Around two decades ago the Game Boy game Pokemon hit gamers by storm. I had own multiple games on the Game Boy but the most memorable would be when I got Red version of Pokemon. Back in the day I remember having to wait for weeks after it debuted in the US in order for me to find it. The game was in high demand and my only opportunity to go to the store was during the weekends. Note there was no Amazon back then nor online shopping. Google was barely able to search for video games too. Most people were still going to brick and mortar stores to get games.

The game was all talked about among boys in school. Some kids were so addictive to the game that they were even playing it in class. Teachers were confiscating kids' Game Boys just like today's teachers confiscating smart phones. I remember after school I would be seeing kids showing each other their Game Boys to show their success in capturing certain Pokemons. The craze was months long if not weeks.

The game play in Pokemon is simply. Travel around the world to encounter monsters and defeat them in battle for a chance to capture them with a Pokeball. Collect as many monsters as you can and level them up with experience to create stronger monsters. Then encounter other people who collect Pokemon monsters and compete with them in battle to earn badges. Collect as many badges to be consider champion of the Pokemon World. Players get to setup their formations and monsters may or may not have special abilities. On top of all that there are ways to evolve certain Pokemons to become a different Pokemon.

Similarities between Pokemon and Splinterlands

Both games are on portable devices hence people can carry around and if needed be able to share among their pair or play on the go. The theme of collecting monsters in both games is very much similar. In Splinterlands players earn cards and save DEC to buy more cards. Each card has their or rarity and abilities. In Pokemon each monster had its rarity and abilities too. Some harder to catch than others. In the game some monsters are so rare that it can only be captured once.

Certain monster themes are identical between both games. Themes such as monster types: Water, Earth, Fire are in both games. One type trumping over the other is also similar.

Earning badges in Pokemon is very similar to rating in Splinterlands. After a certain achievement is made players earn a different badge. Although Splinterlands do not exactly have badges its current rating system is earned based on how successful the player is in winning. So the more wins the more badges/ higher rating badges players get in both games.

Differences between Pokemon and Splinterlands

Although both games are playable on portable devices, Splinterlands requires internet in order to play. The advantage it has is every single action each player does whether it is adding a card, playing a battle, or trading cards the game tracks and records the action so that anyone from any where at any time can see the transactions. Even showing off one's collection is very easy on Splinterlands while on Pokemon it must be physically brought in front of others to view.

The strategies used in Splinterlands is much more than in Pokemon. Players have a lot of combinations to formulate. While Pokemon has a fixed number of monsters to collect even though some of the same monsters have different stats. The key difference is that in Splinterlands selection of monsters to choose from grows with new additions while in Pokemon the limitation of monsters in game is always fixed.

In Splinterlands players need summoners in additions to monsters. This is different in Pokemon as the only person to summon the monsters is the player's themselves. Splinterlands adds an additonal complexity with summoners as they are needed to be leveled up in order to allow for stronger monsters to be played in matches.

Conclusions

Pokemon is a classic and I will always have fond memories of playing the game while in school. Yet today its Splinterlands and I do not have to be in school to be interacting with kids and of course older people like myself. The internet and blockchain is being utilized with the game play of Splinterlands which helps players connect much more than what Pokemon had. Both games are great for their time. I would bet a decade from now Splinterlands would be a classic just like Pokemon is today.