If you were like I was as a child, every spare moment that you had was dedicated to Pokémon. Whether it was collecting all of the cards that you could and trying to find your favorite Pokémon, watching every new episode of Ash Ketchum on his adventures, or playing your Game Boy for hours upon hours trying to "catch 'em all," here are 10 signs that you were a hardcore Pokémon kid.
1. You know that feeling of opening up a brand new pack of Pokémon cards.
It's an incredibly exhilarating moment. Would you finally be the owner of that Charizard card? Would you get a shiny, legendary Pokémon card? Take off that wrapper already!
2. You can't believe how many Pokémon there are now.
As of this article being published, kids these days have to catch 722 Pokémon. Trading with your friends to collect all 151 seemed to be a whole lot easier.
3. You still get excited if you hear that a new game is coming out.
I know that I'm the proud owner of every generation of Pokémon game and that it isn't coming to an end anytime soon. Who cares if they ran out of colors to use for the titles? Pokémon Sun and Moon are coming and I'm pumped.
4. You've had a nostalgia-filled night binge watching old Pokémon episodes on Netflix.
If you didn't know that the first season of the original Pokémon episodes is on Netflix, you do now. There's no judgment here. Go watch every episode.
5. You still know every word to the theme song and will gladly sing along to it.
"I wanna be the very best, like no one ever was!"
6. Picking your starter Pokémon was the hardest decision ever.
Before making difficult decisions involved your career or schooling, Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle were there for you to stress over with your Game Boy in hand.
7. This scene ripped your heart right out.
You know exactly what I'm talking about. Pikachu was trying to bring Ash back to life as all of the Pokémon come together in the end. I'm not crying. What are you talking about?
8. You couldn't help dreaming about what you would do if Pokémon were real.
The idea of leaving home at 10 years old with your friends to collect, train, and fight monsters seemed like the best thing that could ever happen to you. Of course, the most unrealistic part was your mom letting you do that.
9. The PokéRap was your jam.
You could totally spit fire as an elementary schooler and you were proud of it.
10. You were a beast at "Who's that Pokémon?"
When it was time for that commercial break, you knew that it was time to let your talent shine. Of course that's the silhouette of a Pikachu. What else would it be? Who do they think we are?
11. You aren't ashamed to say that you're still a fan.
You loved Pokémon then and you still love it now. You still strive to be the very best, like no one ever was.
