Pokemon LeafGreen (Game Boy Advance, 2004)

 

So Gen 1 first dropped in 1998, years after the Game Boy had stopped being relevant, and single-handedly revived the system. To put that in perspective, it's like if we got a new PS Vita or 3DS game in the last couple years. It shouldn't have worked, but it did, and not only did it work, it started one of the biggest powerhouse franchises in gaming. A mere six years later we got a full-fledged remake of Gen 1, and it pretty much perfects everything that was rough around the edges in 1998.

I was a little apprehensive about covering the Pokemon remakes, as opposed to just the best versions of each original gen, which I did up to Gen 3. However, this game is technically part of Gen 3, so in a way I'm just picking up where I left off. Someday I'd like to do the rest, but who knows.

The remakes are their own beasts, with some new content and new spins on everything. Regardless, the Pokemon posts on this site are their own rare breed, and a bit more adult-oriented than the usual. Nothing is sacred here. Rated M for mature. You've been warned. Enter at your own peril!

The game begins with Gengar and Nidoran circling each other while "Ritual of Ancient Battles" plays. This is kind of an odd pairing of Pokemon to be the first thing the player sees, but when it comes down to it, basically all of the Pokemon in this game are interesting* and figurine-worthy. The fact that they were able to knock most of the 151 designs out of the park is actually kinda nuts.

* - Except maybe Koffing.

What even IS Koffing? Get outta here, Koffing!

Always liked Gengar in particular. He reminds me of Brood Edge.

"Gengar!"

Venusaur here looks like he's fired up on meth and shrooms. Which wouldn't be surprising, given who his dealer is:

"Another thing you should know about me is that in D-Block, they called me The Snowman."

This wasn't an option in the original Pokemon Gen 1, as you were Ash Ketchum whether you liked it or not. Let's see what both options look like:

Boy here is basically Ash Ketchum (or Red in the Japanese version). I say basically because he looks a little bit different attire-wise.

Choose girl, and we're presented with LEAF. She's also known as Green in the Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee remake. Also, she's the answer to my long-asked question of who exactly got the third starter 'mon at the beginning of Gen 1. In theory she picks whichever is left, which means she's weak to Ash and strong against Gary. Course, in this version, since she's playable, you can pick whichever one you want and Gary will always pick the one strong against it.

Here's her Switch remake form as an optional hidden boss. Her main 'mon will always be weak to yours, so yes, her getting the third starter is indeed canon. Course in the very first version of the game they hadn't thought of her yet, so chances are Oak Himself made off with the third one. He should have been a secret uberboss.

Gary (Blue in the Japanese version) is the rival. Only I named him Flame. He will show you how!

That's right, in this run I'm calling him Flame strictly to get an FFIV joke out of it.

Leaf's Mom is okay with Leaf leaving home and roaming the streets. In the world of Pokemon, this is all totally normal.

This is my favorite and most nostalgic moment of this game. Much like Kirby's Dream Land, this first area where you're out and playing the game...well, it carried so much excitement as a kid that it still carries over to the present.

Well, he's right about one thing, I'm super immature.

The Decision. I go with the third-party candidate, Bulbasaur. This is who I picked the very first time I played Pokemon Blue back in 1998. On further playthroughs of that game and its remakes, I'd always go with Squirtle or Charmander.

Bulbasaur's my least-favorite of the 3, due to his freakish onion bulb. His time has finally come back around, though, due to this playthrough being green-themed all around.

I guess in this canon, Ash'll get that one and never be seen again.

IT'S LEAF'S TIME NOW!

BOW BEFORE LEAF!

Leaf: "Obey my Bulbasaur!"

One of the first things I always make sure to do in Gen 1 is pick up a Pikachu in the woods. He's pretty rare though. They made him look more like the anime Pikachu here and less like the artwork Pikachu from Gen 1.

I never really went for the bug Pokemon, as adorable as they are. I know the bug 'mons are pretty much the crux of the idea behind Pokemon, too. A bug hunt, when it comes down to it.

Next, Leaf and her ruffled skirt battles Brock. I usually try to get a Mankey before this point so he can do his martial arts moves, but no such luck yet in this game.

Pikachu isn't who you want for this battle, and definitely not at level 5. Luckily Bulbasaur can carry the team for the first couple gyms. He's the easy mode of the 3 starters.

I get the ability to sprint, instantly fixing one of the big issues with the original game (and the beginning of this one), the slow walking speed.

Leaf now encounters the scourge that is... A Lass.

"Look at my butt!" says the Lass.

Have I ever pointed out how female outfits in Pokemon games are way too sexy for some reason?

She attacks with her Jigglypuff, which isn't a euphemism for anything.

Things aren't all bad, as Pikachu learns how to Double Team from this supple miss.

She's a little disappointed that Leaf was done so quickly.

We go from a Lass to a Super Nerd, who adjusts his horn-rimmed glasses to get a better gander at Leaf. Then he says ".......hi" before running away giggling.

WHOA! I finally found him: Mankey, the Monkey King. He's the Pichu form of the guy from Black Myth Wukong.

GOTTEM. Now I have my own karate ape. When he isn't flinging his poop, he's a valuable ally.

"FUNGAAAH!" says Mankey. At least he isn't standing on his head like in the original game, flaunting his nether-regions like a maniac.

Now that I've got 3 strong team members, time for the next gym.

Misty is probably the toughest opponent in the game for a Charmander run or a Pokemon Yellow Pikachu run.

They changed Misty's iconic attire. Where are the jean shorts?

This is always a 50/50 fight for me since I usually bring Pikachu to it. If he goes first, he can do huge damage. If Starmie goes first, same deal. This is also a tough fight for folks who chose Charmander.

Elsewhere, there was a robbery. Isn't this a little too grown-up for a kids game? Anyway, time for Leaf to go have her way with everyone on the S.S. Anne. That boat's going to be shaking uncontrollably for a while.

FLAME isn't bluffing, his team is getting formidable. Having a rival whose journey parallels yours was a bit of a stroke of genius. If he starts outgunning your team, you know you're falling behind and need work.

Now equipped with Ivysaur and a four level advantage, the elemental disadvantage is still an issue. Wait, why hasn't he evolved Charmeleon yet? Is he avoiding the awkward teenage years?

The what?

Spearow's been kind of a backup player for me in this run. Not relying on him at all, there if needed. Flying types tend to be useful, but I think there are much better ones available. So far the party is all Bulbasaur and Mankey, with some help from Pikachu. Not a lot of bench strength yet.

Abra is a lot like Mankey, a very-uncommon spawn that I always try to get (and then heavily lean on for the rest of the game). Once he becomes Kadabra, we'll have all the bench strength we need.

Abra is kinda useless at first, with no attacks. There are some weaker TMs you can give him to use, but all in all he's gonna need a hard carry for the first few levels.

Those levels fly by, at least. Get him to level 16 and...

...NOW he's a force to be reckoned with, and immediately gets a strong psychic attack. Psychic is, of course, a totally overpowered element in this era. If playing this on real hardware, and at school in 2004, you can immediately get Alakazam by trading him back and forth. Then he's even more OP and game-breaking.

My final team is coming together well now: Bulba, Pikachu, Mankey, Kadabra, with a couple more spots. Articuno is reserved one, as always, so the main question now is who gets spot #6? I've got a couple of 'mons weak to Fire here, so I'm thinking a Water-type is probably what I'll need to go for. Gyarados, perhaps?

LEAF doesn't need a ticket. She's on the list.

What list? All of the lists.

That's where LEAF comes in!

She runs into a French waiter.

....and throws him into a nearby room to Poke-battle!

*cut to the boat shaking violently*

She'll Poke-battle women too, she doesn't even care!

Now she's Poke-battling the captain! LEAF is a MAD-WOMAN!

I'll bet you are, you sick freak!

After having her way with literally everyone on the boat and leveling up numerous times in the process, it's time for another Rival fight. And bad news, he now has his own Kadabra. AKA the cheat code of Pokemon Gen 1.

He's finally evolved Charmeleon, who is now an angry teenager with a boner on his head.

My least-favorite thing in Gen 1 is the third gym, where you have to hit multiple switches in a row that move around. This completely-random garbage can puzzle is, ironically, garbage. Get it outta here!

Always liked Lt. Surge and his electric-types, maybe because in the TV show this was a huge fight (and one Pikachu was at a disadvantage for)

Raichu is the closest thing to a "big boss" at this point in the game. I send Pikachu in, like the show. Course, when it comes down to it, it's a conundrum whether to evolve my own Pikachu into a Raichu or keep him in his iconic normal form. Unless of course it's Pokemon Yellow or Let's Go Pikachu where you don't have the choice, he's Pikachu throughout.

So far, so good. (Ignore the time, it's wrong). More on this later.

I'll say this, the visuals in this game are great. Very pleasant, and the added animations make this the definitive 2D version of Gen 1 that doesn't deviate much from the original. Let's Go Pikachu is more modern, but it also replaces all the parts a little too much and doesn't feel nearly as much like the original as this does. It's a little like the Ship of Theseus. Or rather, if you replace all the members of a band over time, is it still the same band? Or is it a cover band that inherited the name?

FR/LG on the other hand is the original band, just in HDTV. As a result this might be my favorite Pokemon game to revisit, overall.

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