Im a big fan of many games, and genres. But when I tried a Pokemon game, I simply couldnt understand how these are SOO popular. I just dont get it.
Since there are millions of Pokemon fans out there, I figured a little Web 2.0 would help my grasp the intangible experience that is Pokemon.
 
So, what is Pokemon to you?

Awesome RPG I grew up with as a kid. Collecting monsters and making them evolve was awesome, and the gameplay is simple and linear enough to appeal to a wide audience.

Lots of bright colors and action. The added want to " Catch them all" Seems to grab people. Its a fighting/collecting thing. 

Yeah when the first ones came out (Red and Blue) it was awesome. Monster-summoning turn-based RPG. But it's actually a bit too simple for me to continue enjoying. I feel like I'm playing a "kiddy" RPG most of the time, it's just not as fun as I remember it being on the original GameBoy.

Nostalgia

I suppose Pokemon is a rather nostalgic experience for me, it goes all the way back to my very earliest times gaming and playing Pokemon helps me relive a little bit of those times. I find something rather charming about Pokemon's simplistic, iconic and somewhat unique graphical style, sound and general world that each game presents. Also, a normal RPG will also give you one or a few different characters to level up and generally improve whereas Pokemon gives you a micro-experience of that over and over with you being able to own and train a huge number of different Pokemon at one time. Another thing I really enjoy about Pokemon is the variety and number of different Pokemon there are in the game, I know a lot of people strongly objected to the games expanding beyond the original 151 but I find something rather satisfying about obsessing over the near 500 creatures there are to capture. So yeah, I guess that's why I enjoy Pokemon.

its awesome

They're accessible yet incredibly deep JRPGs with tons of freedom, they're colorful, charming and relaxing, and their duel-like one-on-one battles spank the living shit out of pretty much every other turn-based combat system out there. 
 
The nostalgia doesn't hurt, either.

• Gameplay is simple, but deep.
  
• Lengthy Main Quest
  
• Very, very long game if you want to catch them all.
• Fantastic music.
• Very colorful and vibrant sprites.
• Huge world, especially with the new one having two regions: Kanto and Johto.
• Great game to play with others.
•   YO' SNORLAX EFFIN OWNS!

Gotta catch em all

It's a pretty fun RPG that I have fond memories of as a child.  But I haven't played one since before the original DS came out, because I haven't had a hand-held since then.

I missed Pokemon by about ten years.

The appeal isn't so different to other RPGs;  the pokemon are essentially loot, except you feel way more attached to them than you do a sword.  The universe is lighthearted and fun.  The battle mechanics are easy to pick-up but deep enough to keep you interested. The character design (on the original set at least) is fantastic - and the TV show seriously helped in this regard.
 
I haven't played a Pokemon game since Red/Blue - purely because I have no interest in learning any Pokemon beyond the original set - but the concept itself is still quite appealing.

Pokemon is popular because it's nostalgic to my generation at least. I grew up right as the original series was popular, the first gameboy game I ever bought was Pokemon Red, and I bought a gameboy with my saved up allowance. I love pokemon up to the gold/silver years, even as an adult.

Great childhood memories mate

MUDKIPS! 
 
Also, for everyone here how is between 17 and 22 probably grew up with it.

I don't understand it, but I sure as hell love it.

I was a kid and I had a gameboy. It was a phenomenon like no other at my  elementary school and its probably the reason I play games today. That and Super Mario 64. They are such simple RPG's but have good depth, and that is why they are fun to pick up and play. Im 17 and last year I bought a DS to play the latest Pokemon while I was sick with mono, and I put 100 hours into it. Its very nostalgic, even though childhood wasn't very long ago.

" MUDKIPS!   Also, for everyone here how is between 17 and 22 probably grew up with it. "

Its like the ultimate in RPG choice. Theres 500 creatures, and you get to pick your favorites to grow with you. You end up bonding with them and when you finally beat the elite four, it's a feeling similar to winning a championship with teammates.

KOFFIN!

Red, Blue, Yellow, Gold, Silver, and Crystal are some of my favorite games of all times. There's a surprising amount of depth in breeding, in team building, and just overall throughout all the games. i don't care for the newer Pokemon games as much, but the Gameboy ones are amazing.

It's an addiction I think.
 
Never played it before, but it's not hard to understand why it's popular.

Just reading this makes me feel like shit for getting rid of my DS.

Pokemon is LIFE!! How can you not get it?! I can't wait for the new one tomorrow!!

Simple RPG goodness.

"

• Gameplay is simple, but deep.
  
• Lengthy Main Quest
  
• Very, very long game if you want to catch them all.
• Fantastic music.
• Very colorful and vibrant sprites.
• Huge world, especially with the new one having two regions: Kanto and Johto.
• Great game to play with others.
•   YO' SNORLAX EFFIN OWNS!

"

" Pokemon is LIFE!! How can you not get it?! I can't wait for the new one tomorrow!! "

 A lot of the gameplay mechanics are unique to the series and it's all very easy to get into. The ability to catch and raise monsters and raise them into meaner-looking fighting machines never gets old. Also, everyone likes to hate on all the new Pokemon but really it gives you a lot more choices. 2nd gen had awesome Pokemon and that's partly why the new remakes are going to be so good!

Collecting shit is fun, is the appeal. You favorite franchise x with the mature themes and such, on a binary level, is probably doing the same thing as Pokemon but not as well.