Whenever anyone mentions the word "Pokémon," one of two reactions is usually triggered. The first is that the person smiles fondly, either because they still love playing those games or, at the very least, they still harbor fond memories of wanting to be the very best. The second and, sadly, probably more common reaction is a sneer of some sort, or perhaps an eye roll, from people who have long dismissed the series as a cash cow that lacks inspiration.

Pokémon+Red/Pokémon+Blue

Pokémon+Yellow

While this misconception has plagued the massively popular franchise almost since its inception, closer inspection easily proves this harsh accusation to be quite unfounded. While the core of Pokémon's gameplay hasn't altered since the original titles, over time it has grown to become an even richer and more strategic experience, with more content than most players even realize.With Poké mon Black and White set to hit shelves March 6, now is as good a time as any to give credit where credit is long overdue, by exploring the evolution of the core titles of the Pokémon franchise, one adventure at a time. Consider this the slap in the face many gamers need to truly understand just how awesome the Pokémon games really are. Prepare to be humbled.Released Sept. 28, 1998, a few weeks after the corresponding anime first aired, Pokémon Red and Blue are the games that started it all. The titles quickly made their way into the hearts and minds of gamers everywhere with their fun gameplay, memorable characters and remarkably immersive world.While the two games featured almost exactly the same plot, the variety of Pokémon you could catch in each version was different, making trading between copies a necessary requirement for players who wanted to catch 'em all. This concept of encouraging player interaction via the trade system was truly revolutionary for its time, and really helped spread Pokémon fever by bringing players together to either complete their respective Pokédexes or test their skills on the field of battle. Despite the handicap of being released near the end of their system's life cycle, the games went on to become the best-selling Game Boy games ever, shattering records worldwide.Pokémon Red and Blue were responsible for introducing the intuitive and enduring rock/paper/scissors mechanic, whereby a Pokémon's type (such as fire, water or grass, for example) informs how powerful it will be against the Pokémon it is battling. Paired with leveling up, move-set choice and the usage of stat enhancers (vitamins like iron, calcium and so on, all of which effect different stats), these components formed the basis of strategy for the entire franchise (though future titles would expand upon these things considerably with things like hold items and weather effects).In addition to offensive moves (which simply do damage, like Tackle or Razor Leaf), the player can also use moves that cause status ailments (like poison, paralysis and confusion), ones that temporarily alter the stats (attack, defense, speed, etc.) of either their Pokémon or the opposing Pokémon, or ones that are some combination of these (such as Sludge, which causes poison and does direct damage). This varied set of options forces players to juggle between whether to deal straight damage or go about defeating their challenger in a more roundabout way, all while keeping their own team alive.Throw in the unique ability to learn moves outside of battle with TMs and HMs (the latter of which are necessary to complete the game and cannot be unlearned once learned) and a few unforgettable glitches (such as Missing No. and the fairly recently discovered Mew glitch), and what you've got is a prime candidate for gaming super stardom.Pokémon Yellow, or, as some know it, the "Special Pikachu Edition," set a trend that each subsequent generation of core Pokémon titles has followed, wherein the third version is a collection of content from the first two releases accompanied by a larger pool of catchable Pokémon, various enhancements and some bonus material to round out the package.Essentially an act of pure, unadulterated fan service, Pokémon Yellow delighted fans by paying homage to the hugely successful anime. Probably the biggest nod to the show was the fact that your starter Pokémon in the game was not Bulbasaur, not Charmander, not even Squirtle, but rather Pikachu. Your rival, on the other hand, got an Eevee, who evolved based on how you faired against him in battle (for example, if the player beat their rival twice, his Eevee would eventually evolve into a Jolteon).Not only did players get to start their journey out with a Pikachu as their partner, their little friend also visibly followed them around, just like Ash's Pikachu followed him in the anime. At any time the player could even speak to their tag-along Pikachu, who would respond with a hearty, "Pi-KA-chu!" before a picture popped up showing how happy the creature was with its master. This concept of measuring a Pokémon's happiness level was a precursor to Happiness points, which would gain importance in future generations.Other things that Yellow did to mirror the show included switching out the Pokémon sprites in the Pokédex for ones more similar to the art style in the show, as well as having Pokémon you interacted with during the game actually say their name, instead of simply growling as they had in the first two games, although Pikachu was the only one for whom an actual sound byte of the creature saying its names was used. This small touch really made it feel like you were playing as the Ash and Pikachu of the show when you sent your cute, yellow, electric mouse into battle.Pokémon Yellow also added NPCs that were exclusively from the show, including the infamously foolish Team Rocket goons, Jesse, James and Meowth (that's right). Other characters in the game were actually remodeled to more specifically resemble their anime alter ego, most notably Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny.Not only was Pokémon Yellow cool for its similarity to the anime, but also for the new elements it brought to the games. By forcing the player to start the game with a Pikachu, it provided a fresh challenge, as taking a Pikachu (especially one who refuses to evolve) all the way to the Elite 4 is quite the tall order. It was also the first game in which a player could obtain the highly-coveted surfing Pikachu (a Pikachu that knew the HM move Surf), either through a promotional event or through a Pokémon Stadium challenge. The game also found a way to shake up the familiar battles by having the player's rival and all of the gym leaders have different teams.