Which virtual console Pokemon game should I get?

[Oly J]

Hi guys, I've recently learned that VC versions of Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow are available (been a bit out of the loop lately so may have caught on after everyone else)

after having got a Mew code earlier this month I found myself wondering if catching 'em all was still an attainable goal (I haven't thought about it since I was, I think 9? maybe 10, I had Pokemon Red, I had managed to catch 149, the last one was Kangeskhan, and of course, I knew exactly where I could find it (at that age if you gave me any number up to 150 I could tell you the Pokemon and where to find it, kids on my school's playground didn't bother with internet, they just asked me, should've charged.) anyway, I catch Tauros to make it 149, then put down my Game Boy to go to school, when I get back, I find that my older brother has erased my save file to trade himself a starter...this remains the most devastating loss of a save file I've ever experienced, I didn't pick up a Pokemon game again until White on the DS, and now there are close to a thousand of the buggers.

But hey, Pokemon Bank is now a thing, so why not try to catch 'em all regardless eh? now here's the question, which version of Gen 1 should I get?

I have a nostalgic attachment to Red, because it was the first one I had, however I've heard that you get all 3 starters in Yellow and all other pokemon are attainable without trading, is this true? if so I'll get that one I think.

Does anyone know how trading works with these VC releases? and which one do you recommend I get to most efficiently catch 'em all?

Thanks

 

[CritialGaming]

I like Yellow the best, because it let's you get all three gen 1 starters in a single game and without having to trade for them.

 

[Bellvedere]

Yellow does have all three starters but you still can't get get all 150 in the one version without trading. There's a number you'll need trade with Blue and Red versions for and of course the fossil Pokemon. With no breeding in the Gen I games (and that they can only trade amongst each other), it's probably harder to complete the Pokedex in these than in the later games.

Personally just I picked up Blue because it was my first Pokemon game. Not too concerned about completing the dex in it though.

Just for the record, to complete the current national Pokedex (outside event legendaries) only Gen VI games are necessary. Also with a mythic event Pokemon available monthly for the rest of the year, there's a good shot a 100% complete legitimate Pokedex.

 

[Yoshi178]

VC release and it's trading is exactly the same as it was in 1999 except this time it's via local wireless since you can't use a link cable. can't use the internet to trade. just for pokemon bank transfer to sun and moon.

you can still catch 151 pokemon in the games though thanks to the Mew Glitch which is still in the games.

 

[Kotaro]

Blue and Red are almost exactly the same game aside from which Pokemon you can catch.
Yellow changed a few story beats, gives you a Pikachu as your starter (which actually makes the game a bit more difficult, as the first gym leader uses rock-type Pokemon), and you can actually get all three of the original starters later on.

Personally, I like Yellow the most, but it's really just minor differences between them; the overall game is largely the same in all three.

 

[DeliveryGodNoah_v1legacy]

Yeah, Yellow is easily the most "content rich" of the three, though they are all pretty much identical. Plus Pikachu follows you, it's so cute!
If we were talking actual cartridges though, I think the red looks appealing, so I would have got that because it looks pretty. I got brain damage.

 

[ccggenius12]

Blue and Red are almost exactly the same game aside from which Pokemon you can catch.
Yellow changed a few story beats, gives you a Pikachu as your starter (which actually makes the game a bit more difficult, as the first gym leader uses rock-type Pokemon), and you can actually get all three of the original starters later on.

Personally, I like Yellow the most, but it's really just minor differences between them; the overall game is largely the same in all three.

Don't forget, they also shoehorned Jessie and James into the game, because reasons. And Gary has an Evee, also because reasons.
Honestly, outside of nostalgia, I don't really see a reason to want to play any of those three again. Special/physical attacks were based on type, psychic wasn't weak to the stuff it was supposed to be weak to, and *insert third thing here*.

In any case, any idea if they left the Game Corner in? I know they gutted it from ORAS because of parent groups or something, so there's no guarantee it's still there. FWIW, I hope Sun and Moon brings back Voltorb Flip at least, that was fun.

 

[CritialGaming]

Or you can be a real Pokemaster and get all of them!

 

[yamy]

Don't forget, they also shoehorned Jessie and James into the game, because reasons. And Gary has an Evee, also because reasons.
Honestly, outside of nostalgia, I don't really see a reason to want to play any of those three again. Special/physical attacks were based on type, psychic wasn't weak to the stuff it was supposed to be weak to, and *insert third thing here*.

In any case, any idea if they left the Game Corner in? I know they gutted it from ORAS because of parent groups or something, so there's no guarantee it's still there. FWIW, I hope Sun and Moon brings back Voltorb Flip at least, that was fun.

They changed some of the plot to fit in with the anime better. So Red -> Ash with Pickachu Blue-> Gary as the final boss etc.