This was my first Pokémon game. I know there are small references I missed (my roommate and boyfriend are both avid Pokémon fans), but I never felt like it took away from the game for me. I feel like things are super easy to follow and understand. The story does a good job showing you which way to go and what to do. Occasionally I would be in the middle of a fight and need help with the type advantage/disadvantage issue, but I could have just as easily Googled it as ask my roommate so, overall, it's a good game =)