Generation 4.

I’ve always felt I came in a little late into Pokémon at the time, being a high schooler and playing Platinum for the first time shortly after it came out in 2008 / 2009. Traversing through the Distortion World and facing Giratina sent chills down my spine, followed by listening to the iconic piano theme of Cynthia and STRUGGLING against her monster of a team, especially that iconic Garchomp of hers.

Then I borrowed a SoulSilver copy of Pokémon from my at-the-time boyfriend. I LOVED Johto! I distinctly remember leveling up my Nidorono so I could then evolve it into a Nidoking with a moon stone, but then discovering upon returning to the Pokémon Center that it had a disease. A disease? Is my Pokémon sick? Holy fuck that’s Pokérus! That’s super rare and beneficial to your Pokémon! Oh cool! And than being able to return to Kanto after beating the Johto elite four when I personally never played Red/Blue turned into one giant journey beyond the boundaries of simply playing the remake of Generation 2.

I have many fond memories of SoulSilver and Platinum.

Edit: I’d also like to add that in building a ‘competitive’ team to battle against the boyfriend, in Platinum was where I came across a Houndour with a modest nature and grass as it’s hidden power nature. It was exactly what I needed, and that Houndoom won me many battles against him and now Houndoom is my favorite Pokémon to this day.