Video Summary: How Pokemon Went Viral – DNSQ

Pokemon turned from an idea to a behemoth that spanned games, manga, video games and even movies.

The original Pokemon games were great RPGs that had options many other RPGs didn’t have. The fact that a person can choose from 151 characters to play with has made the game very unique. Also, the ability to customize those characters has opened so many possibilities for players.

Pokemon was the first RPG on a handheld device to allow players to play together, fight and exchange stuff.

Each Pokemon encountered in the game is totally unique. Even if two friends choose the same Pokemon, they are very likely to have different statuses. (See Top 10 Pokemon Characters of All-Time)

Because Pokemon were released on a handheld device, multiplayer and trade were encouraged, as players didn’t have any problems in meeting anywhere and playing.

The game was originally released in two different versions where each version had its unique set of Pokemon. This encouraged trade between players and helped the game become even more popular.

The fact that each Pokemon learns different abilities and that those abilities are useful in different areas of the game and not just the battle motivated players to catch more Pokemon. (See Top 10 Strongest Pokemon)

The marketing department of Nintendo spread rumors about the ability to find rare Pokemon hidden in the game. This motivated players to play more as it added an air of mystery to the game.

The game, the show and the card game were actually connected. A player could see a move in the show then apply it in the game. This helped the series become even more popular.

Before Pokemon became popular, it was ditched by Nintendo twice and Gamefreak was about to go bankrupt.

Pokemon Red/Blue/Green versions sold 31.37 million copies in total. When combined, they become the 4th selling game in history, the best selling RPG.