Pokémon Red and Blue were the first games in the legendary franchise, laying the foundation for the entire series. They served as the starting point for the world of pocket monsters, offering players an exciting universe and the chance to become a true champion.

Here, we will examine the key similarities and differences between these versions.

Table of Content
  1. Similarities
  2. Key Differences
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Similarities

pokemon red blueImage: ensigame.com

Both versions feature an identical storyline and gameplay. The player begins their journey in Pallet Town, receives one of three starter Pokémon—Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle—from Professor Oak, and sets out to collect eight Gym Badges before challenging the Elite Four to become the Pokémon League Champion.

The events of both games take place in the Kanto region, which includes the same towns, routes, and landmarks. They offer an exciting adventure through the Pokémon world, where the player must become the strongest trainer, capture all available Pokémon, and defeat the most powerful opponents.

In Pokémon Red and Blue, the total number of Pokémon is 151, covering all first-generation creatures. Of these, 150 fighters can be obtained through normal in-game methods, while Mew was officially available only through special events or in-game glitches.

Surprisingly, only 37 unique base sounds were used for the cries of all 151 Pokémon. These sounds were modified to create distinct cries for each species, but there were some exceptions. For example, Charizard’s cry is identical to Rhyhorn’s, and Ditto and Poliwag also share the same sound. Other pocket monsters, such as Omanyte and Machop, as well as Drowzee, Hypno, and Jynx, have nearly identical cries, with only minor pitch variations.

Another common feature is that this is the only game series where the "Speed" stat directly affected the likelihood of landing a critical hit. The faster a Pokémon was, the more frequently it dealt critical hits, providing a significant advantage in battle. Conversely, slower Pokémon had an extremely low chance of landing critical hits, making them weaker against faster opponents.

In later generations, this mechanic was revised, removing the connection between Speed and critical hit rates. This change made battles more balanced, allowing slower Pokémon to be just as effective as their faster counterparts.

Key Differences

pokemon red versionImage: ensigame.com

Although Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue are essentially the same game in terms of storyline and gameplay, there are several key differences between them that may influence the choice of version and playstyle.

The main difference is the fighter sets. Some Pokémon are exclusive to one version, such as those found only in Red: Ekans, Oddish, Mankey, Growlithe, Scyther, Electabuzz, Gloom, and Arbok.

In Blue, players could catch the following Pokémon: Sandshrew, Vulpix, Meowth, Bellsprout, and Pinsir.

To complete the Pokédex and collect all 151 pocket monsters, players needed to trade them between versions using a special cable. This mechanic not only encouraged social interaction between players but also became one of the franchise’s key features, emphasizing the importance of cooperation and communication.

pokemon blue version Image: ensigame.com

Moreover, some creatures, like Machoke, Graveler, Haunter, and Kadabra, could only evolve into their final forms through trading. This added an extra layer of depth to the gameplay and motivated players to find trading partners.

Another difference is that some Pokémon appear in both versions but with different encounter rates. For example, Caterpie and Weedle are found in both Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue, but one will appear more frequently in one version while the other will be rarer.

Though both games use the same models, in some cases, the sprites differ. This is due to the fact that in the original Japanese versions, there were three versions of the game: Red, Green, and Blue. For the Western release, the Japanese Blue was used as the base, but the title Red was kept, replacing Pokémon Green.

Additionally, the cartridge covers are different: Pokémon Red version features Charizard on the cover, which appealed to players who preferred Fire-type fighters, while Blue featured Blastoise, attracting fans of Water-type heroes.

A common question arises: Why are there different versions if they are almost identical? The concept was designed to encourage players to interact with each other through the trading system. This was an innovative solution for the 1990s and helped Pokémon Red and Blue become some of the best-selling games for the Game Boy.

game boyImage: ensigame.com

Another difference was the initial battle players saw when starting the game. In Pokémon Red, there is a battle between Gengar and Nidorino, while in Pokémon Blue, Gengar faces off against Jigglypuff.

Moreover, the games had different color palettes when played on the Game Boy Color or Game Boy Advance. Red had light red, almost pink shades, while Blue was dominated by a light blue color scheme, noticeable throughout the game. However, until 1998, both versions were entirely black and white.

Though the differences between Pokémon Red and Blue are minor, they play an important role in creating a unique gaming experience. The choice of version often depended on preferences for specific Pokémon and aesthetic factors, such as the cartridge cover. Ultimately, both games became classics and laid the foundation for future generations of the series.

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