As the latest "Pokemon" game is released in the United States, the hope at Nintendo is that Pokemon has little in common with Lara Croft and Tony Hawk.
Nintendo's "Pokemon Platinum" is the latest in the dozens of "Pokemon"-branded games which have collectively sold more than 186 million copies, according to the gaming giant, since the series' debut in the mid-90s.
That makes it one of the most popular franchises in gaming history but also one of the few long-running series that hasn't hit the stumbles which have ultimately forced series like "Tomb Raider" and "Tony Hawk Pro Skater." Those once-might series have struggled to retain popularity, altering release patterns, switching developers, and rebooting at least once each.
What will make "Pokemon" any different?
