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.

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 the most Pokemon?

Where will I find particular types of Pokémon, or particular Pokémon?

Can I lure Pokémon to my own area?

Can I take advantage of other people’s lures?

What do I do if my Pokémon becomes tired or ill?

Where can I find Poke balls?

Are there different types of Poke balls?

Is it possible to hatch Pokémon from eggs?

Is it possible to make Pokémon evolve into other, more powerful Pokémon?

How can I interact with other Pokémon players to improve their Pokadex and my own?

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 StatisticsThe 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. Venusaurcf. Light bulb, tulip bulb, ivy, dinosaur & Venus Fly Trap

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

7. Squirtle, 8. Wartortle & 9. Blastoisecf. To squirt, a squirt, little, war, turtle, blast

& tortoise (eye rhyme)

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

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

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

19. Rattata & 20. Raticatecf. rat, ratatattat & eradicate

21. Spearow & 22. Fearowcf. sparrow, spear & fear

23. Ekans & 24. Arbokcf. Snake & cobra (palindromes)

25. Pikachu & 26. Raichucf. Peek at you (assimilation) & Japanese rai (thunder)

& chūchū (mouse’s squeak) Onomatopoiea)Raichu (thunder-squeak) is Antithesis

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

29. Nidoran (female), 30. Nidorina & 31. Nidoqueencf. Japanese nido (two types) & nidoru (needle)

English feminine endings –ine and –a

32. Nidoran (male), 33. Nidorino & 34. NidokingMasculine Ending –o

Contrast Slides 13 & 14: -queen & -king

35. Clefairy & 36. Clefablecf. Bass Cleft, fairy, fable, fabulous

37. Vulpix & 38. Ninetalescf. vulcan, pics, nine

& tails vs tales (homonyms)

39. Jigglypuff & 40. Wigglytuffcf. jiggle, wiggle, -y (feminine rhyme)

puff, and tough (masculine rhyme)

41. Zubat & 42. Golbatcf. zoo, bat & gold

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

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

46. Paras & 47. Parasectcf. Parasite & insect

48. Venonat & 49. Venomothcf. venom, gnat & moth

50. Diglett & 51. Dugtriocf. Dig & dug (tense shift)

-let (diminutive), trio, tricycle, tricerotops & triangle

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

54. Psyduck & 55. Golduckcf. psychology, duck & gold

Irony: Psyduck is golden, but Golduck is not

56. Mankey & 57. Primeapecf. man, monkey, prime, primate & ape

58. Growlithe & 59. Arcaninecf. growl, monolith, arcane, canine

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

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

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

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

72. Tentacool & 73. Tentacruelcf. tentacle, cool, cruel

74. Geodude, 75. Graveller & 76. Golemcf. geography, geology, dude, gravel, -er

& Golem (from Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings)

77. Ponyta & 78. Rapidashcf. pony, rapid & dash

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

81. Magnemite & 82. Magnetoncf. Magnet, dolomite, calcite & ton

83. Farfetch’dcf. farfetched

84. Doduo & 85. Dodriocf. dodo, duo, duet & trio

86. Seel & 87. Dewgongcf. seal & dugong

88. Grimer & 89. mukcf. grime, grimey, -er & muck

90. Shellder & 91. Cloystercf. Shell & cloyster

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

95. Onixcf. onyx (stone)

96. Drowzee & 97. Hypnocf. Drowsy, hypnosis & hypnotherapy

98. Krabby & 99. Kinglercf. Crabby & king crab

100. Voltorb & 101. Electrodecf. volt, orb, electric & electrode

102. Exeggcute & 103. Exeggutorcf. egg, execute, executor, executioner

104. Cubone & 105. Marowakcf. cue, bone, marrow, whack

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

108. Lickitungcf. lick, licky & tongue

109. Koffing & 110. Weezingcf. coughing & wheezing

111. Rhyhorn & 112. Rhydoncf. rhynosaurus, horn, and dimetrodon

113. Chanseycf. chance, Chaunsey & chant

114. Tangelacf. tangle

115. Kangaskhancf. Kangaroo & Ghengis Khan

116. Horsea & 117. Seadracf. horse, horsey, sea, hydra

118. Goldeen & 119. Seakingcf. gold fish, golden, sea & king

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

122. Mr. Mimecf. Mr. mime

123. Scythercf. scythe, slither

124. Jynxcf. jinx, to jinx something or someone

125. Electrabuzzcf. Electric & buzz (what bees & electricity do)

126. Magmarcf. Magma & Dagmar (name)

127. Pinsircf. pinch, pinchers

128. Tauroscf. Taurus (Zodiac sign) & Toreador

129. Magikarp & 130. Gyaradoscf. 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. LaprasLapras is the Japanese Charon.

He ferries people between Earth and Hell.

132. Dittocf. 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. Flareoncf. Eve, vapor, jolt, flare

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

138. Omanyte & 139. Omastarcf. 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. Kabutopscf. Japanese Kabuto (a helmet worn by ancient Japanese Warriors

& English tops (best)

142. Aerodactylcf. Airoplane, pterodactyle & Greek dáktylos (finger)

Note the antonomy of air verses terra (earth)

144. Snorlaxcf. snore, relax & Exlax

144. Articunocf. art, arctic & Japanese uno (freezer)

note the blue color

145. Zapdoscf. Zap

Note the yellow color and angular points

146. Moltrescf. Molten (lava)

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

150. Mewtwocf. mew, meow & two