Pokémon For Parents

There is a chance many of today’s parents played Pokémon as children, but some moms and dads might not be too clear on the little creatures and why the kids are crazy for them!

So, here’s the 411.

Pokémon as we know it today made its debut via hand held giant, Gameboy, in 1995. The game is loosely based on the insect collecting creator Satoshi Tajiri enjoyed as a child. In Tajiri’s mind, the little characters are very much like the insects he discovered and captured—and just like that, the anime’ game of quirky creatures was born.

In Pokémon, human “trainers” are challenged to catch and collect the characters and then face them off against each other in non-lethal battles to determine a winner. In the case of the trading card game, the player with the most cards wins, with the rare cards earning more clout for the person who discovers them or hunts them down.

While there is a strategy and intensity to the game for some, most children simply collect Pokémon cards for fun and friendship. (Think sports cards with Japanese anime’ cartoon characters instead.) Finding the rare cards is part of the true excitement, and many kids will look through bonus packs in search of finding a rare card that others will not have. Children who are Pokémon enthusiasts will literally collect hundreds, if not thousands, of cards—for many kids it really is about quantity vs. quality. In fact, children view each card like a new friend!

If your child is interested in the value of their cards, it’s easy to check on websites like trollandtod.com or to visit local card shops to learn more about the game through coaches and league play. Ask your Cyber Quest teammates about Pokémon cards at the Prize Zone—many have an active tourney to join for collecting and competition!