Wi-Fi Plaza: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 12:57, 20 May 2010

Wi-Fi Plaza

The Wi-Fi Plaza (Japanese: Wi-Fiひろば Wi-Fi Plaza) is an enhancement to the Wi-Fi Club in Pokémon Platinum, HeartGold and SoulSilver found beneath most Pokémon Centers, downstairs in the Pokémon Center basement. Players from around the world can enter a plaza-like area to play mini-games together via Nintendo Wi-Fi. The player can walk around the plaza and communicate with other players in the plaza. The Wi-Fi Plaza utilizes the DS's touchscreen, allowing interaction when playing mini-games or playing with tap toys to generate sounds.

In the Wi-Fi Plaza, there are five different type-based rooms that feature certain Pokémon of that type. One of the five rooms is pre-selected randomly before entering the plaza; these rooms don't affect mini-games and other features, but do provide aesthetic differences such as background color and featured Pokémon. The five different types are Fire-type, Water-type, Grass-type, Electric-type and a rare, secret Mew-themed room.

Groups of up to 20 players can enter the Wi-Fi Plaza at one time, allowing generally up to 20-30 minutes of time in the room. Player can exit the Wi-Fi Plaza at anytime by taking the portal where they entered. After the time runs out, the lights dim and fireworks go off. Players can then get a ride on a Pokémon float to go out of the plaza. If they don't get a ride though, they will just exit as though they were disconnecting from Wi-Fi. Players may enter again afterward in a different room but this is only limited to a certain amount of times though. Much like the Global Terminal and the Battle Tower, friend codes are not needed to enter and play with people around the world.

Minigames

File:HGSS Wifi Plaza.png

Inside the Wi-Fi Plaza Fire Room in HeartGold and SoulSilver

There are three mini-games available on the left side of the plaza. Each game can allow up to four players to play. At the game's entrance, the player selects "Join" to join the game and puts out an invitation to other idle players. Once four players have joined, or if at least two players have joined within the time limit, the mini-game will start. If a player wins a game or obtains the most points, their Tap Toy will be upgraded a level.

Swalot Plop

Swalot Plop (Japanese: ばくばくマルノーム Chomp-Chomp Marunoom) is a game played on a big Swalot-shaped machine which utilizes more of the game's 3D capabilities. Players toss little, round Berries into the machine's mouth using the touch screen. The rotating Swalot swallows the Berries and spits them out later. The player obtaining the most points gets their Tap Toy upgraded. A minimum of two players can play, and a maximum of four players can play.

In the Swalot Plop, there will be 2 rounds every game, the first round will give the player a normal score, while the second round will give a higher score than the first. During the first round, every player will get 100 points for every thrown Berry they get in the Swalot's mouth. The player's score will get another 100 per consecutive Berry tossed in, with a maximum of 300. For example, 2 consecutive Berries equals 200 points, while 6 consecutive Berries will equal 300 points. If the player fails to shoot a Berry into the machine's mouth, the scoring will reset and go back to 100 per Berry.

During the second round, the game will remain the same, but the Swalot will spin while closing and opening its mouth, making it harder to throw the Berries in. During the second round, every player will get 300 points for every thrown Berry they get in the Swalot-shaped machine's mouth. The player's score will get another 300 points per consecutive Berry tossed in, and this time the maximum is 900. For example, 2 consecutive Berries equals 600 points, while 6 consecutive berries will equal 900 points. If the player fails to shoot a Berry into the machine's mouth, the scoring will reset and go back to 300 points per Berry.

Mime Jr. Top

Mime Jr. Top (Japanese: ころころマネネ Roll-Roll Manene) is another minigame that uses more of the DS's touch screen capabilities. It features four Mime Jr. balancing on circus balls. Players must try and keep their Mime Jr. on the ball using the stylus. The longer it stays on the ball, the more points the player receives. If a player's Mime Jr. stays on the ball the longest, that player wins the game. A minimum of two players can play, and a maximum of four players can play.

Using the DS's touchscreen, the player must balance on top of a giant circus ball by spinning the balls at different angles so Mime Jr. doesn't fall off. The touch screen will display the player's Mime Jr. and circus ball, while the top screen will display other players' Mime Jr. and circus balls. The circus balls will be colored differently to distinguish between players.

The longer the player stays on the circus ball the higher score the player will get. It is much like a combo system of multiplication. For every time the ball shines on the player, they will get 100 points and for the next time the player will get 200 points, then 600 points, and so on. The maximum score a player can receive is 100,000 points.

Wobbuffet Pop

Wobbuffet Pop (Japanese: どんどんソーナンス Quick-Quick Sonans) is a mini-game using the touch screen to pump up balloons by a Wobbuffet-shaped pump. Balloons are pumped with the stylus up and down to earn points. Some Wynaut on the top screen will make it harder for the player to pump balloons. When ten balloons are popped, all players will get the Tap Toy upgrade. A minimum of two players can play, and a maximum of four player can play.

The touch screen will display the player's pump, shaped like a big Wobbuffet, that can be touched to pump the balloons that appear on the top screen. The top screen will also display the other players pumps, and the field, where other Wynaut obstacles bounce. The pumps will be colored different colors to distinguish between players.

This is the only game which other players work together as a team, and the only game where everyone can get a Tap Toy upgrade at the same time.

Other features

Footprint panels

There are two long tables on the right side of the plaza, that several people can get access to. Here, players can choose any footprint to place on the table. Once players have selected their footprint, they can touch the canvas and start coloring it with footprints. The color of the footprint will depend on the first type chosen by players upon entering the plaza. After a few seconds, the footprints fade. Each kind of footprint exits in a different way.

Visitor profiles

There is a globe on the lower right side of the Wi-Fi Plaza. This is so players can see exactly where everyone else in the room is from, providing they have implemented their location in the Global Terminal.

In addition, by pressing X or Start, something similar to a trainer card can be seen. It shows the player's last actions, including the people they talked to and the games they have played recently. It also shows their current Tap Toy.

General inquiries counter

This is found at the center, in front of Plaza News. Here, players may ask people questions about the Wi-Fi Plaza. The general inquiries counter can give information regarding any of the Wi-Fi Plaza features.

Upon entering, players are asked to choose up to two types. Players may choose only one or even none though.

Plaza Survey

Every week, there is a question found on a machine in the center of a plaza, tied to a balloon. These surveys have several choices and players must choose one only. Results of the latest survey topic are shown near closing time while results of the week before can be seen at once. These surveys change every week, but can be answered everyday.

Plaza News

This is the big machine found at the center of the plaza, to the Plaza Survey's right. It shows the time left before closing time, the number of people connected and the latest survey topic when it's near closing time.

Tap Toys

File:Touchtoys.JPG

A Level 1 Balloon

Tap Toys are given upon entering the plaza and are controlled on the touch screen. These Tap Toys are given out randomly, while entering the room. They create effects when touched from the touch screen such as sounds and motions. They can also be exchanged or copied from other players when they are not playing any games or doing anything else. For example the bell, once tapped, will create a sound of bell that everyone in the room that are near the player will hear it. Or by touching the balloon, the player will be able to float in the air for a period of time. They are upgraded when one wins in a mini-game. This can occur a maximum of two times per toy as the maximum level is 3. Some Tap Toys include:

Balloons
Bells
Cymbals
Signal
Sparkle
Popper
Ripple
Whirl
Drum

Rooms

In the Wi-Fi Plaza, there are five different type-based rooms, that feature certain Pokémon of that type. One of the five rooms is pre-selected randomly before entering the plaza, these rooms do not affect mini-games and other features, but do provide aesthetic differences such as background color and featured Pokémon. The five different type are Fire-type, Water-type, Grass-type, Electric-type and a rare, secret Mew-themed room. Every time a player wants to enter the plaza, they are sent to a random room featuring certain Pokémon. Until December 17, 2008 (Japan) and starting March 26, 2009 (U.S), players entering Wi-Fi Plaza had a high chance of entering a Mew-themed room with Mew statues, Mew tail lamps, and a Mew float at the exit. This room is still available afterward, although the chances are lower.

Room Theme	Featured Pokémon	Floats
Grass
Fire
Water
Electric
Mew

The Grass Room
The Fire Room
The Water Room
The Mew Room

Closing time

When the room is about to close, the background lights will dim and the room will become darker, then different colored lights around the room will begin to illuminate the plaza. This will be the first sign that the plaza's time is running out. Soon after, when time run out, a fireworks display from all around the room will go off. Everyone must exit through the floats, found in the room. Certain Pokémon are featured in the floats going out as well. Similar to the Tap Toys, a button is available at the bottom of the screen upon boarding a float. The button makes the float do certain things, such as Bulbasaur releasing its vines, Charizard breathing fire, Carnivine opening its mouth, Magnezone releasing electricity and several others who just move their body.

The background lights dim, and lights illuminate the room
A firework display lights up the room
Pokémon-shaped floats drift away taking players away from the room

Trivia

Two of the mini-games feature Team Rocket's Pokémon, Wobbuffet and Mime Jr. while another, Carnivine, is featured in one of the floats.
Most of the featured Pokémon are unavailable in Sinnoh and Johto before obtaining the National Pokédex.
The size of Swalot's barbels indicates that it is female.
The names of all the mini-games rhyme with each other, except in German, where the name for "Wobbuffet Pop" doesn't.
- In Japanese however, it merely repeats the first name.
If the player is the only one in a room, there is no time limit for how long they can stay.