Pokémon Red and Blue Versions

Pokémon Red Version and Pokémon Blue Verison are the first two games in the Pokémon series to be released outside of Japan, available in North America in 1998. Unlike the games in the later generations, Pokémon Red Version and Pokémon Blue Version are not the same as their Japanese release. Japan had gotten their first set of games as Pokémon Red and Green Versions.
== Plot ==
A young boy from the town of Pallet Town begins his journey as a Pokémon Trainer. While venturing into tall grass, a voice from Professor Oak, a researcher of Pokémon, who brings him to his lab. The boy meets Oak's grandson and his rival to be the Pokémon Champion. After selecting his starter Pokémon, the new trainer heads from city to city inside a region known as Kanto to earn badges to compete at the Indigo Plateau.
Throughout his journey, the boy meets a criminal organization, known as Team Rocket, that abuses Pokémon to earn a profit. They devise numerous plans to steal rare Pokémon, which the boy must foil for the safety of the Pokémon.
== Gameplay ==
The games are split into three different screens: an overworld screen, a battle screen and a series of menu screens. When traversing the overworld, the games are played from a third-person overhead perspective, where the trainer is to be guided throughout cities and into battles to earn his badges.
When the trainer enters a battle, the perspective changes to a side view, where the Pokémon Trainer's Pokémon are placed on the bottom left with a status bar to their right and the opponent Pokémon on the top right with a status bar to their left. In order to win a battle, the trainer's Pokémon must defeat the opponent's by reducing their health to zero. Any Pokémon involved in the battle earn experience. As certain Pokémon reach certain levels, they enter an evolution state, where their appearance changes and they learn new moves.
To get more Pokémon other than the chosen starter, the trainer's Pokémon must reduce a wild Pokémon to low health and proceed to use a Poké Ball. Once successfully captured, the data is added to a Pokémon encyclopedia known as the Pokédex. In order to get a fully completed Pokédex, players must use a link cable to trade Pokémon with a player of the opposite game, as certain Pokémon are exclusive to either Pokémon Red or Pokémon Blue.
=== Pokémon ===
Introduced in Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue are 150 Pokémon, including the Legendary Pokémon Mewtwo and the mascot of the entire series, Pikachu.
# 	Pokémon Name	Type 	Red	Blue
1 	Bulbasaur 	Grass/Poison 	 	
2 	Ivysaur 	Grass/Poison 	 	
3 	Venusaur 	Grass/Poison 	 	
4 	Charmander 	Fire 	 	
5 	Charmeleon 	Fire 	 	
6 	Charizard 	Fire/Flying 	 	
7 	Squirtle 	Water 	 	
8 	Wartortle 	Water 	 	
9 	Blastoise 	Water 	 	
10	Caterpie 	Bug 	 	
11	Metapod 	Bug 	 	
12	Butterfree 	Bug/Flying 	 	
13	Weedle 	Bug/Poison 	 	
14	Kakuna 	Bug/Poison 	 	
15	Beedrill 	Bug/Poison 	 	
16	Pidgey 	Normal/Flying 	 	
17	Pidgeotto 	Normal/Flying 	 	
18	Pidgeot 	Normal/Flying 	 	
19	Rattata 	Normal 	 	
20	Raticate 	Normal 	 	
21	Spearow 	Normal/Flying 	 	
22	Fearow 	Normal/Flying 	 	
23	Ekans 	Poison 	 	
24	Arbok 	Poison 	 	
25	Pikachu 	Electric 	 	
26	Raichu 	Electric 	 	
27	Sandshrew 	Ground 	 	
28	Sandslash 	Ground 	 	
29	Nidoran♀ 	Poison 	 	
30	Nidorina 	Poison 	 	
31	Nidoqueen 	Poison/Ground 	 	
32	Nidoran♂ 	Poison 	 	
33	Nidorino 	Poison 	 	
34	Nidoking 	Poison/Ground 	 	
35	Clefairy 	Normal 	 	
36	Clefable 	Normal 	 	
37	Vulpix 	Fire 	 	
38	Ninetales 	Fire 	 	
39	Jigglypuff 	Normal 	 	
40	Wigglytuff 	Normal 	 	
41	Zubat 	Poison/Flying 	 	
42	Golbat 	Poison/Flying 	 	
43	Oddish 	Grass/Poison 	 	
44	Gloom 	Grass/Poison 	 	
45	Vileplume 	Grass/Poison 	 	
46	Paras 	Bug/Grass 	 	
47	Parasect 	Bug/Grass 	 	
48	Venonat 	Bug/Poison 	 	
49	Venomoth 	Bug/Poison 	 	
50	Diglett 	Ground 	 	
51	Dugtrio 	Ground 	 	
52	Meowth 	Normal 	 	
53	Persian 	Normal 	 	
54	Psyduck 	Water 	 	
55	Golduck 	Water 	 	
56	Mankey 	Fighting 	 	
57	Primeape 	Fighting 	 	
58	Growlithe 	Fire 	 	
59	Arcanine 	Fire 	 	
60	Poliwag 	Water 	 	
61	Poliwhirl 	Water 	 	
62	Poliwrath 	Water/Fighting	 	
63	Abra 	Psychic 	 	
64	Kadabra 	Psychic 	 	
65	Alakazam 	Psychic 	 	
66	Machop 	Fighting 	 	
67	Machoke 	Fighting 	 	
68	Machamp 	Fighting 	 	
69	Bellsprout 	Grass/Poison 	 	
70	Weepinbell 	Grass/Poison 	 	
71	Victreebel 	Grass/Poison 	 	
72	Tentacool 	Water/Poison 	 	
73	Tentacruel 	Water/Poison 	 	
74	Geodude 	Rock/Ground 	 	
75	Graveler 	Rock/Ground 	 	
# 	Pokémon Name	Type 	Red	Blue
76 	Golem 	Rock/Ground 	 	
77 	Ponyta 	Fire 	 	
78 	Rapidash 	Fire 	 	
79 	Slowpoke 	Water/Psychic 	 	
80 	Slowbro 	Water/Psychic 	 	
81 	Magnemite 	Electric 	 	
82 	Magneton 	Electric 	 	
83 	Farfetch'd 	Normal/Flying 	 	
84 	Doduo 	Normal/Flying 	 	
85 	Dodrio 	Normal/Flying 	 	
86 	Seel 	Water 	 	
87 	Dewgong 	Water/Ice 	 	
88 	Grimer 	Poison 	 	
89 	Muk 	Poison 	 	
90 	Shellder 	Water 	 	
91 	Cloyster 	Water/Ice 	 	
92 	Gastly 	Ghost/Poison 	 	
93 	Haunter 	Ghost/Poison 	 	
94 	Gengar 	Ghost/Poison 	 	
95 	Onix 	Rock/Ground 	 	
96 	Drowzee 	Psychic 	 	
97 	Hypno 	Psychic 	 	
98 	Krabby 	Water 	 	
99 	Kingler 	Water 	 	
100	Voltorb 	Electric 	 	
101	Electrode 	Electric 	 	
102	Exeggcute 	Grass/Psychic 	 	
103	Exeggutor 	Grass/Psychic 	 	
104	Cubone 	Ground 	 	
105	Marowak 	Ground 	 	
106	Hitmonlee 	Fighting 	 	
107	Hitmonchan 	Fighting 	 	
108	Lickitung 	Normal 	 	
109	Koffing 	Poison 	 	
110	Weezing 	Poison 	 	
111	Rhyhorn 	Ground/Rock 	 	
112	Rhydon 	Ground/Rock 	 	
113	Chansey 	Normal 	 	
114	Tangela 	Grass 	 	
115	Kangaskhan 	Normal 	 	
116	Horsea 	Water 	 	
117	Seadra 	Water 	 	
118	Goldeen 	Water 	 	
119	Seaking 	Water 	 	
120	Staryu 	Water 	 	
121	Starmie 	Water/Psychic 	 	
122	Mr. Mime 	Psychic 	 	
123	Scyther 	Bug/Flying 	 	
124	Jynx 	Ice/Psychic 	 	
125	Electabuzz 	Electric 	 	
126	Magmar 	Fire 	 	
127	Pinsir 	Bug 	 	
128	Tauros 	Normal 	 	
129	Magikarp 	Water 	 	
130	Gyarados 	Water/Flying 	 	
131	Lapras 	Water/Ice 	 	
132	Ditto 	Normal 	 	
133	Eevee 	Normal 	 	
134	Vaporeon 	Water 	 	
135	Jolteon 	Electric 	 	
136	Flareon 	Fire 	 	
137	Porygon 	Normal 	 	
138	Omanyte 	Rock/Water 	 	
139	Omastar 	Rock/Water 	 	
140	Kabuto 	Rock/Water 	 	
141	Kabutops 	Rock/Water 	 	
142	Aerodactyl 	Rock/Flying 	 	
143	Snorlax 	Normal 	 	
144	Articuno 	Ice/Flying 	 	
145	Zapdos 	Electric/Flying	 	
146	Moltres 	Fire/Flying 	 	
147	Dratini 	Dragon 	 	
148	Dragonair 	Dragon 	 	
149	Dragonite 	Dragon/Flying 	 	
150	Mewtwo 	Psychic 	 	
== Reception ==
The games received mostly positive reviews from critics, holding an aggregate score of 89% on GameRankings. Especial praise was given to its multiplayer features: the ability to trade and battle Pokémon with one another. Craig Harris of IGN gave the games a "masterful" 10 out of 10, noting that "Even if you finish the quest, you still might not have all the Pokémon in the game. The challenge to catch 'em all is truly the game's biggest draw." He also commented on the popularity of the game, especially among children, describing it as a "craze." GameSpot's Peter Bartholow, who gave the games a "great" 8.8 out of 10, cited the graphics and audio as somewhat primitive but stated that these were the games' only drawbacks. He praised the titles' replay value due to their customization and variety, and commented upon their universal appeal: "Under its cuddly exterior, Pokémon is a serious and unique RPG with lots of depth and excellent multiplayer extensions. As an RPG, the game is accessible enough for newcomers to the genre to enjoy, but it will entertain hard-core fans as well. It's easily one of the best Game Boy games to date."
The games had become one of the top franchises of Nintendo, along side the Mario series and Zelda series. Spawning many sequel games as well as spin-offs, the games would continue to introduce new Pokémon to the series. The game had also earned in its own anime series, which introduces new characters as well as a named protagonist. The anime would later be made into its own version of the Pokémon series, known as Pokémon Yellow.
Category:Games released on the Game Boy
Category:Games that are rated E
Category:Games released in 1998
Category:Games by Game Freak