Considering it's the 20th anniversary of Pokemon, I've been looking back at the history I've had with it.

I got Red when it was first released in the U.S. in 1998. I was 7. I chose Charmander as my starter, because I thought the Charizard in the front of the game box was awesome. I was a part of the 1st gen Pokemon craze. :P However, 2nd gen became my favorite. I played Silver a lot, and built up my team to level 80. I almost lost my Silver copy, but someone found it and gave it back to me.

I played 3rd gen but then I skipped 4th gen, because I went through a phase of not liking things "for kids". I came back for Soul Silver and fell in love again. Black amazed me, and I enjoyed X. And now, there's Sun and Moon. There's also a ton of spin offs I played, and yadda yadda. I could yap on forever. XD

Seeing as there's a lot of Pokemon fans here, I'm curious as to how everyone was introduced to Pokemon and fun memories anyone has. :3

I started collecting the TCG when it came out in 1999 (I was 10 or so) after a friend, who had the R/B/Y games, gave me a Base Set Dratini. Haven't stopped collecting yet and I also play (but not competitively).

I played a little bit of Red, Blue, Yellow, Black, Y and Alpha Sapphire but nothing serious. The only main series games I've played from start to finish in a console of my own were SoulSilver and Diamond. Also played Stadium 2 and Snap!

I have an entire shelf with tins, binders with cards, figures, a Pikachu N64, assorted merchandise (stickers, magnets, etc) and movie DVDs + a couple plushies, magazines and posters. (I even had Pokémon panties at some point, swear to God)

Oh and I always try to follow the anime too.

Always excited for when new generations come out! :D Here's hoping Sun/Moon brings awesome new Pokémon ~

I first got pokemon after seeing a commercial for it, so one day at target my mom let me buy a game, and I chose pokemon blue. I later got red which I completed my pokedex on. I have ever since played the new games and collected anything I can related to pokemon :)

My first was Pokemon Yellow on a yellow GBC in 1999. I didn't know how to switch my Pokemon in my party yet so Pikachu was first in every battle. It was the first Pokemon I ever raised to level 100, and it could beat the elite four by itself.

My Espeon in Silver could take out the first 3 members of the elite four by himself. I've migrated my original Torchic from Ruby along with my first pair of Absol up to Y. Still have 3+ boxes of pokeradar chained shinys waiting to be migrated up from my Platinum. So many B/W/BW2 memories at my college pkmn club. I wish trainer customization wasn't exclusive to X&Y, but they kept wonder trade in OR/AS so I'm still happy.

Currently replaying Red and happy to see they didn't fix the originals glitches for the 3ds release. I wish I had known how to get Mew back in 1999. Looking forward to Sun&Moon :D

- Ah, the TCG. I only had cards that were abandoned by classmates, which was surprisingly a lot. I kept a binder of the cards until I was about 13 or so, when my old things were thrown away. The only time I played the card game was on the TCG Game Boy game.

The panties wouldn't surprise me. XD I also have a few plushies! :D

- I don't recall any Pokemon commercials. X-x I leaned about its existence from a cousin who was an avid gamer. I think he had Blue, maybe? Even then, I never got to complete the Pokedex.

- Level 100 Pikachu... I probably had my Pikachu ridiculously leveled too.

Wow, that a long time to have your Ruby Pokemon!

Yup during the original release there were commercials. I think it was something about pokemon climing through windows or something, it's been a long time xD I was the gamer in my group of friends, the few I had. I probably had more then when I was 6 than I ever did at any other time though haha.

Aw man, good thread idea /nostalgias everywhere/

I remember taking Blue with me when I had to go to work with my Mum and she was working night shifts cleaning at restaurants and she couldn't get a babysitter. I'd walk in wherever we were going, get a drink and just sit in the corner and not move until it was time to go home, just entirely engrossed in the game.

I specifically remember the first time I beat Misty, because I was the first person out of all my friends to beat her, bevause I was only about 5-6 at the time it took us all a couple of weeks to grasp the concept of the different Pokemon types lmao, so when it finally clicked and I beat her, man I was ecstatic and for the nezt few days at school, it was like "OH MAN YOU BEAT MISTY TELL ME WHAT YOU DID!!!!!", like kids do.

I super remember the cards and the game itself being banned from break time at my school. I don't remember why at all, but I know a lot of schools did it and I was mad as heck, so we'd meet in covert places to swap Pokemon cards and link cable with each other :'D and I remember one of my friends being really sheepish because he couldn't figure out how to leave his house in the beginning of the game. He was like, while we were all talking about Cerulean City and stuff "IM STUCK IN MY HOUSE HOW DO I GET OUT!!" He felt so stupid when we told him.

I've played every single Pokemon game since then, bar a couple of the spin-offs (and even then I've played most of those, Pokemon Colosseum and XD: Gale of Darkness for the gamecube were so good! I still have my ho-oh I got from Collosseum and transferred over painstakingly, and my Groudon that I've had since the original Ruby + a bunch of other Pokemon I got attatched too) and I love it more and more each time I play.

It was one of the things that brought me and my boyfriend together, we'd been going out a little while and still getting to know each other and not showing all our eccentricities yet and when we found out we were both nuts about Pokemon, it kinda sealed the deal because I was the only one out of all my friends who still played it, and so was he haha. So we were like OH GOD SOMEONE ELSE!!! FINALLY!!! :'D

I'ma stop rambling now, I could go on forever about entering TCG tournaments and all that kind of jazz oh man. Pokemon 4lyfe, yo.

- Pokemon cards were banned at my school too. Maybe it was the distraction factor or the whole "Pokemon is satanic" thing. But, kids still brought their cards and dropped them everywhere. XD

I didn't really share much about Red and Yellow with anyone at school, since no one liked me much. I did quickly figure out the type differences though. Misty's Starmie is a difficulty spike, so I can see how so many people would have trouble with her. When Silver came out, there was a short lived group that played the game together after school. I was behind and the only one with a Bayleef.

It's actually surprising how many people in my college played Pokemon X and Y. So many people were walking around with their 3DS and battling or petting their Pokemon. At the time though, I was with a guy that was a bit anti-nerd and made me lose who I was. By the time I dumped his sorry self and got X, I was already out of college. :'D I'm not lucky with people and Pokemon, except with my fiance. Ironically, Pokemon Yellow is the first game I'm playing alongside someone the whole time. :D

Dear God...I remember my firsst card being a...Bulbasaur? The Red/Blue games were a recent release (in English anyway), and there weren't many card expansions out yet (I think it was just base set, jungle and fossil. The cards with Gen 2 pokemon were still only in Japanese then I think)

The first game I ever played was Red on my old GBC...That got left on a bus by accident in the Philippines :( Made me sad at the time.

When I was in middle school (damne...I feel old now! Im 28 D:) they were banned too (not sure about when I went to high school there since I moved not long after that). I think it was because other kids would steal them and shit would hit the fan.

In elementary school (this is a long time ago for me so I forgot a lot XD) whenever i stayed after school for some reason (band practice, club I was in or just because I felt like it) sometimes some of the kids would butst out the GBC and we'd use a link cable to battle. I think Pokemon Snap was still kinda new then?

I realy want to start collecting the cards again. I found a few listings on ebay that seem like a decent price...Might order some of them. (Right now i have what I think is a Japanese Southern Islands Bulbasaur...Checking to be sure). But my favorite card I ever had was a 3 star Japanese (I think?) shining Charizard...I was pissed when I found out Id lost it D:

Currently playing Pokemon Y (in the city in thecenter of the game). Trying to level up some of my weaker pokemon by taping down the little joystick and going around and around in circles around the 'town center' or whatever you call it. If anyone is interested in trading or a battle or two, just ask me for my friend code :D (I have Omega Ruby and Y. May get one of one of the Gen 5 games

First game I got was Gold ( heck that was my first video game since The Odyssey and the old Sierra Adventure games) but I read up on first gen. Heck I recall wimping out on trainer battles and haveing my 1 year younger cousin fight them for me.

Dispite paying both and enjoying them some of my fondest memorys were 3rd Gen, my first non Gyradose shinys ( Zigzagoon, Hairyma, Pidgy, Oddish, Apiom and the Shroomish I reset on out of anger of not haveing any pokeballs were all gen 3), my first pokemon I leveled to 100 ( Missingno glitch in gen 1 not counting) includeing a poohyena I did as more of a challange thing.

Gen 6 is shapeing up already to be another good one to remember ( so many Shinys I caught myself)

The craze started when I was a kid (about 5 or 6), and would watch the first season of the anime on video tapes.

Later on in elementary school, the kids would play the card game during recess and trade cards, although I would always trade for Pikachu (because I thought it was cute). Trading cards with the others lasted until 6th grade, when they became interested in Yu-Gi-Oh (and one of the brats stole my Kyogre card... >.< still pretty steamed about it...).

Then I got my first Pokemon game for my DS Lite when I was 13. I think it was Diamond. Then came LeafGreen and Sapphire (which are still my babies to this day). I fell out of Pokemon for a while though (during gen 5) but since gen 6 came out with XY and ORAS, I've never played so much!

Probably the best memory I've had with Pokemon is when my family and I went to the Pokemon Symphony last year. It was the best day ever.

I never thought Pokemon would come this far, but I hope it continues to do so!

Oh man, my gameboy was my best friend when I was a kid... Pokemon was my first EVER video game. My mom wanted to get me a gameboy, to try and find a way to get my mind off of all the bullies and problems I had, thanks to school.

It was Christmas, and I was seven - and when I opened that present, I immediately wanted to play. And from then on, I was hooked!

My first game was yellow - and I LOVED my pikachu so much... I still have my yellow. I've lost most of my others... sadly - but I've always had my yellow. It doesn't play very well anymore - having been through two rough moves... but I still love it. I remember sitting in school playing it, one of the few times I snuck it in - the teachers never really said anything to me, because I still did my work.

I'm so glad my mom bought it for me, I've played ever since. Gen 1 was great but I love Johto the most - something about it just... stuck with me, I guess. Especially Crystal! I stopped playing it for a while, after diamond and pearl - but when I got back into it, boy did I go crazy all over again!

I don't really plan on not playing it anymore... xD I love it too much. I have a ton of plushies, and shirts, and blankets... pillows... you name it, I probably have it - haha.

And what's even more awesome? My boyfriends mom plays too! So now I have a trading partner. It's so much fun... ;w; So many great memories with my gameboy...

- Aww, that sucks you lost your GBC and your shining Charizard. D: I could see how stealing cards would cause a lot of problems at school. Also, Pokemon Snap was still new around the time you were in elementary school. I'm 24, and Snap was new around the time I was in 3rd grade.

Ugh, that city you're talking about is so confusing. It makes me dizzy. XD

I actually sold my copy of X, because I didn't really have anyone to battle with and I hated random online battles. Opponents with shiny Darkrai, no thank you. I do, however, have my beloved team stored in my fiance's Alpha Sapphire.

- My fiance started out with 3rd gen, so he has a lot of fond memories of it. He had a shiny Poocheyena at one point. The only shiny I've ever had was a Pichu in Crystal, which of course is long gone. D:

- There was a Pokemon symphony? Where? :O

I had some video tapes of the first season as well. I also recorded episodes on the tape. Butterfree was my first favorite Pokemon, and I cried during the episode Butterfree left. It's one of the only times a show made me cry.

- I'm really happy you got something to get your mind off of horrible people. My Gameboy was kind of like that... not many people liked me. I had a lot of Pokemon figures and a Pikachu plushie growing up. Nowadays, I have several Pokemon plushies and shirts. :D

I also loved my Pikachu in Yellow. I'm actually playing Yellow on the 3DS, and love my Pikachu again! I was so happy when they brought back the Pokemon walking behind you feature for Soul Silver. I wish they would have kept that feature. :/

There was a woman in her 60s (I think) in a stand at a mall. I saw she was playing Yellow! I thought that was awesome.

.IM 28, so I might have been...Elementary school I think? OR maybe middle school?

The people on the GTS wanting rare pokemon for the realy crappy ones make it harder for me (or anyone else) to find a pokemon we actually want

Awww!! Did you ever own a talking pikachu?! I owned one, and it was my bestest friend!! I still have my original pikachu pillow my mother bought me!! ;w; I'm so glad I still have some of my stuff, I lost a lot in our move after she passed - thank goodness I salvaged some of it!! Wonderful memories - my mother was a wonderful person, she let me obsess over pokemon and didn't judge me, even when I got older and a lot of mothers were like 'you should grow of that... you're not a child anymore!'

I LOVE yellow!! I was beyond happy when I received it for the 3ds, I ADORE my pikachu - and my team in general. |D I love aaaall pokemon - even the ones people argue about looking horrible. I just can't help it - I love building teams, and nicknaming them.

My next team for OR/AS are going to be shinies! Someone was kind enough to help me make a dream team, and my mother nicknamed my froakie. He's going to be my main pokemon~!

I ADORED that feature!! My favorite pokemon to have walk with me, was my Togekiss. :3 I miss my soulsilver... :c

I had an idea when I was looking through the Pokemon subreddit :D

A-Kon 27 is going to be in Dallas, TX the 3-5.

It would be badass if a bunch of people could get together and battle, trade...As long as its not illegal or against the convention rules, its fair game :3

If you volunteer, you get in for the 3 days of the convention (maybe 4, if you include the possible 'staff meeting' on the 2nd) for free as long as you work the time you're supposed to. ANd theres more than likely going to be a 'crash room' that you and a few others will share (guys with guy, ladies with ladies). I went a few years ago and I only saw my roomies once, and that was when I first got there.

A few gaming contests (only for console games?) with cash prizes, and other games that are just 'casual'- plus open 24 hours so you can be playing the games they have there at 3 am if you feel like :D. Not sure about bringing your own games)

(And thankfully I found someone on Reddit that is willing to let me ride with them since where I live is right on (or a little off) the likely routes they'd be taking.)

, yeah, the event is called Pokémon: Symphonic Evolutions, and it's being held in different locations all over the place. More info can be found here if you are interested: http://www.pokemonsymphony.com/ ^.^

The first season was the best. Some of my favorite episodes included Pikachu saying goodbye and the Squirtle Squad. And the first movie almost made me cry (along with Manaphy and May later on).

I remember there being a Pokemon card craze at my elementary school when I was a kid. I don't really recall even knowing what it actually was, but I liked the look of the cards and was given a Ponyta by a friend of mine as my very first card. I never owned a Gameboy as a kid, so I've never really played the original Red/Blue/Yellow aside from my friends letting me play on occasion.

I became quite an avid collector of the cards when I was a kid (I still have my entire collection in a huge-ass binder), but didn't get my first game until I was a teenager and could afford a DS on my own, and Pokemon Platinum was my first owned game -- which I adored (gen. 4 is still my favourite).

I don't collect the cards anymore, but I still quite frequently play the games, and am very much looking forward to Sun and Moon coming out! :D

The first Pokemon game I've ever played was my friend's copy of Pokemon Yellow. The first game I ever own was Pokemon Crystal. I still have that Crystal cartridge; it is a childhood treasure. :3
My favorite game of all time is Pokemon HeartGold and my favorite generation is 5. If you want to know my favorite Pokemon, just refer to my username.
I love raising various species in my playthroughs. Even if I'm replaying an older game, I try to change up my team. Sometimes great things happen with Pokemon you do not expect them from. Like I had a Linoone in Pokemon Ruby who was a dragon slayer! I taught him Blizzard to counter Winona's Altaria, but ended up not using him. Cut to the Elite Four. I decided to take him along because I didn't feel like level grinding for a new party member. I was up against Drake, and Linoone's Blizzard was my only counter so I sent him out. I select Blizzard and 1: it somehow didn't miss, and 2: it OHKOed Drake's Shelgon! Drake sent out Salamence, so I used Blizzard again. And my Linoone OHKOed Drake's signature Pokemon! And Blizzard hit twice in a row without hail! Drake sent out a Flygon, which was also OHKOed by Blizzard! His second Flygon then used Sandstrom, so Blizzard missed and then Linoone got knocked out. But still, I'm so proud of my Linoone.
I also once had a Flareon I bred because I wanted a Jolly Flareon. He was on my White 2 team as a counter against my rival's Snivy. I was at PWT for the first time, so I took my Dewott, Lucario, and I think a Swoobat. I lost, so I decided to do a little bit of level grinding and try again. The second time, I decided to take Flareon along, not expecting him to do a lot....
And then he proceeded to sweep everyone. He was paralyzed at one point, which didn't matter because he got so many speed boosts from Flame Charge. All paralysis did was activate his Guts ability. He was holding a Shell Bell, so he was rarely below half health. He just melted everything he came into contact with. It was glorious! Later I used him in a battle against a friend who was using legendaries. He tore a huge hole in her team. I had him up against a higher level Surfing Dragonair, which he also ripped apart. I look him to Battle Subway and he swept everyone there too.
I many more stories, but this post is starting to get long, so I'll stop here. Pokemon has always been my favorite video game series and I'm happy to continue playing. Happy 20th, Pokemon! Here's to another great 20 years!

Where to start....

I was around age 7 when I started with Pokemon Red version (a purple GBC and Pokemon Red version was a Christmas gift from my dad-my brother also got a GBC and Pokemon Blue version) and obtained Pokemon Yellow version within a year. I vaguely remember when I got both (GBC and red version) I was like "What the heck is this?!" I also remember whenever me, my brother, or my two future stepsisters played Yellow, we tried to hit the A button so Pikachu's eyes would be closed/squinted when the menu loaded.

I remember trying to get cool decorations for your room with Gen 2's Mystery gift. Both GBCs had to basically be touching each other while resting on a flat surface for it to work.

One time I was playing Silver on my GBC (GBAs had not come out yet) in the van during a trip when the van hit a big bump and I accidently dropped my GBC! It hit the floor and the cartridge popped out. To my surprise when I restarted Silver up, my saved data was no longer there! For the next few years, sometimes the saved data would delete itself with no warning :(

Does anyone else remember Pokemon Pikachu or Pokemon Pikachu 2? I remember it was easier to shake it then to walk XP My oldest stepsister accidently left her Pokemon Pikachu in her dirty clothes when they got washed. Surprisingly, it still worked, but the screen only had 2-3 columns of pixels that still worked. You had to know what you were doing if you wanted to play with hers.