We've been trying to capture everything there's been 30 years of Pokemon games, with the franchise officially turning 30 years since the game's release in February 2026, and we've also captured the many remakes and ports during that time! One of the most recent is the port of Pokemon FireRed & LeafGreen for the GameBoy Advance to the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2.
But what's really different between FireRed and LeafGreen, which guaranteed a Gen 1 remake as early as Gen 3, and which version of the game should you buy? Compare and contrast to find out which Pokemon game is right for you!
second protagonist
Leaves, female fairy
Red, a male character from the first generation of Pokemon games, has long been synonymous with Ash Ketchum from the Pokemon anime, but Pokemon FireRed & LeafGreen brought a new female sprite to the games when it brought us to Kanto for the first time.
The 10th Pokemon generation is here
The 10th generation of Pokemon games has just been revealed, with Pokemon Wind and Waves coming out next year.
The full name of this generation's female trainer is Leaf, which goes well with Red, which is named after FireRed, and keeps the theme true. This was my first time meeting Leaf, but it wouldn't be the last time I saw her. Sprites for female Pokémon trainers have appeared in numerous side games and spin-offs since their introduction.
Sebi Islands
A variety of fun based on soil
If you've gone through the trouble of clearing out the Indigo League, defeating each member of the Elite Four, and eventually stealing the title of Pokémon Champion, you've no doubt invested a lot of time into Pokémon Firered and Leafgreen. But if you're looking for more post-game content, check out the Sebi Islands in southern Kanto.
Here you'll find seven individual islands that offer plenty of opportunities to catch Pokémon from the Johto region, beloved of the Pokémon series since your first adventure into Kanto. This includes baby Pokémon, more Legendary Pokémon, Generation 3 Mythical Pokémon, and more!
Pokemon Stats Update Modernization
Type changes, updated move list, etc.
There's no doubt that Pokemon Red & Blue, as the first entry in a long-running series, laid the foundation for what we know and love in Pokemon games today, but there was room for improvement over time, and after Game Freak ironed out some issues with the first game's mechanics, the second generation of Pokemon had a lot of changes.
In Pokemon FireRed & LeafGreen, you'll find updated information about your favorite Generation 1 Pokemon based on what they did in subsequent titles. Moves introduced in Generations 2 and 3 were added to the appropriate move sets, types added to Johto were taken into account in the input for Generation 1 Pokémon, and many additional stat boosts or type changes were made.
Introduction to the help function
Newcomers need not worry anymore!
It's easy to laugh at how in-depth the introductions of the first generation Pokémon games were, but it's important to remember that Pokémon Red & Blue and the adventures we had within them through Kanto were the first time anyone played a Pokémon video game!
Everything announced during the 30th Anniversary Pokemon Giveaway
The future of Pokémon has been revealed.
Although it's come a long way since then, Pokemon FireRed & LeafGreen introduces a variety of ways to help both newcomers and returning fans learn Pokemon's mechanics. There are a variety of ways to ensure you have the best adventure, including accessing the Help Channel on any TV, using the in-game Help menu with Switch bumpers, and more.
VS Seeker
Rematches with numerous trainers from the Kanto region
Whether you're looking to continue helping level up your Pokemon throughout the game, or just want to earn some extra cash to stock up on before your next gym battle, VS Seeker has been added to Pokemon FireRed & LeafGreen, allowing you to find the occasional challenge in the form of rematches with trainers you've already battled.
When you walk a certain number of steps or are outside after a certain amount of time, you can ping nearby trainers to see who wants a rematch. They may have a different team than when they first fought, but more challenging fights mean better rewards in the end.
Professor Oak is tasked with filling up his Pokedex by exploring Kanto's Indigo League through Pokemon FireRed & LeafGreen, but as an old man living in Pallet Town, he can't be everywhere at once to check on progress.
Meet Oak's aides, six of them from around Kanto in Pokemon FireRed & LeafGreen, who give you rewards for milestones you achieve in your Pokemon journey. As you log more and more Pokémon, be sure to stop by the main roads and gateways between cities to check them out. This is because Pokémon reward you with a variety of useful items and tools.
Changes to version exclusivity
Some are now exclusive, while others are no longer exclusive.
Pokémon has been releasing a pair of games in the same generation that feature a handful of Pokémon not seen in other versions, and can be seen again in Pokémon Firered and Leafgreen. Most of the version exclusives are the same as Pokemon Red & Blue, but there are a few changes.
Pokemon Firered & Leafgreen: 7 of the Best Early Game Pokemon You Should Have and Where to Find Them
Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen have a lot of Pokemon to choose from, so you'll need to narrow down your choices early if you want to gain experience!
Mankey and Meowth were exclusives in the first generation of games, but this status was removed, making them universally available in both Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen. To replace these, four Pokémon have been made version exclusive. FireRed players will spot Psyduck and Shellder periodically throughout the game, while LeafGreen players may see Slowpoke and Staryu in their locations instead.
Provides Generation 2 evolutions to Generation 1 Pokémon.
Make your original Pokémon stronger in ways never before possible!
Not all Pokémon take an evolved form, and the first generation of games had many more Pokémon than there are today. Over time, The Pokemon Company and Game Freak were able to introduce evolutions for these Pokemon later on.
Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen include these changes, and any Pokemon from the Generation 1 games that later received an evolved form can now evolve in the Generation 3 remake, provided you've unlocked the National Dex first.
The Pokémon that received evolution in Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen are as follows:
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Slow Bro can evolve into Slow King.
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Onyx can evolve into Steelix.
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Chancey can evolve into Blessy.
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Sidra can evolve into Kingdra.
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Scythe can evolve into Sizer.
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Polygon can evolve into Polygon 2.
Pokémon Firered and Leafgreen do not have an in-game clock, so Espeon and Umbreon cannot be obtained. Jolteon, Vaporeon, and Flareon are the only Eeveelutions currently available in the game, despite also debuting in Generation 2.
Re-battle the Elite 4
It's a great way to sharpen up after a game.
In Pokemon FireRed & LeafGreen, the battle you're embarking on as you journey through the Kanto region pits members of the Elite Four – X against the eventual reigning champion. It takes a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to get your Pokémon to a high enough level to fight endgame trainers, but the main game ends with their defeat and earn you the title of Pokémon Champion.
However, if you want a new challenge, you can request a rematch with any of the five characters mentioned above. Don't expect the same fight the second time around, though, as you might have a noticeably stronger roster the second time around!
Introduction to Vital Statistics
Ability, nature, etc.
These days, they are considered key stats in Pokemon games, but there are many stat additions for Pokemon added in Pokemon FireRed & LeafGreen that give you more insight than ever before in Pokemon Red & Blue.
A Pokémon's nature determines how its stats increase as it evolves, and some natures gain different stats than other Pokemon of the same species, so you can really figure out what kind of stats you want to increase in your next battle. Abilities, meanwhile, are passive effects that allow a Pokémon to do things like ignore certain types of damage, deal more attack damage, and more. Lastly, in Pokemon FireRed & LeafGreen, you can use the items you have to give your team things that will help them further improve their fighting abilities.
Ranking of all Pokemon games on Nintendo Switch
Everyone needs to be ranked!
