This remake of Pokemon Red/Blue takes those old fond memories and makes them new again
In case you are unfamiliar with the story, you pretty much start out as a kid who dreams of becoming a Pokemon trainer. Well, today's your lucky day for Professor Oak has given you (and your rival) a new Pokemon of your very own to train, raise and help you fight off and catch other Pokemon and battle other trainers. That's pretty much how it starts off but story or not, playing through the game and making your way to the Pokemon League at the end (while foiling the plans of Team Rocket) feels engaging enough without one. This version doesn't add a whole lot until after the Pokemon League challenge and more dialogue than the first game.
The first thing you'll notice right from the start is, obviously, the graphics and sound has been improved with GBA capabilities. These new and improved graphics and music both look and sound great and it makes visiting Kanto feel new again. At least it isn't all one color like the other games were on the Gameboy Color and the Pokemon look like they're supposed to.
The game is controlled from a bird's eye perspective and all you have to do is walk and travel around the world of Kanto. You are to travel around the whole world, from one city to the next, and collect badges given out by gym leaders in order to advance to the next area. To get badges, you must defeat the gym leaders in a Pokemon duel (which I'll get to in a minute). Other than that, the towns are usually just a place to buy/sell items, heal your Pokemon at the Pokemon Center or talk to people about other important stuff that goes on in each city. In between the cities are usually tall grass areas or caves, which are where the wild Pokemon are waiting to attack (as well as trainers). The world of Kanto is huge, and exploring it is always exciting every time you play. With so much to do and so many people to talk to (and so many trainers to battle), you'll be occupied with each new area.
It gets better this time. Although you don't get an entirely new region like you do in Gold/Silver/Crystal, you get a number of islands to explore after you complete the Pokemon League. What's on these islands? Well first of all, there are side quests to complete mainly involving Team Rocket and another involving stopping a biker gang. Next, there are all new trainers to challenge who happen to be very powerful. Along with new trainers are new Pokemon to catch and battle (specifically the Pokemon introduced during the second generation). Lastly, as it has been for the past few games, there is also a trainer tower to compete in. This isn't quite as complex as the Battle Frontier, but it's just as challenging and fun to complete. Exploring these 7 islands is like exploring an all new region and is just as good of a way to extend this classic. All of this alone makes buying this game again worth every penny.
When you're not wandering through towns and talking to people, you're probably out in the wilderness either battling with your Pokemon to make them stronger or catching them (to add to your team or just to fill up your "Pokedex"). When you walk through tall grass or a cave, you are bound to run into a wild Pokemon. When this happens, you can either battle it until it faints and collect experience for your own Pokemon, or you can catch it. Of course, you need to fight it to weaken its health first before you throw one of your pokeballs to capture it for yourself. You can keep it on your team if you'd like or if you don't have room on your team (you can only carry 6 Pokemon so choose wisely) or don't want it, you can store it on a computer and come back for it later. Back then, this was a neat idea and organizing your team is always interesting. With over 150 types of monsters, plus more after beating the Pokemon League, you can strategize and customize your team in even more ways until you find the team that works best for you. The stats are back to but much like Ruby, Sapphire or Emerald, Pokemon will have abilities that helps them out during battle like helping their elemental moves or giving effects when an attack is used on them. Some of these abilities make the game interesting, but some are kind of annoying (like Gengar's ability which makes him resist ground moves).
To help you raise your Pokemon, the world is also filled with numerous trainers in the wild, in caves and sometimes, even within each town (namely in the gyms). The trainers are tougher than the wild Pokemon and their monsters will usually give you more experience than ever. When walking by, every trainer will walk up to you and challenge you once you walk into their sight and the battle begins. When defeated (by knocking out each of their Pokemon), you not only gain experience, you also gain some money too. If you lose all of your monsters, you lose money yourself and are returned to the nearest Pokemon Center.
When enough experience is gained, your Pokemon level up (and level 100 is the maximum). Most of the time, leveling up just boosts their stats and makes them stronger in speed, health points, strength, special and defense. Other times, your monster will learn a new move when he/she reaches a certain level. Unfortunately, he can only learn 4 moves so if you want to learn a move, you'll have to delete n existing move. This can also add to your strategy and makes battles that much more exciting, especially with TM's and HM's involved (little machines that can teach Pokemon moves). To help you further are move tutors as well, you can teach a move to any Pokemon willing to learn it (every tutor can only teach a move once). Other times, depending on the Pokemon, your monster can evolve into a stronger creature when a specific level is reached or a condition is met (trading, stones, etc.). Some evolve twice, some evolve once, others don't evolve at all.
But wait, that's not all. If you have a friend with a Gameboy Advance and a link cable (with a copy of FireRed, LeafGreen, Ruby, Sapphire or Emerald), you can also hook up to one another and either battle or even trade Pokemon. Trading with others is the only way to "catch them all" as there are some Pokemon only available exclusively in one version or the other. That, or you can battle your teams against each other and determine once and for all who has the better Pokemon. Multiplayer really makes you think and rethink your team as it is the most competitive way to play. Building a team that can take on your friend makes this game even more exciting than it already is.
With the all new wireless adapter that you get with every new copy of the game, you can also enter the "Union Room" which hooks you up with other trainers around you (also with the wireless adapter) which allows you to chat, battle or trade with them. This isn't a bad addition, but I'm usually in the room with whoever I'm battling so I see no reason to chat and the other two features can be done in the other room. Still, the wireless adapter is nice and more convenient than a link cable.
Although it may sounds like just a revamp of a classic at first, Pokemon FireRed/LeafGreen is so much more than that. Revisiting this gem feels like a new experience all over again with enhanced visuals and sound, more places to explore, more trainers to battle, more Pokemon to catch and more moves to learn. It is simply better than just a mere remake, and it is worth visiting again for old and new fans alike. If you own a GBA, whether you're new to the series or not, you'd be crazy not to own Pokemon FireRed or LeafGreen.