Pokémon has made a comeback at Conestoga. Even if it is for just a few weeks.

Senior Harry Segal decided to start a Pokémon tournament, where players dig out their old systems and relive childhood memories.

“I forgot about Pokémon for a long, long time, so did everyone else. But my little cousin recently got caught up in the fad, and now I’m finding myself rememorizing the pokerap at 18 years of age. My parents aren’t too happy about it,” Segal said.

“The great thing about this tournament is how excited everybody is about it. I haven’t had to do anything to get people excited about it; it just kind of comes with the territory,” Segal said.
Read below for one of the Pokémon participant’s experience with the tournament.

–JENNY KICAK

My Odyssey

By George Karalis
Contributing Writer

Pokémon in a nutshell

* Catch Pokémon with Pokéballs to add them to your team.
* Level up your Pokémon to make them stronger.
* Evolve your Pokémon by leveling up, using elemental stones, or trading with a friend.
* Gain your Pokémon’s trust and respect by earning Gym Badges.
* Teach your Pokémon moves according to their strengths and weaknesses.
* Train your Pokémon to the maximum level of 100 to become a true Pokémon master.

Monday – 0 hours played

I meet in the cafeteria with about 20 other students, all of us ready to begin our journeys to become the world’s best Pokémon trainer.  We will each raise three Pokémon, and after one week, battle them via Gameboy Link Cable. Each trainer starts a new game and the tournament begins. I decide to choose Bulbasaur as my starting Pokémon, figuring it will fare the best against the first few Gym Leaders. But I know that in order to be the best, I will have catch many more Pokémon, work hard to train them, and stay constantly diligent—I have a whole week ahead of me.

Tuesday – 3 hours played

Playing Pokémon after so many years is a joy. Capturing wild Pokémon with Pokéballs, fighting the evil Team Rocket, battling the Gym Leaders to attain badges. It is as though I am living third grade all over again. The only difference is that I now have AP classes to study for and homework to complete. I’m going split my time between my Pokémon and school responsibilities as best I can.

Wednesday – 7 hours played

I completely underestimated my competition—now I’m behind. Some students’ Pokémon are rapidly approaching level 100; I haven’t even chosen my final Pokémon lineup yet. Choosing Pokémon is a major consideration. Fire Pokémon can burn up grass Pokémon but are susceptible to water attacks. Perhaps a speedy flying Pokémon is a good choice? But then a Pokémon wielding ICE BEAM could shoot you right out of the sky. I will need to take into account the strengths and weaknesses of all fifteen Pokémon types if I expect to stand up to my competition in the tournament.

Thursday – 12 hours played

I have decided my pokemon lineup:

* DRAGONITE, a dragon/flying Pokémon with a variety of moves
* GENGAR, a quick ghost Pokémon immune to ground attacks
* ALAKAZAM (who I nicknamed SALTYBRA), a psychic Pokémon with strong attack power

However, I am now confronted with a more pressing issue. While other students are finishing up their Pokémon training, I’m not even close. Others have more than twice as many hours logged as I have. I realize my folly: a true Pokémon master doesn’t waste his time with homework or school. I have made the decision to devote the rest of my time solely to Pokémon training. Apologies to my teachers.

Friday – 19 hours played

The delight of the game has petered out and playing has become an agonizing chore. I feel like a character from Sydney Pollack’s They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? Only instead of cavorting to my downfall in a Depression-era dance marathon, I am battling fictional fauna to the brink of catatonia in a Gameboy game from 1998. As the hours on the clock increase so do the levels of my Pokémon, I come closer and closer to reaching my goal. But will my efforts be enough to defeat my arch-rival BUTCH (Brendan Viola), who I fight in the first seed? Only time will tell.

Saturday – 27 Hours Played

I played Pokémon for eight hours yesterday. I am determined not to let this game completely dominate my life. Today I hang out with some friends, bringing my Gameboy, of course. Sure, members of the general public fleer at me, and parents of my friends frighteningly question whether I have regressed into some childish state. But social norms are of no concern to a Pokémon master, and my friends have been surprisingly supportive. They too are viewing their elementary-school days vicariously through my grueling odyssey to become the top Pokémon trainer.

Sunday – 36 hours played

Despite the copious amount of time I’ve put into the game thus far, it seems doubtful that I can get my Pokémon to level 100 by tomorrow. But then arrives my saving grace: a call from the Conestoga Hotline. Snow day tomorrow! This moment is, however, bittersweet. While I’m glad there is hope for me in the tournament after all, I also greatly want this competition to end so I can get my life back!

Monday – 43 hours played

Today’s snow day gives me some much-needed extra time. All of my Pokémon are level 90 or higher. It looks as though my Pokémon will indeed be able to attain level 100 by the tournament. I even take a break to go sledding with my friends. But I can’t rest for too long—after a few hours it is back to the Pokémon grindstone. After more nonstop playing, my Pokémon finally reach their max stats at level 100. I have achieved my goal and become the strongest trainer—at least in the game. I will soon see how I stand up to my competitors at the tournament.

Tuesday – 49 hours played

I come to school today and am dismayed to find out that the tournament will not be held today. Several participants are sick or have commitments after school, so the competition must be postponed until tomorrow. After school, a few students and I decide to hold a preliminary competition as practice. I battle Brendan first, whose Pokémon are not yet at level 100. I easily crush him with techniques like HIPNOSIS to put his Pokémon to sleep, and then DREAM EATER to eat their dreams, inflicting considerable damage and recharging my own health. Brendan quickly falls to my strong Pokémon. My second opponent is Kenny Deakin, and my Pokémon prove to be no match against him. Wednesday – 50 hours played

I come into school today, excited to finally have the real tournament. However, it seems that many people again cannot make it after school. About half of the students signed up to play show up. My rival, Brendan, claims he has a “club meeting” and refuses to battle me. It appears doubtful that the tournament will ever happen. After this long, disappointing week, I think it is about time to retire once again my Gameboy to my closet.

A couple weeks later, I reminisce upon my Pokémon experience: my grades dropped a few percentage points, a few people think I have mental disorder, and I may have permanently damaged my eyes. I did not become Conestoga’s strongest Pokémon trainer, but I did defeat my rival, Brendan, even if it was only in practice. Many questions go unanswered. Will the Pokémon tournament ever be officially held? Was it worth 50 hours of my life? Will Brendan ever man-up and battle me for real? Will there be a Second Annual Conestoga Pokémon Tournament? The answer to all of those questions is probably no. However, I think there is important lesson we can learn from the world of Pokémon. Rather than starting wars or committing acts of terror, if we instead battle animal-like creatures, the world will undoubtedly be a much better place.

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