10 Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen Features That Are Better Than Modern Games

Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen are now available on Nintendo Switch & Switch 2, marking one of the rare instances when older Pokémon games have been released on modern systems. This means that the Gen 1 remakes on the Game Boy Advance are now competing for attention with the modern Pokémon titles, which benefit from decades of gameplay improvements and graphical upgrades.

Or are they? See, a lot has been said about how modern Pokémon games haven't evolved in their design, and that their visual and performance quality is subpar, especially for titles from the biggest multimedia franchise on the planet.

Perhaps Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen could give upcoming Pokémon titles a lesson or two in how to make players happy. Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen might be antiquated by today's standards, but there's a reason why so many people were playing them on launch day.

10 Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen Starters Had Value

Charmander Players Had to Go Through Hell to Get Past Brock & Misty

One of the best design aspects of the Gen 1 Pokémon titles, which returned in the Gen 3 remakes, was the Starter Pokémon acting as difficulty modes. Bulbasaur was easy, because it'd thrash Brock and Misty via type advantages, Squirtle was normal, as it'd whip Brock but was equal with Misty, and Charmander was hard, as it struggled against both the first two Gym Leaders.

The choice of Starter Pokémon and their influence on the game world meant that players had to design their team early on to proceed, offering much-needed tactical thought on the player's part.

Nowadays, Starter Pokémon rarely have any influence on the game's difficulty. It's fine for players who are deadset on a certain Pokémon and don't want to have to try so hard, but it takes some of the punch out of needing to make a choice.

The addition of online play also means it's really easy for players to acquire all three early on, especially when the playerbase finds where Ditto is hiding, meaning they lack the special rarity they once had.

Difficulty Has a Type Advantage Against Game Freak

A major complaint about the modern Pokémon games is the enforced nature ofExp. Share. In the old days, players had to keep switching Pokémon out in order to share experience points across them, at least until they found the Exp. Share, which transfers some to one Pokémon, at the cost of a held item.

The modern Pokémon games did away with the Exp. Share. Now, all Pokémon in the player's party receive an equal share of the experience points, regardless of what they did in battle.

Sure, the modern method makes it easier to get through the game as quickly as possible, but it removes the feeling of actually training a Pokémon. Nowadays, it's possible to get a Pokémon to level 99 without ever using it in battle.

Pokémon FireRed& LeafGreen force the player to earn their experience points, which makes them closer to their team, as they act as staunch allies in every fight. This becomes especially true later on, when the battle against the Elite Four approaches, and everyone needs to up their game.

8 The Lack of Online Brings Back Some of the Magic

Only the Link Cable Needs to Be Forgotten

The modern Pokémon games have online multiplayer, and fans wouldn't have it any other way. The ability to wirelessly trade and battle Pokémon from the comfort of the couch or the toilet is something players desperately wish they had back in the old days, and they wouldn't get it unless the Nintendo DS, and even then, it took until the 3DS for the online features to become user-friendly.

However, something was lost in the transition to online multiplayer. See, the reason Pokémon exploded in popularity in the first place wasthe social aspect.

In the old days, players needed to meet up in real life if they wanted to catch all the Pokémon. Many lifelong friendships were formed by the need to meet up with other players and connect that Link Cable.

Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen lack online features, which is a good thing, as they perfectly emulate the retro feel. Anyone who wants to complete the Pokédex will have to go out into the fresh air and meet other players, just like the good old days.

7 The Rival Is So Hateable (Which Is Why He Works So Well)

Who Didn't Name Him Gary Oak Back in the Day?

Modern Pokémon rivals are horrible: a waste of space. Rivals were at their best when they were antagonistic forces, pushing players further to put them in their place.

Unfortunately, the jerk rivals aren't as big a part of the franchise as people remember. It's mostly Blue, Silver, and Bede. The rest of the rivals are boring at best and outright friends at worst. Or, in Hop's case, take up far too much of the narrative.

Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen take things back to the best era of the franchise when it comes to rivals. Blue is a detestable little jerk, and there are few greater thrills in the Pokémon franchise than putting him in his place.

Pokémon players who are used to having their backside kissed by rivals can finally enjoy defeating a worthy adversary, one who slowly grows in power alongside them, and acts as the culmination of their journey.

6 The Game Corner Is Back

Kanto Was Introducing Kids to Gambling Way Before Mobile Titles Came Around

The Pokémon series used to feature areas with games of chance, and while they weren't quite as blatant as the casinos in the Dragon Quest franchise (certainly without the bunny girls), they still offered ways to earn lots of cash, or points that could be traded for rare items and Pokémon.

Over time, the Pokémon​​​​​​franchise began removing gambling minigames, likely due to tightening restrictions on betting content in kids' games. This has retroactively applied to remakes, with locations like the Celadon Game Corner being changed to accommodate the lack of gambling.

Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen predate the changes, so it's time to hit the slots! Those who missed wiling away the hours in front of a slot machine to get the coins needed for a Dratini or Porygon can do so again on the Nintendo Switch.

It's understandable that the Pokémon franchise wouldn't want any gambling segments in its games, especially in an era when so many live-service titles are pushing kids to bet on digital goods. If anything, the slot machines in Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen look quaint by comparison.

5 The Lack of Story Is a Good Thing

Hop Needs to Hop Into a Volcano

The modern Pokémon games love interrupting the player. Pokémon Sword & Shield might have been the worst for this, as it often felt like the player was on a leash from the story: they couldn't go too far without running into a mandatory cutscene or dialogue with an NPC.

An overbearing story wouldn't be such an issue if the stories were actually good, but they're not. The Pokémon games are notorious for narratives that are bland at best, nonsensical at worst.

The old Pokémon games managed to avoid a bad story by going as barebones as possible. There's no need to hear about Arven's dying dog or Penny's tepid bullying storyline, as Red and Leaf are too busy actually becoming Pokémon masters.

Pokémon games are at their best when they lean into the premise as hard as possible. If Game Freak wants to put a story in it, then they'd better make it a good one and ensure it's unintrusive for those who just don't care.

4 There's an Actual Interesting Puzzle in the Games

Time To Return To GameFAQs

The Pokémon franchise isn't exactly known for its puzzles. Most players can expect some basic conundrums in the Gyms, which act as temporary barriers to keep them away from the Gym Leaders.

Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen continued a tradition started in Pokémon Ruby & Sapphire, in which text was written in Braille. This meant that players actually had to use their brains and seek out an answer, something that never happens with the modern Pokémon games.

Sure, the secret is only an Internet click away. The Braille puzzles were a bit more interesting back when Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen came out, even though there were hints and solutions in supplemental material (depending on the region), but the fact that there's any intrigue at all is something that's sorely missed.

Nowadays, every Pokémon game is strip-mined for guides as soon as it comes out, meaning there are very few secrets, even at launch, meaning the Braille puzzles are a relic of an era that will never return.

3 Best Individual Battle Theme in the Franchise

He Blue The Fans' Eardrums Out

Music taste is obviously very subjective. The Pokémon franchise has no shortage of bangers that fans still love to this day, even though they had to emerge from the antiquated Game Boy speakers.

Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen easily take the crown when it comes to the best individual character battle theme in the series, as the music that plays when facing Blue as Champion is peak Pokémon. No other Champion theme has come close to being as stirring as this one.

The later Pokémon games have had some excellent tunes, especially Pokémon Sword & Shield, which really leaned into the Galar region's UK musical inspirations, but they struggle to match a single song that was piped out by the Game Boy Advance.

Blue is already a strong contender for the best Champion in the franchise, and his awesome Gen 1 remake tune might be what pushes him over the edge.

2 A Restricted Pokémon Is Finally Available

If Only Xenomorphs Were This Shiny

Back when Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen were first released, players were expected to travel to real events in order to acquire Mythical Pokémon. This dates all the way back to Mew in the Gen 1 era, though it's a practice that has faded over time.

For the longest time, the only way to acquire a Shiny Deoxys was through an event in Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen. Players had to be given an Aurora Ticket at an event to unlock the island where Deoxys awaits. In later mainline games, Deoxys was Shiny-locked, meaning it could only be brought up from the Gen 3 era.

The Nintendo Switch versions of Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen automatically give the player an Aurora Ticket once they complete the game, meaning no leaving the house is necessary. This means that players can keep save-scumming until they get a Shiny Deoxys.

Once Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen receive Pokémon Home support, players will be able to bring legitimate Shiny Deoxys into future games, so long as they have the patience to hunt for one.

1 Better Post-Game Than The Let's Go Games

Niantic Didn't Inspire The Definitive Kanto

Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen aren't the most recent re-releases of the Gen 1 games, as there are also the Let's Go titles remakes on the Nintendo Switch. Well, calling them a remake is a stretch; they can loosely be considered sequel reboots, since they follow a brand-new hero while Red is an established character, and the events of the story remain mostly the same.

The Let's Go games aren't as good as Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen for one key reason: the lack of the Sevii Islands. This brand-new area introduced in the Gen 3 remakes adds a ton of content to the Kanto region, especially in the post-game.

For whatever reason, the Let's Go titles decided to scrap the Sevii Islands, replacing them with battles against difficult trainers spread across the region, which are nowhere near as interesting.

Considering the issues that the original Pokémon Red & Blue have, it's easy to consider Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen the definitive versions of Kanto, especially when Let's Go doesn't quite match up in terms of content, even if it is a lot prettier.