Pikachu: Whenever Pikachu comes across something new, it blasts it with a jolt of electricity. If you come across a blackened berry, it’s evidence that this Pokémon mistook the intensity of its charge. From the Pokemon official site
Pokémon is one of those properties that will likely never go away, and for fans of the cartoons, card game, and videogames, that’s a very good thing. It’s been an enduring part of pop culture for nearly two decades now and it shows no signs of slowing.
The Early Games
Known as Generation I, the first games came out on the original Game Boy all the way back in 1996. Games from this series include Pokémon Red and Blue, Pokémon Yellow, and even a Pokémon trading card game for the Game Boy. Generation II brought about Gold and Silver and Crystal. Some of the most popular and beloved of the series are from 2003 in Generation III, and they include Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, which recently received a new release on the 3DS, which we’ll cover a bit more in the next section. In Generation IV, there was Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, along with Platinum. Generation V brought Black and White, and Generation VI includes Pokémon X and Y and Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. Of course, you should realize that this barely scratches the surface of all of the different Pokémon games that are out there on the handheld Nintendo devices, and this doesn’t include any of the games on the consoles.
Brand New to Pokémon?
If you are brand new to the idea of Pokémon, it’s really quite simple. You are a trainer tasked with catching and training creatures called Pokémon. Once you capture the creatures, you train them by battling other trainers, as well as Pokémon out in the wild.
While it seems like an odd concept, it really is quite fun and involves more strategy than you might expect at first. For example, the creatures all have different powers and weaknesses, so certain types of Pokémon will do better against some than they will others.
Where Should You Start?
If you are new to these games, then you might think that it’s too late to start playing. That’s not true at all. In fact, 2014 saw the release of Generation VI’s Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire for the Nintendo 3DS. These are actually remakes of older games for the new system, and they are a perfect place to get your feet wet with Pokémon. They will let you know everything you need to know about the universe and how to play. If you’ve never played, it’s a great place to jump aboard. If you have played these games, or others, then it is a nice way to reacquaint yourself with the series.
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