It was on this day twenty years ago when a game about battling, collecting and trading little monsters came out in Japan on the Gameboy. It didn’t took off at first but because of a few little hidden gems in the code the game took off. Eventually this little game shipped out to lands far off with an anime, trading card game and manga. This game touched the hearts of millions around the world and helped shaped the lives of many by forming friendships and bonds. Twenty years later, this series is still strong with huge plans on the horizon and asking us to train on.
We call this series Pokemon.
Today in honor of Pokemon’s 20th anniversary, we are going to spotlight our PCBL Staff member Corey’s first Pokemon memory. Pokemon has been with Corey for almost all their life since the age of two. Corey went from playing Pokemon from his father’s lap to holding his very own Pokemon game. It is because of Pokemon being with Corey for so long that we are sharing his story with you. So please read below and see how Pokemon has grown with Corey.
I have vivid memories of me playing Pokemon, but since I pretty much just played and did whatever without thought until I started planning teams with HGSS, so I can only remember playing them and not specific events/what I did. I used to watch my dad play when I was really young, and his Gold team was for me and I chose all the Pokemon (and they eventually became my HGSS team). I was two years old, so I wasn’t cognitively developed enough to play for myself, but I could pick out the cutest Pokemon! Poor old dad had to raise a Dratini from the Dragon’s Den because I chose it. Before that, I’d watch my dad and older brother play Generation I games (he was two when Gen I came out in America so my dad did that same thing for him as he did for me with Gen II). I was really young, though, so I don’t remember what I say I just know I did it. By the time Gen III rolled around, I was generally old enough to play for myself (I was five), but I don’t really remember playing Ruby as much as I remember playing Emerald when I was seven (albeit aimlessly). My brother got woke at Gen III just as I did with Gen IV, which explains why he liked RSE/ORAS so much and I didn’t really like it at all (I don’t think I would’ve liked DPPt so much if I didn’t have my “Pokemon awakening” then, because it’s so similar to Gen III). Speaking of, I remember being mad because my brother found a Shiny Gulpin in RSE and I had never found a shiny.
My parents bought my brother and I a lot of Pokemon toys when the Pokemon craze was going around. The reason I first got into Pokemon was because my dad played (he stopped after Gen II, though). I also remember telling my parents about a Pokemon Gold and Silver commercial I saw. And, of course, my brother and I would wake up early in the morning to watch Pokemon before school! Lastly, I know my first Pokemon plush that I got for myself from Pokemon Center was Celebi. I have a lot of good memories with Pokemon!
Feel free to share your first Pokemon memories in the comments or visit our First Pokemon Memories thread on our forums.
Happy Pokemon Day.
