Confessions of an Adult Poke-addict

[Rurouni_Fencer]

Is it weird/creepy for a 29 year old to like playing Pokemon?
I know this might sound strange, but when I try to tell my friends of around the same age about how deep and addicting the games can be, they look at me like I'm trying to throw Barney the Dinosaur on instead of the game...

When Pokemon first started and took the world by storm, I was already in high school playing the brand new Playstation (One.) I feel like I missed out on a great game series because I was too elitist, adolescent, and busy playing FFVII, Tekken, and Resident Evil to give a damn about some cutesy-cuddly pocket monsters from Japan.. (Also didn't help that I played heavy Magic:the Gathering.)

Anyways, now that I'm more mature, (for the most part anyway, ) and actually tried playing Platinum a year ago - I find myself impressed, addicted, and guilty for disparaging a game series that actually fools most people because of it's childish exterior.

Anybody else feel me?

[YoshiEgg25]

Is it weird/creepy for a 29 year old to like playing Pokemon?
I know this might sound strange, but when I try to tell my friends of around the same age about how deep and addicting the games can be, they look at me like I'm trying to throw Barney the Dinosaur on instead of the game...

When Pokemon first started and took the world by storm, I was already in high school playing the brand new Playstation (One.) I feel like I missed out on a great game series because I was too elitist, adolescent, and busy playing FFVII, Tekken, and Resident Evil to give a damn about some cutesy-cuddly pocket monsters from Japan.. (Also didn't help that I played heavy Magic:the Gathering.)

Anyways, now that I'm more mature, (for the most part anyway, ) and actually tried playing Platinum a year ago - I find myself impressed, addicted, and guilty for disparaging a game series that actually fools most people because of it's childish exterior.

Anybody else feel me?

Of course. I was on a Pokemon forum for over two years.

You think you have some issues? I played competitively. Tell me when you've matched that addiction.

[optmusprimenumber]

I'm 26 now... 27 soonly... I tried playin that Pokeyman game a few months ago and it didn't really hook my gills too much... not like it did when my brand new atomic purple GameBoy Color was the coolest handheld on the block anyway. Yeah, I dug it once, but turn based rpg's aren't really my thing. But that's not to say they aren't a quality type game, no matter how adorable they are... or how oddly estraterrestrial looking the characters become as the series gains new installments. You don't have anything to be ashamed of. Game on man!

[GSZX1337]

You're fine so long as you don't end up like these guys:

[Betamax001]

Nah it's cool dude. I grew up with the originals so it's a bit nostalgic for me to play them, but they are surprisingly well made games. If the game is good, who cares what the target audience is? Fun is the name of the game.

[Bradtemple87]

This series always manages to draw me in. I took a long break for years but found myself buying diamond on release week.

[Rurouni_Fencer]

Glad to see I'm not alone, (and I definitely laughed my ass off the first time I saw that Penny Arcade strip!) Thanks!

Now to go back to my HeartGold, Pokemon Pinball obsession...

[Erik_Twice]

It's a very cool game, there's no reason to stop playing it because you are old. People look down on anything that cam be seen as "childish" in a vain attempt at looking mature. Pure social preassure. Just look to my avatar, I watch cartoons, something that people automatically see as chldish even if they are busy blowing up Hitler.

Pokémon is, to me, leagues better than the latest Final Fantasy or generic SNES RPG. It also has the most interesting metagame I have seen in a game after Magic: The Gathering, check it out because the game gets very fun to play that way even if it's only with your friends.

[Thierry Henry]

there's no reason to stop playing it because you are older.

Exactly right.
You like the game, you feel it gives you fun and enjoyment. So no reason to feel "odd" about your gaming preferences.
I've never myself quite seen the fascination with the Pokemon type games, but I would never look down on someone or think it strange in any way at all, whatever their age may be.

[noiseredux]

I'm also 29. And until this past year, I had never played a Pokemon game -- again because of the timeframe that you pointed out. It really took a lot of convincing for me, and I actually found Red/Blue to be kind of so-so, but then I tried Yellow and kind of "got" why it was a fun game. I'm by no means addicted, and I wouldn't even say I'm a "fan," but at the same time I can see why people like them regardless of age. I think the Barney-view comes more from the association with the cartoon though.