When Pokémon was popular

[Tego]

Do you ever miss the times when Pokémon was insanely popular? When you could read about our TCG in ordinary newspapers any day? And you were happy to find a single mall that wasn't sold out of Jungle and grab their last two boosters?

I guess everyone does. I used the time machine and found this amusing announcement on Wizards.com:
http://web.archive.org/web/19991013000321/http://www.wizards.com/

"All Pokémon Trading Card Game products are currently sold out. Please check back later."

Those were the times.

[Charizard19190]

Ahhhh, yes! ....I remember me & my mom going to a kinda far off place just TO get cards!

.......Booster packs there were $5 a pack.....
.....I got a Beedrill for $5!
: rollseyes :
Those were great times........

[Baboon]

Yeah, I wish it were even just a year or 2 ago, when you could go to the local flea market to stock up on singles for cheap, when you could actually buy packs at the mall on basis of which store is cheapest (not just whoever HAS them), and when it was just *fun* deciding which cards to buy.
Oh, and can't forget a major point: Having people in my area that PLAY! The most recent that they've had more than a few people playing Pokemon at the card store was the first half or so of 2002. =\

But that was always so fun for me, going to the Quakertown Farmer's Market every 1 or 2 weeks with my grandparents and when we passed the different card stands, picking up what I wanted. I remember buying my first Chansey there for $10... Come to think of it, my first Base 'Zard came from there too. I really miss being able to buy singles and everything like that anymore... :(
But, to end on a positive note- it still is popular among us! :)

[dkates]

Ah, yes. Back then, I hadn't had much experience with the game, since my only opponents were family members. I remember some of the first decks I posted on WizPoG -- decks that I would now almost be embarrassed to play. Just remember guys, our game is still one of the top trading card games out there, after having existed for almost 5 years, if I'm counting right. That in itself is no small accomplishment.

[League Leader Terry]

I do miss having tons of people around here who play it, but at one point, there was a store back then selling Base 1 packs for $10!!! Now, that was just wrong.

[Pidgeotto Trainer]

The good ol days. When you could talk to anyone about Pokemon. The funny thing is, Red & Blue came out in Sept 98. I didn't get into Pokemon until Summer 99. Already Pokemon was starting to decline from the fad it was. So by the time I went crazy about pokemon, others started not being crazy. :rolleyes:

[Charizard19190]

The good ol days. When you could talk to anyone about Pokemon. The funny thing is, Red & Blue came out in Sept 98. I didn't get into Pokemon until Summer 99. Already Pokemon was starting to decline from the fad it was. So by the time I went crazy about pokemon, others started not being crazy. :rolleyes:

Yeah, same here, only i could'nt find the cards & no tournaments were around:(......I STILL CAN'T FIND ANY TOURNAMENTS!!!!!

[Nick15]

I remember Urza's Destiny! That was a GREAT set.

.... oh... we were talking about Pokémon... :D Uhm... yeah, I miss those days. So it won't be back, I think that's for the better (anyone with it NOW is considered dedicated ;))

[Marril]

I remember Urza's Destiny! That was a GREAT set.
Urza Block = Block of brokenness. "Drop all these cards, cast these twenty spells, make you draw 60 cards, good game, too bad you didn't get a turn."

[Charizard19190]

I do miss having tons of people around here who play it, but at one point, there was a store back then selling Base 1 packs for $10!!! Now, that was just wrong.
That's for sure! :p

[ShadowOfTyranitar]

I remember buying Charizard for $40(I have about 9). lol.

[SailorClef]

$40? weren't charizards going for like $200 back then if i remember correctly? O_o

heh.. i can remember people using japanese cards at my league and CHEATING SO BADLY XDDD
back then, the store had to designate one area for playing, and one for trading cause there were so many people o.o;;
and that was back when they still had.. the sticker name tags for people O_O;; (anyone remember those?)

[League Leader Terry]

$200? You must mean the 1st. Ed. Base 1 Charizard. I know it went well over 100 at one point. As for the Japanese cards, blame Scrye magazine. It's translations were HORRIBLE!!!

Anyone remember how excited people were about Lugia when he first came out? And then, people tried to play him. :)

[White Gryphon]

Oh, yeah, so many people playing that lots of them decided to cheat... :P

One thing I miss... the knickknacks. I wish I had nabbed one of those "I'm an official Pokemon trainer!" GB protectors... and a bunch of the Japanese merchandise they stocked because they ran out of the English stuff... and I wish I hadn't have given that Raichu pin and that Charizard keychain away... Ah well... Those were the best times of my life, I'll never forget them. :)

Dad says I'm too old for things with tails and wings, thing is, things with tails and wings have done more for me than human contact has ever done... so why should I just turn my back on them?

[treecko_332]

well Nick 15, I'm with you Urza's was a great block....

About Pokemon: Well speacking of blocks, thats just what Pokemon needed to stay "alive" I know we're here but still, if Pokemon had blocks it would have farred a lot better.

[Skywolf1]

Truthfully, I am glad the FAD is over. I am pleased with the direction Pokemon is taking right now, working towards being a lasting brand. However, don't discount Pokemon as being "unpopular".

The Recent Set of Games (Ruby and Sapphire) are #1 and #2 respectively.

The most recent set of Trading Cards (EX - Ruby and Sapphire) went into 3 printings.

The TV series, is consistantly ranked as one of the TOP three programs for "kids" TV. A feat that isn't easily done with such a fluid market.

Take Care,

Skywolf1

[Dunjohn]

$200? You must mean the 1st. Ed. Base 1 Charizard. I know it went well over 100 at one point. As for the Japanese cards, blame Scrye magazine. It's translations were HORRIBLE!!!

Anyone remember how excited people were about Lugia when he first came out? And then, people tried to play him. :)

Some of the attacks were hilarious - the translator may have known the language, but obviously didn't know a thing about the game, or they'd have called them something that made sense. And known that James is not, in fact, a blue-haired girl.

And that Mary is not, in fact, the most broken card in Neo Genesis.

The first sign on Pokemon merchandise that arrived over here, even before the GB game, were those little plastic figures that came in transparent pokeballs, two to a pack. They were £4.99 each. That meant that I'd have to fork out £40 just to get the eight sets in the first wave. I got the Geodude/Golem one first. Then Gengar/Meowth.

Personally, I preferred the fad that erupted soon after that. There was genuine excitement in the crowd every time I (or anyone) bought a pack, rather than the amazed/derisive half-grins that mask faces nowadays.

[Marril]

Dad says I'm too old for things with tails and wings, thing is, things with tails and wings have done more for me than human contact has ever done... so why should I just turn my back on them?
Spoken like a true geek.

[SailorClef]

Some of the attacks were hilarious - the translator may have known the language, but obviously didn't know a thing about the game, or they'd have called them something that made sense. And known that James is not, in fact, a blue-haired girl.

And that Mary is not, in fact, the most broken card in Neo Genesis.


XDDDD
what about "charity?"
or brock's rhyhorn (i think it was brock's anyway.. the one that does 70) with NO flips XD

[White Gryphon]

Spoken like a true geek.

What, your parents didn't make you watch Disney movies when you were a kid?

[League Leader Terry]

Ah, Disney movies. Nowadays, it's the only way for kids to get the violence they need while still being G Rated. :)

[Charizard19190]

[QUOTE=

Dad says I'm too old for things with tails and wings, thing is, things with tails and wings have done more for me than human contact has ever done... so why should I just turn my back on them?[/QUOTE]
:nonono: No one will be old enough to forget tails & wings....... Tails from Sonic & the tv show Wings :thumb: :lol:
I mean, COME ON!!!! :p I'll forever always like pokemon & video games......


New smilie!!!!!!!: :nonono: :nonono: :nonono: :nonono: :nonono:

[Marril]

What, your parents didn't make you watch Disney movies when you were a kid?
Oh, they did. I even liked some of them (still do). I just love the bloody tragedy they produced a few years back, The Lion King. It was written by one of the greatest writers of all time, Shakespeare, but he called it Hamlet. :lol:

[League Leader Terry]

Ug, I used to like Lion King. That is, until my sister got it on video and I had to watch it every day for about a month! :(

[Skywolf1]

The Lion King, is the best Disney Film since Fantasia. IMO
I am anxiously looking forward to the DVD of TLK.

Take Care,

Skywolf1

[djcati]

"The funny thing is, Red & Blue came out in Sept 98. I didn't get into Pokemon until Summer 99. Already Pokemon was starting to decline from the fad it was. So by the time I went crazy about pokemon, others started not being crazy."

Same here, unfortunately.. I got the game at xmas 99 (it only came out in the UK that september), and there were plenty of people to trade with until school broke up for the summer.
Summer 2000 was when I really got into Pokemon, online and everything, d/l'ing every ROM I found (which was how I learnt the TCG, a translated ROM, heh), buying a few boosters (before that I just scrounged cards from people at school, I still have a couple of those), going to the Woolworth's trade things..
Then, I came back after summer, and it was only me and a couple of people who still like Pokemon. :\

I didn't even try and get into the TCG seriously until around March 2001 (after completing the GB game - real version this time, not ROM - who knows how many times), never got a league in London, moved to Belfast, didn't even look for a league until 2002, went to it for the two weeks of Easter, and bam - it shut down by the summer.

So... I really, really wish I'd been into it at the height of the fad. Sure, some people were annoying, but they were PEOPLE, wide audiences, people who Nintendo were providing for, companies and stores were organizing events for..
Maybe I would've gone to more things if I didn't go to boarding school (started a month before R/B came out, damn it), I lived in London back then after all, everything the UK had was in London. But nope.

Ah well... It's nice to think of what you would've done if this happened, blah blah, but I try not to think like that TOO much anymore... I miss 1999/2000, yeah, but I miss 1997 more, and none of those years is gonna come back.
..... >_< Long, meaningless reply over now

[White Gryphon]

:nonono: No one will be old enough to forget tails & wings....... Tails from Sonic & the tv show Wings :thumb: :lol:
I mean, COME ON!!!! :p I'll forever always like pokemon & video games......

New smilie!!!!!!!: :nonono: :nonono: :nonono: :nonono: :nonono:

Tails was one of the things with tails... Daddy won't even let me buy video games anymore... :P Not even the Finding Nemo one? No. Oh, wait, I've got too many other things I need to be doing right now besides playing video games... Which is why I stay up late at night playing Pokemon Blue under the covers, with the GBA protector/light on... :D

[League Leader Terry]

Heck, my dad still gets me video games and I'm 23. :)

[lomo]

I remember when I first saw those annoying Pokemon Pikachu commercials and vowed to never get caught in the fad. I even made fun of pokemon because of the Porygon episode that caused those seizures. By October of 98 I was registered for the league having become irreversibly addicted to Blue. What I miss most is the pokemon leagues. We had them at both Borders and Toys R Us for two nights a week both. Eventually I became one of the more respected players, which was great since I wasn't great at sports. One of my friends helped out at the league so I got extra promos and offical league stuff. I still keep all my badges polished. It was really annoying to see those middle aged parents pay for thousands of dollars in cards with their kids and win every game with charizard stocked decks, while I was trying to make a meager deck out of my few cards that varied greatly in type (ex: when I started I had a deck with an Ivysaur in it with no bulbasaur or grass energy.) I also don't miss getting ripped off or seeing newcomers ripped off, but all the people who did that have since sold all their cards for cash and moved on to Yu-Gi-Oh. :rolleyes: It was fun anyway.

Who didn't love seeing new Kanto region episode before we even knew it was called Kanto, though. When it all began to die down, I still had the league, but now even that's gone. It wasn't until I began to search desperately for a league near me that I discovered these boards. Back then it wasn't uncommon to hear people say " It won't die unless we let it die" or confused posts about Toys R Us canceling the leagues. Now I wish I hadn't taken those days for granted. Every league I missed could have been spent in a battle which I rarely do now. When I saw a kid playing Gold on my bus this week and some jerk make fun of him , I thought "what a change from three years ago, I'll bet that kid was a pokemaniac him self back then."

[Skywolf1]

Even though the "Fad" days of Pokemon are gone, the Brand is still a very dominent force in a very compeitive marketplace today.

Those people that "rode" the Pokemon fad, are now riding the "YGO" fad, and whatever fad comes after that.

As an adult myself, Pokemon has introduced a lot of "positive" things into my life, and as such, will always hold a special place amougst things I enjoy for MANY, MANY years to come.

Truthfully, I am, at least in my area, starting to see somewhat a resurgence in Pokemon, with my league attendance numbers increasing, and more people coming back to the game after an absence.

In addition the anime, at least to me, has made vast improvements from that of the "fad" days of Pokemon which is another testament of the staying power of this very broadbased and multi-cultural brand.

Take Care,

Skywolf1

[White Gryphon]

What do I not miss? Card-thieves (known as Team Rocket back then... without the Rockets in the game, what do we call them now?), kids with rich parents and no skills, kids who rip off less experienced players on the rules, kids who have friends who sit next to them and scream in their opponent's faces... Yes, although I haven't seen a league session in a good long time, I sincerely hope that this junk is occurring less often. :D

[Tego]

I'd like to say a final word: some of us have stayed with this game since the very beginning, and are STILL as active as always today. That just shows how important and succesful this game is.

No matter what happens, some of us will always stay with the game, forever.

[Dek]

I cant believe I was such a fool to give up on Pokemon just because a bunch of kids made fun of me back in the days. Then my parents said that I should do whatever I want to do. Ignore what other people say. I took my parents words, and here I am. I rejoined the PKMN leagues near me (opened up a Neo Destiny booster pack and I got Shining Charizard :lol: ), I joined the WotC PKMN forums around April (2003) or so, and I've been with most you guys ever since. After hearing that Nintendo was taking over the Pokemon card, I was disappointed at first, but I got used to it and started looking at the otehr side of the story. Ever since, I stuck with Pokemon. I did the Sandstorm Prerelease recently, and I got 3rd Place (says so on my sig). Either way, I would definately would love to thank everyone that gives me support, Especially you guys. I now see that I'm not the only one that plays the game anymore. I now see that there are people that are older than me that play this game. I also see that Parents teach their kids how to play the game. I would like to say that this game has taught real life lessons, such as dont give up something that you havent finished. *sniff* This isnt just a fad, IMO. This, my friends, is Pokemon.

[Raz]

"Journey to Mercadia and discover how this expansion will change the way you play Magic."

The set came out after the 6th ed. rules change. Oh the Irony...

I recall waiting anxiously for the crappy starter box. The only thing the store was getting in soon. Packs sold like hot cakes.

[Marril]

"Journey to Mercadia and discover how this expansion will change the way you play Magic."

The set came out after the 6th ed. rules change. Oh the Irony...
Not really irony so much as a really bad block as a comedown from the brokenness of Urza block. Rebels and Mercenaries indeed.

[League Leader Terry]

Seeing how I missed the Urza block, I didn't have it to compare to Mercadian. I liked the set myself.

[Tego]

Well said, Arthas_Zero!

I've seen many people go through the same, almost quitting the game they still love, just because other people tease them. Be your self, that's the spirit! My spirit anyway.

[Dek]

Be your self, that's the spirit! My spirit anyway.

Hey, its mine too :lol: