On this day, February 27, 1996, two little games, Pocket Monsters Red and Pocket Monsters Green, launched in Japan and changed the world forever.

Thirty years later, what started as a childhood dream in Satoshi Tajiri’s imagination has grown into one of the most beloved franchises on the planet. From the original 151 to over 1,000 species, from the Game Boy to Switch 2, from the schoolyard to the big screen — Pokémon has been there for generations of fans through every chapter of their lives.

Whether you remember blowing into a cartridge, trading cards at lunch, or screaming when your phone buzzed with a rare spawn in Pokémon Go, Pokémon has a way of meeting you exactly where you are. Thank you for all of the wonderful memories and looking forward to what the next decades brings.

Here’s to 30 years of adventure, friendship, and the reminder that the journey matters just as much as the destination.