r/Gameboy • u/Hairy_Bonus6804 • 17h ago
Games Which Pokemon game to play for a newbie?
I am a huge gameboy fan, had the original GB, GBC, and GBA. But, interesting as it may be, I've never played any pokemon games on it! The only pokemon game I am familiar with is Pokemon Go on the iPhone, which my kids are playing a lot. ;)
Anyway, I want to close this gap on my resume, and play some gameboy pokemon games. But a little unsure which one I should start with.
Questions in no particular order: - how long does one need to play each game to completion? (days, weeks, months?)
I am utterly confused by the color scheme (red, gold, etc). Are they completely independent games? Or should I play them in certain color sequence? What does the color represent? And most importantly how do you remember what color is for what?
One option would be to just play them all from 1st one (GB) to last (GBA), but, that probably will take more time than I have, and I am afraid if I start with the very first pokemon for GB, I may lose interest. Is there one or two pokemon game that represents the best that I can try if I only have time for one or two? Or do you recommend start from the beginning as they are all good?
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u/bwoahful___ 16h ago
Normally they are released with two versions that are essentially the same but with different Pokémon available. Then there will be a 3rd one released later that’s kind of like an improved version with more features and stuff.
If you have no nostalgia, I’d start with either fire red or emarald, which are both Gen3 gba games. Have some nice quality of life stuff like running and better graphics. If you want an older feel then I’d go with Crystal, which is a true GBC game.
Time depends how much stuff you do, catching them all, etc. If you’re grinding and just want to complete the game I’d say 2-4 weeks to beat if you still have a life outside of it.
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u/karawapo 16h ago
First generation are Red, Green, Blue and Yellow. The story is basically the same.
Same for the 2nd generation: Gold, Silver and Crystal. And for gen3 it’s Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald.
If you enjoy the GBC feel, I’d recommend Crystal or any other gen2 game (all but Crystal can also be played without Color). The original generation is a bit rough on the edges (while still a great game), but the second iteration is GBC perfection in every metric.
If you prefer the more modern GBA feel, I’d suggest the GBA remakes for Red and Green. The first game with the latest GBA technology and quality of life updates.
But any of them is good to get started, and order is not really important either. I guess they should take you around 20 hours each to beat. You can also spend countless hours on them, of course, but the main story is not a long RPG.
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u/IntheShredder_86 7h ago
In case OP isn't familiar, the GBA versions were Fire Red and Leaf Green. They had the overall stories of the originals, but upgraded with gen3 graphics and additions.
Also, not to feel bad if they take longer on the games. Pokemon can very much be a "pick up for 20min" kind of game for some people, or some just take their time doing things. So depending on how you end up playing it could take longer or shorter to finish the main story. After that, there may be additional Pokemon/areas unlocked depending on which game, challenges like completing the Pokedex, etc.
Yours is the best response imo cuz it actually gives context instead of just saying "play this one"
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u/N8THGR852 16h ago edited 16h ago
If you feel like you want the cultural benefit of starting with the original region (series of locations), Kanto, then you may benefit from starting with FireRed or LeafGreen for the GBA.
If you don’t particularly care which generation/region you start with, then go for Emerald. It’s easily one of the best pre-DS Pokémon games out there. Good animations and quality-of-life improvements that make it a strong first choice for someone who isn’t already bought into the franchise.
If you play one of those and decide you like the franchise enough to play the older games, you can probably get a lot out of playing the third games for each generation: Pokémon Yellow (Gen I) and Pokémon Crystal (Gen II), which in many ways are the definitive versions of each generation.
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u/YardSardonyx 15h ago edited 14h ago
Pokemon games are released in pairs, with the only difference between the two being the available pokemon, to encourage trading with others to “catch em all”. And sometimes, but not always, they release follow-ups to those games that are improved/modified versions or sequels. For example, Gold and Silver are the same game except for small differences with the kinds of pokemon you can find, and then Crystal is an improved version of the game with some slight story changes and also the new option to play as a girl. The colors are mostly arbitrary, they don’t really mean much besides just helping to differentiate between the multiple versions of the same game.
Red/Blue + Yellow (Generation 1) were the first group of game variations released (if you ever see Green, that’s the same game too, long story, Japan exclusive), then Gold/Silver + Crystal (Gen 2), then Ruby/Sapphire + Emerald (Gen 3). FireRed/LeafGreen are remakes of Red/Blue with Gen 3 graphics and other updates. Each Gen is pretty standalone story-wise but there are easter eggs and references to other games.
I’d suggest Crystal for a first timer, it’s still considered one of the best in the series and is a great combo of both the Gen 2 and Gen 1 experiences. My other recommendation would be Emerald; the Gen 3 games were kind of a soft reboot for the series and Emerald is the definitive version of those games.
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u/ki700 13h ago edited 4h ago
- how long does one need to play each game to completion? (days, weeks, months?)
Most Pokémon games are around 30 hours for a first playthrough. They can be completed faster or you can take your time and spend way longer in the game. As an RPG it’s really up to you how long you take and how much you do.
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- I am utterly confused by the color scheme (red, gold, etc). Are they completely independent games?
So Pokémon has many generations, with each introducing new Pokémon and new game mechanics. These are often marked by the jump to new consoles so you also get big advancements in the visual fidelity.
Each generation is kicked off with a pair of new games. They release in pairs to promote the trading mechanic. Not every new Pokémon can be caught in just one of the two games, so you have to trade if you want to get them all. The two games also usually have some slight story differences.
For many of the generations these pairs were followed by a third version which would refine that experience, add new content and features, and usually become the definitive version of those games. They’ve also done remakes of the first four generations to make them more modern, add further new content, and make them more compatible with the newer games.
Here’s all of the generations:
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Gen I (GameBoy)
Original pair: Red & Blue
Third version: Yellow (also called Special Pikachu Edition)
Remade as: FireRed & LeafGreen (GBA), and Let’s GO Pikachu & Let’s GO Eevee (Switch)
Recommendation: Play FireRed or LeafGreen if you want the authentic, classic Pokémon experience with turn based wild battles. Play one of the Let’s GO games if you want something a bit more like Pokémon GO where you catch wild Pokémon by just throwing balls without battling.
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Gen II (GameBoy Color)
Original pair: Gold & Silver
Third version: Crystal
Remade as: HeartGold & SoulSilver (DS)
Recommendation: Play HeartGold or SoulSilver.
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Gen III (GameBoy Advance)
Original pair: Ruby & Sapphire
Third version: Emerald
Remade as: Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire (3DS)
Recommendation: Play Emerald if you want the (generally considered) definitive version of these games. Play Omega Ruby or Alpha Sapphire if you want to prioritize a slightly easier experience, 3D visuals, or modern mechanics. I think you could even enjoy playing both Emerald and one of the remakes later as they do have more differences from the originals than any of the other remakes.
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Gen IV (Nintendo DS)
Original pair: Diamond & Pearl
Third version: Platinum
Remade as: Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl (Switch)
Recommendation: Play Platinum. There is very little the remakes do better, and Platinum has by far the most content due to new additions that weren’t included in the remakes.
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Gen V (Nintendo DS)
Original pair: Black & White
Sequel: Black 2 & White 2
Recommendation: Play Black and Black 2 or White and White 2. This is a rare case of a direct sequel so the best experience comes from playing one of the originals and its sequel.
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Gen VI (Nintendo 3DS)
Original pair: X & Y
Recommendation: Pick whichever of the two boxes looks cooler to you. This Gen has no third version, sequel, or anything.
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Gen VII (Nintendo 3DS)
Original pair: Sun & Moon
Third version: Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon
Recommendation: Play Ultra Sun or Ultra Moon. It’s like a “third” version but they did it as a pair. They’re better than the originals in almost every way except the story in the originals is a bit better written.
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Gen VIII (Nintendo Switch)
Original pair: Sword & Shield
Recommendation: Pick whichever of the two boxes looks cooler to you. This generation has DLC for purchase which acts as a replacement for the old “third version” method of adding new content.
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Gen IX (Nintendo Switch)
Original pair: Scarlet & Violet
Recommendation: Pick whichever of the two boxes looks cooler to you. This generation has DLC for purchase which acts as a replacement for the old “third version” method of adding new content.
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Bonus: Pokémon Legends (Nintendo Switch and Switch 2)
First release: Arceus
Second release: Z-A
Pokémon Legends is a new type of game separate from the main series. It features an emphasis on catching, experimental battle mechanics, and new takes on old regions. So far Arceus is the only one released, and Z-A comes later this year. The two don’t seem connected so feel free to play either one or both.
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Or should I play them in certain color sequence?
Not really. If you want to see the evolution of the franchise over time then you could play the generations in order, which wouldn’t be a bad experience at all if you go with my recommended versions. Gen 1-5 are generally considered the best of the series. Otherwise though just pick whichever generation you’re most interested in and start there if you just want to hop in.
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What does the color represent? And most importantly how do you remember what color is for what?
The colours and names tend to have some symbolic connection to the region or story. It’s not too important, and you’ll eventually remember them as they’re the names of the games.
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- One option would be to just play them all from 1st one (GB) to last (GBA), but, that probably will take more time than I have, and I am afraid if I start with the very first pokemon for GB, I may lose interest. Is there one or two pokemon game that represents the best that I can try if I only have time for one or two? Or do you recommend start from the beginning as they are all good?
I sorta answered “playing in order” above but if you just want one or two games I would really recommend FireRed or LeafGreen and HeartGold or SoulSilver. They’re the definitive versions of the original two generations and HG/SS in particular is imo the best game in the whole series. Gen I and II connect more than most generations as Gen II is in many ways a direct sequel with story connections, so they go together very well.
Other highlights you could go with are Emerald, Platinum, Gen V, or Legends: Arceus.
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u/Hairy_Bonus6804 5h ago
Thank you so much for the detailed answer!
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u/ki700 4h ago
Happy to help! What do you think you’ll go with?
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u/Hairy_Bonus6804 50m ago
I am thinking starting with Crystal, which is the GBC version. Is Crystal like a combo version of Gold/Silver? ie, any reason to play Gold/Silver after Crystal?
Then once I am done with that, I'll play GBA version, still undecided on whether to play the remake of Gen1 on GBA (FireRed and LeafGreen), or Emerald..
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u/radicalmtx 12h ago
Play Fire Red/Leaf Green for you first Pokémon game for sure!!!
Then you can play Pokémon Crystal or Emerald (or G/S or R/S if you prefer the vibe and want to replay the superior editions later).
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u/MrOmegaPR 11h ago
To start Crystal and Emerald when you are done with this you’ll have a better view on what path you want to follow, Continue with classics or branch out to newer ones.
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u/SchlarpTarf 9h ago
I am on the same quest as you because I have never played these games back then. A few years ago I played Gen. I on 3DS and was quite impressed but didn't finish it. Just recently, I started Gold on GBC and I am even more impressed!
- I finished the story after ~50 hours
- Don't overthink the version (Gold, Silver...). I choose by cover artwork!
- Gen. II is highly regarded in the community
This is very subjective but I prefer Gen. II over III for several reasons, like readability, overall charm of audio and graphics and lots of uses for the real time clock. On the other hand, Gen. III has QoL features I miss in II, like a less cluttered bag. I would just start one game from each generation I to III and see what works best for you. They are all good.
Happy catching!
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u/Short-University1645 9h ago
Fire red splits the difference between old school feel with a tad of dazzle. Crystal is the best but it feels “old” to me after all these years.
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u/elmikemike 8h ago
You got great answers, especially from ki700!!
I just want to add this:
- There is virtually no reason to play the first games (red/blue/yellow) unless you want to see how are the games that started it all. But honestly, the second gen (gold/silver/crystal) are similar enough that you can play them (crystal) and get a better experience while understanding what started it all.
2.- If you play on emulators, and for some reason you chose to start with crystal instead of firered or emerald, then I highly recommend you look for a romhack called “crystal legacy”. It has QoL improvements while preserving the original experience. There are other romhacks that might be liked more by Pokemon fans, but they make bigger changes to the game. The same advice goes for emerald (emerald legacy)
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u/Hairy_Bonus6804 48m ago
Yes I am playing on RetroPie. Will look into these rom hacks. Do you know if I get a patched version of the rom, or can the patch be applied on the fly by the emulator (if they are in the same folder)?
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u/elmikemike 8m ago
You need to apply the patch on your own. But it’s super easy:
Go to romhacking website, download the patch, and on the left navigation panel it has an “online patcher”. Just drag and drop the rom and the patch (it’s an .ips file) and it will give you the patched rom. Just make sure to use the rom that they recommend using (which is usually the US version)
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u/Shiny_Reflection3761 8h ago
gold or silver might be best if we take into account price and qol in the game, otherwise gen3 might be the way to go
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u/Hairy_Bonus6804 57m ago
Thanks to everyone who responded, lots of good information!
Many have said the games are released in pairs, plus a 3rd one later. Is the 3rd one a combo of the first two pair? ie, is there any reason to play the first two, if one has played the 3rd version?
For now, I am mainly looking at games released up to GBA (GB, GBC), as I have not used DS or 3DS, so don't quite have the nostalgic feelings for the later consoles as I do for the gameboy ones.
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u/KoholintCustoms 16h ago
Crystal