POKEMON TRADING CARD GAME
Pokemon Card GB in Japan, it was the first Pokémon in the trading card game series. Originally released in Japan in December of 1998, it finally made its way to North America on this day in 2000. In Japan, the title was followed up with a sequel entitled: Pokémon Card GB2: Here Comes Team GR!. In North America, a promotional Meowth card was included, whereas Japan received a special legendary Dragonite instead. Developed by Hudson Soft and published by Nintendo, Pokémon Trading Card Game uses a very similar structure to other Pokémon titles–a young boy (or girl in later versions), travelling around to grow their Pokémon in a world of trainers and gyms. Much to the title’s credit, players could also trade cards using the Game Boy Color’s infrared link. Believed in Saudi Arabia to be promoting Zionism, the game was banned. Generally well received elsewhere in the world, the game style continued to produce more TCGs, and the original title was also later released on the Virtual Console in 2014.
BRAID
Released in 2008 on this day, Braid was a platformer and puzzle game developed and produced by Number None, Inc.. Players take control of Tim, who is attempting to rescue a princess from a monster–like many other traditional platformers of the genre. However, as players progress through the levels, text passages reveal a complex narrative–including Tim’s contemplations and motivations. In addition to it’s regular platformer components, Tim is also able to manipulate time in different ways throughout the level. This can be done to solve puzzles, but also to save the player from dying to otherwise deadly situations. As a personal critique of the trends in the gaming industry at the time, designer Jonathan Blow funded the project with his own money. Before its final artwork was done, Braid received the “Innovation in Game Design” award in 2006 at the Independent Games Festival. The title is seen as a keystone in the growth of indie game development ever since. Without giving spoilers, the game offers a number of surprises throughout its gameplay, and comes highly recommended for a platformer mind-trip.
RAGNAROK ONLINE: VALKYRIE UPRISING
Like it’s original predecessor, the mobile Ragnarok Online: Valkyrie Uprising is available free to play. Designed to echo the original title as well, it was released on this day by NEOCYON, Inc. in 2013. Featuring four of the original Ragnarok Online classes (Swordman, Mage, Acolyte, and Thief), Randgris has been broken free to from her seal by a mysterious woman, allowing Randgris to wreak havoc on mankind with her dark powers once again.
Some other titles released on this day in gaming history:
- True Golf Classics: Pebble Beach Golf Links (Japan) – SNES – 1992
- .hack//Quarantine Part 4 (Japan) – PS2 – 2003
- Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell 3D – 3DS – 2011
- Family Guy: The Quest for Stuff – Android/iOS – 2014
Pokémon TCG Box Art: By Source, Fair use.
Braid Cover Art: By Source, Fair use
Ragnarok Online: Valkyrie Uprising Google Play Icon: By Source (WP:NFCC#4), Fair use
My Life, or Something Like It 
