Fun Facts About Pokémon for Young Trainers
Whether you're a fan of the games, the cards, the show, or all of the above, there's no denying that Pokémon is one of the most beloved franchises in the world. With over 1,000 Pokémon to catch, train, and battle, there's always something new to discover. So grab your Pokédex and get ready to dive into some fun facts that every young trainer should know!
Which Pokémon Was the First Ever Created?
You might think the first Pokémon ever created was Pikachu, but it was actually Rhydon! Rhydon was the very first Pokémon designed by the creators, which is why its sprite shows up on statues in early games like Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue.
Pikachu Wasn’t Always the Mascot
Believe it or not, Clefairy was originally supposed to be the star of the Pokémon series! But Pikachu’s popularity skyrocketed after the show premiered, and the electric mouse quickly took the spotlight.
The Most Valuable Pokémon Card Ever
The Pikachu Illustrator Card is one of the rarest and most expensive cards in existence. One sold at auction for over $5 million! (Don't worry, the booster packs at Action City are a little more affordable.)
You Can Catch Pokémon in Real Life
Okay, kind of! With the mobile game Pokémon GO, players can walk around their neighborhood to find and catch Pokémon using their phones. It’s a fun way to explore the world and train at the same time, just like a real Pokémon journey! Metropolis Resort and Chaos Water Park both have in-game gyms, and Action City's outdoor go-kart track has a pokéstop! Come visit to collect rewards and catch Pokémon!
Natural Inspiration
Did you know that many Pokémon are based off of real-world animals? Plenty of these nature-inspired Pokémon are obvious, like Caterpie being an almost direct copy of the spicebush swallowtail caterpillar, or Dewgong being inspired by the dugong (shocking, right?). Others aren't as obvious, or are based on lesser-known animals, like Chansey being inspired by the Olm, a cave-dwelling amphibian.
Pokémon Based On... Garbage?
Aside from having their designs based on animals, there are Pokémon based on plenty of other strange and interesting concepts.
Trubbish and Garbodor are based on garbage—these Pokémon are basically piles of trash with faces on them.
Deoxys is a Legendary Pokémon based on DNA. Its name comes from “deoxyribonucleic acid” (yep—that’s what DNA stands for!), and its design features "double helix" arms that look just like the structure of DNA.
Ever seen a Pokémon that looks good enough to eat? Meet Vanillite, an adorable Ice-type Pokémon shaped like a scoop of vanilla soft serve. Just don’t try to lick your screen. (If this little cutie is making you hungry, though, stop by Dairy Queen at Action City for some tasty sweet treats!)
Gotta Catch Some Cool Prizes
Ready to level up your own Pokémon collection? At Action City’s redemption store, you can trade in tickets for awesome Pokémon merch—including booster packs and even a Charizard EX Premium Collection!
Whether you're building your battle deck or just starting your collection, it's the perfect place for any young trainer to grab something special after a day of arcade wins.
