Game Review III: "Pokemon Pt. 1 - Kanto Games"

Ah yes. Pokemon has indeed graced us with its games, the cartoons, the trading cards, and any way possible of making themselves a name to be remembered. This multi-part review hones in the many faces and regions of Pokemon. To start, we journey through the Pokemon region Kanto, known as the Indigo League.

Kanto is the fictional location that sets up the first three games. The games differed slightly, but all was generally the same game, boasting a picture of the respective final evolution from one of the game's starters. Implied earlier, they can choose from 3 Pokemon to become partners with: the fire type Charmander, the grass type Bulbasaur, or the water type Squirtle. Each type had one or two weaknesses, but just as much strengths as well. Alongside those types, there were other monsters with various other types as well. Pending on how you battle, you'll face advantages as well as disadvantages, your partner will get stronger, and the Pokemon Encyclopedia, the Pokedex, will gain more entries. Treat your partner(s) well, and they'll undergo a process known as evolution, increasing size as well as their abilities. There are various ways to do this, but at the time, there were only 2 methods: by leveling up, or by an evolution stone of their respective type.

On the game's box art and cartridge, they had the final evolution of each starter on there to portray as perhaps the mascot of their respective versions, though this principal was soon changed with future titles.They went as shown:

• Red Version: Charizard > Charmander's Final Form
• Green Version (JP Only): Venusaur > Bulbasaur's Final Form
• Blue Version: Blastoise > Squirtle's Final Form

The premise behind the game were simple enough: you're a new trainer in the area of Pallet Town. Not too far off is your rival, Blue (you can name him anything upon your first encounter, much like your own. Your character's default name is Red) Your rival's grandfather is Professor Oak, a Pokemon expert and researcher. After almost running into a patch of grass, he stops you and demands that you visit his lab. Once there, after a brief shit with you, Oak, and his grandson, you are to choose the Pokemon amongst the aforementioned three. Blue will usually pick the stronger type, by way of Fire>Grass, Grass>Water, and Water>Fire. Along the way, you are asked to assist him in his research, upon then you're handed the Pokedex. As you look for 151 Pokemon, you find yourself locked in many battles, and take part in the Pokemon Indigo League challenge. This challenge is to battle 8 Gym leaders, each specifying in a certain type. Gather the badges after defeating the leaders, and if you have all 8, you can face the best of the best, known as the Elite Four, on Indigo Plateau. Beating all four of them pits you against the champion, and should you beat him, then you're considered the new champ. Beware, though, as the criminal group, Team Rocket, is also loose, and you must contend with them as well.

There are various items to help you throughout your quest: some disposable, some a key item, and some that can help breed your partner. With each successful capture of a Pokemon, done in battle with capsules known as Pokeballs, excluding your partner, you can carry up to 6, while any caught afterwards can be stored in a PC, until you're ready to use them. Some of the moves they can do (to a max of 4) can even be helpful outside of battle. HM moves are such abilities, though you need a certain badge for each ability to be used, and to use it in the field, conditions must be met (flow of water, tree in path, etc.) and you must have in your party a Pokemon that learned it.

While Blue was also released in Japan as the third game (a special edition), US and EU had one of their own: the Yellow, or Pikachu, version. Gameplay didn't change very much, but as the name implies, the signature Pokemon mascot and veteran, Pikachu, is available from the beginning of the game, while your rival controles an Eevee as opposed to the other 3 Pokemon. Pikachu has its own cries, as opposed to the defaults in the other versions. Another signature feature is that Pikachu refused to sit in a Pokeball, and would rather walk with you. Speaking to it pops up a window that shows the displayed emotions of Pikachu, who initially dislikes you from the start. To add to this, the anime characters Jessie and James of Team Rocket will battle you every now and then. All 3 versions could trade and battle with one another via a Game Boy Link Cable. Over time, these three would then be considered Generation I games, marking the first Pokemon generation of games.

In the 3rd Generation (see part 3), Kanto is revisited with the release of Game Boy Advance games Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen. While it busted the 3-game format the others had before it, this was the first time Green came to the US as an actual release. Once more, the mascots are respective pokemon Charizard and Venusaur. FireRed and LeafGreen added new features to not only the Pokedex, but also added new areas to try and battle.

The Kanto games get a 7 from me, with a slightly higher 7.5 to FireRed and LeafGreen. Pokemon has a genuine RPG element about theme, and that helped the franchise become as infamous as they are today.