It’s a tale as old as time whenever a new Pokemon game is on the horizon. Yes, I have facial hair and still like Pokemon. Yes, I know I’m 28 years old. No, I’ll never stop loving Pokemon. No, I’m not too old to still enjoy Pokemon.

Showing off my Pokemon swag on Instagram.

Whether it’s the judgmental stares as I’m at the store to purchase the new Pokemon games or the social media snicker of a grown adult still getting excited over Pokemon. Meanwhile, I pretend to care that the people I know around my age are getting excited over the smallest things a baby does, like look around. Yes Susan, babies tend to look around and do things. So whose REALLY winning at life here? I’ll take the Pokemon enthusiasm.

I still remember the day I got Pokemon Blue. It was a gaming experience and explosion that may never be felt again, and it didn’t need to be fueled with the internet because it was far from common to have internet at all during this time, along with the fact social media didn’t exist yet. The Pokemon wildfire grew all on its own which is what will separate it’s worldwide explosion different than all the other companies and brands after it.

Charmander was my first starter, like everyone else who had a functioning brain. Fine, Squirtle and Bulbasaur are cool too. Everyone knows that Charmander is above and beyond the greatest. I adventured through Kanto captivated by the world of Pokemon and went through the game as fast as I could because I couldn’t set it down. As a 90’s kid, I dealt with every rumor you can think of. How to get Mew rumors, becoming the Elite Four Champion yourself rumors.. All of it. It was part of the beauty and mystery behind Pokemon.

Truth be told, I wasn’t the most popular person when I was younger. I wasn’t nearly as social either. It was one of my beginning steps into gaming along with the NES and SNES. Pokemon was a world that didn’t judge me except for the amount of badges I had and the amount of Pokemon I had in my Pokedex. Why deal with spitwads and people crumpling up my homework when I can be journeying throughout Kanto?

My Pikachu backpack.

There is a social stigma despite the rapid growth of gaming when you have facial hair and play Pokemon. Aren’t you too old for that? I can feel the motherly judging as they look at me at the store as I’m a grown man likely even more excited than their sons and daughters to play the new Pokemon. It would make me want to say “Pokemon is just a tool you are using to distract your kids while you giggle with your friends on Facebook Messenger talking about wine and gossiping about your husbands. Don’t judge ME.”

Why would I ever be too old to have fun? That’s a silly statement to think about. You can enjoy sports as an adult when the birth of sports is a child’s playground game. Are you saying Lebron James is weird for still liking Basketball?

It’s special when you have a hobby or passion from your younger days that you can carry with you through your adulthood. You have more responsibilities as an adult. However, a lot of people get worn down as an adult and forget the fun aspect of life. They become grumpy towards everything and want to see others miserable if they are. That’s not how I roll.

So no, I’m not too old to still enjoy Pokemon. You shouldn’t be either. If you enjoy something, keep doing it. A new Pokemon game on the Switch should be on the horizon, and I couldn’t be more excited to be 28 years old and sit down and enjoy it as I did Pokemon Blue. I am a different person in a lot of ways since then, but there are things that stay the same. The enjoyment of Pokemon is one of those things that won’t change.

Ready for Pokemon on the Switch! My sweet little collection.

Now excuse me while I become League Champion, properly EV train my Pokemon so that I can set up my sweeper and destroy people in online battles.