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| A screen I've seen countless times |
Pokemon Red was the very first video game I ever got. My sisters had an NES and a Game Gear, so I had experience playing Mario and Sonic, but Pokemon Red, along with my lime Gameboy Color and Pokemon Pinball, were the first games (and system) that I got. And I loved the shit out of Pokemon Red. I got it for Christmas back in '98, and I must have played it for at least seven hours the day I got it (considering I was 8, that's pretty impressive). I had friends that had Pokemon before me, so I knew the basics, but it was a different experience playing through my own adventure. This top 7 is for the most memorable moments in that first adventure, listed in order of occurrence. I will also note the differences between the original playthrough and a recent FireRed playthrough I did.
7. Choosing your first Pokemon
One of the very first choices you make in the game, and one of the biggest you make throughout your entire adventure, picking your first Pokemon is always a tough choice. On my first playthrough, I went with Squirtle for two reasons: I knew it's final form, Blastoise, was fucking awesome, and Squirtle would be able to kick the shit out of the first gym leader. I don't at all regret that choice, and Squirtle quickly became one of my favorite Pokemon. On later playthroughs, I went with Charmander (also a great choice), but I have to this day never played through the entire game with Bulbasaur as my starter.
FireRed Playthrough - I choose Bulbasaur and named it Marijuana!. Don't think 8 year old me would even understand what that meant. Also, I named my rival Assface.
6. Catching your first Pokemon
Sure, Pidgey and Rattata aren't the most glamorous Pokemon out there, but I remember being so excited to add them to my team. Unlike your starter, you caught these Pokemon, they were the product of your efforts and no one else. Neither Pidgey or Rattata became a member of my final team, but they both helped get through some early foes.
FireRed playthrough - The first Pokemon I caught was Rattata, and I named him "Whiskers".
5. Your first Pokemon evolution
The moment when you first get to see one of your Pokemon evolve is one of the defining moments of your first adventure. The first evolution I saw was Squirtle evolving into Wartortle just before going in to Mt. Moon, though for many it could be Caterpie/Weedle evolving into Metapod/Kakuna. Sure, this happens tons more times throughout your adventure, but the first time is always something.
FireRed playthrough - The first evolution was Caterpie (who had no nickname) evolving into a Metapod just after beating Brock at the first Gym.
4. Starter evolving to it's third form
The moment you had been waiting for since you picked your starter: The moment he evolved into his final, badass form. My Squirtle evolved into a Blastoise just after getting through the Rock Tunnel, and I remember thinking that I could take on the Elite Four right then and win. Nothing was going to stop this badass turtle with cannons on his shoulders. Nothing.
FireRed playthrough - Marijuana! evolved into Venusaur just after the Rock Tunnel as well.
3. Defeating the Elite Four
I realize I skipped the entire story up until now, but none of those individual moments were big enough to warrant inclusion on this list. Defeating the Elite Four was the climax of the adventure; the point that all your training had led up to. I remember losing in my first attempt to beat the Elite Four, but when I came back, I came to win. My team included Blastoise (who was at this point at level 70 or so), Nidoking, Jolteon, Farfetch'd, and two others. The team was pretty much all Blastoise (the rest of them were just the best Pokemon I had otherwise - I did not have a balanced team) but it was enough to get through the Elite Four, and your rival, and claim the rank of Pokemon King (that's what happened right?).
FireRed playthrough - Like I said above, I have never gone through the entire game with Bulbasaur as my starter. In the current playthrough, I just beat the seventh gym (they make you go to this lame island thing in Pokemon FireRed after, that's where I am now). I chose Bulbasaur specifically because I had never beaten the game with him as the starter, and for now, it stays that way.
2. Learning about, and then exploiting, the Missingno glitch
Ah the Missingno glitch. I remember first hearing about the glitch, and how it changed the game. The ability to get infinite rare candies and master balls definitely took something out of the game, but it became a part of the game in and of itself. I don't think I utilized the glitch in my first playthrough, but I remember later playthroughs being a grind up until you could learn surf, and then it became a joke. This has to be the single most memorable glitch in any game I've ever played.
FireRed playthrough - The Missingno glitch isn't included in further games, though I feel they should have made a little joke inside the remake about it (maybe have the guy you have to talk to say "Don't go surfing in Cinnabar" or something like that.
1. Catching Mewtwo
The final showdown. Mewtwo was the most powerful wild Pokemon in the game, and undoubtedly badass. I made sure to save my Master Ball for the encounter (I don't think I've ever not had the Master Ball to catch Mewtwo) and I threw it as soon as the battle started. Mewtwo instantly became my second highest level Pokemon (behind Blastoise) and a key part of future battles against the Elite Four and friends.
FireRed playthrough - I haven't gotten that far in the playthrough, but I do have my Master Ball saved for the occasion.
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