Is that a joke.
I played the first pokemon when it came out, it appealed to the collection spirit lots of kids, or just people had back in the 90s where they're weren't smartphone or apps and we just collected/traded cards, pogs or marbles, or Magic card, antiquities and vinyls for older people.
Back then, on Gameboy pocket, it was a revolutionary concept, and while the Anime which started as soon as Pokemon reached Europe and US, as well as the Traiding Card helped in the success it certainly wouldn't be anything without the actual game...







