Pokemon just turned 20 (one more year until it can drink!) and I found myself really wanting to get back into the series. I grew up with the anime but I haven't really touched a main Pokemon game since Red/Blue and I didn't even finish either of those. Do you duders have any advice for getting back into the series? Should I play a newer entry or jump back in at an older one? Important note: I don't currently possess a Nintendo handheld, but am looking to get one soonish.

Get either X or Y. They're really fantastic iterations of the series that both evolve the series nicely, and harken back well to its roots.

I went back to the series for the first time about 3 years ago. I really enjoyed going back to Fire Red. It was nostalgic but gave it a nice, modern face lift that was somewhat needed. I've heard great things about X/Y as well, but never really got into anything past the 2nd generation.

I went through a similar phase a few years back when Black/White first came out. Once I discovered that legacy pokemon wouldn't appear in the game until after you beat it, I knew it was the right time for me to scratch that itch. It was a great way to eliminate the pokebloat that the series has built up over its many entries. It also had a great roster.

I haven't touched a Pokemon game since then, so I assume there are others who are better informed than I. All I can say is I got what I needed out of Black/White.

X or Y would be a good start for you. It has a lot of the original pokemon in it plus a good few others. Also has some nice improvements with customizable characters and whatnot. I would also recommend Heart Gold or Soul Silver if you can get your hands on it. A 3ds can still play those luckily. People's opinions may vary but for me it is the best game in the series so far. It takes a great region and updates it to the more modern game mechanics. If you really want to go familiar, Fire Red or Leaf Green are great options as well, but not playable on the current handheld.

Heartgold/Soulsilver if you want to have the old games polished up. I think the ruby and sapphire remakes are the best if you just want to see all the new stuff they've added. If you don't mind playing an earlier generation, I think Diamond and Pearl are some of the best games they've done.

I've just bought a 3DS XL with the intention to play Red until Sun releases and transfer my Red pokemon onto Sun with the Bank system. I have two friends doing the same thing, one is playing Blue and the other is playing Yellow

Just start with a recent one. I'd recommend Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire over X/Y as I don't think the later is that good, although you might not mind it as much.

If you need something to kill time, Pokemon will fill that void. But keep in mind you're viewing Pokemon with nostalgia tinted glasses. Most games seemed fun when we were kids because we hadn't played anything else, so it seemed like the best thing out there. A lot of Nintendo franchises have stood the test of time, but Pokemon is just a massive marketing money making machine that will never die. It's easily their most overrated franchise. Not trying to hate on anyone who likes the games...I think this Bruce Lee quote can sum it up better than I can.

"If you love life, don't waste time, for time is what life is made up of." - Bruce Lee

From all accounts, it sounds like X/Y are both replete with new and interesting mechanics while still being accessible enough to accommodate newcomers. Having not played them (yet -- just purchased a 3DS XL and snagged both X and Y, as well as Soul Silver since, like you, I never played anything beyond the first generation), they sound tailor-made for players like you and me, who enjoy Pokemon but simply drifted away after Red/Blue/Yellow.

lol

@substance_d: I'll accept the premise that there of plenty of games out there that we view with nostalgia, but Pokemon wasn't fun to me because it was the first RPG I played. I had already played Final Fantasy 6 to death which is a game with more complex characters, systems, and stories than Pokemon maybe ever will have. One thing that I remembered really digging when I was playing FF6 was the breadth and diversity of characters and parties I could create with a cast of 14 main characters to choose from. So to me the loop of tinkering with parties and collecting an expanding group of party members was a great feeling that I thought Pokemon really nailed. This same loop also hooked me with Persona 4 Golden (I can't wait for Persona 5!) a couple years ago so for that reason I feel like I'm ready to go back to Pokemon.

X or Y would be good, or if you'd like to go for an older title I'd recommend Heart Gold or Soul Silver. Out of the older games those have been the easiest for me to go back and play.

The gba games were great..sapphire/ruby?

Those are the ones where you can go back to the original landmass, right?

If you just want to start with the best pokemon game play platinum.

you should also consider black and white as they are a soft reboot intended to pull people like you back in.

if you want a shitty game that relies on lazy pandering to genwunners play X/Y dont play X/Y

@travisrex: No I think your thinking of Pokemon Fire Red and Leaf Green. That or Gold and silver.

@travisrex: That's gold/silver. Thats the only generation that lets you go back to the previous land after beating the new one.

Yeah there are three choices here that you can pick up depending on what you think you would be into.

1. Heart Gold/ Soul Silver- These are the remakes of the 2nd Gen games is in a lot of ways the best in the series. Gold and Silver are the only games with two regions a new one and the original region from Red and Blue. Also being the follow up to Red and Blue makes it a pretty great return point for you. It also just oozes the most charm in the entire series. It has you lead pokemon following your character the whole game and there are periodic times when you take pictures with your team that you can look back on. Sure it cheesy but really it does give you the sense of being on a journey with these pokemon you have bonded with better than any other game in the series. The con here is this is before some pretty large quality of life changes as well as missing the newest features. This is you best chance to fall in love with pokemon.

2. Black/ White - The gimmick for Black and White was you would only encounter the new fresh batch of 156 pokemon until you beat the game. It's the most balanced play through and casts of all of the game because of this. Just about every pokemon is serves an unique purpose. It is the closest pokemon game has come to truly recapturing that experience of playing your first pokemon game. This is games where a lot of quality of life stuff was added but you will still be lacking the newest features. This is your best chance of recapturing the old magic.

3. Pokemon X/Y- X and Y is the latest and greatest with all the new features. It is also rife with a bunch of generation 1 stuff to pull back in returning players like yourself. It's the smoothest gameplay experience of all the games. Overall it does feel a bit lacking and like it was rushed out the door. If you really want the newest stuff pokemon has to offer with a sprinkle of Gen 1 nostalgia then is your choice/

There is Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire which are 3rd gen remakes using all the X and Y improvements with some new stuff on top. But the 3rd Gen games are very divisive. Even if you like pokemon there's like a 50/50 chance you will hate the 3rd gen games. So it would be terrible to try and reignite your interest by playing them.

I'd actually not recommend Heart Gold or Souls Silver, mainly because its touchscreen menus are extremely clunky and cumbersome.

So I say go with X and Y, which will at least give you a sense for what the series is like these days and will be a good preparatory experience if you at all plan on getting Sun or Moon.

I've always felt Pokemon is an iterative franchise, and generally improves as it goes. They don't all make equal leaps, which make some seem more or less impressive than others, but they all take what they had before and polish and/or add new features. So for newcomers and/or lapsed fans who haven't kept up, I don't see any reason to not start with the most recent generation, which at the moment is X and Y. Going backwards for any reason other than nostalgia or curiosity will likely end up feeling even more dated than it needs to.

Despite what people on the outside think, Pokemon games are very iterative/evolutionary (ha) and quite a bit changes from generation to generation, so I'd just start with X/Y. Each Gen's mechanics are, for the most part, better than the last, which is why people always get excited for the remakes. I honestly feel like Red/Blue are due for another remake, considering so much has changed since their Gen III remakes, and the original Gen III games (Ruby/Sapphire) were just remade themselves. If you finish X/Y and decide you want more, you can roll right into Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire, or just wait for Sun/Moon at the end of this year if you think you'll burn out.

Whenever I jump back into a pokemon game I like to give a Nuzlocke Run a try. If you haven't heard of this, it's basically a ruleset you apply (sort of a self-inflicted honor system kinda thing) to your save file to add significant challenge in case you find the main game mechanics dull and devoid of stakes. It revolves around the idea that when a pokemon faints, it's dead, and you must release it or store it in the PC for the rest of time! It exists as a hardcore mode, if you will, with rules that can limit the amount of pokemon you can catch and grinding you're allowed before gym leaders. Check out the link to a bulbapedia article on the main 3 rules and the myriad variations and have a great time!

http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Nuzlocke_Challenge

@ryuku_ryosake: I ended up going with Pokemon X since the series seems to be largely iterative as others have mentioned and this is the most refined version. Thanks for everyone's help and suggestions on this! :D

I have seen the top of the mountain and gazed into the abyss below . Ask me anything.

Since the older games can be hard to find, I would recommend just getting one of the 3DS games. I personally love Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire and recommend that one over X/Y mainly because there is more content in the game.