Numerous variants of the game existed, most in-
volved stacking the disks facedown in a pile. Players
took turns with “slammers,” larger disks of plastic or
metal, which they brought down onto the stack in
such a way as to upset it, the aim being to make as
many Pogs as possible land faceup instead of still
facedown. Players “won” or gained points from
faceup Pogs.
Disagreement over rights to the “Pog” name arose
in 1994. One firm believed “Pog” was a generic term
chosen by children at play and not by a manufacturer.
The World Pog Federation of Costa Mesa, California,
however, won exclusive rights to the name in Novem-
ber, 1994, due in part to Haleakala Dairy being 14
percent owner of the Costa Mesa federation.
The move may have helped the fad falter, since
competitors such as the Universal Pogs Association,
which afterward became Universal Slammers, Inc.,
were forced to use generic terms such as “milk caps,”
which appealed less to children.
Impact Although primarily a fad of the early-
middle decade, Pogs achieved nearly universal rec-
ognition among all age groups and became one of
the symbols of the times.
Further Reading
Derolf, Shane.The WPF Official Pog
Collector. New York: Random
House, 1995. A useful guide for
gaining insight into how Pogs
were seen by youths who played
the game.
Lewis, Tommi, and Craig C. Olsen.
Pogs: The Milkcap Guide. Kansas
City, Mo.: Andrews McMeel, 1994.
A guide to game history, rules,
and tournaments, with color illus-
trations.
Page, Jason.The Unofficial POG and
Cap Players’ Handbook. London,
England: Bloomsbury Publishing,
- Useful for its international
perspective upon an American-
originating game.
Mark Rich
See also Fads; Hobbies and recre-
ation; Pokémon franchise; Toys and
games.
Pokémon franchise
Identification Gaming phenomenon
Date Created in 1995
Pokémon became one of Nintendo’s most successful fran-
chises, branching out of the original video game to televi-
sion, film, manga, and other merchandise, and influenc-
ing a large group of the youth population.
Pokémon, also known as Pocket Monsters, was cre-
ated in 1995 by Japanese game designer Satoshi
Tajiri. It was originally a role-playing game released
in Japan for Nintendo’s Game Boy personal gaming
system. After success in Japan, the video game was re-
leased in the United States. In the game, the player
creates a character and battles with other characters
by using a captured Pokémon.
In 1998, United Paramount Network (UPN) be-
gan airing Pokémon anime in the United States. The
main character was known as Ash and was given
Pikachu, the yellow creature often seen in Pokémon
advertising, as his first Pokémon. Later games were
based on Ash, includingPokémon Yellow, which was
the first Pokémon game created for Nintendo’s
Game Boy Color.
Pokémon continued to expand.Pokémon: The FirstThe Nineties in America Pokémon franchise 679
A boy hugs an oversized Pikachu doll at the premiere of the animated feature
Pokémon: The First Movieon November 6, 1999, in Los Angeles.(AP/Wide
World Photos)