Well, my first video game is oddly perfect for my first video game review. However, because of nostalgia if you are looking for my mostly serious series reviews, well you are probably not going to get it. This nostalgia fueled game well, it will probably have that fine line between comedic episode reviews and serious series reviews. However, without further ado time to go down memory lane with those dreams of catching them all once ago in my first and probably only video game review.

Pokemon BattleSo to the sorry few that had more of a sheltered childhood than me or just never got into the games, Pokemon is a franchise that is 20 years strong and only grows stronger. The original games as part of the 20th anniversary was released on the eShop on the 3DS for Virtual Console. The game I am focusing on is Red, the first game I ever got. However Yellow, and Blue are similar. Only real differences between all versions are different Pokemon, Yellow is also a little trickier and has Pikachu as the starter as well as the ability to gain the original three starters later in the game. So, this review can be taken for all versions.

pokemon team
Back in my day we didn’t have those fancy sprites.

This is the first generation of games and has 151 Pokémon to find catch, trade. Although the original copies were for Gameboy and the link option is no longer available in that way, Nintendo, despite keeping the glitches in the game, did update to have the ability to trade and battle in local play. Anyway, I am jumping ahead. These JRPG games involve traveling around the Kanto region trying to collect Pokemon for the Pokedex. Each one changes upon level up, while learning moves some can evolve over time. Besides trying to “Catch’em All” you go around collecting gym badges and soon discover an evil organization is out to disrupt the peace of the region.

The game is turned base, with each team up to six in a single battle format. In total there are many different types with different strengths and weakness. Moves are a lot less compared to the later games, however each move has their own typing and different Pokemon can learn different moves. Although at this point in the review I am questioning if I am writing this for long time fans or new ones, either way it feels like that should be explained.

pokemon league
Pokemon League!

I am currently about to go to the Pokemon League. Normally I would want to beat the game, or in most review cases for the anime reviews, finish the anime before giving the final verdict. However, playing the games over the years and sinking well several hundreds of hours per game in the last 18 years I think it is safe to say where I stand.

This game is perfect for nostalgia reasons. Challenging in ways I forgot about, some because the lack of move sets that later games fixed, typing, and so much more. Standing from the view of someone who played the recent version, these ones is a lot different with fewer features. However, it can provide a lot of challenges the newer games don’t have. It is harder between level gaps. It provides that experience that veteran players seemed to forget,

pokemon stats It is hard to say exactly where I stand. If this game came out now, new and the start of a new series, it would be terrible. But it came out when video games were starting to get better. It is amazing how far the franchise has come since the early days. I forgot how much I loved this series as I been lacking in my two times a year or more playthrough of it. Perhaps this is just a pure nostalgia review than anything. It holds up and in a way helped look back on all the times of playing, despite me being only six years old at the time.

Does the Nostalgia Hold Up? Yes

Overall Score: 200/100 For holding up that Nostalgia and then some (Yeah, this one wasn’t a serious review)

Other Things:

  • Favorite Gym: Erika
  • Favorite Type: Dragon
  • Favorite Starter: Charmander
  • Poke-Gen 1 Best Girl: Erika or Sabrina
  • Poke-Waifu (Despite not being in-game): Cynthia
  • Favorite Non-Starter: Dragonite or Nidoking (Gen 1 only for Nidoking)

Those that have played the games, do you still play them? If not then why? 

Those that never played them, any reason?

As always I hope you enjoyed.

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Again, I hope you enjoyed and see you next time.

– Joe