Pokémon: Version rouge

Despite what people said, this games are still pretty damn fun, revolutionary and are very underrated these days. People tend to compare negatively to newer games in the series unfairly, despite a lot of these comparisons are or because of the "look" of the game or the aspects it lacks from newer entries. I couldnt disagree more, but lets start step by step.

This game looks incredible for a black and white portable console in 1996. All of the Pokemon, NPCs and enviroment are varied and incredible detail (and yes, a black and white game can be detailed). 151 playable creatures on an RPG was just too much, when in previous RPGs this wasnt as close. Pokemon was always the Gran Turismo of RPGs, and with this first entry isnt an exception. And how the Pokemon style being different than the anime is a negative point? First of all, the anime was released AFTER the game, and even if this wasnt true, the Pokemon have a very good artstyle compared to newer games in the series, being much more creepy and realistic (probably because first gen was meant to be closer to vanilla RPGs, and this is also reflected on the gameplay side, i would talk about that later). The Pokemon designs in Gen 1 are underrated as hell.

Later the soundtrack, probably the most well made 8 bit soundtrack i ever heard, just listen to some themes like gym leader and you would know what im saying. There are some complex tracks, some simple ones, but overall the music is so catchy and memorable.

And last of all, the gameplay... probably the most controversial aspect of Gen 1 along with the graphics, but like any of my reviews, i have the most unpopular opinions, so feel free to hate me. Gameplay in Gen 1 is very solid, one of the best RPG gameplays of the time. Apart that you have an incredible variety of Pokemon, every one is different and have unique moveset, stats and the stats arent fixed. A different Pokemon from the same species and same level can have different stats, so this feels so fresh and natural even today. The map design, pacing and difficult curve is also great, the game never feels like a chore compared to newer entries and the trade system is a welcome aspect, even if it has some flaws that i would talk about that later.

Pokemon Red And Blue, despite what people said, are so well made games that even today i can have a lot of fun at it (and things like the special stat being basically the intelligence stat on older RPG didnt make any difference to me)... But.... A lot of ambition on a weak console can make you in trouble. And this game has flaws... Not a few serious ones that ruins the game, but is the type of game with lots of minor ones. Like trade being obligatory to complete the Pokedex, a few unbalances here and there, LOTS of hidden glitches, Pokemon box and a big etc.... But that ruins the game? No. The game started it all and still plays well imo, so i cannot blame it for this flaws that mostly are for technical limitations. Pokemon Red And Blue, if you can ignore some annoyances here and there and some lack of quality of life improvements you will encounter with one of the best RPG ever made that still feels good to play, even with all of the new entries in the series thanks to being the most unique of all and the most simple, aka, it doesnt put iff or buts like Gen 2, but that would be for another review.

Played it when I was a snot nosed kid at like 10 and had no clue what i was doing. I don't recall finishing the game or much but I do know I played it on my game boy.

Pretty sure it was hard because back then you didn't have as much guides and tips as you do now.

My team would have been Venasaur Celfable, Snorlax, Sychter, DRAGONITE AND magmar

I had no idea this game would be so addictive. Despite being on a small black & white Gameboy screen, the game's content and appeal overcomes all that. There's so much to do in the game that it drives you nuts because you want to do it all. There are 150 kinds of POKeMON (in this Red/Blue version) to be found. They are all unique which makes it easy for anyone to pick a favorite (my personal favorites were Kadabra, Omastar and Raticate). Your goal is to earn all 8 gym badges from the different elemental leaders and beat your rival to becoming a POKeMON Master. Little side quests put you in situations to collect more POKeMON. The more you have, the more flexible you can be in battle. The catchy music is great for Gameboy standards. It changes depending on the town, different places you walk through, your current action and when you're in battle. I thought it was cool they incorporated all the game themes into the cartoon. Sometimes the battles could get tedious as there are always many competing trainers on the way from place to place. It was a great way to build experience but in certain spots they were just overwhelmingly annoying. I haven't played any of the sequels but I've seen some of the new character designs on the more recent versions of the cartoons. I don't like them as much as the old POKeMON. It just seems like they're trying too hard.

Overall, POKeMON is a great game and I dare you not to get addicted.

PokZmon's draw is not just because of the cute characters, but because it is actually one of the most lovingly made games ever. Taking a full six years to program, Satoshi Tajiri and his team at Game Freak really made this game a labour of love. It is a very customisable game, with literally thousands of possibilities for you and your PokZmon. The Simple, everyman story is great- you can actually make the character you, and your rival either someone you have a friendly rivalry with, or someone you have a bitter hatred of. PokZmon encourages creativity, and the many forms of PokZmon will be out for years

From the B&W screen of Pokemon Red Version & Blue Version to the TV screen of the N64 for Pokemon Stadium 2, Pokemon has been the best game from Nintendo sinse Super Mario Bros. It has had more sequels in three years than most of the other popular video games have ever had! Two thumbs up!