Top 10 Reasons Pokemon Rules

Few games are able to drum up as much excitement and enthusiasm as Pokémon, and with the release of HeartGold and SoulSilver this Friday, poké-fever is at an all time high. What is it that gets fans so giddy with excitement? Why is the Pokémon franchise so mind-bogglingly popular? Here are ten possible answers.

Pikachu

Of the hundreds of Pokémon Nintendo and Game Freak have designed, none are more recognisable than Pikachu. He's not only the iconic face of the franchise, but a mascot for Nintendo as a whole. Interestingly, his rise to stardom wasn't due to the game itself, however, more the marketing that surrounded it. Because of a certain television series and a boy in a red hat, Pikachu became the biggest celebrity in gaming.

The TV Show

With the Pokémon TV series, an entire generation dipped their toes into the icy waters of anime without really knowing that's what they were even doing. The exploits of Ash Ketchum and his trusty Pikachu captured the hearts of children across the globe, and increased sales far more successfully than any advertising campaign. "I wanna be...the very best, like no one ever was. To catch them is my real test, to..." Don't pretend you don't know the words...