Nintendo has been cagey about the impending release of Pokemon DS-remakes HeartGold and SoulSilver… specifically about the pack-in of Japan’s pedometer. Today’s press release makes it certain: we’re getting the Pokewalker.

If you think back to the original 2000 release of Pokemon Gold and Silver, you may recall how the games used the Game Boy’s infrared port to hook up with the Tamagotchi-esque toy, Pokemon Pikachu GS. A pedometer as well as a virtual pet, Pokemon Pikachu let you store up your steps and then beam the count (“Watts”) into Gold/Silver to buy in-game items. It was one of many unique features that Gold/Silver brought to the table, only to be unceremoniously discarded for the Game Boy Advance generation of Pokemon games.

The Pokewalker updates the pedometer concept by allowing you to transfer ANY one of your pokemon to the device. Then hook the Pokewalker to your belt and Get To Steppin’.

“By walking, players earn Watts, which are used within the Pokéwalker to encounter and catch wild Pokémon or search for hidden items, and can be transferred into Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver Versions to unlock new routes. There are even special versions of certain Pokémon that can only be found within routes on the Pokéwalker, giving players added incentive to keep their Pokémon with them wherever they go. The Pokémon in the Pokéwalker will gain experience points as the player walks, and can even go up one level when they are transferred back into the game.”

I am chuffed as chips to know I’ll be leveling up my team all damn day.

HeartGold and SoulSilver will also allow a single pokemon to follow your onscreen character around, just as Pikachu did back in 1999’s Pokemon Yellow.

2010 is the Year of Walking Pokemon, believe it. The games are scheduled to launch March 14. My new in-office exercise regime begins March 15.

NEW POKÉWALKER ACCESSORY LETS PLAYERS BRING THE FUN OF POKÉMON WHEREVER THEY GO

Jan. 11, 2010

For more than a decade, millions of Pokémon™ fans around the world have enjoyed training their Pokémon within their video games. The March 14 release of the Pokémon™ HeartGold Version and Pokémon SoulSilver Version games lets players continue to enjoy the world of Pokémon away from their Nintendo DS™ or Nintendo DSi™ systems, taking their favorite Pokémon with them wherever they go with the new Pokéwalker™ accessory. This new accessory will come included with each copy of these games.

In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver Versions, players can wirelessly transfer any one of their Pokémon from one of the two games to the Pokéwalker and walk them through virtual routes as the player walks around in real life. By walking, players earn Watts, which are used within the Pokéwalker to encounter and catch wild Pokémon or search for hidden items, and can be transferred into Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver Versions to unlock new routes. There are even special versions of certain Pokémon that can only be found within routes on the Pokéwalker, giving players added incentive to keep their Pokémon with them wherever they go. The Pokémon in the Pokéwalker will gain experience points as the player walks, and can even go up one level when they are transferred back into the game. Players also can wirelessly connect two Pokéwalkers to trade items.

Letting players return to the beloved Johto region first introduced in Pokémon Gold Version and Silver Version for the portable Game Boy™ system, Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver Versions introduce several new enhancements for the series that enrich these timeless adventures. Created exclusively for the Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi systems, the games feature detailed graphics that spotlight the unique environments and hundreds of Pokémon that players can encounter and catch. Players can even see and interact with their favorite Pokémon outside of battle, selecting one from their team to follow behind their Trainer as they travel through the Johto region. The games also include robust touch-screen functionality, allowing for smoother control and seamless navigation by the player.

For more information about Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver Versions, please visit www.pokemon.com. For more information about Nintendo, please visit www.nintendo.com.