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It is a day for all gamers to enjoy and remember. Remakes of classic games Pokemon Sapphire and Ruby have been released now titled Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. I absolutely love everything that is pokemon. I love the games, the anime, the trading card game at one point, and even that kick-ass theme song (admit it, you're humming it right now). I figured since these new games recently released, I might as well talk about everything I love about pokemon and why it has become a global phenomena. Why am I going to talk about this? Because I'm a nerd and I like talking about this kind of stuff. It's kinda like my passion. If you like pokemon, you're awesome. If you don't, well, bad news I'm gonna talk about it all weekend with countdown's and stuff. In this forum I'm just going to talk about the games in general and make may one or two references to the anime.
For those not familiar you might be scratching your head as to what a pokemon is. The term pokemon was coined in Japan from it's original title Pocket Monsters. These "pocket monsters" come in various shapes, sizes, and types. Trainers gain catch new pokemon with devices called pokeballs (don't ask how they fit inside it) and then they use their captured pokemon battle against other trainers to help improve their stats and moves (yeah, yeah, insert animal cruelty joke here). Pokemon is a role-playing game set in fantasy world, called the Kanto region, where people and pokemon live together in harmony. When a child turns ten he/she has the opportunity to pick one of three starter pokemon (a fire-type, a grass-type, and a water-type) because you don't puberty to travel the world and encounter dangerous animals in order to catch all 150 pokemon. Trainers improve their relationship with their pokemon in battles so they can evolve into stronger pokemon. The first games were released in 1996 for the GameBoy and were titledPokemon Red and Blue. Upon being released, they both were a huge hit. As a matter of fact, Blue was the first GameBoy game I ever got, opening my world to Pokemon. I even got Pokemon Yellow which was like an expansion to Red and Blue but this time your starter is the franchise's mascot, Pikachu.
After the success of the first generation, Generation 2 really put a shine in ever gamer's eye in the form of Pokemon Gold and Silver in the year 1999. Gold and Silver offered an addition 100 new pokemon to catch and train along with a new region to explore called Johto. The game also offered trainers to breed pokemon, gain new equipment, and added new pokemon types to the roster. Now this was a game that my friends and I devoted our time to. Everyone I knew in grade school had these games. It was like chicken pox, and we all got them.
2001 then gave gamers what I believe is the best generation of pokemon, Generation 3 titled Ruby and Sapphire. This time trainers got explore the Hoenn region and capture an addition 135 new pokemon, contests for you and your pokemon to enter, secret bases to build, and 2-on-2 pokemon battles. I love this generation the most because there was so much these games offered and I enjoyed every minute of it. I especially love entering in the Pokemon Contests and making my pokemon superstars.
Generation 4 arrived in 2006 released under the title Diamond and Pearl. There isn't much to say about this one. It's was very much like the previous generation with the exception of 107 new pokemon. I actually didn't play this one much because this is when I started loosing my interest in pokemon around this time.
2010 unfortunately released what I consider as the worse of the series. Generation 5 Black and White. Man was this a bad one. It offered nothing new. It even removed the pokemon contests. Dammit I really liked those. Gamers even got 156 of the most uninteresting and unoriginal pokemon to date. There's even a pokemon made of garbage. I don't want to catch it, I prefer to put it out of it's misery. Even the anime that was set in the new region, the Unova region, was considered pretty unappealing to most fans.
2013 gave fans one last piece of salvation with Generation 6 under the titles X and Y. I guess they ran out of colors when they came up with the titles. Thank God for these games because they came out on the Nintendo 3DS, showing trainers a beautiful 3D perspective of the new region, the Kalos region. This time, trainers can now customize their character's appearance, capture 70 new pokemon, and use mega-evolution to form the ultimate pokemon. I like to think this was a small make up for the previous generation.
Now here's a good question: why do so many people love Pokemon so much? As a fan of the franchise, I can tell you that it is like any other new experience. It takes you to a whole new world and gives you a goal to see if you can actually capture all the pokemon. It sets you on a journey to become the best pokemon trainer whether battling or trading pokemon. This is a world that I wished I lived in. Hell, it was even fun when adults at the time were trying to figure out what a pokemon was and why it caught on. Also the anime series that has the same aspect. The anime follows the journey of Ash Ketchum and his best friend Pikachu as they set out to become a Pokemon Master. Everyone who played the games felt like they were following in Ash's shoes to become pokemon master's ourselves. Hell the series is still going too. Behind The Simpson, Pokemon the series is one of the longest running animated shows of all time with 5 different sub-series and a total of 17 seasons.
There is debate today on whether or not video games are considered art. I say once you play a Pokemon game, you'll say that video games are definitely an art. The designs, the mapping, the journey are all amazing. So what did you think? Are you a fan of pokemon? If so, what's your favorite pokemon? Leave as many comments as you want and get ready because this weekend I have much more to talk about.
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Joined: 4/27/2011
Posts: 608
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@Zach: I think you've inappropriately shoe-horned a Pokemon love-letter/game(s) review into a thread Book Country intended to be a forum for the discussion of books and reader reaction to them: What Are You READING Now?
Don't get me wrong, Zach! This is beautifully written: crisp, informative, concise. Your passion for Pokemon comes through and I find that mildly amusing, even charming. (We all have our gaming passions, eh?)
I just don't think your piece belongs here. An open thread, perhaps. Better yet: One dedicated specifically to gaming. Perhaps Book Country could create a thread dedicated to discussions of writers and their games . . . (FYI: H. G. Wells wrote one of the first sets of tabletop miniature rules so that he and other grown men could play with toy soldiers without their cheeks reddening in embarrassment.)
--edited by Carl E. Reed on 11/22/2014, 1:30 AM--
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In the the great words of The Dude, "Well that's like your opinion man."
Yeah it seems out of place to be talking about this but, hey, I like talking about it. Why should I talk about? Why should this website alone be talking about books? If we have something to say, we should be allowed to say it. Am I right? I used to do this all the time on AuthorStand and people usually like it. Sorry you feel that this is out of place but again that's your opinion.
Maybe in this weekend, just for you, I'll talk about the manga and do a compare and contrast. Sound good?
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Joined: 4/27/2011
Posts: 608
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@Zach: You asked for comments. See: "So what did you think?" and "Leave as many comments as you want."
I responded. Apparently, you didn't like my response--carefully worded as it was so as not to offend.
In response, then, to your responses:
(1) Why should I talk about?
Carl: Huh?
(2) Why should this website alone be talking about books?
Carl: The grammar is a little unclear here--there are certainly many other sites on the internet "talking about books".
Let me attempt a rephrasing for purposes of clarity. If you meant to ask: "Why should this website only allow its members to post concerning literary topics?" -- well, "they" (hard-working BC staffers) don't. But most posters most times keep their responses somewhere in the general area of the topic thread. They certainly don't start a thread talking about their love of pontiacs under the horror genre, for instance; or launch a thread discussing the merits of various Nintendo gaming systems under a thread dedicated to crafting a solid query letter.
(3) If we have something to say, we should be allowed to say it. Am I right?
Carl: In a word: no. Posting on this site is a privilege and a responsibility; you are utilizing resources paid for by others. See that "A Penguin Community" under the Book Country logo? Penguin books launched Book Country to be an on-line workshop for working writers. As such, the least you could do is pay attention to the discussion categories and specific sub-threads before starting a new discussion dedicated to . . . Pokemon.
(4) Maybe in this weekend [sic] . . . I'll talk about the manga and do a compare and contrast. Sound good?
Carl: Sounds great, Zach! On a gaming, manga or otaku website. (Or open thread on this website.) Now if you'll excuse me I gotta run; gotta "catch 'em all!", if you know what I mean . . .
--edited by Carl E. Reed on 11/22/2014, 4:26 PM--
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@ Carl
No I don't talk offense your comment at all man. I think it's just cool that I actually get responses in my topics from anyone. And it's kinda fun to strike up conversations like these, don't you think? Honestly Carl, or Mr. Reed if you prefer, I like it when you make a comment.
So thanks for your comments. I'm serious. It's great to know that someone is taking notice. Remember I'm still fairly new to everything on Book Country and trying to fit in isn't easy.  --edited by Zach Heher on 11/22/2014, 10:29 AM--
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Joined: 4/27/2011
Posts: 608
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@Zach: Cool! Like I said: I actually dug your original Pokemon post (as far as the writing goes) under this thread. I just wish there were a better place for it. (Here on BC or elsewhere).
And I know you caught that "gotta catch 'em all" reference.
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Joined: 4/27/2011
Posts: 608
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@Robert G. Moons: Heh! Nicely played. And that reference to "at least a 135 Pokemon books and hundreds of fan fictions" swings the general thrust of the thread back into alignment with the purported discussion category. (BTW: I'm not a gaming snob. On the contrary; I'm an anti-fan boy: I respect people's gaming choices and roll my eyes at those who bring religious fervor to their arguments over which gaming platform is best, Japanese rpgs vs. the West, shooters vs. strategy games, etc.)
PS. Can't resist asking (and yes, I'm the one now helping to hijack the discussion thread; guilty as self-charged) but since you mentioned it--Diablo II? Not III? What gives?
--edited by Carl E. Reed on 11/22/2014, 4:02 PM--
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@ Robert
I'm inclined to agree with Carl. Why not Diablo 3? Why does everyone have so much hate on the third game? I thought it was awesome. However, I only played it on XBox 360 along with Ultimate Evil Edition.
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Joined: 6/7/2013
Posts: 1356
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Hi guys--
I am too old for much Pokemon, but I do remember "Gotta catch 'em all" very fondly.
I started a "Water Cooler" forum where members can talk about video games, movies, whatever's on your mind.
Also, for writers interested in gaming, I met the folks who work on One More Story at BoucherCon this month. Seems like a cool start up--check it out!
Lucy
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Joined: 6/7/2013
Posts: 1356
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Hey Zach--just posted something on Facebook that made me think of you!
(Hint: It's Pokemon--related!)
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Now that is pretty cool. Thanks Lucy!
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