Many fans were excited by the unveiling of Generation II of Pokémon. The Pokémon Gold, Silver, & Crystal games took the franchise in exciting and interesting new directions while paying homage to the first generation that made it all possible.
Some fans never progressed beyond Generation I, but for those that did it was a rewarding and fun experience. Many fans have continued to show their admiration for this exciting new direction for Pokémon by using their artistic talents to recreate some of the most memorable moments.
10 Starters
Choosing a starter was a monumental decision in Generation II as it defined your playthrough for the rest of the game. Even more interesting is that these starters were much more balanced when compared to previous titles making each one a solid option.
DrakenFlameskull does a great job in this artwork showing off each of the starters displaying their elemental attacks. Though fire would once again prove most popular, it was a much tougher decision this time around.
9 Evolved Starters
Perhaps part of the reason it was so hard to choose this time around is that they all had great evolved forms. In addition to aesthetics, they all performed really well in combat. This could explain why the debate between which was the better starter isn’t nearly as hotly contested as it was in Generation I.
Luiz Henrique has this great bit of fanart on his Pinterest page showing the starters in their fully evolved glory. Whether you chose Meganium, Typhlosion, or Feraligatr you knew you were getting a great Pokémon.
8 Togepi
Many fans were pleasantly surprised when the mysterious egg given to you by Professor Elm hatched into a Togepi. Admittedly it wasn’t the strongest Pokémon in the game, but fans had been wanting one since he made an appearance in the anime and everyone finally got their wish.
This wonderful artwork comes from DexHolder Mindy’s Facebook page. It shows Togepi and it’s new trainer sitting side by side staring off into the distance.
7 Silver
For whatever reason, a lot of people were fangirling over the mysterious rival Silver. A large part of this may have been Silver’s character arc where he starts out as a cruel and power-hungry individual before turning into a quiet, serious, and gentle soul.
Sara-Sakurahime depicts that time when Silver was undergoing some changes in his nature shortly after losing to Lance and realizing the mistakes he made. No doubt there are still many fans still fawning over the fictional young man.
6 Team Rocket
Since Giovanni’s departure in the previous titles, Team Rocket has been resourceful but ultimately struggling without their original leader. After several failed schemes and defeat at the hands of an eleven-year-old, this chapter of Team Rocket finally calls it quits.
Hericide shows these enterprising criminals surrounding their leader Kiri. Given the background, this is likely around the point in the game where they took over Radio Tower in an effort to contact their missing leader. As the player, you couldn’t help but feel sorry for these lost misfits struggling to make names for themselves.
5 Legendary Beasts
The legendary beasts were the main reason fans were fighting their way through the Generation II games. They were all highly sought after, though a Shiny Suicine was a prized find and made the owner a legend among their peers.
Namisis does a phenomenal job portraying these mighty beasts in all their glory. Debating which was the best out of these three was probably more heated than arguing over the starters. But no matter which one you acquired you had yourself a powerful ally on your quest to become the ultimate trainer.
4 Legendary Birds
The real prize in Generation II was the legendary birds. Which one you could obtain was down to the game you bought and this was the real reason fans picked one over the other. If you bought Pokémon Gold you could obtain the legendary Ho-Oh, while purchasing Pokémon Silver meant acquiring Lugia, a brutal decision for most fans.
I-is-gundam illustrates the two flying monstrosities battling in the clouds. A considerable debate was made among gamers at the time of which bird would prove victorious in battle. Ho-Oh was the offensive warrior while Lugia was the defensive fighter and both proved to be equal matches for the other.
3 Johto Region
After thoroughly exploring the Kanto region players were excited to cover every inch of the Johto region and to the developer’s credit they made it a fun and interesting experience. Whether you experienced it in the games or the three seasons on the anime it was a unique and exciting place.
Eyes On Fire does a beautiful job depicting the Johto region from what looks to be the back porch or balcony of a house in the countryside. Many fans probably imagined their character settling down after becoming the League Champion in a place like this.
2 Kanto Adventure
It was a huge surprise for many fans that after beating the Elite Four the adventure wasn’t over. With a ticket and a boat road the player was taken to the familiar Kanto region. Although it was a much smaller version, exploring this area and catching the original 150 Pokémon was an absolute blast and a great walk down memory lane.
E1n gives a depiction of each of the Kanto gym leaders standing together as if preparing to face off against the trainer. It was a fun bonus challenge with some old and new faces that was a lot of fun.
1 Red
The real surprise and the best part of the game was the surprise waiting at the very end of the game. After defeating the Pokémon master in both Johto and Kanto the player was granted access to the Silver Cave where powerful and strong Pokémon were waiting to be battled and caught.
This artwork by Serain shows what was the most surprising and most entertaining part of the entire game. Finding the master trainer Red, essentially the character you played from Pokémon Yellow wanting to face you and see who is stronger. It was a tough battle that was a lot of fun and a great homage to the First Generation.
NEXT: Pokémon: 10 Pieces Of Psychic Fanart We Love
