The Original Pokémon

[monkat]

Well, with the new Pokémon remakes of Gold / Silver / (technically due to added features) Crystal, Heart Gold / Soul Silver, I got thinking about my original Pokémon games, so I figured I would share my stories with you, and see if anyone else has anything similar.

I got my very first video game when I was very young, still in elementary school, and with it came the state-of-the-art handheld device, the Gameboy. I got Pokémon Blue, and my little brother got Red. Given the colors, we each decided to go with Squirtle and Charmander respectively, waiting until our parents could afford the linker so that we could battle. Back then, Pokémon was my life; it was as if I had pets, I had a collection, and I had friends, and all of that in the palms (or as the case may be, palms, wrists, and fingers), of my hands. I remembered that I would even keep a journal about what I did in Pokémon some days, and take pictures of my gameboy's screen when a Pokémon evolved.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I knew that they were fake, of course, but they felt real. There were no walkthrough guides, or Bulbapedia to look up evolutions, or, more importantly, a tank-tree-turtle as a starter. Everything was so natural, and everything was a surprise! It took years, still playing, to find a mew, and even then it was only because of our newly-bought computer / internet.

Unfortunately, I grew up. Now, even when playing the Jap versions of HG/SS, I don't feel the same as I used to. Everything feels like a math problem, just trying to guarantee my victories, it's not about catching, raising, or anything with Pokémon anymore, it's just about doing the most damage (excluding wi-fi). Days of levelling up and rarely being able to beat gym leaders are gone, leaving nothing but nostalgia, being replaced by days of 60+ hour work weeks just to make rent, on-top of being a full-time university student. If nothing else, I would just like to thank Nintendo for giving me a Squirtle, and letting me catch my very first Caterpie, but most of all for giving me a childhood.

Anyway, does anyone have any similar stories?

 

[Lacius]

I can totally relate. I never took pictures of my Gameboy or kept a journal about Pokémon, but it was still a big part of my childhood. Does anyone remember exactly when you found out about Pokémon? I had some friends over in third grade and someone found an episode on television. It was the one where Ash caught Caterpie. When I showed interest, one of my friends said I could start a game on his Gameboy, but I wasn't allowed to save over his file. I made it to Viridian Forest and caught a Caterpie just like in the show. I'm pretty sure I got my own game the next day. It was love at first sight.

 

[yikkyon]

I remember a time where a party can consist of a Venesaur and 5 Geodudes!
That 8th was epic!

 

[DarkShadow96]

Well I didn't start off with the games right away. I started off with the show at first then when I had my GBA Pocket, my friend lone me his Pokémon Silver cartridge and that's when I started liking Lugia a lot. I remember at times I tried to get the same exact pokemon's that Ash had with him on the show except I kept one space empty for Lugia. But yea, the show had a real impact on my childhood. I still love it but the newer seasons of the show are... terrible especially Ash's new voice actor...

 

[Anti]

Hmm, I don't know... try playing some old school Pokemon. I definitely felt SOMETHING when i got back into pokemon r/b/y/c/g/s.

But these new games... I can tell what you mean. It's not that old game we played, it's a whole new game. Everything was part of the classics. From the mysteries to the graphics, from the difficulty to the glitches, it CANNOT compare.

 

[XWolf]

What ruins it for me is the same as Yu Gi Oh - Online gamers cheating. Using characters/cards they cheated to get or using actual cheats to just win.

In the old days you played face to face.

 

[Joe88]

What ruins it for me is the same as Yu Gi Oh - Online gamers cheating. Using characters/cards they cheated to get or using actual cheats to just win.

In the old days you played face to face.

people were using gameshark back then
of course you had to type the codes into it by hand which made it a pain in the ass

but soon everyone had a team of impossible to get pokemon thanks to these things and stats that were maxed out

 

[astrangeone]

I was in freshman year of high school when I caught my Japanese friend playing Red on her massive gameboy. I also had a gameboy, and I was pretty bored of Mortal Kombat on it, and I played for a little while on her save. (Just one battle, if I remember correctly.) I asked my parents for a copy, and they said if they would buy one if I aced a test. Cue two weeks later, an algebra test, that I got an 98% on. That evening, I was in Walmart for a copy of Pokemon Blue. I also got that really crappy guide (it was the bare bones, but it had stickers of all the Pokemon...except mew.)

Soon I got all into it, including using gameshark - that was a pain, and even playing link cable battles.

 

[OtakuGamerZ]

Way back oh around 5 or so... My Bros were busy playing the N64 Smash Bros. and I couldn't play because we only had 2 controlers. I went exploring in thier room and saw a gameboy, just sitting there. picked it up, fliped it on and started a new game. Since it was blue, I choose you, squirtle. and I played and played, then saved over his game. Later I found his tiny paper book guide, and it had where to get each pokemon. Finally got 1-150 and only Mew was left.Then...then my save became corrupt!

 

[Cermage]

tl;dr: you grew up.

 

[Costello]

I can relate to the first part when I was in junior high (in france) pokemon was the huge deal back then.
I started with pokemon red on my fat GB mono

was crazy about it. So was my younger bro
I went on with Gold on my GBC, but then kinda lost interest later on...

I just played platinum, started a couple of weeks back, had a great time. I still have to complete the pokedex to get the national one

but yeah I'm not as much into it as I used to, I actually just barely spend enough time to beat gym leaders, everything is calculated (which type does most damage vs another type, etc) but iunno, i still enjoy it somehow. I'll be looking forward to playing HGSS.

 

[DarkCrudus]

i got pokemon red around 5-6 because i got sick in the store and some old dude got sick too and got mad at me n my mom's friend got mad at the guy n then the store gave me a copy of pokemon red. i loved that game =D

 

[R2DJ]

Back in primary school, Pokemon was the "thing". You see everyone talking about the cartoons (they were epic back then), people battling with Trading cards (that was virtually a must-have for lunch break battles) and of course, Pokemon on Gameboy. I had a Japanese classmate who is a "Pokemon enthusiast", playing Pokemon Silver every lunch time while the others, including me, watch him travel Victory Road, battling people and stuff. On my way home, my friend let me play his Pokemon Red to "finish off Elite Four" and I had a blast. I had so much fun that I almost refused to give it back to him.

I was very excited when my mum surprised me with a Gameboy and Pokemon Gold and Silver. That day, I was planning to carry on with Crash Bandicoot 2 but I let my cousin play it so I can start with Pokemon Gold instead. I remember that refreshing feeling when I first stepped foot on the grass.

Now it just feels like novelty. But it's quite exciting as I'm going to GAME Oxford Street this Saturday to catch the last missing Pokemon in my Dex, Arceus

Team buliding is the most fun in the recent games IMO.