I was a HUGE Pokemon fan at the beginning. I grew up during the times of R/B/Y, the original movies, the original series, etc. Basically when Pokemon was IT. I loved the games back then.
Around 2003, when the Advanced Generation began, I abandoned Pokemon for two reasons. One, because I just disliked the new series, didn't like the new characters, new Pokemon, etc. Secondly, because I was starting middle school, and it wasn't all that "cool" anymore. Some kids still liked it, but like the vast majority, I didn't. I held on to my beloved Game Boy Color, and my Pokemon Yellow and Silver cartridges.
I played both games off and on over the next few years. I probably played them once in high school, just to put them back on the shelf about a week or so later.
It wasn't until 2011 that I started to really get back into Pokemon. I was in college, and watching a bit of the new Unova series (I didn't watch Pokemon AT ALL from 2003-2011, with the exception of maybe one episode from Hoenn and one episode from Sinnoh. But, I heard about the new Unova series, and decided to give it a try). I decided to get back into Pokemon, playing my old games over, watching the original series again, and eventually selling my old games along with my GBC for a GBA with Pokemon Emerald. It was a pleasant change, I actually enjoyed the game greatly. Everyone in college around me was also getting back into Pokemon, although for the most part, they stuck with their old Game Boy Colors and Pokemon R/B/Y. Most college "Pokemon" fans on campuses tend to be fans of the original series, and the originals only.
I got my first DS, along with my first Pokemon game last summer, Pokemon White. I absolutely loved it, by far one of my favs of the entire series. Gen 5 now ranked behind Gen 1 as my all time favorite Pokemon generation. That game was an experience of another sort! Simply epic.
Then I got Pokemon SoulSilver for Christmas. It was ok, I guess. Some features from the original games were missed (ex. the Game Corner being replaced by "Mr. Game", etc.). But the new features, including the Battle Frontier, were awesome. Around that time, I got, well, how do I say it, a bit too obessed with the games. I started taking a ride on the "serious" side of Pokemon gaming. Natures, EV's, IV's, etc. It was getting out of control. At one point, I'd probably "soft-reset" my game 30-40 times just to get "the perfect nature" for my starter. Crazy stuff.........
Eventually, I got out of that, and began to enjoy Pokemon as a game, as I used to as a young child. I think that's the KEY to playing Pokemon; enjoy the adventure and enjoy the game. Don't turn it into some kind of complex examination. I like playing it that way much better, now. Disregarding natures, EV's, IV's, and all that competitive mess is so much more freeing than falling into it. Giving the games a rest is also a good idea as you get older; it's more fun to come back to a Pokemon game that you haven't played in a while than to be playing it every day.......
As for the future, I turn 21 this summer, and I'm considering what course I might take where Pokemon is concerned. Most likely, I'll get a 3DS, Pokemon White 2, Pokemon Y when it comes out, and continue the adventure. The Pokemon World Tournament looks simply excellent.
After all these years, one thing's for sure, that magic of getting my special edition Game Boy Color with Pokemon Yellow on Christmas Day 1999 will never be duplicated. Pokemon back then was so special!
