Pokemon Blue

Introduction: Pokémon Blue is an official Game Boy title released in Japan in 1996 and internationally in 1998. It is part of the first generation of Pokémon games, set in the Kanto region. The visual style uses the original Game Boy's monochrome green-tinted graphics, with slightly updated sprites compared to the initial Japanese Pokémon Red and Green releases.

Gameplay & Mechanics: The player chooses one of three starter Pokémon: Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle. The game's difficulty is considered moderate by modern standards, with a straightforward level curve and no enforced challenge modes, making it accessible for first-time players. It operates on the original game mechanics: there is no physical/special split for moves (types are categorized as physical or special), no Fairy type, and no day/night cycle. The core loop involves battling eight Gym Leaders to earn badges and challenging the Elite Four.

Key Features:

• Version-Exclusive Pokémon: Pokémon Blue features different wild Pokémon encounters compared to Pokémon Red, such as Ekans, Vulpix, and Meowth, encouraging trading to complete the Pokédex.
• Updated Pokémon Sprites: This version contains revised in-battle sprites for many Pokémon, which are generally considered less glitchy and more polished than those in the Japanese Pokémon Red and Green.
• Glitch Exploits: The game's original programming allows for well-documented sequence breaks and glitches, such as the MissingNo. encounter for item duplication, which became a famous part of its legacy.

The international release of Blue, alongside Red, established the core Pokémon formula for a global audience.