20 years of Pokémon: the past, present and near future
The best (and weirdest) games in Pokémon history
Ah, Pokémon – the digital equivalent of cockfighting, only less bloody, immoral and illegal, and the first franchise that forced you to make friends with someone who had the other version of the game if you truly wanted to “catch-’em-all”. What a diabolical concept.
Remember having to cajole your best friend (well, the best of your friends who had a Game Boy) to get the other version of the game so you could connect your sets and trade your little digital 8-bit monster slaves? Precious little of the core gameplay has changed over the years, except cartridges are now downloads and wires are now… wireless? Despite graphical improvements, Pokémon still somehow manages to retain its simple 2D cartoon charm. And that’s for the best if you ask us: just imagine how horrific a realistic rendering of Diglett would be.
So as the gaming franchise enters its 20th year, and as we celebrate the two decades of this beloved genre of non-human gladiatorial combat, let us look back at how Pokémon – the game – has evolved, just as its monsters are wont to do.
Image: UVList
Pokémon Red and Blue (Game Boy, 1996)
Pocket Monsters Red and Green were released in Japan in 1996, where it became an unexpected hit. This eventually culminated in the reprogramming of the games into Pokémon Red and Blue, the versions that were released internationally, and from which all the Pokémon mania sprung forth.
To say this double-headed game was a hit would be a massive uderstatement: it’s listed as having shifted over 23 million copies. Not bad for a game primarily about subjugating innocent creatures for the sole purpose of battle. It’s more romantic when you don’t think about the premise too much, isn’t it?
The success of Red and Blue in turn inspired the anime, which also proved to be a massive hit. You’ve got the Pokémon theme song playing in your head right now, haven’t you? Sorry about that.
Pokémon X and Y (Nintendo 3DS, 2013)
After Red and Blue’s breakout success, it’s little wonder that Nintendo made Pokémon an anchor game series for its platforms. When the Game Boy died, Pokémon continued, making its way onto the Nintendo DS handhelds that replaced it. It was 2013’s Pokémon X and Y that brought the game into the 3rd dimension, though.
A renaissance for the Pokémon games, it introduced a slew of new gameplay features including the fairy type, character customization and probably most importantly – Mega evolution: a new type of evolution for previously fully evolved Pokémon. Throw in 70 brand new Pokémon species and it’s no wonder X and Y broke sales records.
As a treat for hardcore Pokéfans, Pokémon’s 20th anniversary has seen the release of Pokémon Red, Blue and Yellow on 3DS – you know, in case you missed the 8-bit monochromatic graphics of the originals. Don’t forget your nostalgia goggles!
Poképark (Wii, 2010)
Unfortunately for Nintendo, its multi-billion dollar fictional animal cruelty franchise has had a spotty record on home consoles. From cash-grab ports to uninspired puzzle games, very few Pokémon console games are even worth mentioning. Poképark Wii: Pikachu’s Adventure is pretty special, though.
Ever wonder what the world of Pokémon would be like without humans going around casually enslaving every living creature? Then welcome to Poképark, where you get to play as the adorable Pikachu!
Despite the obvious pandering to cutesiness, Poképark is at least a refreshing departure from the gameplay of the main Pokémon games, weaving a bit of action and platforming into what is essentially a charming romp through the peaceful (if otherwise suddenly endangered) world of Pokémon. And in this game the 193 featured Pokémon are there for you to befriend, rather than defeat and trap inside a tiny red and white ball.
Pokémon Toretta (Arcade, 2012)
Arcades – a dying phenomenon everywhere in the developed world. Thanks to PCs, consoles, and mobile gaming, they’re falling faster than contestants on The Jump. Everywhere except Japan, it seems, where Pokémon has managed to find its way into the country’s surprisingly popular digital leisure centers.
Pokémon Toretta (also apparently known as Tretta) is a collectibles arcade game in which you collect Pokémon through chips dispensed by the machine, after you defeat them by furiously smashing away at buttons. All you need do to take part is travel all the way to Japan. And learning some Japanese would probably be wise if you’d like to have any sense of what’s going on in the game.
That’s nothing but a minor inconvenience for the die-hard Pokémon trainer, though!
Pokémon Go (Android/iOS, 2016)
Of course, Pokémon isn’t consigned to the past, and 2016 is looking like a big year for Nintendo’s pocket monsters – in that Pokémon could suddenly find themselves in more pockets than ever before.
Pokémon Go is Nintendo’s invasion into mobile gaming territory, aiming to blend the tried and tested collect-them-all gameplay of the series with location-based, augmented reality Pokémon hunting. That’s right, we’re going to have people wandering around looking through their phone screens, stopping at busy intersections, blocking up crowded corridors, stumbling over unnoticed public fixtures – all for the sake of locating that rare imaginary digital creature. Yay technology!
Pokémon Go promises to bring the world of Pokémon into the real world like never before – so we guess you’d better sign up for that unlimited data plan now.
Bang Ong
