‘Pokemon Red’ is still an all-time great

Esteban Diaz | Editorial Cartoonist

By Ben Dvorak
Guest Contributor

We’re going to rewind time a little bit and talk about one of the greatest games of all time. I’ll give you 151 guesses to figure it out.

If you guessed “Pokemon,” then congratulations. You win the opportunity to keep reading. “Pokemon Red” was one of the first games I ever owned on my Gameboy Color and, as a little kid, having the ability to actually “catch ’em all” was the best thing since peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (with no crust, of course).

The gameplay will keep you busy for hours on end. Following along the lines of the TV show, you get to play as a Pokemon trainer trying to capture every Pokemon with the goal of becoming a master.

Walking along the depths of Pallet Town through forests, caves, and many other cities, you capture as many Pokemon as you can while trying to make them as powerful as you can.

What makes the game so awesome? For one thing, the amazing soundtrack is killer. Every city has its own theme song that is memorable.

And who can forget the intense battle song that goes along with the spiraling graphics? Speaking of graphics, they are stellar.

Forget about 1080p high-definition video game consoles. “Pokemon Red” pixels are outstanding. The pixels are so crisp and clear. There’s no mistaking a Caterpie for a Weedle.

The best thing about it is the mobility. You can’t carry a Playstation 3, Nintendo Wii or Xbox 360 with you.

What’s that, you say? I can carry around a PSP? Nay, I’m going to stick with the classic Gameboy and sport “Pokemon Red.” As I travel, so can my Ash character.

You may call “Pokemon Red” a lot of things, but don’t call it a throwback. It’s still a great game.

Do you know of a video game that you consider great? Send us your submissions for our “Great Video Game” segment and you just might see your column here.