Why Pokémon still matters 20 years later

We are now two decades removed from the start of the Pokémon fad, and I’m starting to think it is more than just a phase.

Back in the late 1990s, it was difficult to understand why Pokémon caught on with so many people around the world. But with the benefit of 20 years of hindsight, we can look back and see that it was popular then for the same reasons it’s still so beloved today. These include its multimedia content strategy, its strong focus on collection, and its paper-rock-scissors battle mechanics. Most important, however, is that Nintendo and The Pokémon Company understand how crucial it is to a developing child to feel like they have a comprehension of complex systems that they can discuss and debate with their friends while their parents look on in bewilderment.