Pokémon Red and Blue

Pokémon Red and Blue


Developer(s) Game Freak
Publisher(s) Nintendo
Designer(s) Satoshi Tajiri (director)
Artist(s) Ken Sugimori
Composer(s) Junichi Masuda
Series Pokémon series
Platform(s) Game Boy (with SGB support)
Release date(s) JP February 27, 1996 (original Red and Green versions)[1]
JP October 15, 1996 (Blue version)[2]
NA September 30, 1998[3][4]
EU May 10, 1999[1]
AUS 1999[1]
Genre(s) Console role-playing game
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer
Rating(s) ESRB: E
OFLC: G
USK: Unrestricted
Media 4 megabit cartridge[5]

Pokémon Red (ポケットモンスター 赤 Poketto Monsutā Aka?, "Pocket Monsters Red") and Pokémon Blue (ポケットモンスター 青 Poketto Monsutā Ao?, "Pocket Monsters Blue"), released in Japan as Pocket Monster Red and Pocket Monster Green (ポケットモンスター 緑 Poketto Monsutā Midori?), are the first two installments of the Pokémon series of role-playing games developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo. They were first released for the Game Boy in Japan in 1996 and later released to North America in 1998, and Europe and Australia in 1999. Pokémon Yellow, a special edition version, was released roughly a year later in each region. These three games (Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow,) along with Pokémon Stadium, form the first generation of the Pokémon video game series.[6] Red and Blue have subsequently been remade for the Game Boy Advance as Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, released in 2004.

The player controls the main character from an overhead perspective and navigates him throughout the fictional region of Kanto in a quest to master Pokémon battling and become the Champion of the region by defeating the Elite Four. Another objective is to complete the Pokédex by obtaining all of the available Pokémon. Red and Blue also utilize the Game Link Cable, which connects two games together and allows Pokémon to be traded or battled with between games. Both titles are independent of each other but feature largely the same plot[7] and, while they can be played separately, it is necessary for players to trade among the two in order to obtain all 151 Pokémon.

Red and Blue received strong reviews, with critics praising the multiplayer options, especially the concept of trading. The games' releases marked the beginning of what would become a multi-billion dollar franchise,[8] jointly selling millions of copies worldwide.

Contents

Gameplay

Main article: Gameplay of Pokémon
A level 5 Bulbasaur involved in a battle with a level 5 Charmander

Like many role-playing games, Pokémon Red and Blue are in third-person overhead perspective, with players directly navigating the protagonist around the fictional universe, all the while interacting with various objects and people.[9] As players explore this world they will encounter different terrains, such as grassy fields, forests, caves, and seas; in which different Pokémon species reside. When players randomly encounter one of these creatures, the field switches to a turn-based "battle scene," where the Pokémon will fight.[10]

A major aspect of playing through the main storyline is developing and raising Pokémon engaging in battle with other Pokémon, which can be found in the wild or owned by other Trainers. This system, characteristic and integral to all Pokémon video games, allows the winning Pokémon to accumulate experience points and eventually level up. A Pokémon's level controls its physical properties, such as the battle statistics acquired, and the moves learned.[11] However, the ultimate goal of the games is to complete all of the entries in the Pokédex, a comprehensive Pokémon encyclopedia, by capturing, evolving, and trading to obtain all 151 creatures.[12]

The game features various glitches including the Pokémon MissingNo., which Nintendo describes as a "programming quirk", and often causes the game to malfunction when captured, including scrambling the graphics or even corrupting the save data.[13] In addition, other bugs exist, such as the ability to duplicate items or Pokémon.[14]

Connectivity with other devices

Pokémon Red and Blue allow players to trade Pokémon between two cartridges via a Game Link Cable.[15] This method of trading must be done to fully complete the Pokédex, since each of the two games has version-exclusive Pokémon.[7] However, the English versions of the games are not compatible with their Japanese counterparts, and such trades will result in corruption of the save files because the games are unable to translate the Pokémon that were traded.[13] The Link Cable also makes it possible to battle another player's Pokémon team.[15] When playing Red or Blue on a Game Boy Advance or SP, the standard GBA/SP link cable will not work; players must use the Nintendo Universal Game Link Cable instead.[16]

As well as trading with each other and Pokémon Yellow, Pokémon Red and Blue can trade Pokémon with the second generation of Pokémon games: Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal. However, there are some limitations: the games cannot link together if one player's party contains Pokémon or moves introduced in the second generation games.[17] Also, using the Transfer Pak for the Nintendo 64, data such as Pokémon and items from Pokémon Red and Blue can be used in the Nintendo 64 games Pokémon Stadium and Pokémon Stadium 2.[18][19] Red and Blue are not compatible with the Pokémon games of the later "Advanced Generation" for the Game Boy Advance or GameCube.[20]

Setting and plot

Pokémon Red and Blue take place in Kanto, a fictional location named and modeled after the Kantō region of Japan. This is one distinct region of many shown in later games, with different geographical habitats for the 151 existing Pokémon species, along with human-populated towns and cities, and Routes connecting locations to one another. Some areas are only accessible once the player learns a special ability or gains a special item.[21]

The silent protagonist of Red and Blue is a young boy who lives in Pallet Town. After venturing alone into deep grass, a voice warns the player to stop. Professor Oak, a famous Pokémon researcher, explains to the player that wild Pokémon may be living there, and encountering them alone can be very dangerous.[22] He takes the player to his laboratory where the player meets Oak's grandson, who has also become a Pokémon Trainer. The player and the rival are both instructed to select a starter Pokémon for their travels.[23] The rival will then challenge the player to a Pokémon battle with their newly obtained Pokémon, and will continue to battle the player at certain points throughout the games.[24]

While visiting the region's cities, the player will encounter special establishments called Gyms. Inside these building are Gym Leaders, each of whom the player must defeat in a Pokémon battle to obtain a total of eight Gym Badges. Once all of the badges are acquired, the player is given permission to enter the Pokémon League, which consists of the best Pokémon trainers in the region. There the player will battle the Elite Four and finally the Champion; the player's rival.[25]

As an added plot-twist, throughout the game the player will have to battle against the forces of Team Rocket, a criminal organization that abuses Pokémon.[11]

Development

The concept of the Pokémon saga stems from the hobby of insect collecting, a popular pastime which game designer Satoshi Tajiri enjoyed as a child.[26] However, while growing up, he observed more urbanization taking place in the town where he lived and as a result, the insect population declined. Tajiri noticed that kids now played in their homes instead of outside and he came up with the idea of a video game, containing creatures that resembled insects called Pokémon. He thought kids could relate with the Pokémon by individually naming them, and then controlling them to represent fear or anger as a good way of relieving stress. However, Pokémon never bleed or die in battle, only faint – this was a very touchy subject to Tajiri, as he did not want to further fill the gaming world with "pointless violence."[27]

When the Game Boy was released, Tajiri thought the system was perfect for his idea, especially because of the link cable which he envisioned would allow players to trade Pokémon with each other. This concept of trading information was new to the video gaming industry, because previously connection cables were only being used for competition.[28] "I imagined a chunk of information being transferred by connecting two Game Boys with special cables, and I went wow, that's really going to be something!" said Tajiri.[29]

The main characters were named after Tajiri himself as Satoshi, who is described as Tajiri in his youth, and his long-time friend, role model, mentor, and fellow Nintendo developer; Shigeru Miyamoto as Shigeru.[27][30] Artist Ken Sugimori headed the development of drawings and designs of the Pokémon, and the music was composed by Junichi Masuda.[1]

Tajiri always thought that Nintendo would reject his game, as the company did not really understand the concept at first. However, the games turned out to be a complete success, something Tajiri and Nintendo never expected, especially because of the declining popularity of the Game Boy.[27] In Japan, Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green were the first versions released. They sold rapidly, much due to Nintendo's idea of producing the two versions of the game instead of a single title, prompting some consumers to buy both.[29] Several months later, Pokémon Blue was released with improved graphics and slight differences, such as Pokémon being encountered in different areas, and layout changes. The Red and Blue versions were eventually released in the United States close to two years later.[31]

Reception

 Reception
Review scores
Publication Score
Electronic Gaming Monthly 8.5 out of 10[32]
GameSpot 8.8 out of 10[11]
IGN 10 of 10[7]
Nintendo Power 7.2 of 10[5]
Aggregate scores
Aggregator Score
Game Rankings 89%[32]

Pokémon Red and Blue set the precedent for what has become a blockbuster, multi-billion dollar franchise. In Japan, Red, Green, and Blue combined have sold 8.2 million copies, while in the United States, Red and Blue have sold 8.6 million copies.[33] The success of these games has been attributed to its innovative gaming experience rather than audiovisual effects. Papers published by the Columbia Business School indicate both American and Japanese children prefer the actual gameplay of a game over special audio or visual effects. In Pokémon games, the lack of these artificial effects has actually been said to promote the child's imagination and creativity.[33]

The games received mostly strong reviews from critics, with especial praise given to its multiplayer features; the ability to trade and battle Pokémon with one another. Craig Harris of IGN gave it a "masterful" 10 out of 10, noting that "Even if you finish the quest, you still might not have all the Pokémon in the game. The challenge to catch 'em all is truly the game's biggest draw."[7] Peter Bartholow of GameSpot gave it a "great" 8.8 out of 10, praising the games' replay value due to its customization and variety, but citing the graphics and audio as somewhat primitive and the games' only drawbacks.[11]

Legacy

The video gaming website 1UP.com composed a list of the Top 5 "Late to the Party" Games showing selected titles that "prove a gaming platform's untapped potential" and were one of the last games released for their respective console. Red and Blue were ranked first, and called Nintendo's "secret weapon" when the games were brought out for the Game Boy in the late 1990s.[29] Red and Blue made number 72 on IGN's Top 100 Games of All Time in 2003, in which the reviewers noted that the pair of games "started a revolution" and praised the deep game design and complex strategy, as well the option to trade between other games.[34] Two years later, it climbed the ranks to number 70 in the updated list, with the games' legacy again noted to have inspired multiple video game sequels, movies, television shows, and other merchandise; strongly rooting it in popular culture.[35] In 2007 Red and Blue were ranked at number 37 in the latest revised edition of IGN's list. The reviewers remarked at the games' longevity:

For everything that has come in the decade since, it all started right here with Pokémon Red/ Blue. Its unique blend of exploration, training, battling and trading created a game that was far more in-depth than it first appeared and one that actually forced the player to socialize with others in order to truly experience all that it had to offer. The game is long, engrossing and sparkles with that intangible addictiveness that only the best titles are able to capture. Say what you will about the game, but few gaming franchises can claim to be this popular ten years after they first hit store shelves.

—IGN[30]

The games are widely credited with starting the series and helping pave the way for a successful multi-billion dollar company.[6] Five years after Red and Blue's initial release, Nintendo celebrated its "Pokemoniversary". George Harrison, the senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications of Nintendo of America Inc. stated "those precious gems [Pokémon Red and Blue] have evolved into Ruby and Sapphire. The release of Pokemon Pinball kicks off a line of great new Pokemon adventures that will be introduced in the coming months."[36] The company has since sold over 175 million games, all accredited to the enormous success of the original Red and Blue versions.[29]

Versions

Pokémon Green

Pokémon Green (ポケットモンスター 緑 Poketto Monsutā Midori?, "Pocket Monsters Green"), featuring Venusaur on its box art, was brought out alongside Red in the initial Japanese release of the games. It never reached other regions; instead being replaced by Pokémon Blue, which was a mail-order-only special edition in Japan.[37]

Pokémon Yellow

Pokémon Yellow: Special Pikachu Edition is the fourth game of the Pokémon video game series in Japan, and the third in North America, Europe, and Australia. The game is a slightly updated version of the previous two games, Pokémon Red and Blue, and features Pikachu on its box art.[38] It was released for the Game Boy in Japan on September 12, 1998 as Pocket Monsters Pikachu (ポケットモンスターピカチュウ Poketto Monsutā Pikachū?),[39] in North America on October 1, 1999,[40] in Europe on June 16, 2000, and in Australia in 2000.[39] Along with the release, a special-edition, yellow, Pokémon-themed Game Boy Color was also available for purchase.[38]

The plot and gameplay of Pokémon Yellow is largely the same as in Red and Blue,[41] though it features changes to make the game more similar to the animated series. Like Ash Ketchum in the anime, players receive Pikachu as their starter Pokémon. Unlike other Pokémon encountered in the game, Pikachu walks behind the player and will display emotion, reacting when the player enters certain buildings or rooms. If the player faces Pikachu and talks to it, a box will appear showing Pikachu's face and current mood, ranging from murderous, to curious, to bursting with love. Other minor gameplay changes include a different selection of Pokémon available to catch, all three Red and Blue starter Pokémon being available from NPCs, and the anime characters Jessie, James, and Meowth making appearances.[40]

Despite being an upgraded variant of Pokémon Red and Blue, Yellow proved to be extremely popular. In North America, the game debuted at #2 in sales and claimed the #1 spot a week later.[38] It was nearly impossible to find during its release as people grabbed every available copy.[42] The game became the fastest selling handheld game of all time when it was released; the standard cartridge sold over 600,000 units in its first week and more than one million copies in its first fortnight, remaining the top selling handheld game for many weeks. It entered the Guinness Book of Records in 2001 for selling one million copies within a span of one month.[43] Overall, Yellow was well-received by critics, with an aggregate score of 85.5% on Game Rankings.[44] GameSpot gave it a "Great" rating, with a 8.9/10 score,[45] and IGN gave it a "masterful" 10/10, noting "The game is super easy to pick up and play, yet it's challenging in its own right. And it's addictive."[46] It ranks among the top Game Boy games ever released.[44]

Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen

Main article: Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen

Pokémon FireRed and Pokémon LeafGreen, are enhanced remakes of the original Pocket Monsters Red and Green video games,[47] the latter of which was released exclusively in Japan. They were developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance,[48] and were the first titles compatible with the Game Boy Advance Wireless Adapter which was bundled with the games.[47] They were released in Japan on January 29, 2004, in North America on September 7, 2004, and in Europe on October 1, 2004. Two years later, on September 25, 2006, the games were re-marketed as Player's Choice in the US.[48]

The games feature all of the Pokémon from the original Game Boy games, along with many others from later in the series. This allows many of these Pokémon to be obtained for the first time in the newer games,[49] as the original Game Boy and Game Boy Color games are incompatible with the Game Boy Advance games. Both games are independent of each other but feature largely the same plot, once again set in the fantasy world of Kanto, following the progress of the central character in his or her quest to master Pokémon battling.[50]

See also

References

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Pokemon Red Release Information for Game Boy". GameFAQs. Retrieved on 2008-09-16.
  2. ↑ "Pokemon Blue Release Information for Game Boy". GameFAQs. Retrieved on 2008-10-23.
  3. ↑ "IGN: Pokemon Red Version". IGN. Retrieved on 2008-10-23.
  4. ↑ "IGN: Pokemon Blue Version". IGN. Retrieved on 2008-10-23.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Now Playing: Pokémon". Nintendo Power 113: p. 112. October 1998. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 ProfessorLayton (2008-09-23). "Hooked Gamers - Pokémon Platinum Preview". Hooked Gamers. Retrieved on 2008-10-21.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Harris, Craig (1999-06-23). "Pokemon Red Version Review". IGN. Retrieved on 2008-06-26.
  8. ↑ "Pokémon Franchise Approaches 150 Million Games Sold". PR Newswire. Retrieved on 2008-06-15.
  9. ↑ "Pokémon Blue Version Review". IGN (1999-06-23). Retrieved on 2008-06-25.
  10. ↑ Pokémon Red and Blue manual, p. 17.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Bartholow, Peter (2000-01-28). "GameSpot review". GameSpot. Retrieved on 2008-06-26.
  12. ↑ Pokémon Red and Blue manual, p. 7.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Game Boy Game Pak Troubleshooting - Specific Games". Nintendo.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-09.
  14. ↑ "Guides: Pokemon: Red and Blue Secrets". IGN. Retrieved on 2008-10-20.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Pokémon Red and Blue manual, p. 36.
  16. ↑ "nintendo.com.au - GBC - Frequently Asked Questions". Nintendo. Retrieved on 2008-10-07.
  17. ↑ "Pokemon Gold and Silver Strategy Guide: Trading". IGN. Retrieved on 2008-06-27.
  18. ↑ Gerstmann, Jeff (2000-02-29). "Pokemon Stadium for Nintendo 64 Review". GameSpot. Retrieved on 2008-09-16.
  19. ↑ Villoria, Gerald (2001-03-26). "Pokemon Stadium 2 for Nintendo 64 Review" p. 2. GameSpot. Retrieved on 2008-09-16.
  20. ↑ Harris, Craig (2003-03-17). "IGN: Pokemon Ruby Version Review". IGN. Retrieved on 2008-10-25.
  21. ↑ "Guides: Pokemon: Red and Blue" p. 220. IGN. Retrieved on 2008-10-20.
  22. ↑ Pokémon Red and Blue manual, p. 2.
  23. ↑ Pokémon Red and Blue manual, p. 3.
  24. ↑ "Guides: Pokemon: Blue and Red" p. 113. IGN. Retrieved on 2008-10-24.
  25. ↑ "Guides: Pokemon: Blue and Red" p. 67. IGN. Retrieved on 2008-06-27.
  26. ↑ Amadeo Plaza (2006-02-06). "A Salute to Japanese Game Designers", Amped IGO, pp. p. 2. Retrieved on 2006-06-25. 
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 Larimer, Time (1999-11-22). "The Ultimate Game Freak" p. 2. TIME Asia. Retrieved on 2008-09-16.
  28. ↑ Larimer, Time (1999-11-22). "The Ultimate Game Freak" p. 1. TIME Asia. Retrieved on 2008-09-16.
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 29.2 29.3 1UP Staff. "Best Games to Come Out Late in a System's Life". 1UP. Retrieved on 2008-09-16.
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 "IGN's Top 100 Games 2007 | 37 Pokemon Blue Version". IGN. Retrieved on 2008-09-15.
  31. ↑ "Guides: Pokemon: Blue and Red History". IGN. Retrieved on 2008-10-24.
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 "Pokemon Red Reviews". Game Rankings. Retrieved on 2008-06-26.
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 Safier, p. 2.
  34. ↑ "the top 100 : 71 - 80". IGN (2003-04-30). Retrieved on 2008-09-15.
  35. ↑ "IGN's Top 100 Games 061-070". IGN. Retrieved on 2008-09-15.
  36. ↑ Harris, Craig (2003-08-29). "IGN: Nintendo Celebrates Pokemoniversary". IGN. Retrieved on 2008-09-15.
  37. ↑ "Pokemon Green Version (Pokemon Green)". IGN. Retrieved on 2008-06-26.
  38. ↑ 38.0 38.1 38.2 "Pokémon Yellow: Special Pikachu Edition". IGN. Retrieved on 2007-02-08.
  39. ↑ 39.0 39.1 "Pokemon Yellow Version: Special Pikachu Edition Release Information for Game". GameFAQs. Retrieved on 2008-10-23.
  40. ↑ 40.0 40.1 "Games : Pokémon Yellow Version: Special Pikachu Edition". Nintendo Power. Retrieved on 2008-06-27.
  41. ↑ "Pokemon Strategy Guide: Walkthrough". IGN. Retrieved on 2008-06-27.
  42. ↑ "The History of Nintendo: Pokemania". GameSpot. Retrieved on 2008-10-24.
  43. ↑ Guinness Book of Records 2001 - Entertainment Section - p. 121
  44. ↑ 44.0 44.1 "GameRankings.com - Pokémon Yellow". Game Rankings. Retrieved on 2007-02-03.
  45. ↑ Davis, Cameron (2000-01-28). "Pokémon Yellow for Game Boy". GameSpot. Retrieved on 2007-02-08.
  46. ↑ Harris, Craig (1999-10-19). "Pokémon Yellow Review". IGN. Retrieved on 2007-02-10.
  47. ↑ 47.0 47.1 Kasavin, Greg (2004-09-07). "Pokemon FireRed Version for Game Boy Advance Review". GameSpot. Retrieved on 2008-09-16.
  48. ↑ 48.0 48.1 "Pokemon FireRed Version Release Information for Game Boy Advance". GameFAQs. Retrieved on 2008-09-16.
  49. ↑ Harris, Craig (2004-09-04). "IGN: Pokemon FireRed Version Review". IGN. Retrieved on 2008-09-17.
  50. ↑ Harris, Craig (2004-09-04). "IGN:Pokemon FireRed Version Review" p. 2. IGN. Retrieved on 2008-09-17.
Pokémon games
Handheld series
Red, Blue, Green, and Yellow • Gold, Silver, and Crystal • Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald • FireRed and LeafGreen • Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum
Console games
Stadium • 2 • Colosseum • XD: Gale of Darkness • Battle Revolution