Pokémon Yellow Version
| Pokémon: Special Pikachu Edition | |
|---|---|
| [[File:File:Pokemon Yellow boxart.jpg File:YellowJp.gif|250px]] Both the English and Japanese versions' boxart, depicting Pikachu. | |
Basic info
| |
| Platform: | {{{platform}}} |
| Category: | RPG |
| Players: | 2 players simultaneous |
| Connectivity: | None |
| Developer: | Game Freak |
| Publisher: | Nintendo |
| Part of: | {{{gen_series}}} |
Ratings
| |
| CERO: | N/A |
| ESRB: | E for Everyone |
| ACB: | N/A |
| OFLC: | N/A |
| PEGI: | N/A |
| GRAC: | N/A |
| GSRR: | N/A |
Release dates
| |
| Japan: | September 12, 1998 |
| North America: | October 1, 1999 |
| Australia: | ??? |
| Europe: | June 16, 2000 |
| South Korea: | N/A |
| Hong Kong: | N/A |
| Taiwan: | N/A |
Websites
| |
| Japanese: | ポケットモンスター ピカチュウ |
| English: | Games : Pokémon Yellow Pokémon Yellow |
Pokémon: Special Pikachu Edition, often known as Pokémon Yellow Version, is the third Pokémon game released worldwide as a follow up to Pokémon Red and Blue. In Japan, it was actually the fourth Pokémon game, released as ポケットモンスター ピカチュウ (Japanese: Pocket Monsters Pikachu), with the first two being Pokémon Red and Green and the third being Blue.
Inspired by the Pokémon anime, the Yellow version of the Game Boy Pokémon series stars Pikachu and adds new Team Rocket battles featuring Jessie and James and their Meowth, Koffing, and Ekans.
Title
While this version's title has become widely accepted as "Pokémon Yellow," its officially recognized name is not entirely certain. On the boxart of most English version pressings, "Special Pikachu Edition" replaces the series' then-current slogan "Gotta Catch 'em All!," below the Pokémon logo, and "YELLOW VERSION" can be seen at the bottom where Red and Blue's version titles would also be seen. Below the logo on the package's opening and spine, "Special Pikachu Edition" can again be seen (similarly, in Japan the game is titled Pocket Monsters Pikachu). Aside from the bottom of the boxart, the game is referred to as "the Yellow version of Pokémon" in the game's instruction manual, and "YELLOW VERSION" can again be seen during the game's main title.
Blurb
"You've finally been granted your Pokémon trainer's license, and now you're on your way to becoming the world's greatest Pokémon trainer! The shockingly-cute Pikachu tags along behind you as you search the enormous world for monsters to train and evolve. Face off against Blastoise's torrential water cannons. Stand strong when facing Pidgeot's stormy Gust. Develop the ultimate Pokémon strategy to defeat the eight Gym Leaders and become the greatest Pokémon Master of all time!"
Connectivity
As well as reprising the ability to allow players to trade Pokémon between two cartridges via a Game Boy link cable, Yellow also debuted a new link battle mode, Colosseum 2. While battling another player's Pokémon team was possible ever since Pokémon's existence on the Game Boy, players could now participate in a regulation battle system. Battle modes introduced include the Pika Cup (for Pokémon between levels 15 to 20 only; their combined level limit is 50), Petit Cup (for Pokémon between levels 15 to 20, heights under 6'8", and weights less than 44 pounds only) and Poké Cup (for Pokémon between levels 50 to 55 only, and the sum of all entered Pokémon's levels cannot exceed 155. Mew is not allowed). These three cups would later become standard cups in Pokémon Stadium.
Features
Changes from Red and Green/Blue
- A Surfing Pikachu mini-game is included.
- Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle may be obtained later in the game.
- Cerulean Cave was redesigned for the second time.
- Jessie and James appear at various points throughout the game.
- To tally with the events of the anime, Pidgeotto can be obtained at level 9 within the Viridian Forest.
- Missingno. can no longer be caught using the Rare Candy cheat and takes on a glitchier form.
- One of the Pokémon who must be evolved by trading (Machoke) is obtainable in a trade, making players able to get its evolution without linking to other players.
- Pikachu is the player's starting Pokémon and travels with the player on screen; also, the rival begins with an Eevee.
- Pokémon have all new graphics, closely resembling Ken Sugimori's Pokémon illustrations and clip art seen in the strategy guides and trading card games.
- Some Gym Leaders have changed their battle team and strategies.
- Some Pokémon's level-up movesets and TM compatibility were altered.
- The English version and other non-Japanese releases take advantage of the Game Boy Color, but are still classified as Game Boy games by Nintendo.
- The Game Boy Printer may be used to print out Pokémon from the Pokédex.
- The Pikachu that the player started with will refuse to evolve unless traded to a different game, another similarity to the anime.
- The starting Pikachu will show its happiness if it is looked at.
- Two linked Yellow versions may battle in a new "Colosseum 2" battle mode.
Gyms
As in the other games of Generation I, there are eight Pokémon Gyms in Kanto, each with their own type affiliation. The Gym Leaders are Brock (Rock), Misty (Water), Lt. Surge (Electric), Erika (Grass), Koga (Poison), Sabrina (Psychic), Blaine (Fire) and Giovanni (Ground). The levels of certain Gym Leaders' Pokémon were adjusted for Yellow; some of their Pokémon teams were revised as well.
Elite Four
The Elite Four is located at the Indigo Plateau. The Elite trainers are Lorelei (Ice), Bruno (Fighting), Agatha (Ghost) and Lance (Dragon); the Champion is Blue, who has Pokémon of mixed types. The levels of certain Elite trainer's Pokémon were adjusted for Yellow; some of their Pokémon teams were revised as well.
Pokémon
Each game contains pre-recorded data on all 151 Pokémon of this generation (including Mew). Despite this, not all Pokémon are available to the player, regardless of version; trades must occur between players in order to complete their Pokédex without the use of cheats. A key difference between Yellow and its predecessors Red and Blue is that the player now starts with a Pikachu, but can obtain a Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle (all three exclusive starting Pokémon from Red and Blue) later in the game.
Pokémon not found in Yellow
These Pokémon must be traded from the other games of Generation I, as they cannot be found in Pokémon Yellow.
| Exempts |
|---|
| Weedle, Kakuna, Beedrill, Ekans, Arbok, Raichu, Meowth, Persian, Koffing, Weezing, Jynx, Electabuzz, Magmar |
Nintendo Event exclusives
The following Pokémon are available only after having been transferred to a player's cartridge at a Nintendo sponsored event.
| Mew |
Reception
Like Pokémon Red and Blue, Pokémon Yellow was also well recieved by the press. Like it's predecesors, it receieved a perfect 10/10 from IGN 1. However, it was critsed as being "just a stopgap to help us wait for the real sequels" 2. Yellow recieved a slightly lower average score than Pokémon Red and Blue, 85% on Game Rankings. Despite this it was the sites top rated Gameboy game for the year of it's release, 1999.
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This game-related article is part of Project Games, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon games. |
