What is it that makes the Pokémon games so great? Many things, but in terms of emotional appeal, it might be that the series has grown along with us. When first released stateside in 1998, during the formative gaming years for many of you reading this, Pokémon was a relatively simple RPG with a straightforward progression and gameplay style that could also be as nuanced as you wanted to make it. As we grew up and became more complex, so did the games, incorporating new features that tested and challenged us, all while remaining accessible to younger players who are in the position we were once in: approaching a new and exciting world with wonder.

Or perhaps as the generations passed, you fell out of love with the series, or you began devoting less time to games as a whole as you racked up the years. Whatever the case, this fan-made commercial for the upcoming Pokémon Sun and Moon will remind us of how good it felt to hold a Game Boy in our hands and experience all the firsts: First started Pokémon, first caught Pokémon, first evolved Pokémon, first badge… and maybe it’ll make you feel that good again.

The powerful video, directed by John Wikstrom, shows a young boy popping Pokémon Red into a purple Game Boy Color, trading Pokémon cards with a friend, and widening his eyes in awe as Charmander flickers into Charmeleon. Then, in a blink of an eye, he’s an adult with a job, and passing by a store window, he realizes that Pokémon is still there, and whether or not he realized it, it always has been, whether in the forefront of his thoughts or the recesses of his mind.

To be frank, this is one of the most moving fan videos we’ve ever watched, so check it out above.

Featured image: John Wikstrom