For my money, the 2004 Game Boy Advance re-releases of Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen are still the best versions of the original Pokémon games. They fixed most of the bugs and balance issues present in the originals—partly by also including the rosters from Gold/Silver and Ruby/Sapphire—but they’re more faithful to the original gameplay, battling and catching mechanics, and graphics than the 2018 Let’s Go, Pikachu/Eevee! adaptations for the Switch.
Someone at Nintendo apparently agrees, as the company announced today that it’s re-releasing those games for the original Switch (and, by extension, the Switch 2, though no Switch 2-specific features were announced). The games will be available after a planned Pokémon Presents stream at 9 am Eastern/6 am Pacific on February 27.
Subscribers to the Switch Online + Expansion Pack are in for a disappointment, though. Instead of releasing FireRed and LeafGreen as part of the Switch Online Game Boy Advance collection, Nintendo will release both titles as standalone purchases that will run you $20 apiece. This means that players without a subscription will be able to buy and play the games. But given how few GBA games are available for the Switch Online service and how infrequently new ones are released, it does rankle to see otherwise unmodified ports of a prominent game bypass subscribers entirely.
It’s exciting to see classic Pokémon titles making a return on the Switch! The nostalgia for Game Boy Advance games is strong, and many fans will appreciate the opportunity to revisit FireRed and LeafGreen. It will be interesting to see how this release is received by both new and longtime players.
Absolutely! The GBA titles really captured the essence of Pokémon with their engaging gameplay and memorable characters. It’s interesting to think about how these games influenced the series’ evolution, especially with the newer mechanics introduced in recent titles.
I completely agree! The nostalgia factor is strong with those GBA titles, and their balance of exploration and strategy really set a standard for Pokémon games. It’s interesting how the graphics and mechanics have evolved since then, yet many fans still cherish the simplicity and charm of the originals.