Easily one of the most popular and most recognizable characters in the cartoon universe Pokemon was until recently being held back by the fact that Nintendo hasn’t wanted to expand to the Android and iOS markets until now.
Cartoon characters have been gaining even more popularity than normal with the invention of the Cartoon Network and the fact that more adults are finding it fun to play video games that remind them of their childhood. There are also more kids that are using high tech devices such as tablet PCs. Leapfrog has jumped into the fray by releasing a tablet that is for kids specifically. Meanwhile, Cartoon Network has finally come to the Android system while they have been on the iOS system for quite a while. Now, according to Kotaku, Pokemon is making a jump to the tablet for the first official time.
While there have been a couple of offshoots that were made to look like official Pokemon games there has yet to be an official game on either the Apple or Android OS until now. Later this summer the game “Pokémon Say Tap?” will be made available. The game will use official Pokemon music and cards in a kind of timing game. Best of all for the Pokemon fans is that this app will apparently be completely free (though if I was a betting man I’d say there will be some inapp purchases.)
This is actually quite a big move for Nintendo as it will be the first officially licensed game to be making an appearance on a device that is not owned and operated by the company. This move is pretty big because it shows that the company may be starting to realize there are other markets out there that can be tapped and because it may mean that if Sonic Racing can make a living on the iPad, Mario Kart might make an appearance at some point in the future. Of course that last part is mere speculation on my part, but Nintendo allowing its products on what some would even see as a kind of competitor’s products is no small matter.
