The Addictive Power of Pokemon

There must be something in the water!

I won't deny that I enjoy playing the Pokemon videogames for the Game Boy and now the DS. They're fun little RPGs that call to mind "my salad days, when I was green in judgment." And while I still believe that Gold and Silver were the pinnacle of the series, I still buy each iteration when they're released. Hence, I have a copy of Diamond sitting on my shelf, unfinished but not unloved.

However, I'm beginning to think that Nintendo's beloved pocket monster RPGs are emitting mind-altering waves. Why else would I read this Penny Arcade strip today and think "Y'know, I should probably go buy Platinum." No! No I shouldn't! I bought the game two years ago... when it was called Diamond.

Perhaps I was simply in a nostalgic mood, but that feeling - however brief - gave me pause.