Pokewalker

[MarkBarbieri]

Have any of you or your kids gotten the latest Pokemon games that come with Pokewalkers? They are the rage in our neighborhood now.

Have your kids started working on ways to trick the walker? After a day of running, jumping, and shaking, our boys decided that there had to be a better way to "walk" them.

First, they attached them to rulers and quickly flicked them up and down. That was better than walking, but still too manual. They tried a variety of contraptions, including an old record player on its side. They finally settled on a floor fan attached to a dimmer switch so that it could be slowed down. At regular low power, the pokewalker spun too quickly to register. At slow speed, they are getting about 8,000 steps / hour.

OK, I realize that the original purpose was to encourage kids to exercise. That didn't work too well here. Instead, it spurred a round of creative engineering, which isn't a bad thing either. Now I just have to put up with a wobbly old fan trundling around all day.

 

[mrsbert]

Have any of you or your kids gotten the latest Pokemon games that come with Pokewalkers? They are the rage in our neighborhood now.

Have your kids started working on ways to trick the walker? After a day of running, jumping, and shaking, our boys decided that there had to be a better way to "walk" them.

First, they attached them to rulers and quickly flicked them up and down. That was better than walking, but still too manual. They tried a variety of contraptions, including an old record player on its side. They finally settled on a floor fan attached to a dimmer switch so that it could be slowed down. At regular low power, the pokewalker spun too quickly to register. At slow speed, they are getting about 8,000 steps / hour.

OK, I realize that the original purpose was to encourage kids to exercise. That didn't work too well here. Instead, it spurred a round of creative engineering, which isn't a bad thing either. Now I just have to put up with a wobbly old fan trundling around all day.

Like you said, not exactly like Pokemon wanted it to be but they were at least using their noggin.

I've gotten my boys out of the house for the past few days in the afternoon so we can walk and they can get their steps in.

 

[jen0610]

While in thought it sounds like a good thing, but we have one big rule in our house for the gameboy. If your walking, your gameboy is turned off.

Both our kids know this and have both been told, I don't care if your in the middle of a battle, you knew what we were getting ready to do, you should have saved and turned it off before we got to this point.

If you don't actually have to be "playing" the game, just have the chip in and the system turned on, with the thing in your pocket, then that again would not fit into our rules. If your not playing on the thing, it goes in it's bag so you know where it is.

Several of our friends have very similar rules for their kids.

 

[Jockaroo]

While in thought it sounds like a good thing, but we have one big rule in our house for the gameboy. If your walking, your gameboy is turned off.

Both our kids know this and have both been told, I don't care if your in the middle of a battle, you knew what we were getting ready to do, you should have saved and turned it off before we got to this point.

If you don't actually have to be "playing" the game, just have the chip in and the system turned on, with the thing in your pocket, then that again would not fit into our rules. If your not playing on the thing, it goes in it's bag so you know where it is.

Several of our friends have very similar rules for their kids.

I'm not sure if you understand the Pokewalker. It is basically a pedometer that you can transfer a Pokemon character into. It is separate to the actual Gameboy game. You stick this in your pocket and walk (or not ) to level up the character. I think there are a few games you can play on the device, but it is basically a pedometer. It is a clever way to encourage kids of all ages to get out and walk. I do respect your family for setting rules for the video games. I love gaming, but know that there is a time and place.

I've not used the Pokewalker, but have the Personal Trainer Walking game with pedometers for myself and my dog.

 

[mrsbert]

While in thought it sounds like a good thing, but we have one big rule in our house for the gameboy. If your walking, your gameboy is turned off.

Both our kids know this and have both been told, I don't care if your in the middle of a battle, you knew what we were getting ready to do, you should have saved and turned it off before we got to this point.

If you don't actually have to be "playing" the game, just have the chip in and the system turned on, with the thing in your pocket, then that again would not fit into our rules. If your not playing on the thing, it goes in it's bag so you know where it is.

Several of our friends have very similar rules for their kids.

My kids are 11 and 9. They aren't allowed to walk and play their DS games for the simple fact they aren't coordinated enough. They'd kill themselves.

We tried the Pokewalker again yesterday and DS11 got 713 steps.

 

[AustinTink]

My son has that new Pokemon game and he hasn't even looked at the Pokewalker. The funny thing is we walk 2 miles every evening. He could be racking up the points!!

 

[jen0610]

I'm not sure if you understand the Pokewalker. It is basically a pedometer that you can transfer a Pokemon character into. It is separate to the actual Gameboy game. You stick this in your pocket and walk (or not ) to level up the character. I think there are a few games you can play on the device, but it is basically a pedometer. It is a clever way to encourage kids of all ages to get out and walk. I do respect your family for setting rules for the video games. I love gaming, but know that there is a time and place.

I've not used the Pokewalker, but have the Personal Trainer Walking game with pedometers for myself and my dog.

The guy at the game store told us that it was just like a regular game chip. You have to use it with your gameboy. What you are talking about is something that we would allow.

The way the guy explained it, was as you play the Pokemon game, if your moving around it's got a way to track your activity and the more you walk/skip/run or the faster you are doing them, that would increase your Pokemons abilities.

 

[Jockaroo]

To me, the regular game chip would be the SD-style card that is inserted into the Gameboy. Pokewalker is an accessory device with an infrared port that allows you to transfer a single pokemon character into the device. The idea is that you put the character into a setting (forest, beach, mountain, etc.) and then put the pokewalker in your pocket and walk with it. I stuck a Zubat into it and took my dog for a walk at the park. I got over 6,000 steps. While in the pokewalker, the character earns points to level up and also collects what the instruction guide calls watts. Watts can be used to try to find berries and items though a mini-game function--so yes, the pedometer has some interactivity like the video game. Apparently there are also chances to encounter wild pokemon that you can try to capture in another mini game. I haven't done this. It may take some of the watts as well, I don't remember. Walking earns the watts.

When you transfer the pokemon back into the main gaming system, it may have a present (typically a berry) that it found while walking. Walking also allows you to open or unlock different environments or scenery. Walking with the pokemon also increases its level of friendship towards you, which helps a few select pokemon evolve. This is good for those wanting to complete a pokedex, but not spend lots of time leveling up less powerful characters. So, basically, the pokewalker is a glorified pedometer with a couple of mini games that interacts with the game cartridge. You do not have to participate in the mini games; you can just walk with it in your pocket. The silly device does beep and make obnoxious noises if certain buttons are pressed, and these can be pressed in your pocket--at the park, and cause your well-behaved dog to bark. And yes, I know way more about Pokemon than an adult really should know.

 

[java]

The guy at the game store told us that it was just like a regular game chip. You have to use it with your gameboy. What you are talking about is something that we would allow.

The way the guy explained it, was as you play the Pokemon game, if your moving around it's got a way to track your activity and the more you walk/skip/run or the faster you are doing them, that would increase your Pokemons abilities.

It's actually a SEPARATE pedometer. Not all Gold and silver come with it.He was probably describing the basic game itself. You have to buy a game that includes the pedometer- it looks like a pokeball.
My kids all are walking around with them in their pockets at all times. It's become a contest. All my kids are enjoying the games (ages 5-15!)

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

My boys got these in their Easter Baskets, and I am not sure they know all that has been described here! The kids that have them in their pockets all the time, do they keep them in their pocket at school? As one poster described, a beeping sound can go off?

 

[TheresaNY]

Has anyone taken their Pokewalker to WDW in the heat ? How did it survive? My DD took a different type of Pokemon pedometer wit her a few years back and the heat ruined the LED screen. She could no longer use it. She wants to bring her Pokewalker but is fearful again that the summer heat and humidity will destroy it.