4th Gen The Poketch

[curiousnathan]

The poketch was the Fourth Generation's hand held device used by the player. This nifty device is able to do many useful things, kept in programs known as apps. This stylish device was a must for all Pokemon Trainers travelling Sinnoh! The question is however, what's your view on them? Did you use it quite a fair bit, did you have a favourite app you liked to use over other's, in what ways was it useful? And to get your creative juices flowing, if you could create a Poketch app, what would it be? How would it be used?

I liked the idea of the Poketch. It was simple, easy to use and for me and my playstyle, extremely useful. I used it quite a fair bit to keep track of my chains for capturing shiny pokemon, my Pokemon's current health and status yes, I'm lazy. even though I could just check through the menu.

 

[Sydian]

I personally think the Poketch is one of the better things you get in each game. It has so many apps (Poke-iPhone?!) and it's just...so useful really haha. Some apps are strange though, but eh, they have their uses. The only thing that rivals it is HGSS' bottom screen. Although not a technological device you get in the game, it still rules the bottom screen and it's ripping my heart out trying to decide if in the future I'd rather have HGSS bottom screen or DPPt Poketch. URGH!

 

[Starsprite]

I liked the Poketech in a lot more in Platinum than I did in Pearl because they added the back button. I had a problem with stabbing at the button too fast and passing over what I wanted to find.

I liked the apps either way though. Some of them were useful, and some of them were just fun to mess around with, and I think it was a really good idea on the developers' part.

 

[PlatinumDude]

IMO, the Poketch is one of the best Pokemon-related gadgets ever created because of the fun and useful apps, like the basic time telling and, coin flip and happiness checker. I liked it better in Platinum because it was easier to scroll back in the apps, since in D/P, it was only able to scroll forward.

 

[Zephele]

The fact that the device could do so many different things makes it my favourite of all the little devices you're given in the main series games. Even for some of the apps I didn't think I'd use all too often, I still found myself scrolling through everything I have and tinkering with them. I agree about the addition of the back button in Platinum, though. It was quite a bother to scroll through the apps in Diamond/Pearl once you got them all.

 

[Nomine]

I believe that the Pokétch is one of the most intuitive electronic device in the Pokémon World, simply due to its simplicity of design and usefulness of its features. I liked the Pokétch in Platinum more than the one in Diamond and Pearl due to its improvement and addition of the back button. Like Starsprite earlier commented, I had a problem with stabbing at the button too many times and passing the application that I needed to go to. The Pokétch's features are the most compelling of its allure. You could chain shines, check the time, see if your Pokémon are done breeding, check how many steps left until your egg cracked, regulate your berry growth, and find out where those roaming legendaries are! The Pokétch is truly one of the most intuitive electronic devices ever created in Pokémon; next to the Pokédex (all generations), Town Map (all generations), Pokégear (Johto), and Pokénav (Hoenn).

 

[bobandbill]

Despite a few apps I never used or see much use for I quite liked it; it was a neat way to make use of the bottom touch screen, and the scroll-only-one-way issues with it had also been fixed in DPPt as well. It was a pity it hasn't yet reappeared.

 

[Rivvon]

The Poketch was absolutely amazing. I even ended up using some of the apps, such as the blank "drawing" app, for real-life things, such as when my mother would ask for me to keep track of a shopping list. It was incredibly convenient (especially in Platinum with its backtracking button, as others have mentioned) and is one of my favorite Pokemon devices.

If I were to make an app, it would probably combine aspects of the Pokegear or even the C-Gear. There could be a telephone app, or a radio app. I'd also like to include a sort of "Table of Contents" app that can be accessed at any time through the use of an extra button, and it could just list all the apps you have and you can click to be taken to the one you want. It would be pretty cool if the main menu could be integrated into it as well (perhaps also as an app).

 

[Brendino]

I would love if a future game were able to combine the Poketch and the HG/SS bottom screen (maybe by having it replace the PokeGear, and you could optionally leave it on).

I did find quite a few of the apps very useful. The Daycare, Itemfinder, Marking Map and Trainer Counter were all apps that I used quite extensively. And while others like the Roulette and Dot Drawing didn't serve much of a purpose, it was still nice to see those options available.

If I could create a Poketch app, maybe it would be something that allow you to see which Pokemon are in the same area as you. This could be useful for beginner trainers who don't always remember where you can find individual Pokemon, and could serve as an aide if there were a roaming Legendary in your vicinity.

 

[Elite Overlord LeSabre™]

Arguably the best use of the DS lower screen. Many useful apps, including telling you when an egg was ready, to tracking your steps, and a general counting tool that was invaluable when I was EV training - no pencil and paper for me :)

I also much preferred the Platinum iteration where you could scroll through the apps in both directions. They really need to bring something like this back. A revised one would have features such as radio and phone as additional apps, maybe also make the Pokedex itself accessible through the Poketch. Or one that keeps track of key locations, attractions, and characters.