Gotta Catch Em All... Again

Pokemon Red was my first Game Boy game, and as such holds a special place in my heart. Years later, they have remade the 2 games that started the pokemon craze: Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen.

Before I begin, let me recommend that you all only get either FireRed or LeafGreen. There is no sense in having them both. I once owned Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, FireRed, and LeafGreen, and I ended up selling 3 of those. The reason I say this is because FireRed and LeafGreen are the same game, just with a handful of Pokemon being unique to each version.

Back in the day, it MIGHT have made sense to have 2 versions if you didn't have friends to trade with. Nowadays, however, there are so many pokemon that catching every last one is an endeavor only to be attempted by obsessive-compulsives; I guarantee that you will have no desire to see the task of catching ever last darn critter all the way through. If you do, I doubt it will be a very rewarding experience.

Beyond this caveat, this game is very good because it is virtually a carbon copy of the original games, which were also very good. That's both the game's greatest strength and its greatest weakness: while the original game was darn near perfect, nostalgia only goes so far, and the magic will not repeat itself. If this is your first pokemon game, however, then you are in for a treat, assuming that you are either very young or young at heart.

This game is a very simple RPG with a basic plot. You are a young boy or girl, and are tasked with catching a variety of pocket monsters, or pokemon, and training a team of them to battle other trainers, which include the "Gym Leader" bosses, your childhood rival, a villainous cartel known as Team Rocket, and eventually the unparalleled Elite Four. The game is very easy; the learning curve is very low, and there is even a hint system for when the player gets stuck. However, there is a fairly deep battle system here, so competitive players.

The graphics are decent, and the sound is nothing to write home about. But regardless of the lack of originality or aging sound design, the fact remains that it is still pokemon. It sells like illegal drugs and still oozes with charm, and as such the developers have no real incentive to change the formula.

One more thing that I would like to point out: if you have a Nintendo DS, and you have never played pokemon before, then I would highly recommend the new Pokemon Platinum version. Platinum is the director's cut of the DS iterations of the game, and as such has more pokemon and gameplay than you can shake a stick at. Plus, it has online battling and trading, which is a huge addition to the series. If you still want another adventure, or just wish to play a remake of the original game, then pick up FireRed. You really can't go wrong, unless you hate pokemon.

A great game! [Details on fake versions of games]

I enjoyed playing previous versions of Pokemon so I got this version quickly. Pokemon Firered is a remake of Pokemon Red. Awesome graphics and hours of fun!

A few stuff you should before purchasing a copy is that the Pokemon Firered versions that say "Player's Choice" on the box do not come with the Wireless Adaptor.

If you are purchasing Firered on Ebay, please be careful. Many sellers are known to sell bootleg (unauthentic, ungenuine, fake, etc.) versions of it. Please read the following links provided to help you decide if a seller is selling a real or fake version of a GBA game.



This one had the most info on bootleg GBA games:

http://www.cheapassgamer.​com/forums/faq.php?faq=cag_tra​ding_guide

[Scroll down the page until you see the section titled "Identifying Bootleg / Pirated Gameboy Advance (GBA) Games" by Nephilim]




http://reviews.ebay.com.a​u/FAKE-POKEMON-gameboy-games-C​OMPREHENSIVE-GUIDE-PICS_W0QQug​idZ10000000004240408




http://reviews.ebay.com.a​u/How-to-avoid-fake-Pokemon-Ga​meboy-Games_W0QQugidZ100000000​02994284



Also very informational:
http://www.trsrockin.com/​fakegames.html



http://reviews.ebay.com/B​ootleg-Game-Boy-Advance-Games-​How-to-Spot-them_W0QQugidZ1000​0000001074217



http://lameazoid.com/2007​/10/01/poketoberfest/



About counterfeit games in general, not just fake Pokemon ones: http://reviews.ebay.com.au/FAK​E-Nintendo-Games-Comprehensive​-Guide-with-Photo-apos-s_W0QQu​gidZ10000000003498747?ssPageNa​me=BUYGD:CAT:-1:LISTINGS:2



http://www.aroundthecontr​oller.com/2008/04/09/bring-it-​back-aazzrrk-interrupted/
[The pictures were helpful (click on the pictures to see them larger)]



It's a forum page, but still helpful if you read the comments: http://www.gamespot.com/gba/rp​g/pokemonred/show_msgs.php?top​ic_id=m-1-42879975&pid=918​915



IMPORTANT! Image of many of the fake pokemon games that were sold (mostly on Ebay):
http://imgur.com/gv6Ac



I'm sorry that this review doesn't describe much of the game itself, it is just that it bothers me to see so many people bidding on bootleg games. Please read other users' reviews for details on the game or search the game on Google and Wikipedia. I hope that this review will help somebody spot authentic games. :D



Edit: 8/7/10- Sorry, I had forgotten that I posted the picture of the fake Pokemon games so I moved it. I updated the link just in case this was still of use to people. Searching fake/bootleg Pokemon games on Google Images lets you see more pictures of them. As you can tell, I was pretty paranoid about fake games. I loved Pokemon games way too much to risk buying a bootleg one, haha. Thanks for reading. I hope you learned from the links I posted or got a kick out of all the fake games that exist. Either way, happy bidding and have a nice day. :)

Pokemon FireRed Version (Game Boy Advance)

This is a very fun game in which provides many hours of entertainment. Battle as a miniature 'you' who you can name your name or any of your favorite names! After that, you are able to battle and catch new Pokemon! Once you establish an elite force of Pokemon, you are then able to go on and battle trainers and other Pokemon League Members which hold badges you need to continue into the Pokemon League and become the best Pokemon Trainer ever!
Throughout your voyage, you are able to play many other games and challenges that add a little extra to the game.
Altogether, I would highly recommend this game for anyone who has a Gameboy; another plus for purchasing this game is: these games never lose their value; they are always in demand! You can resell it fast if you decide you don't like the game for any reason!
Hope it helps! Good Luck!

You wont regret purchasing this game, by far the best inthe series

I have been following Pokémon from the first game and while I am one of those people who cant break away form the original I would have to say Fire Red is the best game in entire series. (or Leaf Green if you really want a Vulpix) the whole game has been revamped and the after story is great, you get all the Pokémon from Kanto, Johto, and Hoenn. In addition you get alonger Team Rocket story line onto the sevii Islands where you also have a chance to capture legendaries from the other games as well. If I had to chose the best Pokémon game of all time It would be Fire Red/Leaf Green followed by HG/SS, I may be an original Red/Blue fan but I would say this version is a lot better than the original.

awesome

game pokemon is In 1999, the original Pokémon Red and Blue games hit the Game Boy, and Nintendo's pocket monster franchise has been hugely successful ever since. It has been so successful, in fact, that the original games got a remake in the new Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen. Fans of the original games will feel a sense of déjà vu going through these latest games, though they'll enjoy seeing all their old Pokémon favorites in full color on the Game Boy Advance. However, both new and long-time Pokémon players will find in FireRed and LeafGreen a lengthy and involving role-playing adventure. The gameplay hasn't changed much at all over the years, but it's still just as addictive. And the inclusion of a wireless adapter with every copy of FireRed and LeafGreen makes Pokémon's popular multiplayer element more accessible than ever.

Ready to catch 'em all, all over again?

The enduring appeal of Pokémon may seem inexplicable to the uninitiated, but it's certainly no accident. The world of Pokémon is a cute, kid-friendly one, filled with hundreds of different colorful creatures, many of which are inspired by real animals. Each unique Pokémon has a clever name and a distinct combination of traits and abilities. In the gameworld, trainers capture these critters out in the wild and then duel them against other trainers and their creatures. It's sort of a violent premise, actually, and therein probably lies part of the allure--yet the world of Pokémon is so lighthearted and charming that even cynical players are liable to get swept into it if they give it so much as a chance.