'Milo truck, but for Pokemon': Families and fans gush over Pokemon Truck outside Bugis+ mall

When I was 10, Milo trucks may not have been the best thing in the world, but they were certainly a contender for it.

Now, it seems a new truck is giving even that a run for its money — a Pokemon-themed truck is making its way around Singapore, and fans are delighted.

This Pokemon Truck has made a pit stop outside Bugis+, and AsiaOne was invited for a sneak peek on Friday (March 6) morning.

Even though crowds were admittedly sparse on a weekday morning, the atmosphere was already very much celebratory with staff members handing out free Pokemon-themed sun visors and Ditto-shaped flyers.

Some fans had already started trying out the free demo for Pokemon Pokopia on the Nintendo Switch 2, which is available in the truck itself.

Others, including families, were seen hanging around a colouring booth as they waited their turn for the demo.

Speaking with AsiaOne, a fan, surnamed Ho, shared that she had seen this truck on Instagram and was excited to have a look.

She has been a fan of Pokemon since the early days of Pokemon Red, Blue and Yellow, available on the Game Boy.

The 35-year-old commented: "I don't think it's very common that they bring in Pokemon events in Singapore."

Her friend, Ang, was far more intrigued by the truck itself, also professing to be a fan of Pokemon since its Game Boy days.

"I think it's crazy — it's huge, it's amazing. This is my first time seeing a Pokemon Truck, it's like a Milo truck, but for Pokemon," she joked.

Ang, in her early 30s, added: "You'd never see this kind of thing 10 years ago, it's only now that Pokemon is becoming so popular that they have… this kind of event."

Fun for the family

Rick Koh, 42, dropped by the Pokemon Truck along with his family.

He explained that his daughters, aged three and seven, are fans of Pokemon, and that his wife had spotted news online of the truck making the rounds in Singapore.

Koh, who works in the IT industry, was a fan of the game and series in his younger days, he said with a laugh.

"I want to experience what the game (Pokemon Pokopia) is about and see how different it is from all the other Pokemon games in the market," he said, adding that he was familiar with games around the Pokemon Emerald generation.

AsiaOne also spoke with Eriko Oka, who brought her five-year-old son to visit the truck.

Oka, a Japanese living in Singapore, said that her son was very excited to see the truck.

While the 40-year-old admitted that she's not a fan of the game herself, her husband is, but he had to work, she added.

"(My son's) preschool is having a holiday now, so I brought him here to enjoy himself," she said.

Oka added: "We're finding something new and fun… he's only five, so he can't play the video game."

The Pokemon Truck will be at Bugis+ from March 6 to 8 between 10am and 10pm, and will be travelling around the city from Tuesdays to Thursdays.

It will make its next stop at Bugis Junction from March 13 to 15, Chinatown Point from March 20 to 22 and VivoCity from March 27 to 29.

The truck will be in Singapore until June 6, with the dates of stops available on the offical Pokemon Singapore Instagram page.

A Pikachu mascot will also make appearances over the weekends at the truck for 20 minutes from 12pm, 1.30pm, 6pm and 7.30pm.

Pokemon Pokopia launched on Thursday (March 5) for the Nintendo Switch 2.

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khooyihang@asiaone.com