Its release spawned one of the largest, most successful franchises of all time, and a legacy that can be still felt today - especially in Japan, where Pokémon is still arguably bigger than ever. It was the insanely addictive premise behind the original Gameboy game that made Pokémon so insanely popular, though: the core concept literally challenged players to catch over a hundred unique monsters as they attempted to help their hero on his way to becoming a Pokémon master. The best thing about Pokémon, of course, was the ability to "trade" Pokémon with friends who also had the game. If the simple act of doing that doesn't have you longing to relive your childhood days, nothing will.
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
