Around when I was seven and when a famous magazine was still being published called Nintendo Power, I was receiving three promotional VHS tapes of upcoming games soon to be released. One of them was Banjo & Kazooie and the other was Diddy Kong Racing for the Nintendo 64, but then a third tape arrived labeled *pause for dramatic effect*…Pokèmon.

I remember watching the video with my two sisters, as we see B-grade actors and actresses talk about how they’re related to Ash Ketchum (the main protagonist in the Pokèmon Anime series) and how the video games are coming to the United States. On my eighth Birthday, the only thing my age could ask for was some NERF Guns, Power Ranger action figures, and a couple of other video games. For me, I only wanted one game in general. Surprisingly, my cousins bought me my first copy of Pokèmon Red Version.

Immediately I was hooked with the opening scene of a Ninorino fighting a Gengar. Countless hours of not sleeping till 12, wasting four double A batteries, and staying away from my Nintendo 64. I faced through countless Geodudes and Zubats, took money from Youngster trainers, picked between either throwing a rock or some bait to catch a Pokèmon, and finally got the chance to play against the Elite Four.

The Pokèmon craze was everywhere I go. At school, friends and classmates were either talking about what there progress in the game is or talking about how having a link cable can help you evolve some certain Pokèmon. Not to also forget a certain glitch to gain you an infinite number of Rare Candies and Master Balls.

I am happy to say that I’m still a fan of the series to this day. Either I pick up my Game Boy Color and scrimmage to find my Red Version down in my basement or I simply wait until all three versions of the game come to the virtual console for my new Nintendo 3DS XL. Whatever decision I make, I will relive my childhood by catching them all, one pokèball at a time.

Happy 20th Anniversary Pokèmon!

Grayson M. with an Ancient Mew Card