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This is it.
Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen are finally available on the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 for $19.99.
And it does beg a couple of questions: Are these games worth getting? Are they overpriced? And why couldn’t they be added to the Nintendo Switch Online subscription?
Thankfully, I’m quite knowledgeable when it comes to Pokémon games, and I can answer these questions clearly while also sharing my biggest concerns.
How much do FireRed/Leaf Green cost on Switch?
I’ll be honest, they are a bit pricier than I was anticipating. Back when the Pokémon Game Boy games were released on the Nintendo 3DS, they came with a $9.99 price tag, so I was expecting FireRed/LeafGreen to be around $15.
Instead, each version will cost $20, and there is no option to buy them in a bundle with a slight discount. So, instead of purchasing both versions like I was thinking of doing, I will only commit to one for now and wait for a price drop on the second one.
They are great games, but there are a couple of things that I want to see implemented.
Will the event Pokémon be unlocked?
Navel Rock and Birth Island. These two locations are infamous for being locked behind an event item that had a low distribution in most regions, completely locking the player out of capturing the legendary Pokémon Lugia and Ho-Oh, as well as the mythical Pokémon Deoxys.
When Pokémon Crystal was released on the 3DS, it came with a surprise. The Celebi event was coded in all versions, and the GS Ball item to trigger it was also given to the player after beating the Elite Four.
This was a major selling point and was featured in the release trailer. However, for Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, there was no information on this matter.
Until the day of release came and people discovered the event tickets in their bag after they beat the Elite Four. This is a major win for everyone that could not visit these obscure locations in the past, and one of the best selling points of Pokémon FireRed/LeafGreen on the Nintendo Switch.
What about the e-reader events?
The e-reader was an add-on for the Game Boy Advance and allowed the player to scan cards that would have different effects in-game.
In FireRed and LeafGreen, scanning certain cards would add new battles to the Trainer Tower with new trainers with interesting teams and also change its layout!
This is super cool, and I never experienced this myself; hopefully this feature will come unlocked as well.
Why aren’t Pokémon FireRed/LeafGreen on Switch Online?
This is simple to answer: Game Freak absolutely despises save states. Moreover, the games will have Pokémon Home compatibility some time after they launch, and because of this, they had to make sure there was just a single save file per game.
I’m perfectly fine with this, but at the same time, I feel we lost something great. The ability to trade and battle online.
Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen only support wireless communication, unfortunately. I’m lucky enough to have people around me that will play the game alongside me, but for others that don’t, this will be a lonely experience.
Do Pokémon FireRed/LeafGreen have Pokémon Home support?
On February 27th, during the Pokémon Presents, it was finally confirmed that Pokémon FireRed/LeafGreen will have Pokémon Home support in the future. However, it seems like it’s a one-way trip.
This means it will not be possible to transfer Pokémon you already own in Pokémon Home to the GBA games, which makes it bittersweet. On one hand, you can transfer Deoxys to other games, which was impossible without a copy of Pokémon Omega Ruby. And on the other, you’ll never be able to complete its Pokédex.
There are many Pokémon from Gen 2 and Gen 3 that are not available in FireRed/LeafGreen, and I thought this problem would be solved with Pokémon Home.
So, if you purchase the games, please keep this in mind since catching them might be a big deal to you.
Are Pokémon FireRed/LeafGreen worth it or not?
These games have been around for years and are excellent games and have done an impressive job in adapting and improving the original games they are based on.
Almost anyone has played them at this point, but if you haven’t, I can fully recommend it, since the era of GBA Pokémon games is probably my favorite.
However, if I am to spend $20 on each individual game, I expect Game Freak to put in some actual effort and give us the event tickets unlocked as well as include the e-Reader battles in the Trainer Tower.
I’m also content with not having this on NSO, since purchasing it and having it on my Switch at all times is much better in terms of game preservation.
So, in sum. Go play FireRed and LeafGreen and conquer Kanto’s Pokémon League!
