U.S. D-Power

The U.S. D-Power is different from the Japanese D-Ark and European D-Power in several ways. It has a button to switch off the screen, four separate colored face buttons, and although it has a square screen, it uses its own unique set of sprites. It is also the only Digivice that can connect to a computer.

The left and right buttons are used to scroll through the menu, while the top button is “cancel” and the bottom is “confirm.” At the main screen, press the bottom button to view the distance to your next boss, number of steps you’ve taken, and D-Energy. Press Left or Right to scroll through the menu.

Like previous Digivices, the U.S. D-Power is a pedometer pet and must be shaken or walked with to encounter battles. Unlike other Digivices, your Digimon automatically evolves to its next level depending on what level of the map you’re on. There are four maps, each with three areas. Map 1 gives you Child Digimon, Map 2 gives you Adults, and so on.

Menu options are as follows:

1. Status: Check the status of your Digimon.
2. Map: View how many steps you have left in a particular area or move to another area.
3. Game: Minigames that can win you items and gain steps.
   • Digi-Catch: Use Left and Right to move the claw, the bottom button to launch the claw, and the top to back out of the game.
   • Digi-Hunter: Line up little faces on a grid and blast them. Use Left to move the horizontal arrow, Right to move the vertical arrow, and the bottom button to fire. The top button backs you out of the game.
4. Medical: Heal your Digimon after a battle.
5. Change: Swap out your partner Digimon.
6. VS Battle: Battle with another U.S. D-Power. U.S. D-Powers may only battle with other U.S. D-Tectors.
7. Internet: Connect to the D-Power computer game.

The in-battle menu is as follows:

• Attack: Swipe a card to determine attack type. Which attack type you use is based on the speed you swipe the card—it’s difficult to successfully hit the attack type you want. The three attack types are Speed, Power, and Sniper.
• Item: Use an item. Items will allow your Digimon to use a specific attack, give them more health, or escape from a battle.
• Change: Change Digimon.
• Escape: Run from the battle. May not always be successful.

If you lose a battle, Impmon may come and try to lure your partner Digimon away. To stop him, press the bottom button repeatedly.

The US D-Power is unique in that unlike the Japanese D-Ark and Bandai Asia D-Power, it is compatible with an online game that was included with the product. (Bandai no longer supports the online play.)

The game featured an overworld that had players choose character sprites based on the characters from the anime and limited all conversation to pre-programmed phrases. You could upload your Digimon from your D-Power to battle with these other Tamers. Battling was carried out with a fighting game in which you controlled your Digimon. The Digimon moved about the screen rather slowly and had a very limited set of moves.

The game also came with a Digimon Encyclopedia, training mode (in which you could practice at the game or play with it if your computer refused to connect to the online part), or store your partner Digimon (handy if your batteries ran out or if Impmon stole one of your partners).