Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen | |
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| Developer(s) | Game Freak |
| Publisher(s) | Nintendo |
| Designer(s) | Satoshi Tajiri (executive producer) Junichi Masuda (director) Ken Sugimori (artist) Shigeru Miyamoto (battle director) |
| Series | Pokémon series |
| Engine | Heavily modified Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire engine |
| Platform(s) | Game Boy Advance |
| Release date | JPN January 29, 2004 NA September 9, 2004 AUS September 23, 2004 [1] EUR October 1, 2004 |
| Genre(s) | Console role-playing game |
| Mode(s) | Single player, Multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: E USK: Unrestricted OFLC: G8+ PEGI: 3+ |
| Media | 128-megabit cartridge |
Pokémon FireRed (ポケットモンスター ファイアレッド Poketto Monsutā Faiareddo?, Pocket Monsters Firered) and Pokémon LeafGreen (ポケットモンスター リーフグリーン Poketto Monsutā Rīfugurīn?, Pocket Monsters Leafgreen), are two titles in the Pokémon video game series, released for the Game Boy Advance in 2004 and they were first compatible with the Game Boy Advance Wireless Adapter (Bundled with these games). They are enhanced remakes of the original Pocket Monsters Aka (Red) and Midori (Green) video games, released in North America and Europe as Pokémon Red and Blue.
The games were released on January 29, 2004 in Japan, September 9, 2004 in North America, and October 1, 2004 in Europe. Players could also obtain the game early at the Pokémon Center New York on August 28, 2004, as part of a special pre-release event for players who pre-ordered the game.
FireRed and LeafGreen feature the original 151 Pokémon from the original Game Boy games, along with many others from later games in the series. This feature allows many of these Pokémon to be obtained for the first time in the newer games, as the original Game Boy and Game Boy Color games are incompatible with Game Boy Advance games. The upgraded games bring the Kanto region Pokémon, and experience to the third generation of Pokémon (the Advanced generation). These games finally complete the loop; allowing players to catch all 386 Pokémon that existed at the time, since many of the Kanto (and Johto) Pokémon are unavailable in Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald.
The two games are compatible with other Game Boy Advance and GameCube Pokémon RPGs, including Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald; Pokémon Colosseum and XD; and the utility program Pokémon Box. This compatibility is unlocked after beating the entire game and completing a side-quest.
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[edit] Setting and plot
The game is set in the same fictional universe as other Pokémon games, in the Kanto region, the same region introduced in Pokémon Red and Blue. Kanto features a multitude of towns and cities, a mountain range in the north, and the Indigo Pokémon League.
In the beginning, the player is greeted by Professor Oak. Oak allows the player to choose the gender and name of the protagonist, and their rival’s name. The default/canon names are Red, Leaf, and Blue, for the Male Protagonist, Female Protagonist, and rival respectively.
When the player tries to enter the rural Route 1 to the north of Pallet Town, Professor Oak will stop the protagonist and take them to the Oak Laboratory. The player will pick their Pokémon; they may choose between Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle. After the player picks their Pokémon, they will battle their rival, who will have a Pokémon with a type advantage over the player's choice. The player’s journey begins here, the goal to catch and train Pokémon that will aid the protagonist throughout the storyline.
The protagonist arrives in Viridian City, directly north of Pallet Town. Upon entering the Pokémart, the clerk gives the protagonist a parcel to deliver to Oak. Upon delivery, Oak grants the protagonist and the rival each a Pokédex — an encyclopedia which automatically updates upon capture or sight of a new Pokémon.
Along the way, the player uncovers the plot of an evil organization called Team Rocket. There are many subplots involving Team Rocket along the way. The first point occurs in Celadon City, where the player discovers the Rocket Hideout and breaks the organization apart. The second one is in the Silph Co. in Saffron City. Team Rocket has taken over the building and the player must navigate the floors. The player will arrive at the top and battle Team Rocket's boss, Giovanni. The final point occurs in the Sevii Islands when the protagonist obtains the Sapphire and Ruby stones.
After the player has acquired all eight badges, they will be able to proceed through Victory Road and challenge the Pokémon League. To become the Pokémon Champion, the player must defeat the four members of the Elite Four. After being defeated, the fourth member, Lance, will reveal that the player's rival is the Champion. After the player defeats their rival, he or she is crowned as the new champion, and the ending credits roll.
When the credits are finished, the protagonist is lead back to Pallet Town, where Professor Oak tells them of the new "rare" Pokémon sighted in the Sevii Islands (if the player has owned at least 60 types of Pokémon). Once in the Sevii Islands, the player helps Celio acquire the Sapphire and Ruby stones needed to power his trading link, and are given the chance to acquire new second and third generation Pokémon.
[edit] New features
FireRed and LeafGreen are not exact remakes of the games which they model after. Most features have been retained, but new usability features have been added. For added usability to new players of the games, a contextual “Help” feature has been added, allowing a player to look up data at almost any point in the game, also including a type match-up list for in-battle use. When continuing a saved game, the player is shown the last four significant events prior to saving. This allows the player to remember what they were doing (e.g items or Pokémon accessed on computer.)[1]
FireRed and LeafGreen additionally build upon the game mechanics. The player may use an item called the VS Seeker, which allows the player to re-battle against non-player Pokémon trainers. However, this device doesn't work for gym leaders. Addressing the fixed kinds of Technical Machines (TMs) that the player can find, non-player characters referred to as “Move Tutors” are available to teach Pokémon moves that aren't available with the default set of TMs. The games, when coupled with the Wireless Adapter, grant players the ability to connect to each other in the Union Room.[2] The Union Room is a room of sorts allowing up to eight people to connect to each other and participate in battles, trades, or a text-based chatroom. Also, later on in the game, up to five players can compete in mini-games like jump rope using their Pokémon team. The “Mystery Gift” function also utilises the Wireless Adapter to obtain special items in Nintendo promotions.
New to FireRed and LeafGreen is another area available to players after meeting certain conditions. This is the archipelago known as the Sevii Islands, including Hoenn and Johto-related Pokémon, events, and items.
[edit] Reception
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The games were very well received, with the improvement of the graphics, and the inclusions of extras, with 10.66 million sold.[citation needed]
[edit] Music
The games feature music from Red, Blue, and Yellow by Junichi Masuda, along with selections from Gold, Silver, and Crystal, arranged and featuring new compositions by Go Ichinose and Morikazu Aoki. A two-disc set of this music entitled GBA Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen Super Complete has released; the disc features all the music used normally in-game, while the second disc features bonus tracks and arrangements. Among these are two vocal tracks: "Oshiete! Oniisan", sung by Hironobu Yoshida, and "Memory P", sung by Yumi Senka.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Harris, Craig (2004-08-31). IGN: Pokémon FireRed Preview. Retrieved on 2007-03-26.
- ^ Harris, Craig (2004-09-03). IGN: Pokémon FireRed Review. Retrieved on 2007-03-26.
- ^ IGN review
- ^ GameSpot review
- ^ GameSpy review
- ^ GameStats review
- ^ Pokémon FireRed at Game Rankings
- ^ Pokémon FireRed at Metacritic
[edit] External links
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