Word Play in the Original Pokemon Games Getting

Word Play in the Original Pokemon Games: Getting Ready for the Augmented Reality of Pokémon Go By Don and Alleen Nilsen

Ash Ketchum catching Pikachu

The word “Pokémon” is a clipping & blending of the Japanese word for “pocket monster”: The original Pokémon games were played on Gameboys. There was a Red version, a Yellow version, and a Blue version.

The Word Pokémon The English phrase Pocket Monster became the Japanese phrase Poketto Monsuta was then clipped to become Pokémon. And then the word Pokémon was borrowed back into English

Pokémon is a game for all ages and all genders—fathers, mothers, boys, girls, grandparents, family relatives and individuals. Pokémon is not a game about killing people or blowing things up. Pokémon is a game about adventuring, socializing, healing, caring, and thinking ahead. Where can I find Poké Balls? Where can I find the most Pokémon? Is it possible to hatch Pokémon from eggs? Where will I find particular types of Pokémon, or particular Pokémon? Is it possible to make Pokémon evolve into other, more powerful Pokémon? Can I lure Pokémon to my own area? How can I interact with other Pokémon players to improve their Pokadex and my own? Can I take advantage of other people’s lures? What do I do if my Pokémon becomes tired or ill? Are there different types of Poké Balls? How can I improve the strength of my Pokémon?

Pokémon GO is an example of “Augmented Reality. ” In your cell phone or tablet, the Pokémon characters appear to be living in the same world that you are living in. It was introduced to America on July 6, 2016.

The Augmented Reality of Pokémon The Pokémon App uses smart phones and tablets to locate Pokémon characters in real-world places. The best places to look are restaurants, stores, parks, shopping malls and especially zoos. Pokémon Go was released in America on July 6, 2016, and in Japan on July 23, 2016. At the time of its release in Japan the Pokémon App had been downloaded by more than 30 million players, and had earned $35 million in revenues. Pokémon Go is the first mobile game to surpass 10 million downloads in seven days.

Some Pokémon Go Statistics The average time spent in the game is 33 minutes and 25 seconds. This is higher than the average time spent in Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, or Instagram. Nintendo’s market value has more than doubled since the game’s release less than three weeks ago. Nintendo now has a market value of $42 Billion. The percentage of millennials who can correctly identify the Pokémon character Pikachu is 98 %. The percentage of millennials who can correctly identify Vice President Joe Biden is only 61 %.

Evolution: Notice that many Pokémon characters can evolve! In the following presentation, all Pokémon that are related to each other through evolution, are on the same slide. The earlier numbers evolve into the later numbers.

1. Bulbasaur, 2. Ivysaur & 3. Venusaur cf. Light bulb, tulip bulb, ivy, dinosaur & Venus Fly Trap

4. Charmander, 5. Charmelion & 6. Charizard cf. Charred meat, salamander, chameleon & lizard

7. Squirtle, 8. Wartortle & 9. Blastoise cf. To squirt, a squirt, little, war, turtle, blast & tortoise (eye rhyme)

10. Caterpie, 11. Metapod & 12. Butterfree cf. caterpillar, pod, butterfly & free

13. Weedle, 14. Kakuna & 15. Beedrill cf. weed, beetle, cocoon, bee & drill

16. Pidgey, 17. Pidgeotto & 18. Pidgeot cf. Pidgin & Japanese Animoto & Kanemoto

19. Rattata & 20. Raticate cf. rat, ratatattat & eradicate

21. Spearow & 22. Fearow cf. sparrow, spear & fear

23. Ekans & 24. Arbok cf. Snake & cobra (palindromes)

25. Pikachu & 26. Raichu cf. Peek at you (assimilation) & Japanese rai (thunder) & chūchū (mouse’s squeak) Onomatopoiea) Raichu (thunder-squeak) is Antithesis

27. Sandshrew & 28. Sandslash cf. sand, shrew, The Taming of the Shrew, slash & slash fiction

29. Nidoran (female), 30. Nidorina & 31. Nidoqueen cf. Japanese nido (two types) & nidoru (needle) English feminine endings –ine and –a

32. Nidoran (male), 33. Nidorino & 34. Nidoking Masculine Ending –o Contrast Slides 13 & 14: -queen & -king

35. Clefairy & 36. Clefable cf. Bass Cleft, fairy, fable, fabulous

37. Vulpix & 38. Ninetales cf. vulcan, pics, nine & tails vs tales (homonyms)

39. Jigglypuff & 40. Wigglytuff cf. jiggle, wiggle, -y (feminine rhyme) puff, and tough (masculine rhyme)

41. Zubat & 42. Golbat cf. zoo, bat & gold

43. Oddish, 44. Gloom & 45. Vileplume cf. odd, raddish, vile, gloom & plume (rhyme)

Plumage: Note that in French, plume can mean feather or pen

46. Paras & 47. Parasect cf. Parasite & insect

48. Venonat & 49. Venomoth cf. venom, gnat & moth

50. Diglett & 51. Dugtrio cf. Dig & dug (tense shift) -let (diminutive), trio, tricycle, tricerotops & triangle

52. Meowth & 53. Persian cf. Meow & Persian cat

54. Psyduck & 55. Golduck cf. psychology, duck & gold Irony: Psyduck is golden, but Golduck is not

56. Mankey & 57. Primeape cf. man, monkey, prime, primate & ape

58. Growlithe & 59. Arcanine cf. growl, monolith, arcane, canine

60. Poliwag, 61. Poliwhirl & 62. Poliwrath cf. polliwog, wag, whirl & wrath

63. Abra, 64. Kadabra & 65. Alakazam cf. Abra Kadabra, Alakazam & Shazam

66. Machop, 67. Machoke & 68. Machamp cf. my, chop, choke, champ & champion

69. Bellsprout, 70. Weepinbell & 71. Victreebel cf. bell, sprout, weeping & victory

72. Tentacool & 73. Tentacruel cf. tentacle, cool, cruel

74. Geodude, 75. Graveller & 76. Golem cf. geography, geology, dude, gravel, -er & Golem (from Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings)

77. Ponyta & 78. Rapidash cf. pony, rapid & dash

79. Slow poke & 80. Slowbro cf. slow, slow poke & ‘Tsup bro?

81. Magnemite & 82. Magneton cf. Magnet, dolomite, calcite & ton

83. Farfetch’d cf. farfetched

84. Doduo & 85. Dodrio cf. dodo, duet & trio

86. Seel & 87. Dewgong cf. seal & dugong

88. Grimer & 89. muk cf. grime, grimey, -er & muck

90. Shellder & 91. Cloyster cf. Shell & cloyster

92. Gastly, 93. Haunter & 94. Gengar cf. ghost, ghastly, haunt, -er & Ghengis Khan

95. Onix cf. onyx (stone)

96. Drowzee & 97. Hypno cf. Drowsy, hypnosis & hypnotherapy

98. Krabby & 99. Kingler cf. Crabby & king crab

100. Voltorb & 101. Electrode cf. volt, orb, electric & electrode

102. Exeggcute & 103. Exeggutor cf. egg, execute, executor, executioner

104. Cubone & 105. Marowak cf. cue, bone, marrow, whack

106. Hitmonlee & 107. Hitmonchan cf. hit, man, hitman, Lee & Chan (Chinese names)

108. Lickitung cf. lick, licky & tongue

109. Koffing & 110. Weezing cf. coughing & wheezing

111. Rhyhorn & 112. Rhydon cf. rhynosaurus, horn, and dimetrodon

113. Chansey cf. chance, Chaunsey & chant

114. Tangela cf. tangle

115. Kangaskhan cf. Kangaroo & Ghengis Khan

116. Horsea & 117. Seadra cf. horse, horsey, sea, hydra

118. Goldeen & 119. Seaking cf. gold fish, golden, sea & king

120. Staryu & 121. Starmie cf. star, stormy, you & me (antonyms)

122. Mr. Mime cf. Mr. mime

123. Scyther cf. scythe, slither

124. Jynx cf. jinx, to jinx something or someone

125. Electrabuzz cf. Electric & buzz (what bees & electricity do)

126. Magmar cf. Magma & Dagmar (name)

127. Pinsir cf. pinch, pinchers

128. Tauros cf. Taurus (Zodiac sign) & Toreador

129. Magikarp & 130. Gyarados cf. magic, carp, & a blend of Japanese Gyaos & Radon Gyaos fought Gammera on land & sea and in the air Gammera was a giant turtle (Godzilla) & Radon is a common Japanese tatoo

131. Lapras is the Japanese Charon. He ferries people between Earth and Hell.

132. Ditto cf. Ditto breeds with other Pokémon to produce eggs. The eggs will hatch into whichever Pokémon Ditto breeds with.

133. Eevee, 134. Vaporeon, 135. Jolteon & 136. Flareon cf. Eve, vapor, jolt, flare

137. Porygon cf. Polygon (note Japanese doesn’t have an /l/ sound)

138. Omanyte & 139. Omastar cf. English ammonite & Japanese omu (nautilus) An Ammonite is an extinct marine molusc or cephalapod. The O in Omanyte is because its shell is circular.

140. Kabuto & 141. Kabutops cf. Japanese Kabuto (a helmet worn by ancient Japanese Warriors & English tops (best)

142. Aerodactyl cf. Airoplane, pterodactyle & Greek dáktylos (finger) Note the antonomy of air verses terra (earth)

144. Snorlax cf. snore, relax & Exlax

144. Articuno cf. art, arctic & Japanese uno (freezer) note the blue color

145. Zapdos cf. Zap Note the yellow color and angular points

146. Moltres cf. Molten (lava)

147. Dratini, 148. Dragonair & 149. Dragonite cf. –ini (diminutive), dragon, -aire & -ite

150. Mewtwo cf. mew, meow & two