Google Maps‘ elaborate April Fools joke got even better. On April 1, Google launched its Pokémon Challenge game, where users could search real world locations on Google Maps and catch the original 151 Pokémon to complete a Pokédex.
Players who successfully completed the Pokédex received a message from Google Maps to fill out a form for a “surprise.” It turns out their efforts weren’t for naught, as several players, including Reddit user “tinygrump” received a congratulatory letter from Google Maps software engineer Tatsuo Nomura and 10 business cards with the title “Pokémon Master.”
The letter reads:
Greetings, Pokémon Master
On behalf of the entire Google Maps team, we’d like to celebrate you for catching ’em all. Not 10, not 50, but all the Pokémon hidden throughout our maps. While we don’t currently have a Pokémon Master role, we hope you enjoyed our April Fools’ Day prank. Wynaut have a little fun once a year?
We’d like to say thanks with these cards – reserved for Trainers who completed the Google Maps Pokémon Challenge and let us know of their success.
Congratulations and thanks again for playing!
Keep Exploring,
Tatsuo on behalf of the Google Maps Team
Did anyone successfully complete the challenge? Let us know in the comments!
Jealous? Here are a few more Pokémon Masters:
@googlemaps Thank you for this small gift! #pokemonchallenge #2BAmaster pic.twitter.com/pavZ6DBOQK
— Nick (@firstfields) June 14, 2014
I finally got my prize from the Google Pokemon challenge and it's a bunch of these cards pic.twitter.com/S6Qvwd4iiL
— READ BIO THANK YOU (@sadpatrik) June 16, 2014
I got my reward from @googlemaps for finishing the pokemon challenge! It's not much, but I love it to death. pic.twitter.com/e5dPkGKDfj
— krystina. (@ughcoffee) June 17, 2014
More from Anime News Network
Google kicks off April Fools’ Day with a Google Maps Pokemon Challenge that’s actually real…kinda
12-year-old British girl who went missing in Tokyo found safe after visiting anime sites around Yokohama
Starbucks Japan releases two new seasonal drinks that blur the line between summer and autumn
Japan’s Rabbit Island in danger of becoming Boar Island, tourists asked to follow feeding rules
Japanese workers reveal their top five mysterious rules they wish would disappear【Survey】
Japanese convenience store sunglasses just became our newest Convenience Wear obsession
Tokyo giving out free furoshiki from Pikachu’s designer to help tourists carry their garbage home
Stay at a hotel with a bed for your plushie in Japan
Dog-friendly Wanwan Liner bus to begin operations between Tokyo and Osaka this fall
A practical guide to freezing your boss’ hat in a block of ice [Photos]
Kyoto shop turns traditional Japanese kimono into teddy bears, with special meaning hidden in their patterns
Study finds hundreds of people in Indonesia legally named after Naruto, Inuyasha, other anime stars
12-year-old foreign tourist missing in Japan, police asking for help finding her [Video]
Studio Ghibli adds new Jiji’s baby plush toy to its anime merchandise range in Japan
Japanese gacha machine in Shibuya now sells tiny capsule terrariums
The Japanese city where ordering grilled chicken doesn’t guarantee you’ll actually get chicken
Japanese airlines set to cut fuel surcharges for international flights in September and October
Beautiful off-the-beaten-path spot near samurai castle in rural Japan looks like a Monet painting
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Japanese Shinkansen becomes an overnight hotel for three nights this summer
Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buy
Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
99-year-old woman rescued while attempting to climb Mt. Fuji
Tokyo’s newest viral dessert is like a Japanese parfait inside a bread bun [Taste test]
New Japanese vending machine at Shinkansen station sells cups of ice on platform
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】