- Primary Subject: Hey You, Pikachu! / Nintendo Switch 2
- Key Update: The advanced microphone capabilities of the Nintendo Switch 2 open the door for a potential remake or sequel to the N64 classic Hey You, Pikachu!.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: January 20, 2026
- Quick Answer: The advanced voice-recognition technology of the Nintendo Switch 2 could finally make a Hey You, Pikachu! remake or sequel actually playable.
Recently, Nintendo has shown us what its Switch 2's microphone is capable of doing. During a preview of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake, we were shown that we could hum melodies and the system could pick them up and make Link play them on the Ocarina. And during the recent Nintendo Direct, the upcoming Pikmin 4 Switch 2 edition will allow us to use voice commands to instruct Oatchi on what to do.
It's clear that Nintendo is trying to sell us, and possibly third-party developers, the potential of the system's microphone, and that we should be looking forward to what else can be done with it. Well, it certainly has done its job, as I feel there's an opportunity to revive a certain game that was ahead of its time but failed to capitalize on its ideas due to technological limitations.
I am talking about Hey You, Pikachu!, a virtual pet and life simulation made for the Nintendo 64 back in 1998. In it, you play as a regular kid whose task is to go about your daily life while taking care of a wild Pikachu, getting into all sorts of hijinks and fun in the meantime. Great as that may sound, especially to a Pokemon fan, there was an issue in trying to direct Pikachu to follow your commands.
To get the little yellow mouse to do anything, you had to use the microphone that came with the game, but it barely ever worked. You can use it to try and tell Pikachu to do one thing, but the Pokemon almost always ends up doing something else or completely ignoring what you've said. It was clear that, due to the more primitive technology at the time, the microphone and Nintendo 64 struggled to process human voices.
So what was supposed to be an unforgettable, pet-like simulation ended up being a test of patience and endurance, as there's very little chance that anything you say will be properly registered by Pikachu. However, that should no longer be the case if the game were remade or given a sequel on the Switch 2.
Again, remember the demonstration of the improved version of Pikmin 4. It was incredible to see Oatchi follow the precise order it was given, making it clear that the Switch 2's microphone has already resolved the issue the Nintendo 64 accessory faced.
With that in mind, imagine how amazing Hey You, Pikachu! would be now that there's a way to ensure that it does whatever it is that you want it to. Yes, you'd still have to develop a relationship with Pikachu until it fully obeys your commands, which will involve it disobeying you a lot at the start. But at least you now know it's because that's part of the gameplay, and not because the system didn't properly pick up what you're saying.
Another good thing about having your instructions clearly received is that the daily activities can now be enjoyed to their fullest. Although Hey, You Pikachu! was certainly a frustrating experience, there's no denying there was a charm to all the different tasks you and your little yellow buddy can do every day.
There were many options, such as taking care of a bunch of very hungry Caterpies, guiding a bunch of lost Polywags out of a misty lake, and gathering ingredients in a forest to help make Bulbasaur's stew. While they seem mundane, the fact that you were doing all of that with Pokemon made the experience magical and quite interesting.
Which is why it was so upsetting back then that you couldn't really do most of them well due to the microphone, as Hey You, Pikachu! could have been the most unique and enjoyable pet-like simulator of all time. And that is why I want the Switch 2 to rectify that with a remake and give the game the proper treatment it deserves.
If not that, then a sequel would be just as good. Again, the daily activities helped make Hey, You Pikachu! the unforgettable mediocre experience that it's known for today, so if the old ones could do that, imagine what new ones can do. A new entry on the Switch 2 means the potential for even crazier tasks that you and Pikachu can do, with nearly endless possibilities.
Also, given how far the series has come since then, a sequel won't be just limited to the first generation, meaning there's an opportunity to let players see the different lives and antics of the newer Pokemon. And since there are so many of them, it would make for a game with a lot of rich content, which is what every Switch 2 owner deserves.
So, hopefully Nintendo makes a remake or a sequel to Hey, You Pikachu! as this time, there's no excuse to leave it collecting dust in the realm of obscurity. It's a good game that unfortunately came out at the wrong time. And with technology as advanced as it is now, it deserves a comeback to show that it was just a victim of circumstance and can be the pet simulator it was meant to be.
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