The responses online ranged from the classic exaggerated “LET’S GoOOOoOOOOOOO,” to condemnation and disgust over its cutesy art style. When The Pokémon Company initially announced the remakes, which are now playable on the Nintendo Switch, the fandom came to life. To many, these titles were touchstones for so many first-time Pokémon players, and laid the groundwork for a new generation of fans.

After incredibly popular releases in the ’90s and early 2000s, The Pokémon Company released two games that pushed the series into the modern age - Pokémon Diamond and Pearl were released for Nintendo DS in 2006, and were the first that connected to the internet. Pokémon is a deeply beloved franchise, but its long-lasting success was never a guarantee.