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
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