Over the years, Pokémon has gone far beyond battling and catching them all. From photo safaris in Pokémon Snap to dungeon crawling in Mystery Dungeon, the franchise has dipped into nearly every genre imaginable.
Yet buried under the mountain of spin-offs lies one of the strangest and most obscure titles in the series. A game so bizarre in concept and so limited in release that many fans don’t even know it exists. That game is Learning With Pokémon: Typing Adventure, yes, it’s real, and yes, it’s as weird as it sounds.
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+ 5Released for the Nintendo DS in 2011, Typing Adventure was initially a Japan-exclusive. It later found its way to Europe and Australia in 2012 but never made it to North America.
Despite its oddball premise, the game sold over 260,000 copies globally, which is impressive for something that’s basically Pokémon meets keyboard class.
click to enlarge + 5What really made it stand out was its unique hardware bundle. The cartridge came packaged with a sleek wireless Bluetooth keyboard that players had to use to type their way through levels. Imagine buying a Pokémon game and getting an entire keyboard with it, now that’s commitment to the theme.
The story, if you can call it that, puts you in the role of a typing researcher assisting the delightfully named Quentin Werty. Yes, Quentin Werty. He tasks you with documenting and researching Pokémon by typing their names as they appear on screen.
click to enlarge + 5Sometimes it’s just a single letter or symbol, but as you progress, the names get longer and more complex. What starts as tapping out "Pikachu" soon turns into rapidly typing multi-syllabic names like "Feraligatr" or "Chandelure" with precision. It’s a fast-paced blend of typing reflexes and Pokémon recognition, and somehow, it works.
Adding to the experience are boss battles that turn the gameplay up a notch. You’ll face off against iconic Pokémon like Groudon, Virizion, and Zoroark, who aren’t content with just showing up for a spelling bee.
These bosses launch attacks at you, boulders, leaves, dark energy, and the only way to stop them is to type the letter or symbol printed on the projectile.
click to enlarge + 5The faster and more accurately you type, the better your score and the less damage you take. It adds just enough chaos to keep things exciting, especially for a game about typing.
But don’t expect a long, epic journey here. Typing Adventure is short, like really short. Most players can finish it in about two hours. It’s clearly designed for children who are just learning how to type, and in that context, it does a surprisingly great job.
The difficulty ramps up gently, the feedback is immediate, and the presence of Pokémon keeps younger players hooked far longer than a standard typing tutor might.
click to enlarge + 5At its heart, Learning With Pokémon: Typing Adventure is proof that education and entertainment don’t have to be opposites. The visuals are bright and engaging, the soundtrack is cheerful and motivating, and of course, the Pokémon themselves are the stars.
While it may be a footnote in the franchise’s long history, it’s a charming reminder that even a typing lesson can be fun if Pikachu is involved. Maybe one day we’ll see a modern remake or at least an app version of this delightful oddity.