Darian Kuxhouse, Campus Carrier Opinions Editor
When we remember the 90s, we remember “Goosebumps” and Tamagotchis. We remember portable CD players and watching “Power Rangers” in the afternoon. However, what has followed me all the way into my twenties has been Pokémon.
When I was young, I collected Pokémon cards in a 3-inch binder, each placed into special card sleeves, and traded them with all of my friends to get the coolest Pokémon out there. While my favorites were the shiny water Pokémon cards, I wasn’t picky while collecting.
My blue Game Boy Color stayed in my small pocket at all times, ready to be whipped out the moment I found free time. It seemed like everyone I knew was just excited as I was to catch Mankey and to defeat Team Rocket. Our generation was obsessed with battling each other through linking cables to be, as the Pokémon theme song said, the very best.
As time went on, something incredible happened. Pokémon didn’t lose its fans. Nintendo celebrated Pokémon’s 20th year anniversary on Feb. 27, and people are still going crazy for this game.
I can still go up to my peers and start a conversation about how much we love it, and what’s more amazing is that I can start a conversation with a 10-year-old and have a completely in-depth talk about Pokémon stats and where to find hidden Technical Machines (TMs).
On the 20th anniversary, Nintendo released a limited edition Pokémon 3DS. This was the newest version of the 3DS console and included the original Pokémon Red and Blue games pre-downloaded into the system. It included a few other features such as Blastoise and Charizard panels to attach to the console.
This was a huge release for Pokémon lovers. The 3DS quickly sold out of pre-orders and was extremely hard to find in stores on the day of the release, but I managed to snag one.Pokémon is also set to release another game set called Sun and Moon later this year which will introduce a brand new generation of Pokémon. I am very excited about this because it will be the first game in three years to return to traditional gameplay.
After all these years, there are still new releases of Pokémon games every year or so without any indication that they are going to stop. Pokémon is still a worldwide known name and in every Walmart or Target you will find Pokémon cards and toys, both reminiscent of the first generation and the most recent. As of Feb. 20, there have been 897 episodes of the Pokémon TV show and nine movies, according to IMDb. As GameInformer’s March issue says, “The pocket monster juggernaut shows no sign of slowing down.”
I think the reason it has stayed popular, against all odds, has been its attraction to fans both old and new. While younger kids like my brothers are playing it because of the simple game play and engaging story line, all of us in our twenties continue to play because it still offers us strategic challenges and continues our quest to “catch ‘em all.”
I won’t be getting rid of that old Game Boy Color and I can guarantee my peers won’t be either.