Rare Pikachu VW Beetle Is the Ultimate Catch for a Pokemon-Loving Gearhead

Millennials who grew up playing Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow will now have a chance to relive the glory days in a car that was officially sanctioned by Nintendo and Volkswagen. A rare 1998 Volkswagen Beetle known as a «Pikabug» has been listed for sale in Wisconsin by a reluctant seller who says she's sad to see the Pikachu-styled Beetle go, but after years of having owned what is likely to be one of the original ten Bugs that Nintendo bought from VW in the late '90s, it's time to move on.

According to self-described Pokémon archivist, Grace Klich, Nintendo wanted a fleet of vehicles to drive around the country and promote the U.S. release of the Pokémon games for the Game Boy, as well as the animated series. (Remember the Poké rap? Sure you do. It was an ear worm.) Prior to the debut, Nintendo went on a marketing blitz that included buying a handful of New Beetles from VW in Washington state, and having them customized by a body shop in Missouri.

The New Beetles were dressed up as entry number 25 in the original Pokédex, a.k.a. Pikachu, with «thundershock yellow» paint, brown stripes and the signature red cheeks of the Pokémon mascot. These ten Pikabugs would be the first of a Poké Patrol that included up to a rumored 20 Beetles used throughout the aughts for promotional events, as Kotaku reports.

The Beetles also had wooden ears and a foam tail, which was later replaced by a wooden tail due to the foam's lack of durability and impractical location on the hatch lift gate. In the hatch, there was a Nintendo 64 console and television, which fans could use to play Pokémon games. There was also a custom sound setup that added a speaker to the car's exterior, wired to a button in the cabin that would make the Pikabugs «talk,» as Klich explains in a video about the history of the cars:

The seller of the Pikabug in Wisconsin, Kerry, tells The Drive that this speaker system is in her Pikabug, and that she would often hit the button to the delight of onlookers. As you would expect, the car drew a lot of attention to its owner, which can present its own difficulties. But, overall, Kerry says she was happy to see the joy it brought scores of fans and all the kids (big