The original pokemon games are for sale on the 3DS eShop. I could play all of these on emulators or original hardware as I still own them. Plus, Pokemon Fire Red for GBA is an incredible remake and is probably the correct option but I am interested in owning one on 3DS. Blue was my first. Yellow has pikachu and coloured graphics. I can't decide. Help!

Personally I'm going Red because that is what I had as a kid. Yellow is technically the better choice probably, but I just can't bring myself to do it.

Blue was my first Pokemon game as a kid and gonna ride the fuck outta some nostalgia, so I'm getting that. Also, fuck Charizard.

Blue had Blastoise on the cover. Blastoise

Red and Blue have only a handful of differences. The biggest difference would be some of the Pokemon you can get in the game are different between the two titles.

Yellow is the only outlier. You are forced to start with Pikachu but you can, eventually, collect all three starting Pokemon (Squirtle, Charmander, and Bulbasaur) throughout the game. The game's plot follows the TV show more closely and has some updated graphics.

I'd say Red or Blue, whichever has the more interesting exclusive Pokemon to you.

Red!

@finaldasa: I'm curious why you say red and blue, despite yellow being technically better. I owned and played both blue and yellow but I don't know which would be better for my nostalgia as they're basically the same game. Team Rocket having their names and sprites in there was always a good kick for me. Plus pikachu following behind you the whole game.

@alistercat: Technically better might be true (it does look better and the sprites don't look like hot booty) but the gameplay changes really suck. Pikachu as a starter is crummy because your first two gym matches are against rock and water. Rock is difficult for Pikachu to beat and water is way, way too easy.

Maybe it's nostalgia speaking but Red and Blue always seemed like more well rounded games.

@finaldasa: I'm not worried about type matchups, but what other gameplay differences are there? I don't really remember. I suppose there's a comprehensive list out there somewhere.

Change list can be read here.

@finaldasa: I just read something relevant. In Yellow you get all 3 original starters, and since they just announced pokemon bank support for the originals I intend to bring them forward. Bringing forward all 3 starters and pikachu is more favourable than just one.

If I was gonna replay one today, I'd go with Yellow. The art's more modern, there is a lil more story, you can play the surfing mini game, color is a plus, and of course being able to get all 3 starters is a major perk.

From a pure nostalgia stand point, Red was my first so that's the one my heart picks. Blue is also special to me though. They didn't sell that one at retail in Japan so being able to just pick that up when I moved to the States felt real cool. Having Green was cool for a similar reason.

Lol now I'm debating it...go with your heart.

@liquiddragon: I'm not sure if they changed this for the 3DS version, but you need Pokemon Stadium for N64 to teach pikachu surf, and since you can't do that you may not be able to play that mini game in this version. I hope they have addressed that.

@alistercat: dude the game opens with Pikachu riding waves does it not? That's some hot bullshit if they didn't figure something out!!

Hard to say anything but Yellow. I appreciate the exclusivity of some of the Pokemon between Red and Blue, but--as you've said already, @alistercat--having all of the starters is a wealth that shouldn't be passed up. Especially considering Charizard, Blastoise, and Venusaur are all among the best of their type in the game.

Plus, having Pikachu follow you around is rad as hell.

If you didn't play Yellow first time around then definitely play that, it will make it easier to go back to those old games if it is still new to you.

If I was going for nostalgia I'd pick Red because it was my first, but I've also played it multiple times so I think I'm gonna play Yellow because I've only played it once and its the best one content wise.

Yellow doesn't have the missingno glitch so clearly Red version.

If what you know about Pokemon is based on the TV Show instead of the games, go with Yellow.

But even if isn't your case, probably pick Yellow anyway since it's like a "definitive edition" of Red and Blue, where they fixed and/or improved some stuff, there's more color variation and has most Pokemon (on Red/Blue there's some pokemons that are exclusive to each version). The only catch is that you have to start with Pikachu instead of Bulbasaur/Squirtle/Charmander but on the plus side, you get to have Pikachu following you around, which is kinda cute, I guess.

@johnymyko: I caved and bought yellow. Though it isn't technically out until tomorrow so the eShop won't accept my code.

I've never played a Pokemon. I looked at the games in the eShop, but I just feel that it's too late to start playing Pokemon now...

Nah. They're extremely simple, focused JRPGs. Even if you're only playing the old games with no intent to move forward in the chronology, they make for totally satisfying 30-40 hour experiences.

@beachthunder: it's never too late, because the newest game is always the first for a new batch of kids so it's not like most game series. Keza MacDonald wrote a great piece on Vice about loving pokemon as an adult. They're just solid, simple, formulaic RPGs. There are deeper mechanics to dig in to for hardcore players but it's mostly just a pleasant time.

I wonder if that exploit in Red and Blue where you could get Mew through some weird shenaningans still works.

Kinda confused why you're saying it's already for sale when they're not.

You may have to start with Pikachu, but in yellow you actually get Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Charmander throughout the game, meaning you end up with all the starters, whereas you can only have one in Blue or Red.

It was a matter of nostalgia for me, so I ended up with Red instead of Yellow. I don't like the colours Yellow has, it makes the whole game seems washed out, like there's something wrong with my screen. Also I kinda don't want to follow Ash's story and make my own path.

Pikachu is a garbage tier Pokemon so I actually think that you should avoid Yellow like the plague.

yellow because the pikucahu behind you woooooooow

Blue for me at first, but I'll end up getting yellow as well.

Yellow is a bit easier but a more polished game, definitely getting it. Also you can get all three starter Pokemon as people have said so it's a safe bet if you just want one game and do one play through.

i've never played yellow because the idea of having pikachu as a starter sounds terrible to me

blue, though, is where it's at

I bought yellow. Pro tip, hold select while you launch the game to play at the original resolution with a gameboy colour frame. It looks so much better.

Pretty sure I played Red when it came out. It remains the only Pokemon game I've ever played. Much like a Giant Bomb staffer - I think Brad - also experienced, I was at a weird age when Pokemon first debuted in North America and wanted nothing to do with it because it was too "kiddie". They've always seemed like busywork, grindy, throwaway-plot stuff to me.

Though Blue was what I started with (Squirtle squirt!), Yellow has always held an important place in my heart amongst all the Pokemon games. I loved the TV show as a kid and being able to basically play through the game as Ash, including starting with Pikachu AND having him follow you around really sold it. Plus, some things like how you got Charmander to come with you somewhat mirrored the show, which added to my love of the game.

I even went so far to keep Bulbasaur and Squirtle from evolving to stay more "authentic" to the show. Also, Pikachu in Yellow is way stronger than Pikachus in any of the other games.

That's why you go catch a Caterpie, level it up so it evolves into a Butterfree, and use its psychic attack to take down Brock's Pokemon. It can be a pain if Butterfree ends up not surviving until the end though.

Sure, but you played through the entirety of Final Fantasy VIII, so I believe you're mentally compromised therefore your argument invalid.

I'm joking... mostly... ;P

My thoughts exactly.

my replay is all about nostaglia and I had blue when I was a kid so thats the one im getting.

meowth was in it and he was my favorite as a kid.

@wchigo: Pikachu is one of the worst starting Pokemon ever. This fact cannot be disputed.

I cannot preface enough how Pikachu is a one way pain train to regret. Pikachu is a bad Pokemon.

@zombiepie: In Yellow you can have all 3. Plus, if you're picking pokemon based on power you're doing it wrong. I just pick the best looking. Also, I beat Brock's Onix last night using Pikachu just to prove I could.

Does anybody know how to play these sped up while still keeping the music at normal speed on an emulator? Don't have the patience I did when I was a kid but the music is so much of my nostalgia and ruins the experience without it.

@zombiepie: Raichu isn't so bad (and electric typing is more useful than the others for the majority of the story anyway). Raichu may have weaker overall stats, but with greater speed and better typing, Raichu would defeat all the others except Venusaur.

@dixavd: The Yellow version Pikachu cannot be evolved to Raichu

@alistercat: What?! Is this them forcing the Ash-rule? Okay that sucks. That said, I've beaten games with worse Pokémon. Limiting you to non-fully evolved starters wouldn't be that big of a hindrance anyway.

The first Pokemon game I played was Yellow, so that's the one I ended up getting. Also you can't beat having Pikachu follow you around the game.

@dixavd: Yes. Although you can't catch another pikachu, you can be traded one which behaves like a normal pikachu and can then be evolved. All pokemon are viable, having a weak starter doesn't really mean much. The only problem I've found is that you can't get any pokemon with elemental moves before Brock so you have to use stat debuffs to get through the fight.

@alistercat: That makes sense, Ash had to resort to using the sprinklers to win (which is clearly is a status move)

@alistercat: In Yellow, Nidoran learns Double Kick at level 12. Brock's Pokemon do not like Double Kick.

@zombiepie: But in yellow you get Pikachu AND Venasaur, Blastoise and Charizard. Yellow is the version to get.

@dixavd: @alistercat: I seem to remember trading my Pikachu to my brother and him evolving it and then trading it back to me. You won't have Pikachu follow you around if you do that, and I think it locks you out of getting the original starting trilogy (because I recall that being based on your relationship with Pikachu) but you can get a Raichu if you really want.