I often think about what series got me into gaming one of my first games ever was Final Fantasy on the PlayStation 2 and some of my fondest memories come from the plethora of SpongeBob games released to multiple systems around the same time. Despite having so many games that stick out in my mind the only series I am still emotionally attached to is Pokemon. We are coming up on a fresh generation once again: I want to look back on why I love Pokemon.
It all started with Pokemon Yellow
My introduction to Pokemon was Pokemon Yellow on the GameBoy, during a point in my life when things constantly looked grim this game stood out as a beacon of happiness. I didn’t understand any of the game’s inner systems but that didn’t matter to me. As I played the game it felt like I was forming a bond with these creatures, and I firmly believe that bond is why I still play the games to this day.
A bond that will last a Lifetime
Over the years I have played every main series Pokemon game, my favorites being Pokemon Black and Pokemon X. During my playthroughs across the Nintendo DS I saw Pokemon come and go and kept some with me that I still have to this day.
I still have some favorite Pokemon from those past games and I always seem to find new favorites along the way. Despite playing the games for such a long time I still discover something new about them! That discovery has helped fuel my love for the franchise.
When I go into Pokemon Home and see something that has been with me since I was a child it makes my heart sing. It feels like I have been carrying around a whole family, and although I can’t always use them I am happy to have them around just the same.
Clones never seem to Work
My love of Pokemon sprouted into a love for creature-catching games. I loved Digimon and Yo-Ki Watch! However, none of the other numerous clones seem to stick. Something brilliant happened with the last generation that solidified Pokemon as the primer creature-catching experience for me: The Pokemon Camp was introduced in Sword and Shield.
Pokemon X is my favorite game from the Franchise
Pokemon X is my all-time favroite Pokemon game because it included so many fun elements to the series. You could feed and play with your Pokemon: An element that I believe evolved into the Pokemon Camp mechanic.
You could customize your character: An element that has grown with each mainline release and one that the series needed for quite some time. The story was not the best but it didn’t drag on either, your character was actively involved: Something Sword and Shield was missing. X was the complete package!
Why did Pokemon stick with Me?
Looking back on it, Pokemon has been with me through every moment in my life. Pokemon has been a constant and now with the upcoming generation I believe my love for the franchise will only grow.
Pokemon has seen its ups and downs over the years but the constant creatures coming back, the ability to play with them, and the chance to enjoy having something new and familiar at the same time are what draws me to these games.
I can still recognize the flaws, like Pokemon Home drastically needing an update and the subpar release schedule. The graphics haven’t seen much love since the franchise has moved to the Nintendo Switch, but despite all of that I will always love this franchise and the memories it holds for me.
Titanium Gaming 