so. Things like that will very likely make the game more enjoyable for fans, and it's only possible if a remake happens.
I have confidence that a remake of Hey You, Pikachu! remake would do well today, especially given its potential, and I hope Nintendo sees that it's worth doing. The recipe and ingredients are already available, so now it's only a matter of making it happen.
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