'Pokemon Sleep' launches in the US, but it's more game than sleep tracker

"Pokemon Sleep" is a cute sleep tracker that gamifies sleeping schedules to motivate users to get to bed on time, though it's lacking core features for iPhone users.

The Pokemon Company announced Pokemon Sleep in 2019 with a 2020 launch window, but that was missed. It has been slowly rolled out across the globe through the week and has finally launched in North America on Wednesday night.

Pokemon Sleep is available in the App Store as a free downloadhome. There are in-app purchases for game items, but it is fully playable without spending any money.

If you had any hopes of using your Apple Health data or Apple Watch sleep tracking to power up your Pokemon in Pokemon Sleep, you'll be disappointed. The game is built to track sleep with your smartphone or Pokemon Go Plus+ wearable, and sleep data is only available within the app.

The game is played in two phases — sleep tracking and daytime gameplay. During the day players participate in mini games to fill their Snorlax's strength meter.

At night, the app is left open on the iPhone, which is placed face down on the sleeper's mattress for accurate sleep tracking. The longer the sleep and better the quality, the higher the sleep score.

If users don't want to use their iPhone as the tracking device, the Pokemon Go Plus+ can be used instead. Sleep can't be tracked on a hard surface like the dresser, nor can the phone be mounted on a MagSafe stand.

At launch, it is a very cute game that takes advantage of basic smartphone functionality, but we'd like to see HealthKit integration in the future. While Nintendo is obviously pushing sales of its Pokemon Go Plus+ product, many people are already in possession of excellent sleep trackers called Apple Watch.

Of course, this app is aimed at younger audiences and fans of Pokemon. Nintendo has introduced other health apps like a Pokemon Toothbrushing game to encourage healthy habits.

The Pokemon Go Plus+ is available on Amazon for $54.99. In-app purchases include subscriptions for a premium pass or in-game currency called diamonds.