Sample Descriptive Essay: Describe a childhood toy or game you played, which still means a great

deal to you. Why is it so important?

One childhood game that I still vividly remember is the Pokémon handheld game series. I remember
waiting in line at the local video game store, eager to be the first to get my hands on a copy. While
the shiny plastic wrapping definitely looked intricate and detailed, it was nothing compared to the
anticipated joy of creating my very own in-game avatar.

Pokémon acquisition and naming was one of the highlights of the game. I soon learnt to name my
little monsters after important people in my life – Pikachu would be Dad and Charizard would be my
best friend from primary school…the list went on. Eventually, I also discovered the diabolical
pleasure of naming a weak and undesirable Pokémon (Rattata!) after a much loathed childhood
nemesis and releasing it into the wild, never to be seen again. Back then, I certainly got a cheap thrill
from symbolically letting go of the toxic influences in my life. Overnight gaming sessions would see
me waking up the next morning with watery red eyes and sore and callused thumbs, earned from
repeated episodes of frenetic button mashing as I prayed to the gods above to make Mewtwo stay
in its Pokeball.

Unknowingly, I learnt the true meaning of patience from this game. Despite seeming superficial on
the surface, it actually contained deeper life lessons that have stayed with me till today. In order for
me to get the rare Pokémon that I wanted, I had to spend countless mind-numbing hours pacing up
and down a tiny patch of grass, hoping against hope that the elusive pocket monster would show its
face. Each encounter with a lesser Pokémon would send my heart sinking to the depths of Pokémon
hell as I furiously tapped the “escape” button, consigning the creature to my imaginary reject pile.

To this day, my trusty stack of Pokémon games still means a lot to me because it represents the
sheer hard work and determination that I, at the tender age of eight, was capable of. Whenever I
encounter a seemingly mammoth task, such as the Term Assessments or even class homework, I tell
myself that if my eight-year-old self could catch all 151 Pokémon, I can certainly defeat the looming
spectre of school. After all, no dream is too farfetched.