Down where I am, it was more of a TCG scene than the games. People had them, but if you didn't have the cards, you were pretty lame. I didn't grab on to competitive play until Stadium 2's Pokemon Academy, actually. That's how I learned to battle.
Oh God...please don't remind me of that. That's why I don't like Blastoise. That one reason right there. I ditched my Blastoise on my current Red file because...it looks...horrendous. ;o;