Pokemon is commemorating its 20th anniversary next month, and to celebrate it’s got a blockbuster ad to show off during the Super Bowl.
The 70-second spot starts off like many of the commercials you’ll see during the night, with an inspiring soundtrack and a focus on stellar production values. But it’s probably not until halfway through that you’ll realize you’re watching a commercial for a 20-year-old video game franchise.
The commercial, which will run in a 30-second format at the beginning of the third quarter, isn’t promoting any particular Pokemon game. Pokken Tournament and Pokemon Go aren’t hitting the market until at least the spring. The closest game release for the franchise is the re-releasing of Pokemon Red, Blue and Yellow for the 3DS on Feb. 27.
But this ad is more about building hype for the franchise in general, and may encourage older players to pass interest in the game on to newer generations.
True Pokemon fans will also enjoy the small references to the game, such as the “Like no one ever was” sign in the football locker room. But a true fan might see some other Easter eggs earlier on. Did you catch them all?
