So, who's a closet Pokemon fan?

[J Arcane]

And how bad are you?

I was already damn near out of school when the whole thing started. I tried it very briefly at a friend's house once on their Super Game Boy, but didn't much of an impression out of it. The girl whose house it was and her sisters were all really into it, and I very nearly broke down and bought into it at once point then but decided against it.

A few years later though, I was getting really into the emulation thing, because I had this ancient damn computer and no internet, and most ROMs were small enough to fit on the floppy disks I would cart back and forth from the public libraries computers. One day I got a random impulse to try something pokemon related, and wound up downloading the GBC version of the card game.

I played the shit out of that game, it's on my list of "games J liked enough to actually beat all the way through". Had a psychic ghost deck that just tore through the fucking game. I got sort of frustrated towards the end though, because the CPU in the game cheated like a mother fucker in the later levels, and so I didn't pick it back up again for a while.

Then forward another year or two, and I was hanging out a bunch with this friend of mine, who'd been big into Pokemon back in the day, and still played it now and again to pass time at the hotel where he worked night desk, which was when we usually hung out. Somehow the prospect of having another person to actually get into the game with got me all fired up and I went out and got the whole fucking set up, Pokemon Yellow, Pokemon Stadium, and the little transfer cart for loading up your critters into Stadium. Played like mad for several months, but then got bored with the grind.

I never really got into the later games, frankly, I took one look at the covers on Gold and Silver and was rather perturbed, and as the games continued to come out, and I kept an eye on them, I was mostly just struck by how awful the character designs were compared to the original. Every last one of the new creatures seemed to lack that spark and cleverness of the originals, instead falling usually into one of 3 categories: 1) shameless knockoff of one of the originals, 2) Random geometric shapes aranged in a fashion that vaguely sort of looks like an animal shape, or 3) "WTF is that supposed to be?". The gameplay definitely seemed to improve with each iteration, and I was somewhat impressed with that 3d RPG they did for the Gamecube, but it sort of all felt for naught if I couldn't bring myself to care about catching the creatures.

Never really got into the anime at all. It was for kids, and I wasn't even a kid when I first played any of the games. Never got into the actual card game either, though I did build a ghost deck a while back out of some hobby shop singles, mostly for the nostalgia. I also did buy Fire Red at one point, partly for nostalgia, and partly for the wireless adapter, which I'd hoped would get used by more games but wound up being a deadend when the DS came out with built-in WiFi.

Lately though, I think mainly because of that new comic from the VG Cats guy, I've been kinda thinking about getting into it again, partly because I have yet another friend who was really into it back in the day and who I could probably get something of a game going with. I've been playing around with some of the games on emulator, and debating how to go about doing that though, because the only regular Pokemon game I'm really interested in arre the GBA remakes, but the multiplayer fuintions don't work on the DS.

[Variable Gear]

I've never been one to hide my Pokemon fandom. It's a great series, despite the seemingly kiddy exterior that turns off so many. I still think that the Pokemon battle system is one of the best-designed battle systems in JPRG history. The level of tension in a fight between two similarly-leveled creatures is just right.

Pick up the ROM of Silver, Gold, or Crystal. Those are still the best games in the series, even though later iterations added a more robust trading/battling system. These three games took everything that Red, Blue and Yellow introduced and polished it to perfection. The unique events spread throughout the week added a layer of life to the world, and the time function made the hunt for Pokemon that much more compelling. The design of the Pokemon themselves was very impressive. Everyone has different preferences, but I'd place the second generation above all the others. The addition of the second quest continues to resonate with me to this day. I have yet to see a better conclusion to a Pokemon game. That was so satisfying.

I was very interested in the CCG as well, up until the fourth movie was released. I even won a tourney using my patented Haymaker variant and sent my story over to Pojo.com, which was a site I checked almost daily for deck-creation tips. Unfortunately, it's a shell of its former self now. I even got the TCG game for the GBC one Easter, and I really enjoyed it. It was a very fun game, and I had a rival to compete against, which made everything much more entertaining. I hope to get back into CCGs in the coming years, and I'd be open to considering the Pokemon CCG. You could honestly do worse.

I love this series, and I cannot wait for Platinum.

However, I wish that Game Freak would broaden the scope of the core Pokemon games a bit. I would like to see photography elements, in the style of Pokemon Snap, and bring back the concept of the second quest, with the ability to travel back to all of the previous lands. I'd like for the player to have to field matches from challengers once they unseat the Pokemon League Champion, and I'd love to see the return of the phone and radio. If they can find any way to cut down a bit on the grind, that would be awesome as well. I am only able to get to level 70 (or the high 60s) before I give up on leveling and focus on completing the game. Game Freak also needs to move away from doling out the most interesting legendary Pokemon in the form of exclusively-downloadable real-world special events. Just include everything in the game, if you don't mind, and let me have my fun.

All told, I really love the series, but it's hard to not be disappointed when the second generation was the best generation we've ever seen.

As a final note, I'm still pissed that Game Freak hasn't taken advantage of the possibility of starters that aren't Fire, Water, and Grass types. There's also an opportunity to have starters from the Psychic, Dark, and Fighting types. I'd like to see something different from the classic paradigm, even though I love Charmander, Cyndaquil, and Turtwig (Remember, I skipped generation three.).

[Xerxes]

Pfft I think we all threw hiding in closed rooms when Diamond and Pearl came out.

[J Arcane]

I hope to get back into CCGs in the coming years, and I'd be open to considering the Pokemon CCG. You could honestly do worse.

I honestly think that, at least in it's original inception in the first-gen days, the Pokemon CCG was pretty much the best damn CCG ever made. It really was a very well designed game, and in some ways, I think the fact that it was designed mainly for kids is exactly why, since they couldn't get away twith the mountains of special rules and things that eventually buried all the fun in Magic.

As a final note, I'm still pissed that Game Freak hasn't taken advantage of the possibility of starters that aren't Fire, Water, and Grass types. There's also an opportunity to have starters from the Psychic, Dark, and Fighting types.

I concur with this. The Psychic set in the original is my absolute favorite of the bunch, especially the ghosts, but you have to go through a lot of crap before you can even get your first puny Ghastly or Abra.

I was actually kind of excited even by Yellow, just for the opportunity to play sometihng other than those default three starters.

[Generation ABXY]

Though I’m not very secretive about it, I’m a huge Pokémon fan. Hell, I’m not sure that begins to cover – I’m in my 20’s and still buy every version of the (main) game and play them all, and I own a website dedicated to the series.

Also, Gold/Silver/Crystal were the best; anyone who thinks otherwise is a damn fool.

[Variable Gear]

Originally Posted by Generation ABXY

Also, Gold/Silver/Crystal were the best; anyone who thinks otherwise is a damn fool.

Dad, you're right. I prefer Silver, but that's because it's the version I owned.

[J Arcane]

Originally Posted by Generation ABXY

Though I’m not very secretive about it, I’m a huge Pokémon fan. Hell, I’m not sure that begins to cover – I’m in my 20’s and still buy every version of the (main) game and play them all, and I own a website dedicated to the series.

Also, Gold/Silver/Crystal were the best; anyone who thinks otherwise is a damn fool.

I was really impressed by the Fire Red/Leaf Green remakes. Especially the cool wireless features.

[Generation ABXY]

Originally Posted by Variable Gear

Dad, you're right. I prefer Silver, but that's because it's the version I owned.

Though I think Gold (and, possibly, Crystal) was the only one I "beat," I still have all my carts and I kind of want to go back and play 'em. Actually, I rather hope they re-release that series, either on the DS or VC, and preferably with all those online bells and whistles we'd expect.

[Variable Gear]

Originally Posted by Generation ABXY

Though I think Gold (and, possibly, Crystal) was the only one I "beat," I still have all my carts and I kind of want to go back and play 'em. Actually, I rather hope they re-release that series, either on the DS or VC, and preferably with all those online bells and whistles we'd expect.

A remake is what those games deserve. All Nintendo has to do is put them on the DSi download service, as long as they have compatibility with future Pokemon games and an online feature-set similar to Pearl, Diamond, and Platinum, and watch the downloads pour in. I can't wait to get a call from a Bug Catcher who happened to catch a Metapod, and wake up Snorlax with the Poke Flute channel on my radio. Those games were amazing!

[Generation ABXY]

Originally Posted by Variable Gear

I can't wait to get at call from a Bug Catcher who happened to catch a Metapod, and wake up Snorlax with the Poke Flute channel on my radio. Those games were amazing!

*dives into closet to locate copy*

[Variable Gear]

Originally Posted by Generation ABXY

*dives into closet to locate copy*

I'm crying 'cause I sold my copy.

Have fun out there in Johto!

[J Arcane]

Originally Posted by Generation ABXY

*dives into closet to locate copy*

There's always emulators . . .

I might pick up Platinum if I do wind up getting a DS, just to see what the state of the art gameplay wise is, but I'm still sorta turned off by what seems to be a continuation of the 2nd-gen and later monster design.

What would be interesting to me, is if they took advantage of some bloody modern technology, and just put out a game with every last one of the damn things in it. And I don't mean on the cartridge like they do now, where if you jump through the hoops you can transfer stuff from your older games, I mean as in straight up, all 500 or so Pokemon, in one game, all catchable somehow.

I think it would ease some of my dissatisfaction with a lot of the newer Pokemon, if I could more easily just stick with the ones I like.

[Generation ABXY]

Originally Posted by Variable Gear

I'm crying 'cause I sold my copy.

Blasphemy!

Have fun out there in Johto!

I intend to, son.

Originally Posted by J Arcane

There's always emulators . . .

Oh, there's no need for that. There are two series I never sell games from: Pokémon and Grand Theft Auto.

And I know and would love to have my pick of the litter, so to speak.

EDIT: Okay, make that three - I forgot about The Legend of Zelda.

[diablopath]

This was the first game to completely addict me, and I haven't felt that kind of addiction since.

When the boom happened, I was living in Japan at the time. The PX didn't really carry the coolest games or toys, so neat stuff was kind of rare. Then my friend told me one day that he saw they had Pokemon there, so I immediately called my mother and begged for it.

Two hours after that phone call, she came home with a blue box.

My black Gameboy Pocket didn't leave my person for four months.

God, I played the shit out of that game.
A little time passed, and Silver came out in Japanese. I couldn't wait for English (which happened, I believe, two years later.), so I talked my parents into getting me the Japanese game. I played it pretty much the same way I played the first. I had one of my Japanese friends write on a piece of paper keywords I needed to know so I would recognize them, and it wasn't too long before I no longer needed that piece of paper.

A friend of mine and me have been tossing around the idea of getting some DS's and the DS Pokemon games, but we have yet to find the spare funds.
Sigh, fond memories.

[J Arcane]

I think one of the signs I've still got this in my blood, is that when I fired up card game this time around, I still got really damn excited when one of the first boosters I won had a Mew in it.

Although, at the same time, in my Fire Red game, I think prior knowledge is slowing me down. I still haven't gone north of Viridian City, because I want to get the Pidgey I caught leveled up, since I know I'll be needing Fly later . . .

[Generation ABXY]

Man, it has been forever since I played the card game. In fact, I don't even remember if I finished it (I'm sure I did).

As for the leveling up, I know that well. Every time I try and replay an older game, I tend to hang back and raise things like 10 levels over what I'd safely need at the next gym. It takes forever, though, as you said, and it usually just results in a team that won't do a damn thing I say.

Ah, good times!

[iHap]

I still love the Pokemon series. I should really finish Diamond soon. I just have the 12th gym and the elite 4 to do.

[Variable Gear]

Originally Posted by iHap

I still love the Pokemon series. I should really finish Diamond soon. I just have the 12th gym and the elite 4 to do.

And the champion, who is a girl this time around. Yay for gender equality in the Pokemon universe!

[Generation ABXY]

Originally Posted by Variable Gear

Yay for gender equality in the Pokemon universe!

Hey, gender equality happened back in the G/S/C-era. I made sure to reward my team members with a little R&R at the Daycare after every gym because of that.

[Ancalagon]

Originally Posted by iHap

I still love the Pokemon series. I should really finish Diamond soon. I just have the 12th gym and the elite 4 to do.

There arent 12 gyms in Diamond are there? I thought there were only 8?

I first played Pokemon Sapphire in an emulator. Man, that got addictive fast. But soon I got tired of the grind, and gave up.

Later on that year, I bought my DS, and later Diamond. I played Diamond for about 30 hours till I got tired of the grind and gave up, hadnt beaten the 8th gym yet. Then I got back into it, ordered 4 of the GBA Pokemon games (excluding Sapphire) and have now played it for 80 hours, beaten all of the gyms and the Elite 4, and done some of the stuff in that fight area thingy. I've also collected 2 lucky eggs (first one took me 4 hours but it was worth it), traded some Pokes from other randoms to build up my Ultimate Team, and also some starters from the GBA Pokemon games. I havent played Diamond much since getting to that point, althought I guess there is more to do. Made a start on Emerald this week though, but I'm not quite addicted to it.

My Ultimate Team, if I can remember correctly, consists of:

Swampert
Charizard
Venusaur (is this his most highly evolved form? cant remember)
Lucario
Tyranitar (still need to evolve my Larvitar)
Electric type pokemon (either Raichu or Electivire, havent decided)

I'm not a very tactical player, my strategy consists of doing as much damage as possible in as little time as possible. Only with Venusaur do I use Leech Seed and Toxic, which arent direct damaging movies (also use seed bomb, am thinking about going for Daylight/Solar Beam combo)