Pokémon newsletter advice

[Latios]

Hey everyone

I'm trying to come up with some ideas for a newsletter that focuses on the late 90's and early 2000's era of Pokémon, and wanted to see if people had any suggestions. I really want to tap into people's nostalgia and share what it was like to be a fan back then, and maybe cover some of the original Pokémon related events and content that younger fans who started with the franchise later, may not be aware of. If you grew up in that era like I did, maybe you'll be best suited to help, but anyone is welcome to contribute their thoughts.

Thank you!

 

[Devalue]

• Debunk some rumors, like Mew under the truck. See this thread, this other thread, and yet another thread for more rumors.
• Remembers Burger King toys coming out. Caused a stir.
• One fad in the 90's (here, anyways): Bead animals. Originally made lizards, penguins, and some other animals. Figured out patterns for Pokemon eventually (probably not officially?). Found an image of one on Google.
  
• Pokemon card bans in schools. Created problems with trading cards, or something like that. Bets on old card art (or just old art in general) bringing up some nostalgic vibes.
• Could run an ad for the first Pokemon movie. Remembers Donphan being revealed ahead of Gold/Silver in it. Tease that. Gave away a promotional Mew card for it too.

 

[Latios]

• Debunk some rumors, like Mew under the truck. See this thread, this other thread, and yet another thread for more rumors.
• Remembers Burger King toys coming out. Caused a stir.
• One fad in the 90's (here, anyways): Bead animals. Originally made lizards, penguins, and some other animals. Figured out patterns for Pokemon eventually (probably not officially?). Found an image of one on Google.
  View attachment 105486
• Pokemon card bans in schools. Created problems with trading cards, or something like that. Bets on old card art (or just old art in general) bringing up some nostalgic vibes.
• Could run an ad for the first Pokemon movie. Remembers Donphan being revealed ahead of Gold/Silver in it. Tease that. Gave away a promotional Mew card for it too.

Thanks very much for the suggestions! I like the idea of debunking certain old rumours, perhaps one on Pokégods would be a good idea at some point?
Keep em coming!

 

[Devalue]

• Information on where to find some out-of-the-way Pokemon, like Aerodactyl. Could do items like the vending machine TMs in Celadon City too. Could not rely on the Internet then. Used strategy guides, which plenty of kids did not get.
• A short section on secret Pokemon Stadium colors. Changed by nicknaming them different things.
• Some kind of reader challenge. Ran things like this in Nintendo Power, albeit for different games. Maybe the lowest in-game time with a full Pokedex? Alternatively, for something more modern, become a Champion with only pre-Brock Pokemon or with Ash's Pokemon. (Says modern because who would reset their game?) Might be veering into something ill-suited to a newsletter, though. Shrugs.
• Released Pocket Pikachu in that era. Competed with other virtual pets like Tamagotchis. Earned watts based on your step count. Absolutely cheesed that. Shake it for quick "steps".
• Short premade TCG deck reviews and/or basic information on the contents? Refers to the starter set, Brushfire, Zap!, Overgrowth, and Blackout decks. Released more in the Jungle and Fossil sets too.
• Search for old Pokemon commercials on Youtube (or whatever). Ought to provide some ideas.

 

[Latios]

• Information on where to find some out-of-the-way Pokemon, like Aerodactyl. Could do items like the vending machine TMs in Celadon City too. Could not rely on the Internet then. Used strategy guides, which plenty of kids did not get.
• A short section on secret Pokemon Stadium colors. Changed by nicknaming them different things.
• Some kind of reader challenge. Ran things like this in Nintendo Power, albeit for different games. Maybe the lowest in-game time with a full Pokedex? Alternatively, for something more modern, become a Champion with only pre-Brock Pokemon or with Ash's Pokemon. (Says modern because who would reset their game?) Might be veering into something ill-suited to a newsletter, though. Shrugs.
• Released Pocket Pikachu in that era. Competed with other virtual pets like Tamagotchis. Earned watts based on your step count. Absolutely cheesed that. Shake it for quick "steps".
• Short premade TCG deck reviews and/or basic information on the contents? Refers to the starter set, Brushfire, Zap!, Overgrowth, and Blackout decks. Released more in the Jungle and Fossil sets too.
• Search for old Pokemon commercials on Youtube (or whatever). Ought to provide some ideas.

Again, some excellent suggestions! I'm not sure i'm qualified to write about some of these topics, i'd almost certainly need to give them some research. I recently picked up a Pocket Pikachu, and I have two Pikachu Colors, so that one could be possible for sure!

 

[SteCisGreendog]

We could give dozens of suggestions (general/personal) and a few of them will guarantee to be standout topics. Here're some of my fond moments from that early era:

• The other collectible cards from Topps that are included with candy and gum, like I had access to from my old village corner shop. There might've been more than one iteration of cards with info of the monsters and characters from the anime in Gen 1, and again for Gen 2.
• Reader stories of unfortunate accidents and mishaps involving Pokemon products, like the time I loaned a schoolmate's Ancient Mew card and left it in the laundry pocket as it was being washed by mistake (!)
• The Pokemon anime's journey to British TV screens via Sky One, and how it fared against other kids programs at the time (loved that your newsletter takes a point of view from the UK, coming from there myself).
• Run a feature on the junior novel series that took stories from the anime episodes and the first movie.

 

[Latios]

We could give dozens of suggestions (general/personal) and a few of them will guarantee to be standout topics. Here're some of my fond moments from that early era:

• The other collectible cards from Topps that are included with candy and gum, like I had access to from my old village corner shop. There might've been more than one iteration of cards with info of the monsters and characters from the anime in Gen 1, and again for Gen 2.
• Reader stories of unfortunate accidents and mishaps involving Pokemon products, like the time I loaned a schoolmate's Ancient Mew card and left it in the laundry pocket as it was being washed by mistake (!)
• The Pokemon anime's journey to British TV screens via Sky One, and how it fared against other kids programs at the time (loved that your newsletter takes a point of view from the UK, coming from there myself).
• Run a feature on the junior novel series that took stories from the anime episodes and the first movie.

Thank you very much for the suggestions! A couple of these were on my radar, and it has given me motivation to bring those to the front and look into them more closely.