The History of the Pokemon Games (Hardback)

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Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

A bright, nostalgia‑soaked tour through nearly thirty years of Pokémon gaming, written with the energy of someone who genuinely loves every weird corner of the franchise.

NetGalley, A D

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Pokemon was an integral part of my childhood and now at nearly 36 years old I still love the franchise, playing the games (or replaying old ones), collecting the cards and merchandise and I don’t see that changing. This book is an absolute gem for a Pokemon fan. It covers every game and frankly I will admit some I didn’t even know about! Insightful and informative it’s a must read for gamers and fans. It is a fantastic resource for collectors too. I will most certainly get a physical copy for my shelf and for friends too.

NetGalley, Siobhain McCormick

Book Review: The History Of The Pokémon Games - A Light, Informative Blast To The Past

Nintendo Life

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Very immersive and informative, fun history of the Pokémon franchise! This book includes not only the main games but all adaptations that stemmed from them.

NetGalley, Joni Meadows

This book was such a nostalgic and fascinating read, especially with the recent rise again in the popularity of Pokémon cards and digital games and the franchise being brought back into the spotlight. Growing up playing Pokémon, it was impossible not to feel that wave of childhood nostalgia while reading, but what really stood out was how much I learned that I didn’t know before and probably wouldn’t have appreciated as a kid. The deep dive into Pokémon’s origins and early development to all of the different versions of the games since inception added so much context to a brand I’ve loved for years. Following its evolution from those early games to the modern era made me appreciate just how impactful and enduring Pokémon truly is. I really enjoyed the screen grabs from the games as well… you can even just see how far we’ve come from those early games based on the photos alone! A great read for longtime fans and anyone curious about how one of the most iconic game franchises came to be. This would make a great gift for the gamers in your life!

NetGalley, Taylor Irwin

This is a fascinating book for Pokémon fans. I have been playing Pokémon games for a huge part of my life, and this book is really great for reminiscing about the games I have played, and learning about the ones I haven't. There are far more games in the Pokémon world than I realised, and it's been really interesting to learn about the different features in different games. Reading about the history of the games and the marketing early on is really interesting too. There's so much information in here that it seems like a great book to pick up and flick through, but it's also very easy to read straight through.

NetGalley, Caroline Leak

This was a great nostalgic read of the nine different generations of Pokémon games and the history behind them! I loved the inclusion of screenshot from the games as it took me back to first loading up the games when I was younger and it even made me hear the familiar sound while playing. This was very informative and made me appreciate the games and creators even more.

NetGalley, Kristi Stoneking

Gotta Catch them All with this history of Pokemon Games!
This full colour deep dive into the history of nine generations of Pokemon games was such a delight to read. Heck, it even made me want to pick up my switch and play the games again (migraines be damned). The nostalgia in here is real!
This was full of interesting facts as the author explores how the franchise started, the struggles, and ultimately the explosion into the world.
The artwork and screenshots of the games were a blast from the past...
For fans of Pokemon, this would make a great book to read and/or gift. It was so fun and interesting, and I hope it gets updated as more generations are released.

NetGalley, Jessica Mather

This was an enjoyable read following the History of all the Pokémon games from its inception until now. Its well written with a lot of information I was not aware of, especially about games not released in the west. Absolutely recommend this for fans of the games that wish to know a little more about how our favorite games came to be and their development over time.

NetGalley, Sabrina G

The History of the Pokemon Games is an interesting book full of facts for both casual and well-versed fans. Starting from the beginning with the concept up to the current day switch 2 games, this is a chronological exploration of the franchises generations. Also included are photos, which help show the growth each game had as the concepts and consoles developed. I appreciate that while this focused on the main games, it also included the side games, which tend to be some of my favorites. Overall, this is a fast but incredibly interesting read, and was clearly well researched. I would highly recommend it to any Pokemon or video game fan.

NetGalley, Rachel Schott

As a child of the 90s, you could not go anywhere in the late 90s or early 00s without seeing Pokemon merchandise & games. This still holds true today with kids and Pokemon (can confirm on the educator side with students and their endless items (t-shirts, water bottles, plushies, cards, etc). Never underestimate the power of background knowledge because I have built rapport with many of my students through the years through the series.

I enjoyed reading up about the history of the games from the time of the originals on GameBoy to the Switch/Switch 2 today. The highlights were the mainline games (sequels & remakes included) and seeing how the franchise captured global attention. A great read for anyone who is a longtime fan or just a curious reader that wants to learn more.

NetGalley, Jen Truong

My son was the perfect age to drop into this mega-franchise at the start of the 21st century. Together, he and I watched the cartoons every Saturday morning and played the main games as they rolled out. It was something we bonded over.

Batchelor's book was very much a nostalgic trip. There were lots of reminders of playing those main games for countless hours on end. There were also plenty of interesting facts to learn. I wad impressed with the wide range pf spin-off games as well (some I knew, many were ones I was hearing about for the first time).

This one will definitely find fans.

NetGalley, Martin Maenza

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

As a huge Pokémon fan who is always wanting to learn more about the franchise, I enjoyed reading The History of the Pokémon Games. It's easy to follow, going generation by generation, and gives a comprehensive history. What I enjoyed the most was learning about the more obscure games - those that were released only in one region. I also liked that there was a foreword by Veronica Taylor.

NetGalley, Hannah Cross