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Once upon a time, when the Game Boy Color was cutting edge technology, and I had a Game Boy Pocket because the two Classic models we had had worn out, I had Pokémon Red Version. Honestly, I don’t think I got particularly far – four, maybe five badges, and it’s not like the game ended there. However, I loved the concept. Cute critters, and collecting, and the strategy aspect, and the fact you could just spend some time levelling to make things later easier.

One problem was that I couldn’t find people to trade with, what with being shy/messed up/whatever.
Three generations of handhelds later I heard the latest games of the series enabled interaction via the internet. And, well, the graphics are a LOT better, but still very close to the isometric SNES RPGs that I’m used to from back when, with only some added 3D effects, as opposed to all-out 3D graphic, which I find confusing.

Then comes the DSi, with an SD slot – hell knows what that can be used for other than the 0.3 megapixel cameras that are built in – and such a really nice matte finish, and, yeah. Cue me getting a DSi and Pokemon Platinum as a late birthday/early Christmas present for myself.

Of course then it turns out that if I had waited another few months, I might have gotten the “next” generation as they came out. Well, they’re remakes of Gold and Silver, but, well, shiny! (And I didn’t play those, anyway.) That got me reading up more in the series history. What got remade with polish and tweaks as what is kinda interesting. Since I’m a visual animal, here’s a graph:

A generation of Pokémon games always starts with a pair, which are identical apart from the bit that some of the critters can be found in one, but not the other, to encourage trading. This is followed later by a retooled version, which has tweaks like improved graphics, a different set of pokemon, altered/added dungeons or story elements, whatever.

The very first – Red & Green – were released only in Japan. The improvements in their retooled version Blue were used for the out-of-Japan versions Red & Blue. After the anime became a hit, Red & Blue got mixed-and-altered into Yellow (and somewhere an arts teacher is crying). Yellow was a game for the Game Boy, but got additional support (ie predefined colour palettes) for GB Color.

If one occurrence is a pattern already (hey, it worked with Blue being the new-and-improved combination of Red & Green), HeartGold & SoulSilver won’t get a combined version. On the other hand, the DSi is relatively new, so maybe DS-compatible stuff will stick around longer.

Either way, I get the impression that one Pokemon game can keep you occupied a long, long time. Breeding (added in Generation II) sounds fun, and so is growing berries (the “plant them yourself” bit was added in Generation III), and the Underground treasure-digging game is a horrible, horrible timesink (Added in Generation IV). And that’s just stuff to do on the side, as opposed to plot and level grinding. And if I get bored of that, I can try to figure out the Contests. Whee, I guess.

Ah… does anyone here play those games, too? What with the friendscodes, and trading and such…

At the Olympic Games and other sports events, an athlete taking “medicines” to enhance performance is a scandal.

In Pokémon (third generation) it’s normal and expected that before a contest you dope the contestants with pokéblocks, and you have “medicines” that will temporarily raise performance during a fight, or even permanently.

I wonder if stuff like that confuses children when it comes to doping. XD