This Pokemon commercial for Superbowl 2016 is full of emotions.
Not just because my team, the Seahawks, got knocked out recently. No, the sadness goes deeper than that. In the commercial we see people inspiring each other to do incredible things: play chess with superhuman proficiency, run marathons, play football, and finally…battling Pokemon in a massive stadium.
“You can do that,” a dad tells his son as they watch the battle on television alongside their pet Pikachu. And I weep profusely. This commercial totally hits the spot for people who grew up wanting to go on their own magical Pokemon journey, and be the very best.
Also, it’s Pokemon’s 20th Anniversary! That’s why this is happening. You can use the #Pokemon20 hashtag when you share something Pokemon-related on Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube. The best submissions could be getting some kind of prize, so follow the hashtag and stay alert, Pokemon trainers.
To celebrate the anniversary, Nintendo has also released custom Pokemon Red and Blue Nintendo 3DS consoles, which will come out on February 27. There’s no game included in that bundle, but the 3DS will come with a swappable cover plate, so you can represent either Red or Blue depending on your mood.
If you want to learn more about the storied history of Pokemon, you can check out this interactive timeline that tracks the franchise since its launch in 1996.
