Rare Article: 3 Reasons People are Reluctant to Play Pokémon

While the audience of Pokémon is ever growing, there are still some misconceptions about it that keep people from Snorlax's warm, soft embrace. I figured that I'd let you readers know a few of these misconceptions that I have noticed, and that way you can know what you are up against when trying to convince someone that Pokémon is enjoyable to people other than their 8 year old nephew.

Chapter 1: "I don't wanna play Pokémon! That stopped being fun when..." Or: "It was way cooler when I did it."

I hear that a lot. "Oh, Pokémon? Only the original 150 are any good." To me, this is the most annoying of all of the reasons people don't want to play Pokémon. People just assume that once they stopped doing something it jumped the shark. It's tough to convince these people to be your real life equivalents of Bianca and Cheren, because they tend to think that they have experienced all Pokémon has to offer.

The best way to go about explaining Pokémon's worth to this group is by explaining all of the advances Pokémon has made over the years. I don't know about any of you, but I know that, even though it's a great game, I would find it very difficult to play Red or Blue today, due to all of the features I'm used to. Explain that new Pokémon games are not only on par with their original, but are even superior in many ways.

Chapter 2: "I don't wanna play Pokémon! I'd rather play a more hardcore game." Or: Oh, yeah, because Barbie Horse Adventures is really hardcore.

There is also a perception among some gamers that Pokémon is a casual game, and that it wouldn't appeal to someone who spends most of their gaming time playing more overtly "hardcore" titles. In all honesty, this group is pretty easy to win over. Just have them watch a battle or two online from one of those Youtube battlers, preferably one that does a good job explaining strategies. That way it will be clear as day that there is more to Pokémon than cute little electric mice.

Chapter 3: "I don't wanna play Pokémon! That's a kid's game!" Or: Tell that to my Pokéwalker. Who's childish now?

This is a pretty common one. It's also a pretty easy misconception to get rid of. Just explain some of the elements of Pokémon that make it so complex. An explanation of EVs could surely convince most gamers that there is more to Pokémon than meets the eye.

Disclaimer: After rereading this article it seems to come off as a request to go on some sort of holy crusade for Pokémon. Remember, some people just won't want to play Pokémon and you should leave those ones alone.