How to play Pokemon Red and Blue in 2024
Game Freak/The Pokemon CompanyPokemon fans of all ages are still pining over the original 151, so we’re explaining how to find Pokemon Red and Blue as well as how to play them in the year 2024.
With another Pokemon Day now gone, as well as the announcement of a brand new Pokemon game in the shape of Pokemon Legends Z-A, many eager Pocket Monster fans are wondering how to play the classic titles, such as Pokemon Red & Blue.
As such a classic, and massive, franchise, you might be thinking it would be easy to play titles like Pokemon Red & Blue on your Nintendo Switch, right? Sadly, no, for some mysterious reasons, it’s just not that simple, so we’re breaking down how to play Pokemon Red & Blue in 2024.
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You can play Pokemon Red and Blue on Nintendo 3DS, maybe
The Pokemon CompanyIn the year 2024, the easiest official way to play Pokemon Red and Blue, or even Yellow, is through their official Nintendo 3DS ports. However, the Nintendo 3DS eShop is now offline, meaning purchases can no longer be made, and you can only download these games if you already own them.
If you don’t own the titles, there is the chance of purchasing a used Nintendo 3DS with the titles installed, but you would have to bank on the 3DS not being wiped before resale, and the previous user still being logged into their account. Preventing you from logging in to yours.
One of the other ways is to buy a Special Edition Nintendo 3DS or 2DS, as some of these devices came with Pokemon Red or Blue pre-installed. However, given the current market, these are now selling for well above RRP.
Play an original Pokemon Red or Blue cartridge
HyperkinYes, it is 2024, and one of the most reliable ways to play Pokemon Red or Blue is still to find an original cartridge from 1997 through sites like Ebay. Thankfully, there are more ways to play those cartridges than just the old grey brick of a Game Boy, thanks to lots of modern conveniences.
If you have an original cartridge for Pokemon Red, Blue, or Yellow, you can play them on FPGA devices that take original cartridges like the popular Analog Pocket. This gadget allows you to slot a Game Boy cartridge into the back and features an absolutely beautiful 10x scale backlit screen.
Otherwise, gadgets like the GB Operator or Hyperkin RetroN Sq work to allow fans to A) play their original Pokemon cartridge on a PC, or B) backup that original ROM and save data to be played elsewhere. It is illegal to download roms without owning a copy of the game, but if you own the cartridge, you can legally back up your game.
If you can do this, then it could be convenient to use your legal ROM and save on other modern handheld devices like the Miyoo Mini, the Anbernic RG35XX Plus, and more. Again, we do not condone the illegal downloading of ROMs.
Pokemon Fire Red, Leaf Green, and Let’s Go
Game Freak/The Pokemon CompanyIf you’re struggling to get a copy of Pokemon Red and Blue for the original Game Boy, you might have more luck finding the GBA titles Pokemon Fire Red and Leaf Green. Sadly, like many Pokemon titles, these will still be fairly expensive, even used and without the original box.
Otherwise, the nearest thing to play on Nintendo Switch are the titles Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu and Pokemon Let’s Go Eevee. These two titles are soft remakes of the original Kanto games, but with a gorgeous art style, and borrowing some mechanics from Pokemon Go.
It’s not quite the same as playing the original games, and the Pokemon Let’s Go titles feature some annoying – and mandatory – motion controls, but it just might be the cheapest and easiest way to introduce any younger gamers to the original 151.
Hopefully, one day The Pokemon Company decides to let consumers purchase digital copies of some of the best-selling games ever made like Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow: to one of the best-selling consoles ever produced – the Nintendo Switch – some 28 years after their original release.
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