Pika? Pika pik! Pikaaaaa!! Ahem. Sorry about that. Mini! The city car brand is having some fun, trying to be the very best, and showing off the Experience Mode of the Concept Aceman EV.
With a Pokémon Mode theme that has us a little more enthusiastic than we’d like to admit, Mini is doing something very cool with the Concept Aceman. Gamescom in Cologne is the biggest gaming con in the world, and that makes it the perfect place for this automotive pocket monster collaboration.
Mini showed us the Concept Aceman late last month. The model shows off what would be the brand’s first electric crossover. It was a look at the brand’s future design direction, blending the hardtop and Countryman into one with a new Charismatic Simplicity design language. But one of the highlights inside was the innovative Experience Modes plan.
Pokémon Theme Shows Off New Experience Modes
Mini used the large circular center screen to show you fun and interactive graphics. It went far beyond that, though, projecting graphics onto the fabric of the dashboard. The graphics could change, move, and become interactive. Cool, but what do you do with it?
You give people Pokémon, is what you do with it.
Professor Oak would be amazed at what Mini has done with the cabin. The center display features Poké Ball animations on startup, and then focuses on — of course — Pikachu. We’d like to think it’s Pika because the Mini Aceman is electric, but we know the score: Pikachu is everyone’s favorite, so that’s the one you get.
To go with the center screen, Mini projects graphics onto each side of the dash. The images move and interact with what’s on the screen, spilling over onto the rest of the car and giving you a seriously immersive in-car experience.
Don’t use it while you’re driving, though. Wait until you’re stopped, either doing some training or waiting for your charge move.
The Aceman has a built-in movie theater on the outside. There is a projector on the outside of the car that lets you put a movie on to watch while you sit with your Mini. Might we suggest “Detective Pikachu”?
The collab is called Mini x Pokémon. The car, because Mini built a real one, is on display at Gamescom in Cologne. It’s the biggest game convention in the world, so it’s the perfect place to debut the car.
Full-Size Action Pack Car
Mini is putting a full-size version of the Concept Aceman in the merch hall at the event, with a second copy of the car that’s packaged in a car-sized replica of a Pokémon action figure box.
The front of the box shows the car and an extra set of wheels. The back shows you the Mini’s features like the roof rack, front bumper projector, and the Pokémon Mode OLED center display.
OK, so there isn’t much new about this versus when we saw the Aceman last month. And since it’s still not a production car concept, we’re not sure how much Pokémon (if any) will make it to a real Mini. But we don’t care, because if you’re at all a fan of the pocket monsters, this is cool. It’s also fun.
Mini has always been big on fun, so we’re here for it. You have to get around town to playPokémon Go somehow, right? Why not in an electric Mini that gives you Pikachu on the main screen? At least you won’t have to drive around for half an hour to get Pika as your starter.
