Pokémon Red, Blue, Yellow, and Green took players back to the Kanto region, which was expanded on thanks to the hardware of the Gameboy Advance. The Kanato region was where the very first Pokémon took place and introduced gamers to the concept of Pikachu for the very first time. In order to help trainers bring over more of their favorite Pokémon to Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald; FireRed and LeafGreen were created. They featured a faithful recreation of the first set of games with some additional post-games content and gameplay improvements that let players spend more time in the region without having to start a new game.
10 National Pokedex
There were far more Pokémon in the series now that an additional two generations had debuted. As soon as players complete the Elite Four, then go to Professors Oak’s lab to receive the National Pokedex so that they can begin the task of trying to collect every creature in the game.
The game can be linked with the Gen III titles of even Pokémon Colosseum to help trainers fill their dex.
9 Wireless Adapter
One of the biggest surprises to be unveiled with the games was a wireless adapter that could be plugged into the top of a GameBoy Advance to eliminate the need for cables, making trade evolutions easier . While the adapters weren’t nearly as great as the Nintendo DS’s wireless connection, at the time, it was a huge step for handheld systems.
Very few games took advantage of the wireless adapter, but it is an interesting part of gaming history.
8 Female Character
One of the biggest additions to the Kanto region was the ability to finally play as a female instead of just the default male. While the models couldn’t be accessorized like it later games, female players were happy to be represented in-game, especially since the first-gen was more targeted towards male gamers.
In addition, the female trainer design was and still is incredibly popular with the fanbase.
7 Vs. Seeker
The Vs. Seeker is a helpful tool that was first introduced in the Kanato remakes. The device is a key item that can be used to check if other trainers in the area want to battle with you. The device can only be used outdoors, and trainers that are ready for a rematch will have an icon pop-up over their heads.
This tool can help players grind for extra EXP and can be especially useful when raising up low-level captures.
6 Berries
While players won’t really be able to get their hands on berries to the post-game, they are available. Berry Powder can be made from berries and used to explain for the medicine to help in battle. This can be done by using the Berry Crusher, which can be found in Cerulean City.
While berries aren’t a huge deal in the Kanto region, adding them in the post-game was appreciated by many players.
5 Fame Checker
The Fame Checker is a huge deal for those who love Pokémon lore. The fame checker is a device that can record facts about famous people within the Kanto region like Professor Oak, Gym Leaders, and the Elite Four. In addition, even characters like Bill and Mr. Fuji are included.
By playing through the game and talking to NPCs, players can unlock the entire library of information snippets.
4 Sevii Islands
The Sevii Islands are a huge post-game addition to the game that unlocks once the player completes the Elite Four. There are seven main islands and two islands that play host to special events. The islands contain several environments to catch gen II Pokémon, berries, new moves, legendaries, and even a new game corner.
The islands can be traveled between using a boat and even contain a trainer tower for players who want to take on an extra challenge.
3 Help System
There is a built-in help system that can help players make their way through Kanto with ease. It was put in place for younger gamers but offers helpful hints to what the player should be doing next and quick answers about things like finding new Pokémon and battles.
There is also a resume feature that reminds players of what they were last doing in the game.
2 Elite Four Battles
Once you beat the Elite Four in the original game, there really isn’t much more you can do aside from catch Mewtwo. In the remakes, you are able to battle the Elite Four anytime you want, and they will get stronger Pokémon once players have completed the Sevii Island content.
This adds an additional challenge that can catch trainers off guard if they aren’t expecting the difficulty hike.
1 New Mini-games
Even though the Game Corner has been removed from the games for a few generations now, players still fondly remember the slot mini-game. In the remakes, another game corner was introduced with more mini-games that players could team up with friends to play.
These games included a berry picking game and a jump rope type game that allows players to throw several different Pokémon into the arena.
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