Top 50 Pokemon Games Of All Time

8 – Pokemon FireRed & LeafGreen (Game Boy Advance)

Pokemon’s first experiment with remakes was, appropriately, with their original titles. For veterans of the series, playing the nostalgia-filled adventures in full color was a dream come true, and it allowed new fans who had joined the series in Generation 2 or 3 to experience Kanto for the first time. Wireless traded and battling was introduced for the first time with a special adapter that came with the title, paving the way to the wireless communication we use today. FireRed & LeafGreen also reintroduced endgame content in the form of the Sevii Islands, and encouraged collectors to trade with Ruby & Sapphire to Catch ’em all.

But the remakes weren’t perfect, and not all additions were positive ones. In an attempt to help out new players, FireRed & LeafGreen introduced way too many “Help” options, with interrupting dialogue in inconvenient locations (I never want to watch the Teachy TV ever again). The musical remixes were awkward, not living up to player expectations of better-orchestrated nostalgia, and the sprites and graphics were weirdly squished. Plus, without some really creative trading, it was all but impossible to actually catch every Pokemon.

None of these faults are gamebreakers. At the time, FireRed & LeafGreen were brilliant and well-praised, and their success inspired future remakes–though not all would be successes.

Next: #7 - Pokemon Ruby & Sapphire