In 2004, Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen were released and became the first remakes in the franchise. These games not only introduced a new audience of players to the very beginning of Pokemon but also greatly improved. The first Generation of Pokemon was updated to be more modern. For so many reasons, Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen hold a very special place in the franchise.
It’s been close to twenty years since FireRed and LeafGreen hit the stage. Many players may have forgotten what made these games so unique, so today we’re going to remind you. We’re giving you seven facts about FireRed and LeafGreen that may reignite your love for the games.
7. The First Wireless Pokemon Games
Pokemon is a series designed for multiplayer. Each Pokemon game comes with exclusive Pokemon that can only be obtained through trading with someone who has the other version of the game. Players are encouraged to battle against their friends to see who’s the better Pokemon trainer. In the past, this was done through the Game Link Cable, which physically connected the handheld consoles.
All that changed with FireRed and LeafGreen. During the initial release of the remakes, GameBoy Advance Wireless Adapters were included with each purchase of the game. For the first time, trading and battling could be done without cables or cords. The adapter could also be used to play multiplayer minigames wirelessly. Pokemon Emerald was the only other Pokemon game that was compatible with the Wireless Adapter.
6. Your Gender Affects the Game
©Screenshot from Pokemon Black Version 2.
In the original Gen I games, players couldn’t choose their gender and were forced to play a male protagonist. In FireRed and LeafGreen, players were finally able to choose between a male or female protagonist. The decision had little impact besides some small dialogue and appearance changes, but it was a nice inclusive addition to the game.
Your choice of gender does affect one small Easter egg right at the beginning of the game. In the protagonist’s room, there is a TV playing a movie. The description of the movie actually changes depending on if you’re playing a male or female protagonist. Male protagonists get a reference to the movie Stand By Me, while female protagonists get a reference to The Wizard of Oz.
5. Nintendo Threatens Your Life
Nintendo is infamous for its hardline stance against the piracy or emulation of its games. The gaming company isn’t afraid to take legal action against those who violate their intellectual property. It is no surprise that Nintendo would leave a very special message for players who owned an emulated copy of FireRed and LeafGreen.
While playing on an emulated copy, players can meet an NPC outside the Seagallop Ferry. When interacting with the NPC, he says, “By the way: If you like this game, buy it or die.” A shockingly violent threat from the company known for family-friendly games. Nintendo really wanted players to know how they felt about people who pirate their games.
4. Pattern Bush
It’s no secret that the original Pokemon games were filled with bugs and glitches. One of the more famous bugs is the MissingNo. glitch. Instead of pretending those glitches never happened, Nintendo chose to embrace them in the remake. FireRed and LeafGreen have an entire area that is an Easter egg referencing their buggy games.
On a small offshore island, there is an area called the Pattern Bush. The area features a large section of tall grass that creates an interesting pattern. The trainers in the area speculate on the strange pattern and what could have caused it. The truth is the pattern resembles a printed circuit board like the one used for the original Pokemon games. Pattern Bush also exclusively has wild Bug-type Pokemon in the area. It’s a cute reference to the buggy game that kicked off one of the biggest franchises in the world.
3. Exclusive Pokemon
As we’ve said before, every Pokemon game has its fair share of exclusive Pokemon. The exclusive Pokemon in FireRed and LeafGreen work a little differently than in other entries. Pokemon from the first three Generations can be caught in the remakes. In fact, the remakes have Pokemon from Generation III that can only be found in FireRed and LeafGreen. The Attack Forme and Defense Forme of Deoxys are exclusive to FireRed and LeafGreen, respectively.
The number of exclusives between versions isn’t equal either. Pokemon LeafGreen has 24 exclusive Pokemon to FireRed’s 23. Completing the National PokeDex in these games can definitely be a challenge with all the trading you have to do.
2. Original Art
Pokemon loves to pay homage to its previous games more than anything. That’s especially true in FireRed and LeafGreen. When players finally reach the end credits of the game, they’ll get treated to a truly nostalgic Easter egg. The sprites of the game’s original mascots, Charizard, Blastoise, Venusaur, and Pikachu, will change poses to match their original poses on the Japanese box art of Pokemon Red, Blue, Green, and Yellow.
It’s a wonderful way of showing that Pokemon has forgotten the original games that put them on the map. The homage is also a nice send-off to Generation I as the franchise moves into the future.
1. Mew Rumors
Back before gamers were able to look up every cheat code and secret, most hidden knowledge in games was spread through rumors. One of the biggest rumors was that the legendary Pokemon, Mew, could be caught in Pokemon Red and Blue if you looked under a truck near S.S. Anne’s port. This rumor unfortunately proved to be untrue despite hundreds of players believing it for years.
Although Mew never hid under that truck in the original games, that didn’t stop the rumor from surviving all the way into the remake. In the remakes, the mystery truck that serves no purpose is still there to cause wild player speculations. The Mew under the truck rumors will never die, and neither will Pokemon.