>>56221008That's a whole lot of cope. I never bought Pokemon merch as a kid (unless the Pokemon cereal counts). I was always primarily concerned with the video games, and I still am to this day. If I wanted toys, I got something good like Bionicles, YGO, or Settlers of Catan, not a fucking plushy of Chikorita.
Games from the 80s, 90s, and 2000s were less concerned with what kids liked and more concerned with making enjoyable games, which were games kids liked. Nintendo by and large still operates on that principle. Super Mario Wonder is a genuinely fun game for both kids and adults. Modern Pokemon is only enjoyable by children and manchildren.
