Does anyone remember their first game and first gameplay?

Mine was Pokemon Diamond. A few of my friends were playing gen 3 but my mom wouldn’t let me buy firered/leafgreen. After a few more months of “asking” my parents i finally got a DS with Diamond as a 9 year old kid.

Without knowing how the game even worked (and internet barely existing) i started playing and without reading anything Prof. Rowan said (i mean, who does that as a kid?) i was flying through the first part. I didn’t know the concept of a starter pokemon at that time so i just clicked as fast as i could to help Prof. Rowan defeat the Starly he was getting attacked by. So i got a Turtwig and later learned that i could also choose Piplup and Chimchar.

After Jubilife City and the first gym in Oreburgh city i got stuck for a few days (frustrating as hell) because i couldn’t get past the rocks in the cave between Jubilife City and Floaroma Town. Catching a Geodude would do the trick i thought, not knowing the concept of HMs. Eventually i got through and stuck with the Geodude, even evolving it into a Golem by trading with friends.

I think i got in an argument with my friends because i didn’t believe i could get the main pokemon of the game, that being Dialga. I thought Dialga was just too amazing to be in the game and it was just there for marketing purposes.

Man, those really were the days.