I originally posted this on on my twitter page but I feel like sharing it here.
20 years ago in Japan Pokémon Red and Green was released. Of course we European wouldnt get the game till 1999.
But that was not my first encounter with Pokémon, it was actually in 1998 when I woke up early and saw 2 minute of the animé but I turned it over as it didnt have subtitle. Oh how little did I know that the series will soon be a big part of my life.
A year later and big changes happened for me as my family moved to a new house, in a new city meaning I went to a new school and I hated it.
I struggled to make friend and I didnt like the school or the teachers
they were weird man. But that all changed when the Pokémon craze hit the UK and soon everyone was talking about Pokémon which are animal with superpowers.
At first I was indifference to the series as I didnt have the game or access to the animé, but that all changed when a classmate was trying to sell his Red version, as his aunt had brought him two copies of it, he approached me and offered it to me.
At first I refused as I only had a £1 but he then lowered the price to £1 and that point I accepted and brought the game.
I rushed home and dug out my older brothers Game Boy pocket and popped Pokémon Red in and started playing I chose Charmander as my starter.
However I didnt understand the game and I ended up struggling against Misty, so I reset the game as I thought that I must have missed something and I did how to catch Pokémon.
So I chose Charmander and caught Pikachu and Butterfree and continued on my way and defeating Misty. I eventually progressed further but I got lost as I didnt know where Rock tunnel was.
So I brought a guide and reset the game again, I sure seem to love resetting the game, but this time I chose Bulbasaur as the guide suggested it as I was a beginner not just to Pokémon but both in video game and RPG.
With Bulbasuars help I eventually made it to the Elite 4 and defeated them and capture the powerful Mewtwo but I didnt stop there I continued training Venusaur, getting him up level 87which impressed the kids at school as they all cheated whereas I did it naturally.
I then began the process of catching all 150 Pokémon which meant that I needed to trade with other people to trade with and I did eventually have 149 Pokémon but I was short by one which was Tauros, I eventually got Tauros thus completing the Pokédex I was happy
then I reset the game. ¬_¬;
I later asked my mother for Pokémon Yellow for my birthday and I still remember the day when she brought it home and I just stared at the box and began playing it.
As the year went by I still continued playing Pokémon training different generation of Pokémon while at the same time creating a head story of my Pokémon journey with my trusty Charmander.
Pokémon also was the whole reason why I ended up buying the Game Cube and discovering other Nintendo IP.
And with the latest announcement of Pokémon Sun and Moon my love of the Pokémon series still continues to burn bright and I cant wait to see how the series will evolve of the course of the next 20 years.
So Happy 20th Birthday Pokémon.
Why didn't they play that Pokemon Go trailer at the Super Bowl? That was sick.
Granted, it's just a mobile game but that illustrated the wonder of Pokemon pretty well. Throw on that there's a legitimate video game coming out by the end of the year at the end and you have a great future of Pokemon video.
No idea, the super bowl advert did a poor job in showing 20 years of Pokémon and just straight up opted to gen 1 pandering with Pokémon references that only a hardcore Pokémon fan will spot despite the advert not being aimed at them.
The best advert that did a good job in celebrating 20 years of Pokémon was the one shown on the recent Pokémon direct.
