How To Play Original Pokemon Games

To play original Pokémon games, you’ll typically need a Game Boy, Game Boy Color, or Game Boy Advance console and the corresponding game cartridge. Alternatively, you can use emulators on your computer or mobile device.

Remember the thrill of choosing your first Pokémon? Many people have fond memories of playing these classics. Figuring out how to play original Pokémon games can feel a little tricky today.

These games, from Red and Blue to Gold and Silver, offer a charming experience. The gameplay is simple, turn-based combat and lots to explore. So, get ready to embark on a nostalgic journey through the Kanto or Johto region.

How to Play Original Pokemon Games

So, you’re ready to jump into the world of classic Pokémon? That’s fantastic! The original Pokémon games, like Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow (and later Gold, Silver, and Crystal), hold a special place in many hearts. They’re where it all began! While they might look a bit different from the newer games, the core fun of catching ’em all and becoming the best Pokémon Trainer remains the same. Let’s break down how to get started on your journey.

Choosing Your First Game

First things first, you need to decide which game you’ll play. The very first games released in North America were Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue. These are very similar, with slight differences in the Pokémon you can find in each version. Pokémon Yellow came later and followed the storyline of the cartoon with Pikachu being your starter. If you want a purer experience, try Red or Blue. If you love Pikachu, go for Yellow. Let’s look into the differences a little more:

Pokémon Red and Blue

These two games are almost identical. The main difference is the selection of Pokémon you will be able to find while exploring. Some Pokémon are exclusive to Red version, while other are exclusive to Blue version. So, if you want to catch every Pokemon you will need to trade with other players that have the opposite version of the game. These games offer a great starting experience to the original Pokemon journey.

Pokémon Yellow

The Yellow version differs in that, like in the cartoon, you will start your journey with Pikachu instead of having a choice of Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle. Your Pikachu will also follow you around on the screen, unlike in the other games. Also, Yellow features some trainer battles that mirror the battles from the TV show.

Getting Started

Once you’ve picked your game, it’s time to get going. You’ll begin your journey in a small town with a friendly professor, who is ready to guide you to the world of Pokemon. All the first generation games, Red, Blue, and Yellow, all start the same. Professor Oak, a famous Pokemon researcher will explain the world of Pokemon to you and then he will offer you a Pokemon. In Red and Blue, you will get a choice between three pokemon, Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle, while in Yellow, you will receive a Pikachu to start your adventure with. After receiving your first pokemon, you are off to start your very own journey.

Navigating the Game World

The world of the first generation Pokemon games is full of exciting places to explore. It’s presented from a top-down view, meaning you’ll see your character and the world from above. To move around, you’ll use the directional pad on your game system. The different locations you will encounter are:

Towns: These are safe places where you can buy items, heal your Pokémon at the Pokémon Center, talk to people and learn things about the world.
Routes: These are paths that connect different towns. Wild Pokémon live here, and you’ll have to battle them to train your team and make your way to other towns.
Caves and Dungeons: These areas are filled with puzzles and usually powerful Pokémon. Always be ready for a challenging fight.

Remember to talk to every person you encounter. They may give you useful items, information about the game, or even a new quest to complete.

Catching Pokémon

Catching Pokémon is one of the most important things in any Pokémon game. The first step to catching a Pokemon is to find one. You will be able to find wild pokemon as you walk through long grass or go in caves. When you encounter a wild pokemon, you must battle it first. Once you have weaken the wild Pokemon, you can throw a Pokeball at it. If you are lucky, you will catch it. Here is a step by step guide to catching Pokémon:

Find Wild Pokémon: Walk around in grassy areas or caves.
Start a Battle: When you run into a wild Pokémon, the battle will begin.
Weaken the Pokémon: Use your Pokémon’s moves to lower the wild Pokémon’s health. Be careful not to defeat it!
Throw a Poké Ball: Select a Poké Ball from your bag and throw it at the wild Pokémon.
Success or Failure: If the Pokémon stays in the Poké Ball after a few shakes, you’ve caught it! If it breaks out, you’ll need to try again.

Different Types of Poké Balls

Not all Poké Balls are the same. There are many different types and each one works slightly differently. Here are some of the Poké Balls that you will come across in the game:

Poké Ball: The standard Poké Ball with a standard catching rate.
Great Ball: A better Poké Ball, slightly better than a Poké Ball.
Ultra Ball: The best Poké Ball you will encounter in the game, it will be the most reliable.
Master Ball: You will only receive one of these in the game, and it is a guaranteed catch. It is best to save this to catch a really rare pokemon like a Legendary pokemon.

Battling Pokémon

Battling is a core component of the Pokemon games. You will need to battle both wild pokemon to catch them, and other trainers as you make your way through the story. Battles in the original games are turn-based. This means you and your opponent will take turns choosing your moves. Here’s how it works:

Pokémon Battle Screen: When a battle starts, you’ll see your Pokémon on the bottom and the enemy Pokémon on the top of the screen.
Choosing a Move: On your turn, you’ll choose a move from the list of moves your Pokémon knows.
Move Effects: Each move has a certain type and power. Some are more effective against certain Pokémon types (for example, water moves are effective against fire Pokémon).
Taking Damage: After you attack, your opponent will attack, and you’ll see your Pokémon’s health go down.
Winning and Losing: If your Pokémon’s health goes to zero, it faints. If all of your Pokémon faint, you’ll lose the battle and go back to the last Pokémon Center you used. If you defeat all of your opponents Pokémon, you win the battle and receive experience points.

Understanding Type Matchups

Type matchups are important in Pokemon battles. Each pokemon has one or two types and each type has its own strengths and weakness. It’s like a rock-paper-scissors system. For example:

Fire beats Grass
Grass beats Water
Water beats Fire

Knowing these matchups will help you win battles more easily. Some type matchups can be very effective while other type matchups can be ineffective. You will also encounter pokemon types like Normal, Fighting, Flying, Poison, Ground, Rock, Bug, Ghost, Electric, Psychic, Ice, Dragon, and Dark. Understanding the strengths and weaknesses will be crucial for being a great Pokemon trainer.

Training Your Pokémon

As you battle, your Pokémon gain experience. The more they battle, the more experience they get. Once they get enough experience, they will level up, and will learn new moves, or some may even evolve into stronger forms. Each Pokémon will evolve at a certain level, or under certain conditions. For example, Pikachu will evolve into Raichu when exposed to a thunderstone. As your Pokemon grow stronger, you will be able to challenge more difficult opponents. Some tips for training pokemon:

Battle often: Don’t avoid battles, seek them out to level your pokemon up.
Use the Exp. Share item: This item, when held by a Pokemon, will allow that pokemon to passively gain experience when another pokemon is used in a battle.
Pay attention to your team: Make sure you are training multiple pokemon to create a strong well-rounded team.

Saving Your Progress

Unlike modern games, the original Pokémon games don’t have an auto-save feature. You need to manually save your game. Here’s how:

Open the Menu: During your adventure, press the Start button.
Select Save: Choose the “Save” option in the menu.
Confirm: The game will ask if you want to save. Say “Yes”.

Make sure to save often, especially before major battles or when you’ve made progress! If your game is out of battery or your emulator closes without you saving, you might lose all your progress.

Key Items to Collect

As you play through the game, you will encounter special items that are very important to your adventure. There are too many items to list, but here are some of the most important ones:

Poké Balls: Essential for catching Pokémon.
Potions: Heals your Pokémon in battles.
Antidotes and Burn Heals: Cure status ailments.
TMs and HMs: Teach new moves to your Pokémon.
Key Items: These will let you access certain locations and continue the story.

Gym Battles

A crucial part of the Pokémon games is the Gym Battles. Gyms are located in various cities, and each gym has a different type focus, like Rock, Water, or Electric. You have to defeat the Gym Leader to get a badge, and collect them all to get to the end of the game. Here’s how it works:

Find the Gym: Each city will have a gym.
Trainers: Inside, you’ll have to battle the gym trainers before challenging the Gym Leader.
Gym Leader Battle: The Leader will have stronger Pokémon, usually of a specific type.
Earn Your Badge: When you defeat the Leader, you’ll get a badge and can continue to the next gym.

Remember to plan your team carefully and use the type matchups to your advantage! Each badge you receive will also unlock a new ability like the ability to use Cut to cut down trees.

The Elite Four and Champion

After you have all the badges, you will be ready to battle the Elite Four and Champion. This will be the most difficult battles in the game. Before entering the Pokemon League, be sure to be well prepared with a full team of high-level Pokemon and an abundance of items like potions. The Elite Four are four of the strongest trainers in the land, and they will all battle you back to back, with no chance to rest. Once you defeat all of them, you will challenge the Champion. If you defeat the Champion, congratulations! You have beaten the game! This does not mean the game is finished however, there is still plenty more to do after the Elite Four and Champion.

Post-Game Content

Even after you beat the Elite Four and the Champion, there is still more content that you can explore. Some examples of post-game content include:

Completing your Pokedex: One of the core aspects of the Pokemon games is the Pokedex. The Pokedex is a book that documents every single pokemon. By completing the Pokedex, you will be catching every single pokemon in the game. You may have to trade with others to obtain the pokemon you need to complete the Pokedex.
Finding Legendaries: The legendary pokemon are some of the most rare pokemon to encounter in the game. These pokemon are very powerful and are the most rewarding to catch.
Rematching Trainers: Some trainers will want a rematch after you defeat the Elite Four. These trainers will have stronger pokemon.

There is no true end to the Pokemon games, you can continue playing them for as long as you want to.

Tips for New Players

Playing the original Pokémon games can feel different than modern games. Here are some tips to help you get started:

Be Patient: The original games can be slower and harder than newer ones, so be patient with yourself.
Don’t be Afraid to Explore: Check every corner, talk to everyone, and don’t be afraid to wander off the beaten path.
Save Often: Make sure you are saving your progress often in case of a battery failure or some other issue.
Look for Online Resources: If you get stuck, there are tons of websites and videos to help you out.

Playing the original Pokémon games is a wonderful way to experience the history of the franchise. The charm and simplicity of these games is very appealing to many people, and hopefully, this guide will help you get started.

These games hold a special magic that’s worth experiencing firsthand. So, grab your game, choose your Pokémon, and get ready for an awesome adventure! Remember to have fun and catch ’em all!

The Optimal Pokemon Play Order

Final Thoughts

To play original Pokémon games, you must acquire a compatible device, such as an old Game Boy or emulator. Obtain the original game cartridges or ROM files from a legitimate source. Then, start playing and enjoy the classic experience.

Find guides for the specific game version if you get stuck. Remember the game’s basics like catching Pokémon and battling gyms. Learning how to play original pokemon games is rewarding and enjoyable.