Pikachu Clocked In for Night Shift on Google’s Newest Fitbit Air Special Edition

Google and The Pokémon Company spent Pokémon’s 30th anniversary year pairing a screenless fitness band with the one app that already treats sleep like a daily hunt. Fitbit Air Special Edition Pokémon Sleep arrived this morning as a $129.99 US / ¥19,800 Japan exclusive, limited to those two countries and rated for ages 13 and up. Preorders opened today at the Google Store and Target, with shipments starting September 15.

The hardware remains identical to the standard Fitbit Air model, which was released in May. You get to keep the same 12g screenless ‘pebble’ that has been the Fitbit Air’s core since launch day: optical heart-rate sensor, accelerometer and gyroscope, SpO2 sensors, skin-temperature monitor, AFib alarms, automatic workout identification, and the all-important 50-meter water resistance. The battery life is still good for around a week of solid use, and a few minutes snuggling up in the USB-C magnetic cradle will recharge you for another day. The main distinction between this one and the ordinary Fitbit Air is the band it comes with and the box it arrives in.

This version’s Performance Loop band comes in a fresh new Sleepy Blue color, a warm soft woven textile with a gold-tone buckle that adds a touch of class, as well as a particularly gorgeous silk-printed label that portrays Pikachu curled up on its side, “Zzz…” floating gently above its head. On the box, you get to witness some sluggish buddies, sleepy Psyduck and Slowpoke on the cover flap and a secret Mew inside the band holder. If that wasn’t enough, there’s a unique code inside that allows you to use the Pikachu Incense in Pokémon Sleep. The price includes three months of Google Health Premium, after which it’s only $9.99 a month if you opt to stick with it.

Many know that the Fitbit Air already includes sleep monitoring technology, which allows you to see how well you’re doing compared to the rest of your awake time. The Google Health app is aware of your light and deep sleep phases, as well as their durations and daily naps. Simply connect that information to Health Connect on Android or Apple Health on iOS, and then couple your Fitbit in the Pokémon Sleep settings.

As the numbers start to roll in, you’ll be able to observe which Pokémon with sleep kinds similar to yours show up to hang out with Snorlax. You next get to perform some study to learn more about their sleeping preferences and put that information to the Sleep Style Dex, which will be extremely useful when enlisting your new assistant Pokémon. The helpful little buggers then begin collecting Berries, which will increase Snorlax’s strength. Your Sleep Score boosts your Strength by the amount of time you actually slept, resulting in Drowsy Power. The higher your Drowsy Power, the more Pokémon will appear and the more unusual sleep styles you will encounter the next nite. Getting a decent night’s sleep, or even a little midday nap, counts; it’s all part of the process.

This pipeline is compatible with any Pixel Watch or Fitbit wearable, not only the special edition model, thus the Performance Loop band serves as a cosmetic bonus and collectible item rather than a mechanism to ‘unlock’ unique functionality.