"fake playground rumors"
My favorite memory is going to my first Pokémon League VGC tournament at Toys 'R Us and earning enough points to officially obtain Mew in Blue Version after months of following fake playground rumors. It was a big moment for me at 11 years old, earning a Pokémon in a public event. Made some lasting friendships that day and even nearly finished my Pokédex! Still have my physical badges/pins and the scorebook with stamps.
MTMike87
"madmen on a holiday to Scotland"
I remember my brother and I ordering US imports from an advert in CVG; Red for him, Blue for me.
We were hooked, we'd play before school, after school, all weekend, in bed, wherever.
The games saved us on long car journeys, especially when we'd "acquired" Mew and trained it like madmen on a holiday to Scotland.
I also remember the cloning trade hack so we could acquire all the starters!
Simplicity was why they were so successful and they were a lot of fun, I wish I still had my original cart!
I still play now and I'm 40, old habits die hard...
spoondriver
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"I found a community"
During a time when I was heavily bullied for being myself, I found a community through the Pokémon TCG that accepted me for who I am. It helped me realize that I wasn’t as alone in my interests as I once thought.
jelle
"almost daily for the past twenty years"
I loved Sapphire (Wingull best Pokemon) and ran a Pokemon forum-based role play game in the noughties to share that love with others. I ended up getting to know one of the people who joined and we've been in touch almost daily for the past twenty years, despite living on opposite sides of the Atlantic. He's one of my best and oldest friends and he flew over to the UK for my wedding. It's no exaggeration to say my life would be very different today if not for our shared love of the 'mons.
Bob
"wise old Golduck"
My best memory of Pokémon was the time I had with my little cousin who was 4 years younger than me. I’d see him every other weekend when I’d go stay at my dads.
He lived down the street there so I’d walk over to get him, he’d pack up a sack full of toys, and we’d go back together to my dads to play. He had the Pokémon POG figurines and we’d play with them together. He was always his favorite Charmander and I was usually the wise old Golduck.
I can remember one instance where we had built a camp together near a beach and a giant turtle shell that I had of a box turtle I found out in the woods turned upside down in a dried up creek bed, washed up on our beach. We discovered an army of Squirtle and Wartortle surrounding it mourning. They led us to a deep part of the ocean bed where a garrison of evil Tentacruel/cool were destroying all life in the sea. Needless to say we fought the army of tentacles and saved all poke-kind.
TYRANACLES
" the very best"
During my wife's last months of pregnancy, 10 years ago, I was playing Pokemon Moon in my 3DS, and had discovered the marvelous world of competitive Pokémon. Then Sophia was born and I used to put her to sleep on my lap at the soundtrack of Moon. Then I would put the console down and cuddle my little one, so she could be the very best the world had ever known.
Daniel Ruy Pereira
"the ghost girl in Diamond"
I'll always remember the time the ghost girl in Diamond (the one from Eterna Forest's mansion) showed up for me on Route 209 (she's never supposed to be there). To be fair I WAS using the walk-through-walls glitch (this was 15 years ago) but it isn't supposed to cause her appearance. She showed up on top of my screen and vanished when I approached her. I was never able to recreate how I got her to show up, unfortunately, but I never forgot about it happening.
Louise
"snagmaster of orre"
My best memory came when I finished writing my retelling of Pokémon Colosseum subtitled Wes-t Side Story while listening to the Pokémon 4ever version of ‘born to be a winner’ as I wrote the ‘snagmaster of orre’, Wes riding away with ‘shadow seer’ Rui from a liberated Pyrite Town continuing their quest to stop the Cipher Syndicate. The song lyrics being the perfect statement on how both Wes and I felt after conquering our respective challenges.
Kevin Fulmer
"named a Wingull 'my butt'"
10 years ago in the summer of 2016 I suddenly found myself staying with my Aunt and Uncle for a month. I would wake up early with my cousin and we'd share his 3DS and copy of Pokemon Omega Ruby while the Olympics played on the TV. We raised a team together, named a Wingull "my butt" and fumbled our way to conquering the Pokemon League together. Those memories have stuck with me ever since. Despite everything, I miss those days and I miss my old adventure partner and rival.
wiiwouldliketoplay
"part of my physical training"
I grew up in the heyday of Pokemon boom, right when the fad started to catch on. My love for the series didn’t really bloom though until I was hospitalized due to a traumatic pancreatic injury. I ended up spending my entire summer vacation in the hospital and the one thing I remember getting me through that experience was Pokemon. Whether it was my trusty copy of Red on Game Boy, or VHS tapes of various episodes, my little Pokemon partners were with me the whole time. I remember being gifted Pokemon Snap and Pokemon Pinball by my parents while in the hospital, and as part of my physical training had to walk all the way to the end of a hallway to get them (this was right after my surgery). I spent that whole summer 100%ing Pokemon Snap.
It’s a memory of a game tied to such a traumatic event, but I’m glad that it was there to get me through that summer. I’ve stuck with the series since then (even getting a bit misty eyed when New Pokemon Snap came out). Pokemon will always be a comfort series for me. It’s been around my whole life and I imagine it will continue to be around for the rest of my life. Happy 30th Pokemon!
TCKuma
Turn the page to find our final ten memories, plus a bountiful bonus section...