It's not long now until The Pokémon Company goes all out for the 20th Anniversary of its franchise, bringing the original first generation games to the 3DS Virtual Console along with various hardware bundles. Pokémon Red and Blue will be joined by the Yellow Version on the eShop, making this the first occasion when these titles have been available to download - legitimately - on Nintendo hardware.
They are, pretty much, faithful to the source games, with the ROM being accompanied by the usual electronic manual. A nice extra with these releases, though, is that the old Game Boy Link Cable trades will now take place through local wireless transfers.
They're all coming on 27th February, and to warm us up Nintendo of Europe has released a fresh trailer full of footage and music to get your nostalgia senses tingling. Check it out below.
Comments (64)
"Ash used Poke Ball"
HOW CAN THIS BE I THOUGHT IT WAS RED
@Damo yellow version bro! It's based off the show.
@jpfan1989 This is literally the most confusing thing EVER
@Damo Ash was the second name choice in Red version.

Not sure about Blue version?
Not sure how to convince the kids that the monochrome of Red and Blue makes no difference to the quality of the game. Already had, "But weren't these out, like, last century?"
any word on the pricepoint yet?
For those wondering about the PEGI 12 rating:
This is all because of the slot machine minigame and stricter EU laws on gambling since the 90s.
@Sakura i think kids will jump onto the hypetrain, too. not all of them but i know one kid from my family who wanted to get a gameboy just to play the first pokemon games
Yellow + GameBoy Pocket <3
That trailer ground my gears in a number of ways. The Pidgey using gust on Brock's Onyx, managing to put an Abra to sleep and catch it with a Pokéball with ease, hitting all 3 of the Legendary Birds with STAB super-effective moves AND calling Red Ash (lol unintentionally referenced Inafune).
Still a great trailer though.
Hey, it's the guy guarding the Cerulean cave, where's his magnificent afro?
@Sakura I don't think it's really that it's black-and-white. More that these games have been VASTLY improved through the generations. They just look incredibly primitive now, in a way that similarly aged games don't.
That said, one of my friends is trying to sell me on playing them, and his tactic is to just download one of them to my 3DS and hope for the best. That might be your best option.
The funny thing I find with this is most people I knew played the game on the GBC so it being in black and white is a step backwards for most players.
Even though the nostalgia hits hard, it's really hard to go back play these games after such graphical and gameplay enhancements with the current generation. There's been changes to types, attack power and accuracies, new attacks, new Pokémon, natures, abilities, mega evolution. The list goes on. I've gotten too used to the new mechanics of Gen 6.
Wow, the things in that trailer I have not seen since I played the game when it first came out. Nostalgia I never knew I had. Still the only Pokemon I ever played
@World @6ch6ris6 "Might give it a try to see what games were like in the old days.", says one little one. I just feel positively ancient when they talk like that. 😜
Super tempted to grab Pokemon Yellow. I've played Red so many times, and there's something I really like about Yellow sharing parallels with the anime.
Also, having Pikachu follow you around is super cool :3 (Also love HGSS for doing this with every Pokemon!)
I was... I was, like, nine when Generation I saw the light of day. I'm getting nostalgoosebumps from this video... and the Mewtwo encounter got me at the end, cue the waterworks.
Then again, the monochrome sprites coupled with the red+blue captions made me daydream of a Space Invaders Extreme-esque graphical overhaul, mixing old and new. Heck, imagine a sprite-polygon-mix of Generation I with the Pokémon X/W/AS/OR engine!!
@Damo
http://nintendo.wikia.com/wiki/Red_(Pok%C3%A9mon_Trainer)
http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Red_(Origins)
It's actually really easy to understand if you look it up.
I can understand how younger kids might not be as keen on these games.
I mean I started with Pokemon Yellow but I think even I will find it pretty awkward going back to play these games since I've gotten used to all the features that have been added over the years.
I'm still interested for nostalgias sake though.
That weapons-grade nostalgia! This instantly takes me back.
Perhaps it's just because I grew up with it, but I've always found Gen 1 to be the most charming.
@Damo You're quite right... pokeballs are indeed red.
/nod
Man, that opening & music certainly brings back those childhood memories. First game I ever got too.
Still got said copy of Blue (& Gold) along with my GBA/SP but it'd be awesome to have my pokemon collection all on my 3ds so definitely gonna be picking up Yellow on the eshop next week.
Will miss some of the newer features from X/Y (my favs since Blue) but it should certainly be refreshing to experience it all back at the beginning (without all the EVs/stats/breeding stuff etc), what made it soo fun, addicting & exciting to explore a mysterious new region in the first place.
No idea how I'll find & explore everything like I did back during those childhood years though ahaha.
Just love that music!!! Memories!!!
So many great memories, I can't wait to play it again!
@AlexSora89 I got a little excited when it said "Mew!" but then I remembered that's just what Mewtwo says.. D:
Gosh. The nostalgia hit me like a brick lol
@Sakura Haha, aw. I don't even think of them as "old," necessarily. Pokemon itself is timeless. Just with these specific games there have been a lot of improvements and looking back means giving up a lot of the cool stuff the later generations added. Something you don't really see with retro Zelda or Mario, where all the titles are arguably unique entries, rather than upgrades.
I remember getting pokemon red and my Gameboy pocket at the same time on Christmas. I LOVE these games. I still have my original cartridge and play it from time to time. Kids today might not appreciate these gems (and I couldn't blame them because they didn't grow up with them) but I will NEVER have another game top the emotional bliss that I got with Gen 1 pokemon. The elite epitome of nostalgia.
@ThomasBW84 When should we expect your review(s) for these games? Just wondering.
Generation One has not aged well at least for me but I'm still going to get Yellow. It is just so outdated compared to the current Pokemon games it will just take a while to adjust. I mean special attack and special defense were one stat (special) and physic types were the most op thing ever.
@LegendOfPokemon Hopefully around about release time
Like others, I can't help but wonder why they weren't ported with at least an option to add the simple color of the Gameboy Color, or given a slight upgrade of full color. Capcom gave Ducktales an HD remake, surely Nintendo could have added color???
It would be cool to play through these with my two sons but I'm doubtful they'll want to play them in B&W.
@TheLastLugia he's called red and ash as yellow is based more on the anime hence team rocket having Jessie and james. red= red and blue versions.
This trailer lack a huge amount of MissingNo.
My kids are excited about playing these games. My son loves Pokemon as much as I do.
@Damo As few said before. Yellow is based on the animated show You get Pikachu as a starter and Jessie and James with Meowth also appear. Since it was made before the first season was finished, some late game facts don't fit.
On topic. That's a nice, althrough a bit long, trailer, showcasing all the important aspects of the games. I'm going to buy one game definitely, even if it will be ridicoulously expensive here (and I know it will be), just for the sake of nostalgia and to experience the games on 3DS. And to test what they did with glitches. While I hope for the glitches to be still there I am aware they may cause issues; some are save risky and some could allow to trade a glitch pokemon to somebody as a prank etc.
The only downside is the BW pallete of RB. I play my pokemon games on GBC, so yeah... The trailer looks a little bit dull to me
@RupeeClock: I'm pretty sure Blue's name lineup was Blue/Gary/John, if memory serves (Not 100% sure on that last name).
Kudos to those picking these up. I'm gonna pass since I still own my Blue and Yellow carts (which still surprisingly have retained their saves). Weirdly enough, I'm still excited about this VC release.
I want to get Blue version, because it is the only version I haven't played, but I feel like you are only getting your money's worth if you buy Yellow. I think the pricing should be lower for Red and Blue, due to not only the black and white visuals, but the lack of some of the other other enhancements that Yellow brought.
@MarinoKadame oh yeah. definetly gonna catch missingno if i get the game on 3ds
@dodongdude
Considering that we all knew about Mew by then, Nintendo was already rubbing Mew's "event-only" status in our faces from the get-go.
People are really overhyping this. Take off the nostalgia glasses. (Yes, I'm getting it anyway)
Still have my old game carts and more importantly, have the newer, vastly expanded and improved game carts too. So going to pass on these. Plus most of my favourite Pokémon are gen 3 onwards. These are mostly here to pander the nostalgic fan and stubborn genwunners, and that's fine just not for me. Bring on Pokken!
I also played Red on a game boy color so its a little weird to see it only black and white. Thats why I might get yellow even though id prefer the story and setup of red or blue. Its too bad all VC game boy games dont have an option for the slight color the GBC gave most of the older B&W games.
Oh boy do I wish I was a kid again!! Such great times 😀
PEGI12? lol
The trailer reminded what I didn't like from those game back in the late 90's. They seemed and felt super slow. Slow dialog, slow battles, slow walking. Even if you change the relevant options it still felt very slow. Not that XY don't have the same problem to some extend.
"kids wont be convinced" I dont care. Kids are stupid. I'm old and I'm excited about my old person 20th anniversary pokemon thing.
@Belmont you can change the dialog speed, 5 speeds. The 4th and 5th speed are almost enough where if you press A too fast you'll flash through what was being said. Battles go faster than X&Y, because the AI wasn't always as smart at times and of course it's always only 1v1 battles. Walking is slower than usual yes, but there is the bike option still after a while. But pegi12 seems like too much? Its too high by 1 rating maybe?
Last time I played yellow was two years ago, mYbe a bit soon to do it all again. Still...that Mew....
Not gonna lie, the nostalgia hits hard but I'm not going to get these. I have better (newer) Pokémon games to play on the go and if I really want to revisit the memories, I'll whip out my N64 and Stadium and play them at 3x speed. Gotta move faster...
It's dissapointing that the emulation doesn't have a gameboy colour option.
I already own Yellow, and have played it a lot for the Pokemon Stadium games, but have never played the original Red and Blue (I played Leafgreen, though). My instinct is therefore to get Blue. But man, the lack of color is really killer...
I got Yellow the first time around, so I'd like to try something else (if I pick up the game), but I'd also really like to see some colours. Decisions, decisions...
Red was my first game on my brand new gameboy pocket. I got blue the following Christmas as did my siblings but I was the only one that stuck with the franchise.
@sandman89 I know, I felt emotional listening to the music because it reminds me of being younger and care free.
I already have Fire Red and Leaf Green on GBA but I still feel like playing the originals.
I remember on the last day of the school year back in 2000 roughly 12 of us sat around a table playing Pokemon Red and Blue - trading, battling and cheering when catching new 'Mon.
Back in the day, Pokemon was the great leveller. The games (and everything else that came with it) even allowed you to extend the olive branch to your playground nemesis. A slice of world peace truly was possible.
Don't forget: There are no Dark, Steel, or Fairy types; Magnemite and Magneton are pure Electric types; Psychic types are extremely overpowered and immune to Ghost type attacks; Poison type attacks are super effective on Bug types; Special Attack and Special Defense are combined into one stat; Physical and Special Attacks are determined purely by type; Bite, Karate Chop, Gust, and Sand Attack are Normal type attacks; Low Kick has 50 base power rather than being determined by weight; high critical hit moves like Razor Leaf land critical hits almost all the time, although Focus Energy actually fails to raise your critical hit rate (or do anything) like it's supposed to do; Bind and Wrap will continually flinch the opponent, giving the victim no way to attack if the user is faster (unless Bind/Wrap misses); and Hyper Beam's recharge turn doesn't apply if it KOs an opponent.
@Sanicranfast "For those wondering about the PEGI 12 rating:
This is all because of the slot machine minigame and stricter EU laws on gambling since the 90s."
But Ratchet and Clank 2&3 have slot machines and are PEGI 3+. Are there any special rules involved?
@Damo Red and Blue (green) predate Yellow. After the show took the heck off the TPC "cashed in" and created what was basically "Pokemon: Pikachu Edition" by creating Yellow (which was designed to mimic the show unlike the game original games which were separate but similar. So they used the names of the show and added a few sprite changes to make it look like the show. Your pikachu is even a butt about evolving...just like the show. It even started the bonding with pokemon (since Ash's bond to his special pikachu was a big part of the show) which gets expanded in later games.
If you are referencing the nendoroids those were based on Red and Green (Blue in the west). There have been "Ash" figures and I think a nendoroid as well. They don't look the same.
@dadajo yeah, the hardest thing to get used to for me (having only started pokémon recently) will be that.
Omg omg omg I am so excited!
...is it bad if I already instinctively wanted to press the A button to skip past/progress some of the text quicker? Haha oh boy... Cannot wait to fire up my new 20th anniversary 3ds - I literally am going to be all giddy and squealing.... This is such a big part of my childhood and cannot wait to play it again.
@Dewtwo oh ya! Me and my friend used to repeat/recite the Pokemon raps walking home from school! We would just stare at the ground and rattle off every Pokemon 1-150(1)....
Wow it actually sounds kind of sad now haha ! No but seriously I'm so excited to play these again. I never thought they'd be released on the VC! Careful what you wish for!
@TerrapinJess
Charmeeeeleon, Wartortle, Mewtwo Tentacruel, Aerodactyl!
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