Pokemon Red And Blue Retro Review: RPG History Worth Revisiting

"Those original Game Boy games feel retro nowadays not just in their pixel art graphics and chiptune sounds, but in the way that the world within the games feels like it's in a different, earlier era than it is in modern games like Legends: Z-A. As video games have become more advanced, the universe has developed along with it."

"The Kanto region of and is somewhat technologically advanced with its tiny Pokéball gizmos capturing even massive monsters in machines, but by and large, this is the most grounded has ever felt, and likely will ever feel again."

"It was a simpler time, one that was likely designed without any notion that it would persist for 30 years, expanding beyond a few freak experiments and urban legends into a world with a cosmic design at its center."

The original Pokémon games released on Game Boy in 1996 now feel like historical artifacts due to their 8-bit visuals and dated mechanics. Revisiting these games reveals how significantly the Pokémon world has evolved alongside technological progress. The Kanto region represents the most grounded version of Pokémon ever created, featuring simpler mechanics like the basic Pokédex, the HM traversal system, and legendary creatures that don't feel larger than life. Modern games like Legends: Z-A showcase a universe that has developed technologically and narratively far beyond these humble beginnings. The original games were likely designed without anticipation of a 30-year legacy, expanding from simple concepts into a complex world with cosmic design elements.

Read at Kotaku