Pika Pika!
I have always been baffled by the popularity of Pokemon games. Pokemon is one of those games that will always cost a fair amount of money, even used and even if you are seeking one of the earlier versions. So, much to my dismay, it appears I will never be able to buy Pokemon at a stunningly cheap price for my little sister’s DS. Like Lusipurr said to me the other day, the price of a Pokemon game is more reliable than gold.
But what is it about these games that keep players coming back? Surely, it cannot be the storylines. “Pokemon Trainer Thea heads out to become Pokemon Champion for the 785th time,” does not sound all that exciting. Yet, somehow it is. Pokemon is the only game that I, impatient gamer that I am, can say I have played through more times than I can count on one hand. There is something about the thrill of choosing your first pokemon from the Pokemon Professor and setting out to capture the title of Pokemon Champion, that keeps me coming back for more. Even now, I am contemplating turning on my DS just to polish up my badges and to say hello to my Floatzel, U-Boat.
Go, U-Boat!
Another draw to the Pokemon series, for me, is its reliability. When I buy the newest version of Pokemon, I know what I expect before I ever start the cartridge. I will get to choose my name, I will get to choose my rivals name, and then after a small crisis in my hometown I will get to choose my first poke-baby (and I get to name him too!). In the DS versions I am able to trade online with people from across the globe, I am able to polish up my badges to the “squeesquee” sound that annoys everyone in the room, and I am able to make Poffins for my little lovelies. It all sounds so gimmicky, but I still enjoy it.
So what is it about Pokemon that you love or hate? Why do you think Pokemon is as popular as it is? And, most importantly, what is your favorite Pokemon?
