Pokémon Gold & Silver vs. Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu & Let’s Go Eevee: Full Comparison

When looking back at the Pokémon franchise, progress is extremely difficult to quantify. The series is known for sticking so closely to one formula, innovating slowly over many years. You can certainly go back and play the originals and see exactly what elements remain in modern titles.

To see how far the series has come, we’re comparing Generation II’s Pokémon Gold & Silver against the recent Let’s Go Pikachu & Let’s Go Eevee, to see what changes have made their way into the games over the years!

Pokémon Gold & Silver vs. Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu & Let’s Go Eevee: Release Year and Platforms

Pokémon Gold & Silver arrived in 1999, releasing as sequels to Red, Green & Blue. Pokémania was still in full swing during this period, ensuring gamers were always going to give Gold & Silver a try. Fans received the games positively, ensuring they were a system seller for the Game Boy Color. The formula wasn’t quite perfected yet, but back in 1999 Pokémon Gold & Silver were still a huge step forward.

2018’s Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu & Let’s Go Eevee are full remakes of 1998’s Pokémon Yellow. These titles were released for the Nintendo Switch, which really put into perspective the two decades of progress made within the series.

Pokémon Gold & Silver vs. Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu & Let’s Go Eevee: Sales

With 19 years between the release of these games, it’s safe to say that Pokémon Gold & Silver have a considerable time advantage over Let’s Go Pikachu & Let’s Go Eevee. However, that isn’t to say that any of the numbers we will show you are any less impressive.

As of 2023, Pokémon Gold & Silver come in at 23.7 million copies sold. Considering the popularity of the franchise at the time, it’s no surprise to see how well it sold (and continues to sell).

Meanwhile, Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu & Let’s Go Eevee are at just over 15 million copies. One thing to note is that on the surface, it’s easy to mistake these titles as spinoffs due to them not following the typical Pokémon naming conventions. When you consider that, 15 million copies sold is a figure that just gets more impressive. With the Nintendo Switch remaining extremely relevant in the gaming space, expect to see games like Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu & Let’s Go Eevee continue to sell for years to come, too.

Pokémon Gold & Silver vs. Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu & Let’s Go Eevee: Available Pokémon

With Pokémon Gold & Silver starting Generation II, they introduced an entirely new selection of Pokémon to catch. To this day, it’s considered to be one of the most interesting Generations, as there was still so much potential for weird and wonderful Pokémon designs.

As remakes of Pokémon Yellow, Let’s Go Pikachu & Let’s Go Eevee use Generation I Pokémon throughout. It’s the 151 Pokémon you remember meeting in the first games in the series, alongside two new designs – Meltan and Melmetal. Because of the new 3D graphics engine, you get to see the Pokémon rendered in stunning detail when compared to the low-quality sprites you’d find in the original. Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu & Let’s Go Eevee also include Mega Evolutions and Alolan Forms, as included in some of the later games in the franchise.

Here are all the Pokémon you can catch in Pokémon Gold & Silver and Let’s Go Pikachu & Let’s Go Eevee:

Gold & Silver Pokémon

Let’s Go Pikachu & Let’s Go Eevee Pokémon

Pokémon Gold & Silver vs. Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu & Let’s Go Eevee: Main Characters

We’ve generally been critical of the main character in all of our Pokémon Gold & Silver comparisons. This is because these games see you take control of Ethan. The choice to take control of a female protagonist would only become possible afterward, in Pokémon Crystal. It was the same situation in Pokémon Yellow, which the remakes Let’s Go Pikachu & Let’s Go Eevee would go on to rectify. Here, you get to choose between Chase and Elaine. It’s a necessary addition for any game that considers itself an RPG.

Where these games are in fact quite similar are the side casts. Pokémon Gold & Silver and Let’s Go Pikachu & Let’s Go Eevee have very similar storylines, which are mirrored by almost identical roles for characters to play. Where Gold & Silver have Professor Elm, Let’s Go Pikachu & Let’s Go Eevee have Professor Oak. Gold & Silver‘s rival, Silver, is met with the rival Trace in Let’s Go Pikachu & Let’s Go Eevee. Functionally, these characters serve the exact same role in the story. We do want to point out that Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu & Let’s Go Eevee have one big advantage in this department, with the inclusion of Team Rocket. It’s always fun to see Jessie, James, and Meowth from the anime, and there’s something satisfying about actually defeating them in a Pokémon battle!

Pokémon Gold & Silver vs. Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu & Let’s Go Eevee: Pros and Cons

Pokémon Gold & Silver Pros

• They remain nostalgic to play for those who first played years ago
• Faster-paced gameplay due to smaller scale
• Easy to emulate in 2023

Pokémon Gold & Silver Cons

• Graphics and gameplay feel very dated in 2023
• Lack of gender choice for the protagonist

Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu & Let’s Go Eevee Pros

• The 3D graphics offer a strong visual aesthetic
• Focusing on Pikachu and Eevee makes the connection to your Pokémon feel much stronger
• Motion controls are an interesting gameplay mechanic
• Optional integration with Pokémon Go is a nice touch
• Mega Evolutions and Alolan Forms are integrated into the base game
• Kanto has never looked better or more detailed
• Co-op multiplayer is a great addition
• Wild Pokémon are visible in the overworld, making the world feel much more immersive

Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu & Let’s Go Eevee Cons

• Core features from the series such as HMs and Pokémon breeding are absent
• While the motion controls are interesting, it could reduce accessibility for some players

With the amount of interesting content in Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu & Let’s Go Eevee, we have to give them the edge overall. Pokémon Gold & Silver still work if you’re looking for a stripped-back, nostalgic experience, though.

Pokémon Gold & Silver vs. Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu & Let’s Go Eevee: The Final Details

We’ve talked about most of the important details in these games but there are a few crucial details left to cover.

The main difference comes from the regions. Pokémon Gold & Silver take place primarily in Johto, and of course, the visuals are massively restricted by the Game Boy Color, so there’s not much detail to see. Meanwhile, Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu & Let’s Go Eevee allow you to explore Kanto as seen in the original Pokémon Yellow. Interestingly, once you’ve finished the main story in Pokémon Gold & Silver, you can actually head to Kanto, although it’s a far cry from the detail you’ll see in Let’s Go Pikachu & Let’s Go Eevee.

Throughout Pokémon Gold & Silver and Let’s Go Pikachu & Let’s Go Eevee, many of the main battles in the game take place against gym leaders, each of which has their own Pokémon type. These are designed to test your team throughout the game, and give you an idea of how they’re progressing. Defeat them, and you’ll be rewarded with Gym Badges, of which there are eight to collect in each game. These are the gym leaders you’ll battle throughout these games:

Pokémon Gold & Silver Gym Leaders

Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu & Let’s Go Eevee Gym Leaders

Like most other Pokémon games, all of Gold & Silver and Let’s Go Pikachu & Let’s Go Eevee have an Elite Four that you face off against at the very end of the game. These final bosses serve as your final step to becoming a Pokémon Master, and champion of the region. However, these battles are all different from game to game, so it’s important to know what to expect – here are the Elite Four fights from these games:

Pokémon Gold & Silver Elite Four

Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu & Let’s Go Eevee Elite Four

We’ve covered everything you need to know when comparing Pokémon Gold & Silver against Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu & Let’s Go Eevee. There will always be a place in our hearts for the classics, but for us, Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu & Let’s Go Eevee have too much to offer the modern gamer to look beyond in 2023.