Pokemon Red and Green 10th Anniversary Today!

[Rukario]

The games that started it all have just turned 10 years old.. Pocket Monsters Green version and Pocket Monsters Red version were released in Japan 10 years ago today, starting the Pokemon craze we all know.

http://pokemonpalace.com/pictures/news/poke_green_10th.jpg http://pokemonpalace.com/pictures/news/poke_red_10th.jpg

Pokemon was created in 1996 by Nintendo for their best selling portable video game system, “Game Boy”. Originally released in Japan, Pokemon are a class of unique little Pocket Monsters that battle each other when instructed to do so by their trainer. The original term for Pokemon was “Poketto Monstaa”, the coined Japanese term for Pocket Monster. Soon the Japanese shortened the name to “Pokemon”. A Japanese game designer named Satoshi Tajiri invented Pokemon based on childhood memories of collecting bugs in jars and wishing he could make them fight like the monsters in his favorite science fiction movies. The game was so intricate that it took Tajiri six years to develop the Pokemon game. Once released, the rest is history. The overwhelming popularity of the game prompted the creation of a Japanese Pokemon television series and a Japanese Pokemon CollectibleTrading Card Game, both of which also became tremendous successes.

The Pokemon phenomenon began in the U.S. in 1998 with the release of the original Red and Blue Game Boy games, the debut of the animated Pokemon television series on Warner Brothers, and the release of the English version of the Pokemon Trading Cards. The Pokemon television series immediately catapulted Kids Warner Brothers to the top of the cable ratings for kids shows.

http://pokemonpalace.com/pictures/news/poke_10th_journey_logo.pngStarting on February 25, through July 22, 2006 the Pokemon Journey Across America tour, celebrating the property's tenth anniversary, will visit numerous cities across the United States. In addition to a Pokemon tournament, the events will include numerous on-site activities including live costume characters,, a Pokemon Trading Card Game play area, exclusive character downloads for Pokemon video games, and a 10th anniversary lounge to offer fans a look back at Pokemon through the years.

Happy Birthday Pokémon!!

Pokemon's success can be attributed to Pokemon’s incredible appeal to children from diverse cultures and across sex and age barriers. Although originally designed for adolescent boys, Pokemon’s popularity quickly spread to include girls, elementary age school children and even preschoolers. As summarized by Galil Tilden, Nintendo’s Vice President, “Pokemon is much more than a phenomenon – It’s now a children’s entertainment staple here in America and globally… From the video games, to the toys, to the TV series, Pokemon’s staying power is evident in its multifaceted appeal to its broad fan base."

[Drummershuff]

Doesn't seem like 10 years ago since I played the games. o.o Anyway Happy Anniversary Pokemon!! XD

[Kotowari]

Yeah me neither.
Happy birthday Pokemon!!!!!!!
Ash is 20 O.o

[Bauhaus]

10 years ago?! Wow, I remember getting the game like it was just yesterday.

[rubymatt]

10 years????? I was only a lad... Never did get red and blue (or green in Japan)

[Hiroshi Sotomura]

How, the press release staff sure like cooperating with you, Steve, XD

But yeah, I knew about this. I still think "wow, 10 years already?" since I've just started playing the classics again.

[DarkThunder]

10 years! I was only 3 when it was released in the U.S. Time has passed so quickly...

[Johto Boy]

Are you sure it was today? IGN said that it was released February 27, 1996. They are sometimes wrong though.

[MetalMario]

Wow. I clearly remember when Pokémon first took off with the release of Red/Blue. Hearing the responses here, it makes me feel old. @.@

Me: "What game's that you got there?"
Friend: "Pokemon."
Me: "Oh? What's that about?"
Friend: "Well, you have to collect these critters called Pokemon so you can use their powers."
Me: "Sounds pretty strange if you ask me..."

Too bad my original Blue cart (and my first GBC which it was in) went missing... T_T I actually got another Blue cart, since it was still hugely popular and EVERYONE had Red version...

[Miss Reyna]

Coolie. It 10 years old today? That is a long time. Still I thought it came out a little later. Still it is now 10 years old. YAY!!! Let party to celebrate. I never played the japanese games but I bet they were just as fun as the american ones.

[Rukario]

Are you sure it was today? IGN said that it was released February 27, 1996. They are sometimes wrong though.
yup... positive.. based on current time in Japan of course.
Green (and Red) was released in Japan 10 years ago today, Feb 26, 1996

[Lucy Lu]

Yay! Pokemon is 10 years old, wow. That is so wonderful. I remember the first time I heard about it. It took USA by storm. I want to thank Japan of giving us a chance to know about Pokemon. The games and the anime. Thanks Japan! ^^ I hope Pokemon will make another ten years..if not five years will be fine. :3

[Innocence]

yup... positive.. based on current time in Japan of course.
Green (and Red) was released in Japan 10 years ago today, Feb 26, 1996
No, today IS Monday, Feburary the 27 2006. Anyway, It feels like pokemon is a lot older than it is, shows how slowly time has passed for me.

[Rukario]

well it's monday in Japan.. not here.. lol

[El Wiseguy]

Happy B-day Pokemon. :)

It does just seem like yesterday...

[Innocence]

yes, it's monday in australia too. It makes me sad, that now, r/b are practically abandoned.

[Tootmonster]

Wow it was today 10 years ago!!!
IT SEEMS LIKE ONLY YESTERDAY

i had to wait until it came out here and the first time i played it was when my nephew said to me here try this game i tried and nevermturned back.
I can quite honestly say that it was pokemon that got me back into video games full stop as the only console i had before that had been my megadrive
Thank you pokemon
for the years of enjoyment
the amount of frustration betaing the elite four
and many more years to come
HAPPY BIRTHDAY POCKET MONSTERS

[Tsugaru]

Wow pokemon....i dont know what to say...but HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!! im so glad i got ya and wow it dont seem like that long ago..time really flies...but happy b-day!!! have a awesome and great gamboy day

[MAR Heaven]

Wow Ten whole years I remember the first time I saw pokemon it was the first episode I had ever seen. The one with the Ponyta and Ash in the race!

Then I saw a commercial for the cards so I started collecting.

Finally I went to Toys R Us and I bought Red and Blue!

Great days.

[Signomi]

10 years of standing, and Pokemon has gained a reputation beyond most others that have lasted for even more. It's brought atleast some joy into our lives, so Happy Birthday, Pokemon, may you live on! =D

[Jeremy]

*Pops out of the cake dressed as himself.* X3 Happy Anniversary Pokémon! X3 Wow it's been ten years, huh sweeties? It almost feels like yesturday when I stayed home from school, sick, and saw the first episode of Pokémon. Good ol' dayz! Long live Pokémon! X3

[Dawg 2005]

Ten years already? Wow, the games came out in '97 in the US didn't they? Man I remember being so excited when I played, I was the first in my school(and first at the store) to get Gold version. It was PACKED at GameStop when the reservation started...*sniff*.

Those were the good ol' days man, Happy 10th Pokemon.

And I heard the show is ending in 2009, O_o, oh well, show isn't good anymore. XD

[Master_Z]

Happy Anniversary!!! It doesnt seem like 10 years....

[Hikarii]

Wow, 10 years already.. I remember my first Pokemon episode, attraction to Satoshi, and first eveeerr gameboy + gaaame. Yay. Happy 10th. XD

D'aw.. 2009. What am I gonna do when it all ends? XD

[Supreme Edgeboy Max]

Awesome or something, but Pokemon is now four years younger than me. =D I finally know how much younger Ash and Pikachu are than me. Hah, it seems like just last week or something that I got my Pokemon Silver to play - not suspecting a thing that I'd be pulled through Pokemon so much so as to witness the 10th anniversary of Pokemon.

Through bunnies and wildness, from the mountain tops of Mount Silver to the bottom of the sea in Sootopolis - I'll keep being a fan of Pokemon for more years to come, hopefully enough to see the 20th birthday of Pokemon, and to see it still going awesome.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY POH~KAY~MON! =D

[MudkipGirl]

Wow.. 10 years already? I remember when I got my first gameboy and Pokemon Red.. I think thats about.. oh 8 years ago?

[Shenlong]

What really got me into Pokemon is when I 1st saw the anime when I was 12. Than recently I've bought my little brother Emerald and FireRed.

The only classic Pokemon game I've got was Yellow though.

[Ashygirl]

wow pokemon has reached the big 1 0 happy birthday pokemon
seems only yesterday that i watched my very first episode (Ash catches a pokemon) *presents a giant cake saying "HAPPY BIRTHDAY POKEMON" with 10 candles on top*
happy birthday to you
happy birthday to you
happy birthday to pokemon
happy birthday to you

[Dream Illusionist]

Oh! I'm late! <.<
Oh well, Happy late Birthday Pokémon! May you little monsters makes us joy for much longer ^^
10 years already? Gosh... makes me feel old. XD

[djvolcom]

yeah, happy birthday!!!! 10 years, wow, its been that long.

[_Huggle_Bunny_]

Dang....Im Way Late....

And Man Its Been 10 Years Allready...Thats A Trip....I Remember Buyin The Import When It First Came Out....It WAs So Fun.....

Well Happy Late B-Day Pokemon....We Wub You

*Hugglez REd And Green For Hourz*

[pikachu007]

Happy Birthday Pokemon!
man 10 years I remember back on sept 7th 1998 I saw the plot episode "battle aboard the st.anne".
well Happy 10th Birthday Pokemon!

[Zacceh]

Woah....It's been 10 years? I remember getting Red for the Gameboy Pocket when I was three...wow....btw MudkipGirl, it was 7 or 8 years ago...wow....

Happy Birthday Pokemon

[Live Update King]

Happy birthday pokemon. By the way pokemon did not come out in march. It was 10 last month.

[BigC]

Happy Birthday Pokemon!!!!!!!!!! God it's been a long time!

[djvolcom]

Happy birthday pokemon. By the way pokemon did not come out in march. It was 10 last month.

yeah wasnt it septemember? i know it wasnt march

[~*!*~Tatsujin Gosuto~*!*~]

Happy birthday pokemon YAH!!!!!! Lets see if it has a 20 celebration.

:t003:Dark Venusaur

[D3@DW()LF]

Happy super late birthday pokemon

[sage the blastoise master]

well happy aniversery i dont think its been 10 years since they came out in america cause i was like 11 when i first played them