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Pokémon Red & Blue: Shocking Ways These Classics Haven’t Aged Well

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The mentioned games are the ones that launched one of the most significant multimedia series globally. People who missed the initial Pokémon craze might consider revisiting the games that sparked it originally, but they should be prepared for a surprise, as the Generation 1 titles have shown signs of aging in various aspects.

Although Pokémon Red & Blue were released on the Game Boy in the late ’90s, it was remarkable that they featured numerous monsters to collect and allowed trading between players, considering the limitations of the hardware. However, these games initially had several problems, and fans had to endure years before the issues were addressed in Pokémon Gold & Silver.

Dark, Steel, & Fairy-Types Didn’t Exist Yet

In the original Pokémon games from Gen 1, newcomers often struggle due to the limited content availability. Certain species, like those of the Ghost-type represented by Gengar or Dragon-type represented by Dragonite, are presented with minimal detail, as they only have one line of Pokémon (abbreviated as ‘Mons). This can be particularly noticeable compared to other types that have more diverse representations.

In contrast to later Pokemon games, Pokemon Red and Blue lack several advanced features such as the split of the Special Stat, Doubles battles, Mega Evolutions, Z-Moves, Dynamax, Gigantamax, and Tera types. Additionally, they don’t have a weather or day-night cycle. As players revisit these classic games, they should be prepared to adapt to a more fundamental battle system that was developed in later installments of the series.

It’s the Generation That Birthed MissingNo

One distinctive feature of the Gen 1 games is that they are riddled with unintended errors and anomalies, which aren’t just rare occurrences like MissingNo, but rather frequent inconsistencies in move functionality. For instance, Transform often fails to function as intended.

In the original Pokemon games, you might stumble upon bugs or glitches, and these can sometimes lead to discovering useful tricks like the guaranteed method of meeting Mew, the Mythical Pokemon. Therefore, when revisiting these classic games, players should be prepared for occasional technical hiccups, hoping that they won’t have to restart their game from a previous save point.

Brock & Misty Were the Gen 1 Hard Mode

If you’re revisiting the original games, Pokémon Red and Blue, fans might consider starting their journey with Charizard’s initial form, Charmander. However, they should be warned that selecting Charmander in these games is essentially opting for a more challenging experience, similar to choosing a hidden difficulty level.

In the original version of the game, the first two gyms presented a significant challenge because Brock’s team was resistant to Fire and Normal-type attacks, while Misty’s team had an immense advantage with Water-type attacks. The remakes of Generation 3 addressed this issue somewhat by giving Charmander Metal Claw at level 13, but the original Charmander were left at a significant disadvantage. This forced players to search for alternatives like Nidoran and Pikachu to lead their teams effectively.

It’s Catching Mewtwo or Bust

As a dedicated Pokémon gamer, I can tell you that once I’ve wrapped up the main story in the latest titles like Gen 8 and 9, there’s always plenty more to explore. The DLC offers an abundance of post-game content, keeping me engaged for hours. Plus, fine-tuning my Pokémon for competitive battles and participating in online tournaments never fails to keep things fresh. Even the older games in the series like Gold & Silver didn’t disappoint, as they allowed me to revisit Kanto after finishing my journey, offering a whole new set of challenges.

Regrettably, the early versions of Pokémon Red and Blue don’t have as much diverse content compared to their sequels. Apart from battles, there isn’t a lot more to engage in after completing the main story. The additional activities are merely replaying battles against the Elite Four and searching for Mewtwo. However, later installments of the franchise made significant improvements by offering an abundance of post-game content once the player becomes the Champion in Kanto.

Green Was Nowhere to Be Seen In Gen 1

One factor that contributed to the immense popularity of the Pokémon franchise was its ability to appeal to a wide range of genders. At a time when toys were predominantly marketed as either male or female, Pokémon stood out as something enjoyable for everyone. This broad appeal persists today, largely due to the diverse and multifaceted nature of the games.

Players only have the option to play as Red in its original form, without any customization possibilities for their character. It wasn’t until Pokémon Crystal that fans could play as a female character, and it wasn’t until Pokémon X & Y that the ability to modify one’s protagonist’s appearance was introduced. The absence of this feature in the current game is somewhat disheartening.

Alakazam Ruled the Roost in Gen 1

In the initial releases of Pokemon, Game Freak didn’t fully refine the battle system. To be precise, each generation has had its own powerful elements and tactics that aren’t always obvious at first. For instance, players of Pokemon Red and Blue quickly found out that Psychic-type Pokemon were the most effective choices in Generation 1.

Regardless of Mew and Mewtwo, Psychic-type Pokemon such as the Alakazam line boasted impressive moves that were rarely resisted. The situation became more challenging because the supposedly strong counterparts to these Pokemon were underwhelming. In fact, in the story of Pokémon Red & Blue, a team led by Kadabra could easily defeat most opponents.

Bugs Needed to Stay in the Forest

In my gaming experience, the rise of Psychic-types has its own trade-offs, as other types like Ghost and Dragon become scarce. At this point in the Pokémon franchise, there are fewer representatives for these types, making it quite a challenge to find them. Add to that the exclusivity of certain ‘Mons between games, and it can really test my patience tracking down specific types.

In Generation 1, it appears that the Bug and Fighting types were somewhat disadvantaged. While Fighting has a slightly greater utility in competitive play because some of the larger threats are Normal-type, Bug is mostly ineffective. This is primarily due to its poor move set and overall stat distribution. Had Bug Pokémon been stronger, they could have filled the role that Psychic-types did in Generation 1, but unfortunately, they struggle in battle.

Players Should Be Careful on Cinnabar Island

One modification in Gen 1 was made due to the potential for trainers to become stuck on Cinnabar Island while freeing Pokémon.

If a player is on Cinnabar Island and they free their final Pokémon capable of using Surf or Fly, and they don’t have any cash or haven’t collected the Rods, they might find themselves unable to leave the island. This situation was avoided in Generation III games by preventing players from losing their last Pokémon with Surf or Dive abilities due to these problems. Although it’s rare, it is technically possible for a player to be stranded on Cinnabar Island forever.

Dragonite Is a Terrible Wrapper

In the games Pokémon Red & Blue, the mechanics of combat were frequently aggravating because certain moves and status effects held too much sway over battles. For instance, the move Wrap could immobilize enemies, causing battles to drag on unnecessarily, while being frozen required an item or a Fire-type attack to thaw out.

One of the most annoying features about the Gen 1 meta was linking super effective hits to the Speed stat in Red & Blue. This allowed for manipulation of the system to make it more predictable. Here are some examples of how the Gen 1 meta functioned, leading to a limited range of Pokémon being truly useful.

Sometimes It Feels Like The Pokémon Company Hates Money

It appears that The Pokémon Company generally prefers not to re-release its older games. However, there was a notable exception: the Gen 1 and 2 games were made available on the Nintendo 3DS’s eShop, allowing players to connect with Pokémon Home. Unfortunately, this means that these games are no longer accessible for new players on the 3DS.

These video games would have been financially successful on the Nintendo Switch, but unfortunately, they were never adapted for that platform. As a result, it’s quite challenging to play the classic Pokémon games legally because many of the original Game Boy cartridges are no longer functional, as the batteries needed for saving game progress have deteriorated over time.

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2025-05-02 01:12

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