Pokémon X and Y release tonight!

Pokémon X and Pokémon Y are set to release worldwide in less than 24 hours, and with their release comes a slew of firsts for the series; it's the series' first entry on the 3DS, our first introduction to a slew of new monsters, the first time the main series eschews 2D sprites for 3D models, our first chance to customize our avatars, and the first time the games will be available in both digital and physical versions. And while it's true that X and Y are going to contain a lot of firsts, at their core, they're largely the same thing we've come to expect from Pokémon. So after nearly 20 years, is it time for a change?

In X and Y, as with all the other Pokémon games since 1996's Red and Blue, you're a novice trainer setting out to become the best, catch 'em all, and stop the bad guys. To some, for a game's core mechanics to change so little in almost 20 years might seem like a detriment, but for Pokémon, that foundation is so strong that even with the seemingly minor upgrades added with each entry, the franchise still thrives and has a larger fan base than ever before. Much like stomping on a Goomba in Super Mario or hearing that iconic "secret found" chime in Zelda, there's something so satisfying about watching that Pokéball tick, tick, tick and finally stop, signifying you've caught a new monster.

While the single player game remains a huge draw to the series, the advent of online multiplayer trades and battles has really cemented Pokémon as my favorite video game franchise. Don't get me wrong, the simple story and collection aspect is still great fun, but so much of the depth and strategy that draws me to the series now only becomes evident when you're facing another real human player. Certain monsters and moves that might have appeared rather weak at first glance suddenly have new life breathed into them when you devise and devious strategy with them to trip up your opponent. It's difficult to explain unless you're familiar with Pokémon, but at high level play, I'd say the games are comparable to even Chess in terms of the amount of strategy and mind games going on. Getting to the credits is really only the very beginning!

I plan on writing a spoilerific review once I've had some time with the game, but suffice it so say, I don't think I've been as excited for a new Pokémon since 2000's Gold and Silver, and I've played 'em all. I still remember huddling over my worn out copy of Electronic Gaming Monthly with the feature on the new games in the middle of 7th grade English. I would read and re-read every line, and analyze every screenshot and piece of art, wondering what each of these critters could do, and which would end up becoming my new friends. And because of the international release of X and Y, I get to experience that sense of wonder and discovery for the first time in a long time. I already plan on hitting up my local 24-hour retailer and getting my copy at midnight. Who can wait for morning when there are fuzzy creatures to enslave?