Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver :: PokeWalker (2024)

The PokeWalker is a pedometer shipped with HeartGold and SoulSilver. Its most basic functions are similar to that of the Pokemon Pikachu toy. You may send one Pokemon from your PC Box in HeartGold or SoulSilver to the device on a Stroll. The internal battery is rated for 4 months. Pokemon Strolling on the device are backed up and will not be lost when the battery dies; only the step count and watts are reset.

At midnight each day the device resets your step counter. As you walk wearing the device, you earn Watts which may be spent on a Poké Radar and Dowsing MCHN. You can also spend Watts to unlock additional Routes. Up to 3 Pokemon from the Poké Radar and 3 items from the Dowsing MCHN may be stored on the device at a time. While walking, a Pokemon on a Stroll will gain both experience and happiness. The experience earned is capped to one level's worth, but happiness can continue to accrue.

In order to use the PokeWalker beyond the basic leveling functions, you must earn watts. For every 20 steps taken, the player earns 1 watt. The Poké Radar may be activated for 10 watts, while the Dowsing MCHN costs 3 watts.

Menu and Resetting

The menu for the PokeWalker consists of several options. The primary functions are on the left - the Poké Radar and Dowsing MCHN. In the middle are options to Connect and view the Trainer Card. On the right are the Pokemon & Items and the Settings. Along the bottom the number of watts needed for the currently selected option and total number of watts earned.

The Trainer Card displays the name of the Trainer associated with the device. It also shows the number of hours since the device last reset the step count. It stores the number of steps taken for each of the last 7 days, and the total number of steps and days the device has been active.

Choosing to Connect will allow the player to connect to a friend's PokeWalker and receive a random item. After connecting 10 times on a single Stroll, watts are received rather than an item. Upon returning the Strolling Pokemon to the DS after connecting with a friend, the friend will appear in the Trainer Dojo in Viridian City. Up to 11 trainers may be challenged there.

Pokemon & Items displays the Pokemon currently stored in the device - both on a Stroll and those captured, as well as the items found during play.

Settings will allow adjusting of the sound - on or off - and brightness. Adjusting these can improve battery life.

In the event that the PokeWalker is lost, the Strolling Pokemon can be recovered from the DS. From the PokeWalker menu in-game, press Up + Select + R at the same time. Doing so will only return the Pokemon sent on a Stroll - other Pokemon and Items obtained will be lost, and no experience or happiness earned will be counted.

To reset the PokeWalker, or sync it with a new game, a similar button combination may be used. From the PokeWalker menu, press Down + X + L at the same time. This will reset the device entirely and link it to the Trainer Card of the current save file.

Poké Radar

The Poké Radar can be used to engage in simplified Pokemon battles with Pokemon that would otherwise not yet be available to a player who has not played through the Kanto story line. It costs 10 watts per use.

Once the player uses the Poké Radar, the player is presented with four patches of grass. Up to three exclamation points may be seen above a patch, indicating the rarity of the Pokemon within. A single exclamation point designates an common (Group C) Pokemon. If a single point appears twice, the Pokemon is either Common (Group C) or Uncommon (Group B). 2 points at the same time means an Uncommon (Group B) or Rare (Group A) Pokemon, and 3 points guarantees a Rare (Group A) Pokemon.

After engaging a Pokemon in battle, the player has three options; Attack, Evade, or Catch. Wild Pokemon may Attack, Evade, or Run. Depending on which actions are chosen, various results occur.

Dowsing MCHN

The Dowsing MCHN can be used to find various items, depending on what route the player is currently on. It costs 3 watts per use.

Upon using the Dowsing MCHN, the player is presented with six patches of grass. After selecting a patch, if the player does not find an item, the game will give a clue. An item that is nearby is immediately adjacent to the patch that was chosen. An item that is farther away is at least 2 patches away. If the player does not obtain an item on the second try, the game ends. The items available via the Dowsing MCHN vary from route to route.

PokeWalker Routes

For each route, there are three different types which have an advantage in that area. This advantage reduces the number of steps required to find a Pokemon using the Poké Radar by 25%.