February 27 is Pokémon's big 30th anniversary of its original launch in Japan, and while details are slowly trickling in on how Nintendo and Game Freak plan to celebrate, TIME Magazine is already getting into the spirit.
The 96-page special edition issue of the magazine is coming out with three different covers, each featuring iconic pocket monsters from over the year – one cover depicts Mega Charizard X, one has Lugia and Ho-Oh, while the third shows off Rayquaza. You can purchase any of the three covers for $14.99 each on Amazon now.
The special oversized issue of TIME Magazine takes readers on a deep dive through Pokémon's history, analyzing its rise to iconic status, how it's garnered such staying power, and even gives a few tricks and tips on how to get better at playing Pokémon GO.
It doesn't just focus on the video games, either; you'll get a detailed retrospective of the Pokémon anime and its many spin-offs, as well as education on the Pokémon trading card game and how to navigate the secondary market.
With Pokémon celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, fans are expecting big things. We got a special video during Super Bowl LX, with celebrities like Lady Gaga gushing about their favorite Pokémon.
With Pokémon Legends: Z-A being as big of a hit as it was on the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 and Pokémon Pokopia launching in just a few short weeks, fans still have plenty to do until the inevitable Pokémon Presents comes out, detailing what we can expect for the rest of the year and beyond.
Personally, I'd love to see the original Game Boy games onto the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service. Those games desperately need better accessibility.
Myles Obenza is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Bluesky @mylesobenza.bsky.social.
