I remember how I got all my Pokemon games.

Do you remember how you got all your Pokemon games? If you have any stories of how you got some of your Pokemon games, feel free to share! I remember some Pokemon games by the exact date, and where I bought them! Which, I'll add here later.

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GEN 3 (spinoffs included)

Pokemon Sapphire - sometime in 2011, I bought a used copy at a Gamestop. I don't remember much else.

Pokemon LeafGreen - I got this game at Target back in 2008 a few months after I got Pokemon Diamond. It was pretty cheap for some reason. lol

Pokemon Emerald - lmfao, I.... stole it from a friend in 2008. <_<

Pokemon Dash - I bought a used copy at gamestop. Waste of money, but literal yolo.

Pokemon Trozei - another case of getting a used copy at Gamestop, don't remember the exact year, maybe 2012.

Red & Blue Rescue Team - used copies at game stop. Late 2008/early 2009. I think I got RRT later, but I don't actually remember.

Pokemon Ranger - another case of getting a used copy at gamestop lol.

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Gen 4.

Pokemon Diamond - May 22nd, 2008. I got a Nintendo DS from Target & a copy of Pokemon Diamond. Neither the Nintendo DS or this copy of Pokemon Diamond function properly anymore at all. Maybe five years or so later, I bought a used copy of Pokemon Diamond...to my surprise the person had it last was a nasty cheater with many shiny Mews. :|

Pokemon Pearl - July(?)/December 2008/Feb 2009? (don't remember), I bought Pokemon Pearl from Target. I spent too long trying to beat it tho. :') The game is VERY glitchy, and I'm scared to ever touch it again.

Pokemon Platinum, March 22rd, 2009! I got the game the day it came out because I was a smart kid and had my dad put down $5 to preorder it. I didn't get my Giratina toy though. :(

HeartGold - December 6, 2010, I bought a copy at Gamestop w/my Hannukah money (or maybe it was Walmart?)

SoulSilver - Also got this one at Gamestop in early 2011? But idr very well...

Explorers of Darkness - 2008/09, I got this game at Radio shack when coming home from my grandmother's house.

Explorers of Time - Many, many years later, I got this game at target...

Explorers of the sky - Another Hannukah present I bought myself at Target LMFAO.

Pokemon Ranger Shadows of Almia - Another game I bought at Target. Late 2009.

Pokemon Ranger Guardian Signs - heck I don't even remember when this game came out! But I bought it in 2010(?) at GameStop.

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Gen 5.

Pokemon White - Either June 2010 or June 2011 on the last day of school! At gamestop again.

Pokemon Black - sometime in 2010, 90% sure at gamestop again, my memory is very fuzzy on this one.

Pokemon Black2 - got it in 2012, idr when. Another Gamestop purchased game.

Pokemon White2 - also another one I got in 2012... but I don't remember beyond that. <_< Like Black2, it was gamestop purchased.

Pokemon Conquest - bought it at gamestop and don't remember much else. ;;

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Gen 6 -

Pokemon X - October 13, 2013, I was waiting on a LONG LINE at Comicon for this game, oh my god. The first day they were sold out. <_< My friend's mom gave me extra money so I could buy it, I was grateful to her that day.

Pokemon Y - December 2013. Maybe November? I got it at gamestop.

Omega Ruby - December 2014/November, used Hannukah money to buy it at...Target(?)/Toys R Us? One or the other.

Alpha Sapphire - Also bought this game during the holiday season of 2014.

Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon - holiday season 2015/16, I bought this one at Gamestop but by the time I had done so almost all my friends had played it already. :(

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Gen 7

Pokemon Sun - December 2016 during Hannukah at Game Stop. Everyone I knew had already finished the game by the time I bought it.

Pokemon Moon - late December 2016 with my birthday money at (surprise) Game stop.

Pokemon Ultra Sun AND Ultra Moon - I bought both of these games at the exact same time in December 2017 at my local gamestop. Despite that, I spent forever playing them both bc I had gotten lazy with newer Pokemon games...

Mine's pretty simple :

Gen 1-5 emulation

Gen 6 bought used on EBay in about 2014

Gen 1
Blue - 3DS VC 2016

Gen 2
Silver - 3DS VC 2017

Gen 3
None

Gen 4
Pearl - GameStop used, 2015
Platinum - GameStop used, a few weeks ago
SoulSilver - GameStop used, 2016

Gen 5
Black - GameStop used, 2015
Black 2 - GameStop used, 2017

Gen 6
X - GameStop new, 2015
Y - GameStop used, 2016
Omega Ruby - Target used, a few weeks ago
Alpha Sapphire - GameStop new, 2015

Gen 7
Sun - eShop, 2016
Moon - GameStop new, 2016
Ultra Sun - eShop, 2017
Ultra Moon - GameStop new, 2018

Gen I
Blue & Yellow Cartridge - Mum bought it.
Yellow VC - 3DS store.

Gen II
Silver Cartridge - Mum bought it.
Crystal VC - 3DS store.

Gen III
Sapphire & Emerald - Mum bought it.
Omega Ruby - EB Games Westpoint (Parramatta, NSW, Australia).

Gen IV
Pearl - EB Games Westpoint (Blacktown, NSW, Australia).
SoulSilver - GameStop Lloyd Center (Portland, OR, USA).

Gen V
White - EB Games Metrotown (Burnaby, BC, Canada).

Gen VI
Y - EB Games Westpoint (Parramatta, NSW, Australia).

Gen VII
Sun - EB Games in the Queen Street Mall (Brisbane, QLD, Australia).

All games were purchased on release, or very close to.

Blue - eShop Virtual Console (never had a Gen I game of my own)
Gold - 11th(?) birthday present
Sapphire - Christmas (2004/5?)
FireRed - Borrowed a friend's copy and lost it, so bought him a new one. Ended up finding it months later and keeping it for myself.
HeartGold - Came with a used DS I bought
Platinum - bought a used copy at EB Games

All my other games since then (White, White 2, Y, Alpha Sapphire, Sun, Moon, Ultra Moon) were either pre-ordered, or picked up day 1 at EB Games. Now that I don't live anywhere near one, that'll have to change when I pick up LGP/E.

Red - bought off a friend alongside a game boy pocket
Crystal - bought off a different friend alongside a game boy colour
Silver, Yellow and Gold were all bought second hand but I can't remember where

Everything else is currently emulated on my laptop.

Ruby - Got it off eBay I think? I'm pretty positive it was eBay at the time, but this was actually my first Pokemon game that I've owned.
Sapphire - Got it at a local GameStop I think a month or two after I got Ruby.

Every single other Pokemon game that I can remember I've gotten at GameStop. xD No exciting stories there.

Blue - KB Toys 1999

Yellow - Target 2000

Pokemon Snap - Target 1999

Gold - Target 2001

Crystal - Target 2002

Ruby - Target 2003

Emerald - Target 2005

HeartGold - Amazon 2017

Black - Amazon 2017

X - Best Buy 2014

Pokemon Art Academy - Game Stop 2014

Moon - Game Stop 2016

Blue- 3DS Download (2016)

Yellow- Used copy from Secondhand Shop (2017)

Platinum- Gift from parents (2009)

Black- Easter Gift from Grandparents (2013)

Alpha Sapphire- Christmas Gift (2016)

Moon/Ultra Sun- Preordered at GameStop (2016-17)

Art Academy- Christmas Gift (2015)

Gens 1-5
None, if you discount emulation.

Gen 6
Pokémon X - I'd say around 2014.
Pokémon Omega Ruby - Definitely 2015. Had it waiting in a bag, of all places. Lol. It was also the year in which I got my first 3DS (which wasn't the "New" models because at that time, it wasn't imported to where I live).

March 2010 - Heartgold (Walmart)
July 2011 - Black (gift)
September 2011 - Platinum (used game store)
December 25th 2011 - Sapphire (gift)
October 7th 2012 - White 2 (Gamestop)
October 12th 2013 - X (GameStop)
November 21st 2014 - Omega Ruby (GameStop)
November 18th 2016 - Moon (GameStop)
Some time in 2016 - Blue (eshop)
Some time in 2016 - Yellow (eshop)
November 17th 2017 - Ultra Moon (eshop)
August 2018 - Pokemon Pearl (gift)
Some time in 2018 - Crystal (eshop)

Gamestop, usually for gen I-VI. Amazon pre-order for SM which was the most recent pokemon game I bought, like two years ago. I also bought a used Crystal on Amazon a while back as well. I think it's old and bugged though because Heracross has a 0% encounter in that game while on emulator I can catch it fine.

Yellow was my first game in 1999 or 2000, my Mum must have bought it, but almost certainly at my request.

Then there was Blue, don't remember exactly where or when, but I took great pleasure in picking Squirtle and getting revenge on Brock for being so difficult in Yellow.

Gold and Silver, my sister and I got together, along with a link cable so we could trade. My sister eventually gave me her Gold to keep. Crystal was a birthday present I beleive.

Ruby and Sapphire were Christmas presents, Emerald I don't remember. Firered and Leafgreen were bought on release I think.

Diamond was bought along with a DS Lite, and Platinum was bought on release, as was Soulsilver. I later bought Heartgold as well.

White, White 2, X, Omega Ruby, Sun and Ultra Moon were also bought on release. I got Y at some point too. For virtual console I bought Red, Yellow, Silver and Crystal when they became available.

Edit: and I bought a used Blue cartridge off Ebay a while back (Having stupidly got rid of my Gen I and II games years ago) and it actually works!

Here is my list (unfortunately I don't remember the exact dates for most of the games anymore, sorry):

Gen.3:
Pokemon: Sapphire (Used) - Bought it on Ebay. (26.9.2018)

Pokemon: Emerald (Used) - Bought it on Ebay. (27.9.2018)

Pokemon: LeafGreen (Used) - Bought it on Ebay. (25.9.2018)

Gen.4:
Pokemon: Diamond (New) - My parents bought it for me at a media store in a local shopping center during our vacation on Sylt. It was my very first pokemon game ever. (2007)

Pokemon: Platinum (New) - I bought it at Saturn in the shopping center where I live. (2009)

Pokemon: Soul Silver (New & Used) - I got it from my parents as a Easter present. Unfortunately, somehow I managed to lose it and it was so expensive on Amazon, even used, that I didn't buy it again, until last year, where I managed to find a less expensive, but good, used copy at the Gamestop store in the local shopping center. It works exactly the same as my lost one. (First copy: 2010, second copy: 2018)

Gen.5:
Pokemon: Black (New) - I bought it at Saturn in the shopping center where I live. (2011)

Pokemon: White 2 (New) - Bought it at Amazon, although it was a bit expensive. (2018)

Gen.6:
Pokemon: X (New) - Bought it at Saturn in the shopping center where I live. (2016)

Pokemon: Alpha Sapphire (New) - Bought it at Saturn in the shopping center where I live. (2016)

Gen.7::
Pokemon: Moon (New) - Preordered it at the Gamestop store in the local shopping center. (2016)

Pokemon: Let's Go, Evee! (New) - Preordered it at the Gamestop store in the local shopping center. (16.11.2018)

Gen.8:
Pokemon: Shield (New) - Preordered it at the Gamestop store in the local shopping center, but bought it in the end at Saturn, since they sold it for 10€ less. It was a belated birthday gift from my dad. (15.11.2019)

Blue- 3DS Virtual Console. I also own a physical copy which has been sitting around forever. The 3DS doesn't work, but I could still use the cartridge. I'm just not fond of the old GameBoy having no back-light.

Silver- 3DS Virtual Console. I owned a physical copy which I bought online from Amazon, but lost it when we moved houses. So I don't have this anymore in any form.

Platinum - Received from a relative who didn't want it anymore. Lost it when we moved.

X/Y- A sibling purchased it for digitally as a birthday gift...unfortunately the 3DS isn't working anymore.

White - Purchased from a GameStop.

Omega Ruby - I received it as a Christmas gift, I finished it and I have no idea what happened to the copy. It just disappeared. The last I can recall was leaving it at my grandmothers house, but she's since passed away and the house has been sold. So there's no chance of finding it if that were the case.

Alpha Sapphire - I asked a relative if I could use his copy when he finished, and he was okay with it.

Ultra Sun - Received as a Christmas gift.

So the only ones I have left are White, Alpha Sapphire, and Ultra Sun.

I miss my pokemon red

Growing up I got my games mainly as a gift, once I had a job I started buying the games for myself. I believe the only exception is someone gave me their copy of blue because they didn't play it. Anyway the most memorable time was when I got my first Pokemon game. My grandma got me Gold on Easter, which was absolutely crazy because getting Easter gifts wasn't a thing for me.

I'll have to try and remember

Gen 1 - Red
I got it for Christmas with a Gameboy colour back in 1999
-Yellow was for Christmas 2000

Gen 2 - Gold
I got it with my birthday money 2001as it came out a couple of days after my birthday

Gen 3-Ruby
I brought it myself 2003
-Emerald
I got it for Christmas 2005
-LGFR
I got for Christmas 2004

Gen 4- Platinum
I borrowed Diamond of my younger brother when it came out and only brought Platinum a few months back
-Heart gold
I got for my birthday from my missus 2010

Gen 5 - Black
I got for my birthday from my missus 2011

-White 2
I got it for Christmas from my missus 2012

Gen 6 - Y
Got for Christmas from my missus 2013

-Alpha Sapphire
For Christmas from my missus 2014

Gen 7- Sun
For Christmas from my missus 2016

-Ultra Moon
For Christmas from my missus 2017

uh hmm

Pretty sure all the games up until....XY, maybe? were bought with the help of family. I didn't have my own stable income until around then. I think beginning DPPt I started getting the games right on release day and had parents help purchase those (DPPt and gen V), and from then on I'd buy my own copies once they were released. Usually via our local GameStop or ordering on Amazon. Alpha Sapphire was ordered digitally and one of the only games in forever I started after release since we were on vacation at the time.

Older games I bought at a game store way back in the late 1990s/early 2000s, which was around a 15 minute walk? I remember being so excited seeing them. ;_; Blue was my first, and Red mom got me for xmas!

Shield this year was the first Pokémon game I got digitally!

Gen 1:

Red - August 1999: This was my first game. After my mom bought me the TCG starter set to try to help me fit in better and have a better time at a lousy summer camp, I started watching the anime over vacation (got the first six episodes on tapes from Blockbuster), and then decided to get one of the games. Everyone I knew who owned them had Red, and told me to get Red as well (no one cared about trading), despite blue being my favorite color and Blastoise becoming my favorite Pokémon. This was one of the few games I bought myself (I usually waited for birthdays/holidays), but my mom wanted change counted and rolled, so she said that I could keep any change I rolled and put it towards the game. I counted every coin she had, which worked out to $19, so I only had to pay the remaining $11 or so.

Rebuy: VC eShop release on launch day.

Blue: never owned the cartridge, but acquired a friend's copy to try to fix it after it acted up. (Never succeeded.) I'm guessing that would have been sometime between when I got my first laptop and when Gold died, so maybe 2005ish? If it was after Gold died, late 2006-2007, but probably pre-gen 4.

Rebuy: VC eShop release on launch day.

Yellow: Picked it up using gift money sometime after getting Crystal, but likely before RS came out. So maybe 2002?

Rebuy: VC eShop release on launch day.

Spin-offs:

Pokémon Puzzle League: Christmas gift. Based on the release date, I guess it was 2000? Only game I've ever gotten to sit down and play on Christmas Day, to this day. Rebought on VC.

Pokémon Snap: Dont remember, but I think it was one of my later N64 games, so maybe 2001? Could have been a birthday gift, or I could have bought it at some other time.

Pokémon Stadium: Wanted a transfer pack for Pokémon Stadium 2, and it was two cents cheaper to buy the Stadium + transfer pack bundle. One of my last N64 games, so probably late 2001 to early 2002.

Pokémon Pinball: not sure, but think it was a birthday gift from my parents.

Gen 2:

Gold: Birthday gift from a friend. Think I got it on launch day.

Silver: Birthday gift from a friend (2001).

Crystal: Birthday gift from parents (2001).

Rebought all of those on VC as they released.

Pokémon Stadium 2: Birthday gift from parents, I believe. (Could have been Christmas, but think it was birthday.) 2001?

Gen 3:

Sapphire: Bought with guide within a week of launch. Might have been a belated Christmas gift. March 2003.

Ruby: bought for myself sometime after that (summer of either 2003 or 2004), but never opened it. Still thinking of diving in again.

LeafGreen: Birthday gift from a friend. Got at launch 2004.

FireRed: Just tried my luck on the eBay market a few days ago. We'll see if it's genuine or not. Listing claimed it was, so if not, I'll complain to eBay I guess.

Emerald: Think I got this sometime after DP came out. It was used from GameStop, so original copies must have been out of print. Gift from family.

Colosseum: Belated Christmas gift, at launch.

XD: might have been a gift IOU as well? At launch. By this point, I was a Nintendo Power subscriber, followed releases fairly carefully, and planned in advance to ask for titles I wanted.

Pokémon Channel: Christmas gift at the Christmas following its release.

Gen 4:

I started buying the games myself at launch at this point, sometimes with gift IOUs (usually from Christmas) depending on when titles released. I also started buying both versions of main games. I bought most spinoffs at launch too (PMD, etc.), with the exception of the Ranger games (which I've never played).

Gen 5:

Similar trend to gen 4. Missed a bunch of Wii-era spinoffs like the PokePark games until Wii U VC because I didn't have access to a tv most of the time during this period. Bit of a drop in how much I played.

Gen 6:

Bought everything at launch again. Think I also started shifting more towards buying things myself (and not all as gifts) once I got out of college and had more disposable income.

Gen 7:

Bought everything myself at launch, with the occasional reimbursement as a gift. (I shifted from asking other people to give me games in advance, to buying things myself and them suggesting them as reimbursable gift items to family members. It saved people the hassle of having to understand a confusing hobby, and I got what I wanted.)

Sometime I need, I switched to a policy of buying almost all of my games at launch in an attempt to reduce the amount of time I put into game research and increase the amount devoted to (a) playing games and (b) career-related activities. I also got Best Buy's GCU during this period, so I bought almost all of my games through them. (Gen 8 was my final GCU preorder.)

Gen 8:

Bought at launch (preordered, as I did with gen 7). Haven't started yet (waiting for more info/updates about the exFAT SD card issues, hopefully, plus I'm busy).