In both games, they are well balanced and I could avoid encounters most of the time as an option. Unlike past RPGs like Final Fantasy VI, this made the encounter rate less tedious. It also helped balance the encounter rate with resting locations even in areas that could encounter a Pokémon like in the Viridian Forest. The idea all the paths and routes being connected was a brilliant design choice. For the overworld, it was handled a lot better than most RPGs out on the PS1. It made the Pokémon selection at the start different as the player could make the game challenging or simple.

Basically, picking Bulbasaur means easy, Squirtle is normal and Charmander is hard. It's interesting that the first three starter Pokémon can determine the game's difficulty. For an RPG that is targeted towards kids it really helps them understand such a simple concept. The battle system of using an element's strength and weakness as a strategy felt unique. I once thought Square did a good job designing the Final Fantasy Legend Trilogy but Nintendo takes this further by providing a bigger console RPG. Much like the game's success in Japan, Pokémon would become a huge hit in North America selling several million copies.įor a simple concept to understand is quite addictive and adds a lot to the value. Instead they would actually color the carts based on either Charizard for red or Blastosie for blue.

Unlike the Japanese release, Nintendo wouldn't use the traditional grey cartridges. Instead of three colored versions, Nintendo decided they would have Red and Blue only to balance the trading aspect.

In 1998, Pocket Monsters got renamed for its localization as Pokémon to shorting the name. After these versions were a huge success in Japan for Nintendo, they would bring it to North America. Pocket Monsters came in three versions of the same game and each one represented Red, Blue and Green of the three starters. Pokémon was originally released in 1996 in Japan as Pocket Monsters and took the home country by storm. That was the start of its massive popularity which continues today on a global scale. It has been 15 years since Nintendo introduced the Pokémon series to North American players.

Pokemon red gameboy advance