Summary
- Pokemon evolution being referenced in a school biology exam shows the franchise's influence on popular culture outside the gaming world.
- Despite changes over the years, Pokemon's evolution mechanic remains a consistent aspect of the franchise since the Gen 1 titles.
- Education integrating gaming references, like Pokemon evolution, can make learning more engaging for students.
It's no secret that the Pokemon series has maintained its status as a household name for decades, but one fan spotted a reference to the franchise in an unexpected place when their school biology exam paper included a question that directly references Pokemon evolution. The Pokemon franchise as a whole has secured itself as the highest-grossing media franchise of all time for a while now, but occasional references such as this one remind players that even school teachers can be fans of the nearly 30 year-old series of games.
While a lot has changed in the Pokemon series over the years, from graphics to game mechanics, there are still many aspects of the games that have remained set in stone since the original Gen 1 titles. Pokemon evolution is a good example of a mechanic that has stuck around throughout the decades with barely any fundamental change. As such, just about anyone who has played any of the Pokemon games or watched any of its various animated series' knows how the phenomenon of Pokemon evolution works – after reaching a certain level or meeting some other specific criteria, a Pokemon can suddenly change its appearance and physical characteristics, while also growing stronger as a result.
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While new methods of evolution and the introduction of Mega Evolution have expanded on the phenomenon over the years, the process remains simple and mostly unchanged. One fan, known online as itsfine_itsokay, recently shared an image which shows their biology exam paper featuring a question that makes direct reference to the process of Pokemon evolution. The question uses this fictional parallel to test students' knowledge of real-world evolution by asking them to state two differences between Pokemon evolution and actual evolution through natural selection. The paper accompanies the question with a simplified explanation of Pokemon evolution, and even diagrams of Sandshrew and Sandslash complete with game-accurate stats.
How Pokemon Evolution is Actually Different to the Real Thing
Despite the term, many Pokemon fans interested in the creatures' evolutions have identified the process to be more similar to metamorphosis, a process undergone by certain insect and amphibian species by which they transform from one state to another entirely. In reality, evolution is astronomically slower than that seen with Pokemon, with life on Earth changing gradually over the course of millions of years through occasional genetic mutations, usually making species better adapted to their environmental conditions.
Although usually somewhat rare, references to gaming in standard education such as this often prove to go a long way in making learning more enjoyable and more engaging for students. The realm of gaming represents an extremely popular and powerful platform, and while particularly appreciated by younger generations, games are widely appreciated by people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds – though the Pokemon series is certainly more famous than most others.
- Created by
- Satoshi Tajiri
Pokemon is a franchise that needs no introduction. One of the most successful media empires in history, Pokemon spans games, television, films, manga, merchandise, music, and more.