The WhatsNext verdict
If you enjoy building a creature collection through catching, training, and revisiting a familiar region, Pokémon FireRed offers a welcoming adventure with lasting replay value. It suits players who can tolerate random encounters and occasional grinding.
What it does best
Catching them all feels endlessly compelling
A welcoming adventure with remarkable staying power
A whole region built for curious wandering
What might put you off
Familiarity over surprise
Grinding and friction
The setup
What you are walking into
Pokémon FireRed Version and Pokémon LeafGreen Version are a pair of core series Generation III games that are set in the Kanto region. They were released in Japan on January 29, 2004, in North America on September 9, 2004, in Australia on September 23, 2004 and in Europe on October 1, 2004. As the first remakes in the Pokémon franchise, the games revisit the original pair of Pokémon games, Pokémon Red and Green Versions, and so feature all of the characters, plot elements, and challenges of them, but with several important upgrades to bring them up to speed with other Generation III games. The Game Boy Advance Wireless Adapter was initially included with the games when they were first released, eliminating the need for Game Link Cables when trading between the two games (and later Pokémon Emerald Version). In later copies, it was sold separately. FireRed and LeafGreen went on to become the second best-selling games of the Game Boy Advance, only behind Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire Versions. They also received Nintendo's Player's Choice awards.
Where it lives
Genre
Vibe
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