Youtube may not have been around for the braille puzzles, but I still managed to find a braille de-coder online which helped me along the way.
If it wasn't for sites like Smogon and Serebii helping me learn about EV training, IV breeding, and egg/tutor moves, I'd probably be off somewhere crying hax everytime I lost a battle.
I've spoiled myself of every pokemon with each new generation, but I don't look up the gym leaders or region layouts. Actually I even spoiled myself of the gym leaders in gen 6 but there was still a large amount of undiscovered wonder for the game.
You can have the internet as well as the splendorous feeling of surprise. You just need to take your spoilers in moderation.
Heck, if it weren't for PC's rotating welcome message, I wouldn't have known that Belch was a move introduced in the 6th gen until just this afternoon.
I bet you also didn't know Quash was a move.
Or a word.