Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | RSS | More
The year was 1990-something and I’m not even sure where I got it. Pokemon Yellow was a thing that somehow came into my possession. I wasn’t a huge fan of the show or the excitement it generated among the younger kids around me (I was a teenager, of course I disliked anything new). But for some reason, I started playing… and I had to catch them all. I still, to this day, have yet to catch them all. I don’t think, realistically, I ever will. But there’s no denying a certain charm in the world of those little creatures. Whether I’m leveling up my Charmander or playing as Pichu or Jigglypuff in Super Smash Bros, I’m not opposed to those little guys anymore. It’s instinct, at this point, to mimic the voice of a Pokemon whenever someone says its name.
“I grabbed a Bulbasaur!”
Me (in best Pokemon voice): Bulbasaurrrrr!
Though I may not really stick with PokemonGO, I am a fan of how it brings people together, and getting people out and about in the world to explore. Though I don’t entirely love some of the game mechanics, the fact that it’s encouraging people to experience life and come together in teams makes me sincerely appreciate the game beyond the design itself. Previous games in this genre managed to establish this type of geographical gameplay (see: Ingress), but the universal love of those cute little creatures (and badass ones) has the potential to grab a significantly larger chunk of different people, backgrounds, and cultures
Be sure to shoot us some comments and messages about your PokemonGO experiences. Though I’m no Ash (I’m content with hanging out with my Pikachu on the couch), Travis and I both really want to see what kind of Pokemon adventures you’re having!
Until then, go catch em’ all!