Pokemon.com offers helpful tips for Pokemon R/B/Y first-timers

Trainers everywhere are heading back to the Kanto region with the release of Pokémon Red, Pokémon Blue, and Pokémon Yellow on the Virtual Console for systems in the Nintendo 3DS family. The original release of these games started a revolution of Trainers plugging in their game link cables to engage in battles and trades in classrooms, offices, and just about everywhere else—all across the globe. With the magic of the original games returning, battles are sure to recommence, fortunately without the need of a game link cable this time around!

Pokémon games have changed quite a bit in the past 20 years. Not only do you need to consider the limited Pokémon and moves that were available in the original games, some gameplay elements are radically different compared to newer titles. Take a look at some of the major differences:

Pokémon had only one “Special” stat, which functioned as both Special Attack and Special Defense

All moves of a certain type were either physical or special (for example, all Fire-type attacks were special attacks)

Pokémon did not have Abilities

Pokémon could not hold items

Pokémon did not have Natures

All battles were Single Battles

Pokémon did not recover from the frozen status condition unless hit by a Fire-type move

Recovering from the sleep status condition took an entire turn

Critical hit probability was based on the Pokémon's Speed (for example, the quick Jolteon was more likely to score a critical hit than the sluggish Snorlax)

Pokémon using Hyper Beam didn't need to recharge if they knocked out their target

Bind, Clamp, Fire Spin, and Wrap prevented their target from making a move

Pokémon's base stats didn't have a shared cap between stats. Each of a Pokémon's stats could be trained to their maximum.

As you can see, quite a lot has changed! Keep these ideas in mind as we break down the best strategies for competing in Pokémon Red, Pokémon Blue, and Pokémon Yellow.