Pokémon Ruby

Game Freak, 2003

Plastic, metal circuit board, metal screw, paper

3.3 x 5.7 x 0.7 cm

Purchased from a garage sale, 2009

Personal collection

Pokémon Ruby is the 3rd generation of Pokémon games created in Japan. It was developed by Game Freak, and produced by the Pokémon Company and Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance in 2003. Like the two generations before it, Pokémon Ruby is a role-playing game where you, a ten year old child, set out on a journey to capture and build a team of Pokémon, with the ultimate goal to become the champion of the region. My particular cartridge came from a garage sale, meaning it was second-hand and the provenance is unknown. I was eight at the time, and it was an exciting chance to experience the world of Pokémon. I spent months just exploring and creating a “cool” and personalized team of Pokémon. Eleven years later, Pokémon Ruby represents an intimate connection to my past. Both the physical cartridge and the virtual world within it speak to my past in many ways. Looking at the cartridge reminds me of a time when I was younger and carefree: seeing it makes me think back to a time when I was able to spend hours sinking myself into the virtual world of Pokémon, and not have to divide my time with worldly responsibilities. The cartridge now triggers sentimental and nostalgic memories and can make me feel just like I did back in 2009. Even now, playing games like Pokémon Go and Pokémon Sword, I am reminded of that first game that introduced me to this world, and my passion for video games.

As any one who grew up with Pokémon can agree, looking at their old team of Pokémon, or even the cartridge itself, brings back memories by allowing one to reconnect with a childhood state of mind. Due to current events, in which our physical movement and environment have boundaries, the virtual world has become even more prevalent. A lot of people do not have a lot of responsibilities at the moment due to isolation, and are living in a time of unprecedented stress and uncertainty. Both of these contribute to a nostalgia for a simpler time, meaning that now is the perfect time for someone to come back to a game like Pokémon Ruby and be reminded of their childhood.

Riley Houde-Macdonald