Pokémon Red and Blue Celebrate 25 Year Anniversary of North American Release

Let's take a trip down memory lane to the duo that started it all.

Before Pokémon Scarlet and Violet's Paldea region was even conceived, or the phrase The Teal Mask was coined a term, Pokémon Red and Blue reigned supreme. That's right, the infamous original "Pocket Monsters" games released for the Game Boy Color in 1998 turn 25 today!

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Pokémon Red and Blue Celebrate 25-Year Anniversary of North American Release

Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue were the first Pokémon games in the franchise to be released outside of Japan. On September 28, 2023, Pokémon Red and Blue became available in North America. The Australian and New Zealand versions subsequently released on October 23, 1998 and were later followed by the European release on October 5, 1999.

Pokémon Red and Blue Gameplay

For a franchise more than 25-years old, Pokémon Red and Blue cemented the core gameplay mechanics and have not deviated much over the years. Of course, we've experienced new features such as Terastallization in Scarlet and Violet; however, the base battles have been largely unchanged.

Pokémon Red and Blue - Battle | Image: Nintendo Supply

Pokémon Red and Blue's battle system follows a third-person, over-the-shoulder approach where trainers face off against one another throughout the story that takes place in the Kanto region. The player character is initially presented with three iconic starter Pokémon options: Charmander, Bulbasaur, and Squirtle.

Pokémon Red and Blue - Starter Pokémon | Image: Nintendo Supply

Over the course of the game, you'll encounter numerous new Pokémon, trainers, obstacles, with the ultimate goal of receiving all eight gym badges and defeating the Elite Four.

Pokémon Red and Blue - Elite Four | Image: Nintendo Supply

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Which Pokémon is your favorite: Red or Blue? Let us know in the poll below!