19. Pokemon Gold (3DS)
Pokemon Gen 2 (Gold/Silver/Crystal) marks a bit of a bitter sweet period in the series for me. I was an early adopter of Pokemon in North America and was one of the first kids at my middle school to start playing Red/Blue version before Pokemon would eventually explode into the global phenomena it would become about a year later. I adored Red version, caught all 151 Pokemon, and consumed every bit of Pokemon merchandise and media I could get my hands on. More or less, Pokemon was my life in 1999 and the better part of 2000s. Unfortunately while I waited for the highly anticipated Gold and Silver versions to come to the west, my fandom had begun to fade gradually following Pokemon the Movie 2000's release. It wasn't that I didn't like that movie, but rather like most things kids get really into, it was an interest of mine that ran its course until it was replaced by something else (anime, in case you were curious). By the time Pokemon Gold and Silver finally released, I was about a quarter the Pokemon fan I was about a year ago and subsequently not nearly as much into m newly bought Gold version as I was Red version back when I first played it. By the time Pokemon 3: The Movie came out aroun mid-2001, I was barely into Pokemon at all anymore. What this essentially meant for my initial playthrough of Pokemon Gold is I never finished it, getting about halfway through the initial Johto campaign before abandoning the game.
Over the years since then, I felt as thought I made a critical mistake in dropping Pokemon Gold as a kid, seeing how it offers practically everything I loved about Pokemon Red and amplifies it by several magnitudes. On paper, it should be my favorite Pokemon game by a mile, but after finally beating the game nearly 25 years after initially dropping the game, I can say with absolute certainty that it's not.
Make no mistake, Pokemon Gold is an improvement over all its Gen 1 Gameboy counterparts in nearly every way. Not only does it boost the roster of Pokemon by 100 new creatures, but they maintain the same degree of quality as Gen 1's roster. Then of course, there's all the additions the games presentation and gameplay such as better battle animations, more detailed Pokemon sprites, and of course color thanks to being released on the more advanced GBC. As mentioned, gameplay was also improved by making battling a much more deep and dynamic system then before, the addition of many new moves and new Pokemon types, and a much more interesting story that ties it all together. I found your rival and antagonist in Gold to be a way more compelling character than the one found in Red/Blue/Yellow as well. There are also the additions of berries and items Pokemon can hold and use in combat, acorns which can be used to craft specialized types of Pokeballs, people you can friend and call, or annoying be called by at inopportune times, and a day and night system that can impact what types of Pokemon you see or when certain characters appear in specific areas. And perhaps the most noteworthy aspect of Pokemon Gold is the fact that the game is only about halfway over by the time you beat the Pokemon League and see the credits roll. The game completely opens up to the Kanto region for you to revisit old areas, characters, and gyms from Gen 1, albeit as future versions of themselves seeing how Gen 2 is also a canonical sequel to Gen 1. This all sounds like a massive leap forward compared to Gen 1, and in many ways it absolutely is. Yet, even years later I still don't personally enjoy it more than Pokemon Red despite Gold and Silver being objectively better games.
Perhaps the only area of Pokemon Gold, and by extension Silver and Crystal version I don't think is an objective improvement is the game's audio. I prefer the OST of Red version more, and as for the sound effects and Pokemon noises, they all mostly sound the same as the previous game. I can't say I like one more than the other, but at the very least I enjoy them the same.
Pokemon Gold is a fun, enjoyable game, no questions there whatsoever. Unfortunately, the simplicity and my own personal connection to Pokemon Red and Gen 1 as a whole makes those games a more enjoyable experience for me personally. I sorely wish I liked Pokemon Gold more seeing how its technically the superior game, but it just doesn't do it for me the same way my beloved Red version does. On a side note, Red version isn't even my favorite Pokemon game. Years back before I started reviewing and scoring my games, I played Pokemon Omega Ruby and that game holds the distinction as the best Pokemon game I've ever played. I wonder if I'd still feel that way if i went back and replayed it, but that's a review for another time. If you're a fan of Pokemon, especially a way bigger fan than me currently, which would not be difficult to achieve, you will probably adore this game, or its newer remake Pokemon Heartgold. It's definitely a fun, enjoyable gameplay and definitely raised the bar for Pokemon as a series when it originally came out. (2/26/25) [36/50]
