I used to play. After the 3rd gen, I realized it would always be the same ol' yarn, so I quit. The anime really spoiled me. I hated that I couldn't do half the stuff you could do in the show or the movies. I still watch the show, and while adding girls who do stuff (sorry, Misty) was fun ... I only really still watch for Team Rocket (hence my more usual username, ImJessieTR). I'm one of the dwindling Rocketshippers who still hope against hope (and I used to be a Pokeshipper too -- Ash should have gone with Misty, period, the end).
My fav pokemon are Mewtwo (though Lucario also has that angsty backstory thing I love), Ash's Pikachu (when it isn't losing to some idiot, unless on purpose), Ash's Charizard (I LOVE animals that despise human arrogance IRL), and Brock's Croagunk (poor emotionless thing has more personality than most of his earlier ones who HAD facial expressions).
Gamewise, I loved my Houndour/Houndoom Darkflame, my scizor (who I won't name because it would just be asterisked out), and my Red Gyrados from Silver (who beat the champion of the E4 with 1 HP left ... whew!). Forgot what I named it though.
I like that they've started to branch out. I liked Snap. Never played Ranger anything or Mystery Dungeon, but I appreciated the creativity. I just wish there were an MMORPG, where you could do all that and not have to choose between "gym boy" or "minigame heck".