Pokémon fans are in for a treat, as The Pokemon Company has officially announced Pokemon FireRed and Pokemon LeafGreen coming to Nintendo Switch systems. Their additions will answer fans' common requests for classic mainline Pokémon entries to be made available on Nintendo's latest consoles.
To be clear, there is no shortage of Pokémon games overall on the Switch family of consoles. Classic games like Pokemon Stadium and Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness have been made available on the system via the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack, while the core consoles have received headline entries such as Pokemon Legends: ZA, Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu and Let's go Eeveeand Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Now, a rumor about two classics Pokémon games coming to Switch have proven true.
Pokemon finally gets LeafGreen and FireRed to switch
Ahead of Pokemon Day, Pokemon has announced that players will finally be able to enjoy the 30th anniversary of the franchise Pokemon FireRed and Pokemon LeafGreen on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. While Pokemon usually saves its biggest exciting reveals for the Pokemon Day presentation itself, it went ahead and made this reveal a week in advance. Both games will only be available as downloads from the Switch eShop, with no plans for a physical release at this time. Players won't have to wait long to get their hands on them, as they will be officially released immediately after the Pokemon Day presentation. The presentation of Pokemon Day will be held on February 27 at 6 a.m. PT, so fans can close out February by playing one of their favorites.
Rearrange the cases in the correct US release order.
Start
Rearrange the cases in the correct US release order.
Light (5)Medium (7)Hard (10)
The Pokemon Company shared a short trailer for the games, but fans should be aware that these two games are not being added to the Nintendo Switch Online catalog. Players should also know that these are 2004 Game Boy Advance games, not remakes or remasters. Players will still be able to trade and battle in the Pokemon Wireless Club in Pokemon Centers, but online play will not be supported, which may disappoint some. Switch 2 users will be able to use GameChat while playing Pokemon FireRed or Pokemon LeafGreen.
Those eager to get their hands on the games may be pleased to know that they are available for pre-order on the Nintendo eShop right now. The two games are sold separately for $19.99 each, and if pre-ordered, will be preloaded onto a user's Switch or Switch 2 system so they can play it right after release. Switch console storage space shouldn't be much of a problem either, as the games are estimated to take up only 40MB each.
This is the second time as a Gen 1 Pokémon remake has come to the Nintendo Switch console line, with Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu and Let's go Eevee act as reworked remakes of Pokemon yellow which launched back in 2018 for the original Switch. Given these inclusions, some fans may find it odd that the original Pokémon Gen 1 Game Boy titles are still not available. However, Nintendo has stated that they believed players would enjoy revisiting the “ultimate versions” of Pokemon Red and Blueand thus players will get Fire red and Leafy green instead.
Since these two games have been highly requested on Switch by fans for years, it begs the question of what else Pokemon Day will have to share. As it is the 30th anniversary, big celebrations and releases are expected by the fandom. Announcing these games ahead of the show could mean there are even bigger surprises in store, which could include players' first glimpses of Pokemon wind and wavethe long-leaked mainline Gen 10 games. Further, Pokemon Pokopiawhich launches in March, will likely see its final showcase, and more about Pokemon championwhich is scheduled for release this year, will most likely appear.
- Released
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September 7, 2004
- ESRB
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e
- Publisher
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Nintendo
