Twenty-One Years: A Reflection #PokemonDay

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One of the earliest memories in my life I can recall is about Pokemon. I must’ve been about four or five in my family’s old green minivan driving along and up a dirt trail of a mountain of some sorts – I had my GameBoy with Pokemon Blue in the cartridge slot and all I can remember is picking Bulbasaur as my starter and watching it evolve into Ivysaur over and over and over again because I couldn’t figure out how to save the game.

Since then a lot has changed: I’ve figured out the save function of the Pokémon games, and several spin off and main games have added another six generations, 801 Pokémon total, to the mix. The world around me has changed but even with all the amazing additions, the leaps and bounds, the metamorphosis that the Pokémon franchise has undergone, I take solace in the fact that throwing a Pokéball and getting your opponents HP down to zero hasn’t. When so many things refuse to stay the same in life these small, precious memories become exponentially more dear to me.

Pokémon has taught me more than I ever could have imagined. Through the tough training of a Magikarp to evolve to a Gyrados I learned to never underestimate and count someone out; everyone has potential to do incredible things. Through having the option to either run away from a wild battle, or grind through it for experience points I learned that putting in the time and the hard work is the only way to become a champion in your field. Through the ever-growing world-wide connectivity of the games, and the inability to catch version exclusives and complete the Pokédex without trading with a friend, I’ve learned that you can never truly succeed by doing things all by yourself. Above all I’ve learned the value and power of teamwork, friendship and hard work to reach your goals and dreams.

Socially, Pokémon has connected me to hundreds, if not thousands of people throughout my life. In my younger years it helped me make my first few friends – using the link cable to battle and trade whenever I got the chance to have a play date. More recently, through the power of the Internet, Pokémon has allowed me to interact, befriend, trade and battle people on the other side of the world instantly! First hand, I’ve seen these creatures and the amazing world that they live in break the language barrier, close the age gap and forge unbreakable friendships with people that I would never have the opportunity to normally interact with. And that’s without all the amazing people I’ve got to meet as Pokémon GO as taken over the world.

I didn’t realize it then, but when I took those first steps into the tall grass outside of Pallet Town in Pokémon Blue almost twenty years ago I wasn’t starting a mere video game – Those first steps were the beginning to the adventure of a lifetime. An adventure that spans multiple regions, thousands of interactions with people around the globe and creates infinite precious memories. It’s been a journey like no other so far, and I hope it never ends.

Thank you Pokémon for the past twenty-one years. Thank you for staying by my side; no matter where life has led me, no matter how tall the grass got.

 

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891 thoughts on “Twenty-One Years: A Reflection #PokemonDay”

  6. Ah my Pokemon Journey has been a very nice.
    I remember five year old me going out to get a game with my two best friends (we are still friends to this day). We all planned on getting Kirby, but my older brother told me I should get Pokemon because its a much better game, and him being older we agreed. Me and my guy got Red, and the girl got Blue because she wanted to be different. Immediately, conflict arose with the starters. Nobody wanted to be last, and everyone wanted to be first, so decisions werent made for a while Being as commanding as ever the girl nominate ted herself to be first to pick, and despite my efforts both the girl and guy decided for me to be last. The girl picked Charmander as most children did. The guy picked Bulbasaur, and I was left with Squirtle. Our journey was long and hard, being five year olds (and my lack of understanding of English as well) we never understood where to go. We just rode the wind. After a around a solid year, we finally beat the games.
    Girl: Charizard Nidoqueen Vileplume Gengar Primeape Dewgong
    Boy: Venusaur Fearow Marowak Hypno Kingler Machamp
    Me: Blastoise Pidgeot Alakazam Raichu Nidoking Arcanine

    Girl Older siblings were done with their copies of GSC, so we hit the Jackpot. I got Silver, Girl got Gold, and Boy got Crystal. We decided to change the order of the person who picks first. Now Boy>Me>Girl Not much as changed since the last region, but our english definitely improved, so we finished the game in much quicker time.
    Boy: Feraligatr Ariados Skarmory Hitmontop Stantler Houndoom
    Me: Typhlosion Ampharos Noctowl Politoed Ursaring Umbreon
    Girl: Meganium Donphan Crobat Kingdra Espeon Granbull

    Our runs, were fun, but disaster struck us. My brother found his elemantary school “love of his life.” She was also in love with pokemon. To impress her my brother decided to woo her by giving her my copies of Red and Silver without my consent. My favorite games gone. I never wanted to a pokemon game again in spite of him. I spent so long crying my only hobbies were taken away from me without any action against him, but then I saw it. The commercial for the best Pokemon game.

    Pokemon Emerald revived my love for the series. I told girl and boy, and we didnt hesitate to buy our copies of Hoenn, and it was my turn to pick my starter first, and I didnt hesitate. Throughout the Hoenn journey all my experiences with the game were tripled. Everything felt fresher, better, more fun. Investing over 600 hours in battle frontier as a child was easily the best memory for me.
    Me: Sceptile Swellow Gardevoir Hariyama Aggron Absol
    Girl: Swampert Shiftry Delcatty Mawile Altaria Banette
    Boy: Blazeiken Pelliper MAnetric Flygon Zangoose Seviper

    Through my nearly 2+ years of playing Emerald a new pokemon commercial was announced. Boy and Girl decided their games, but I was not ready in the slightest. Sure, Dialga and Empoleon look like cool pokemon, but Sinnoh didn’t look amazing or great. At least not compared to Hoenn. I just wanted to play Battle frontier all day. My friends got their games, but I didnt get mine until a week afterward. Despite my tardiness they still waited for me. Maybe my disdain from Sinnoh stems from unwellingness to move on, or perhaps the fact I was stuck with the least appealing starter. Either way I hauled myself around Sinnoh. Both my friends loved Sinnoh, but immediately Once I beat the game, I went back to Good ol’ battle factory.
    Girl: Empoleon Froslass Roserade Pachirisu Lopunny Honchkrow
    Boy: Torterra Ambipom Drifblim GAstrodon Lucario Stuntank
    Me: Infernape Staraptor Luxray Ramparados GArchomp Floatzel

    We discovered it. There are pokemon websites on the internet. We discovered it right on time too. We found the whole dex to Pokemon Black and White revealed. Immediately we looked up everything we could. Gym teams, E4 teams. Pokemon cries. We knew the game inside out, before it came out! Even so, me and boy still enjoyed the game very much. Although Girl hated Unova with a burning passion.
    Boy: Emboar Unfezant Bisharp Jellicent Sawsbuck Druddigon
    Me: Samurott Mienshao Haxorus Braviary Krookodile Beartic
    Girl: Serperior Excadrill Mandibuzz Simipour Chandelure Vannilluxe

    Serebii wasnt all we discovered. We found amazing battling sites like smogon and we tested our skills, but this is when I discovered a site for rumors a site where people can just talk about pokemon. We discovered this place. I greatly believed gen 6 was the generation of connections. Ironically, I moved away from my two friends but we could stay connected and battle easily with Gen 6. Though the game was very lackluster, the hype for the game easily one of the best times, for the pokemon community IMO.
    Me: Chesnaught Talonflame Clawitzer Heliolisk Goodra Gourgeist
    Girl: Delphox Meowstic Aurorus Florges Furfrou Noivern
    Boy: Greninja Dragalge Sylveon Avalugg Pyroar Gogoat

    I dont have much of a crazy introduction. We each got out games at own paces. We each also decided to avoid spoiers. Which was a crazy success, and the feeling of seeing fresh new pokemon together was so refreshing
    Girl: Incineroar Toucannon Wishiwashi Kommo-O Lycanroc (Night) Cutiefly
    Boy: Primarina Minior Palloosand Tsareena Turtonator Silvally
    Me:Decidueye Crabomibnable Vikavolt Mimikyu Bewear Salazzle

    Here we are today. Pokemon has brought me closer together to my friends, and you guys. Im glad to be apart of the community.

    Reply

    • Didn’t you hear about the totally real leaks from 9gag? Calamity Linkle is the final boss of BOTW
      (Please nobody actually believe this, THIS IS NOT TRUE)

      Reply

  20. I decided to give TPHD one last shot to see if I could complete the Cave of Shadows but I just refuse. It’s hard and I’m not motivated to repeat it because it just isn’t fun. Maybe I’ll try again after 100%ing Breath of the Wild when I’m more tough and hardened so I can have a 20-heart Wolf Link follow me around post-game. Speaking of that, has anyone had experience with Walmart shipping? They’re the only place that will apparently have it here by Friday. Do they deliver with UPS/USPS, and has anyone had problems with it?

    Reply

    • WALMART? i dunno Walmart is just not a super high scale retailer, i never would consider relying on them to get the switch in on time

      Reply

      • Well my system should be shipping overnight via Amazon (thank goodness that hasn’t fallen through), so I’m just trying to get Breath of the Wild now. I trust them with a single game more than a console.

        Reply

        • Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhh i wish mine all came from Amazon…….at least they’re reputable

          Never again will i use Best Buy for a console, i should’ve stuck to my traditions and go to Toys R Us like i usually do, barely anybody goes there for major stuff and i am literally 2 mins away from there….

          I JUST WANT THIS ORDEAL TO BE OVER WITH I’ve been panicy and anxious instead of pure hype for the last month and it don’t feel good, i’ve definitely gained like 8 pounds due to stress…

          Reply

    • I ordered my Xbox from them, except I had it shipped to the store cause it was free or something. Everything was fine, but customer service was horrible -_-

      Reply

  22. The hype behind the Switch is very interesting. I’ve talked to numerous friends of mine who have a long history of playing games, including the Wii U and 3DS, but I haven’t talked to a single one who is excited about it. I brought it up this morning and they said they didn’t understand the point of it. They also said that it would probably be underpowered and unable to run high-quality games on the go. It seems to be only the younger high-schoolers and myself who are really pushing the console: I guess this really does show that they’re going for adults and kids, rather than focusing on the in-between. I just found this fascinating: there isn’t a world where I won’t be hyped for a new Nintendo console.

    Reply

    • Sorry long post ahead lol:
      Yeah the Switch is a weird kind of mixed bag. While on one hand you have people like you’ve said who are really indifferent towards it you also have a resurgence of people who haven’t bought a Nintendo system in a while (or possibly a gaming system in general) that are super excited and interested in it. Of course you have the people that will buy it no matter what, but it’s interesting to see that the Switch is actually bringing people back in who haven’t owned a Nintendo system in a while or at the very least haven’t bought one on day one or close to it. I myself know people who either haven’t owned a Nintendo system since the GameCube let alone bought a system in general on day one that are getting the Switch when it launches. I think a lot of the fear and cautiousness comes from how poorly the Wii U did. Many people saw how bad it was and passed altogether on it. I for one only ended up buying one (that was refurbished and cheaper) because after I jokingly told my brother I’d buy one if he gave me a cashiers check for half the cost he actually did and it was funny enough that it forced my hand. If not for that I would likely have never gotten one. I think the Switch will prove itself and do well enough. Nintendo just needs to stay on top of its upkeep and branding while at the same time not over sell what it can do. Look at the Wii U vs the PS Vita for instance. I know they’re very different, but bear with me lol. the Vita was a great system and could have been Sony’s gateway to the handheld world to compete with the 3DS. However it never got the support it needed and unfortunately it died. The Wii U on the other hand was pushed so hard that even people that didn’t own it got sick of it fast. There needs to be a balance. I think the Switch will be a solid system, but it needs the right support to really succeed.

      Reply

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