Acting as a pedometer and a virtual pet device, the Pokéwalker released in the US in March 2010 as an accessory to the Nintendo DS titles, Pokémon HeartGold and Pokémon SoulSilver, which released at the same time.

Pokémon turns thirty-years-old in 2026, and I’m realizing the Johto remakes and the Pokéwalker celebrated its 15th year in 2025. It’s half as old as Pokémon itself, which is extremely weird to think about.

What is the Pokéwalker?

I grew up with a Tamagotchi. So, when Pokémon released the Pokéwalker that was essentially that, but with Pokémon? You bet I was sold!

Truthfully, I can’t remember exactly when Kris and I got our copies of HeartGold and SoulSilver. Since it was released in the spring, I want to say we each got a copy for Easter. I got SoulSilver while Kris got HeartGold. The Pokéwalkers were bundled with the games.

Remember when game accessories like that were bundled with the games instead of sold separately? Yeah, those were the good ol’ days.

Anyway, the Pokéwalker technology was revolutionary to me. I could take my Pokémon out of my Nintendo DS and walk around with it in the real world? Amazing!

It wasn’t just a cool accessory to get kids to keep playing the game even when they weren’t playing the game. It was meant to encourage kids to get up and get moving, and it worked. (At least for me.) Finding a way to use Pokémon as an incentive to get kids to buy their games, play them, and not sit around all day was a brilliant idea, and they made it accessible to anyone who bought the games, rather than parents needing to buy the Pokéwalker separately.

Not to mention that you didn’t have to use the Pokéwalker if you didn’t want to. It wasn’t an accessory that was required to beat the game and you didn’t have to pay extra for it, so it didn’t matter if you used it or not.

Being a Pedometer

As the name states, the Pokéwalker is a pedometer accessory that goes along with the HeartGold and SoulSilver Pokémon games. It was a relatively accurate pedometer, too. Why did they choose to use a pedometer as a game accessory? Well, I think it made the most sense in terms of interacting with the Pokémon in the walker, the Pokéwalker interacting with the game, and with the players being able to play the Johto remakes on the go.

Walking and counting those steps not only helped kids get a little exercise, but each step had a purpose. Every step you took earned your Pokémon experience points, so it was possible they’d level up once or twice when putting them back into the game.

So, it wasn’t just the comfort that you got to bring your Pokémon to your friend’s house, but you were also still technically making progress on the game at the same time.

Earning Watts

You can’t use the Pokéwalker without having to use HeartGold or SoulSilver first. However, once registered, the device can be used without having a Pokémon inside it. It’ll act as a regular pedometer. You’ll get steps in and also earn watts.

One watt is earned for every twenty steps taken, and sometimes your Pokémon can find watts in the tall grass. Watts are the Pokéwalker’s currency, which can be used to purchase the Poké Radar (how to encounter wild Pokémon in the walker) and Dowsing Machine (how to find items in the walker).

Interacting With Your Pokémon

You could only transfer one Pokémon from the game to the Pokéwalker at a time. You could interact with this Pokémon by walking to earn experience points, and it would earn a little bit of friendliness with you, too. So, if a Pokémon needed increased friendship in order to evolve, the Pokéwalker was a great way to help boost that.

While being out and about with you, your Pokémon would find things. You could find and catch Pokémon in the tall grass as you walked around, thus having a mini Pokémon battle in the walker. Your Pokémon could also find items in the tall grass.

Of course, the Pokéwalker could only store up to three items and three Pokémon at a time. So, if you wanted to keep going for the day, but still have a chance to find other items and Pokémon, you’d have to turn on HeartGold or SoulSilver, and transfer the items and Pokémon into your game.

The Pokéwalker is the Best Game Accessory

The Pokéwalker was essentially a mini game compared to HeartGold and SoulSilver. Having a virtual Pokémon alongside you without having to bring your Nintendo DS along was so cool. Yet, you’d still technically be making progress in the actual game while walking around with your Pokémon. It didn’t cost extra money since it came with the games, and it was simple to use.

Plus, it came with a clip, so I could clip it to my belt and pretend to be Ash Ketchum.

Did you use the Pokéwalker a lot as a kid? Let’s chat about it in the comments!