Pokémon.
Let me tell you a story of crippling addiction, broken hearts, sleepless nights, and Balls. So many balls!
A few years ago, before I decided to go to law school, I was working two jobs - as a customer service supervisor for DirecTV, and as an extended care Kindergarten teacher at a private school downtown. I enjoyed the teaching job immensely. And it was just at the time that two big fads were coming into their own.
One of those fads was Harry Potter. I still remember seeing kids lugging around three-inch thick books, and telling me how great they were. (And I remember how long I waited for Order of the Phoenix. CURSE THE DELAYS THAT KEPT ME FROM THAT BOOK!)
The other was Pokémon. And if there was one sure-fire way to get into the hearts and minds of those kids, it was to know your Pokémon. So I bought a book. The book listed all the Pokémon, and how they would evolve into other types, and their attacks, and strengths and weaknesses. I was soon the most popular part-time teacher on the Campus. Then Reeta bought me Pokémon Yellow:Pikachu edition for the Game Boy.
Ever since, I've played every single English Pokemon game for the GameBoy with the exception of the Original Pokémon Pinball, Pokémon blue, and Pokémon Leaf Green. That means I've played Red, Yellow, Silver, Gold, Ruby, Sapphire, Pinball R/S, and Fire Red. I've played Pokémon Stadium (1), and am considering getting Pokémon Colloseum when the price comes down. I have completed Pokédexs for Yellow, (Original Series), Silver, and Sapphire, and am now working on a complete Pokédex for Fire Red/Leaf Green. Why? Why do I play Pokémon?
Because the game is a ton of fun. Ignore the anime if you must (and it's easy enough to do that - it ranks about a +/- 0.0 Cokes out of a possible +/- 2), the GAME of Pokémon is compelling, deceptively simple, and just a lot of fun. It's FUN seeing your little monsters grow and progress. It's FUN sending them out to do glorious battle. In fact, there are some I'm convinced have developed personality quirks. For example: My Favorite Ruby/Sapphire Pokémon is Banette. Here's a picture.
It's a possessed rag doll. I believe my personal Banette is just a little psychotic. I mean, look at that smile.
It's also fun battling Pokémon with Claire. The game is set up so that you cannot win (complete the collection,) unless you have a friend who has the other color of game. Or you buy an extra original GameBoy for $5.00, a cable, and then buy your own freakin' copy of the other color, because everyone else thinks you're a huge nerd. At least, that works until they switch to the GBA, then you have to get both colors of game, and borrow your wife's brother's GBA, and buy a cable so you can trade and THAT works until the little brother moves to freakin' Utah, so THEN you get a bunch of Lexis points so you can get a GameBoy player for the 'Cube and you didn't pay anything for it so your wife doesn't give you the LOOK - I mean, we all know the look, right - so THEN...
Okay. I'm a Pokémaniac. What can I say?
I just gotta catch 'em all.
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