Chiaki Oogaki's profile picture

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Can video games make you feel younger?

I've done it now, friends. I'm catching 'em all again...

Pokémon was only ever a short interest in my life honestly. I didn't start young, but in Generation 4. I asked my grandmother for Pokémon Pearl for Christmas 2007 and played through that, as well as Mystery Dungeon Red Rescue Team and Pokémon Ranger Shadows of Almia. I watched the entire Gen 4 anime, and then dropped out after that. I would keep following the new gens, but never playing them.

That streak broke with my best friend, a fan since Gen 1. He got me into the series again. I never played Gen 1, so he got me to play Let's Go Eevee. He knew I loved Red Rescue Team, so he got me to play Mystery Dungeon Rescue Team DX. He knew Gen 4 was my original adventure, so he got me to play Shining Pearl and Legends Arceus.

I skipped over trying Gen 8 due to the whole Sword & Shield controversy and how the "Dear Players" letter soured my view of current GameFreak. I told him I'd consider giving the mainline games a chance again though if things change.

Well, they did. We're playing Scarlet and Violet together, and I'm honestly loving it. Back during Gen 4's hayday, I had no other friends who played. I soloed with no real interaction outside of the Global Trade System. That's changed. I have someone to play with now. A decade and a half after my original adventure, I'm playing the newest game, and I feel the happiness that young me felt back then.

Say what you will about the game performance, or the absolute state of Pokémon these days. I don't care, because 2007 me didn't care about those kind of things either. I cared to enjoy a fun game and sink a ton of time into being happy. At 27 now, I feel like I'm 12 again, enjoying that same wonderment.

Can video games make you feel younger? I sure think it's possible.




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1001110 1000101 1001111's profile picture

oh yes they definitely can, esp when they are games you played during your childhood. a while ago i played cooking mama on my brother's Nintendo DS and it felt so nostalgic like i was transported back to when i was 10


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