When Pokemon was first released in the West all the way back in 1998, I immediately fell in love with it. I religiously watched the anime, collected the cards, kept up with the movie releases, and played the video games. This went on for years until my love for Pokemon devastatingly started to fade one day. For a long time, I couldn’t feel the same passion for the series that I used to.
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The problem was that the Pokemon games felt much too similar with each new release. It was as if I was playing the same game repeatedly. I was also too attached to the original TV show to appreciate when new characters were introduced and became the focus of the journey. Thus, I fell away from the franchise, with Pokemon Sapphire remaining the last game that I’ve completed. I still enjoy playing the mini games in Pokemon Stadium and taking pictures in New Pokemon Snap sometimes, but that’s the extent of my gameplay now.
This all changed with the launch of Pokemon Go. It held that freshness I was longing for; instead of playing as a ten-year-old setting out on a Pokemon journey, I could travel the world on an adventure of my own. The physical act of leaving my house to wander around out in the “wilderness” brought the older Pokemon games to life. That alone is enough to make Pokemon Go the most groundbreaking Pokemon game, but that’s not all it adds to the Pokemon franchise.
Playing video games with my friends was something I did all the time, but playing Pokemon Go with them hit differently. Instead of sitting down on some couches with a group of people for hours at a time, they would come over, we’d walk out the door, and we’d usually start wandering around without any destination in mind. What made this so special wasn’t just the fact that we were outside, (though god knows I needed the fresh air and exercise), but it was all the additional experiences we got because we were out. Had I not started Pokemon Go, I also probably never would have discovered this cute little ice cream place in town that I now go to for frequent mini-dates with my partner. Additionally, I wouldn’t have met several new friends through people consistently showing up to the same raid locations.
What differentiates Pokemon Go from other games—aside from the obvious physical activity—is how easy it is to communicate while playing. Sure, when I sat down to play other games with people we’d frequently discuss how to pass a level or solve a puzzle, but the games required constant concentration. While playing Pokemon Go, there was always room to build on relationships that had nothing to do with the game. I remember sitting in the park at 2AM with my best friend one night with lures on all the PokeStops, and we spent several hours trying to fill our Pokedexes while discussing whether human beings actually have free will or not.
Pokemon Go was a fresh take for the Pokemon series, but the unrelated experiences that resulted from playing it are what truly makes the game groundbreaking. It’s a gateway into so much more than just a Pokemon mobile game, and I’ll forever regard it as one of my favorites for that. Perhaps with Pokemon Legends: Arceus coming up, we will experience another fresh take on one of the most iconic series of all time.
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