Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen don't make any changes, so that means the creepy old man is coming back

Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen will be re-released tomorrow on Switch and Switch 2 as separate purchases with no changes from the original, meaning the creepy old man of Celadon City will return. The fact that no changes are made to the base games can be a double-edged sword, as some very outdated and frustrating features in Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen can ruin the experience for series veterans. The decision preserves the classic charm of these games, but it has its fair share of problems.

For example, Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen's Golbat cannot evolve into Crobat until after the game, when the National Dex has been acquired. Still, if your Golbat has a high enough friendship, it will play the evolution animation every time it levels up, despite not being able to actually evolve. In Celadon City there is also the problem of the infamous slot machines, which are pure RNG if you want to get your hands on the premium prizes, such as TM for Thunderbolt, a Dratini or a Porygon. These problems will remain, and so will the creepy old man staring into Celadon City's gym.

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Say goodbye to these 46 Pokemon in FireRed and LeafGreen on Switch

Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen on Switch and Switch 2 will force you to say goodbye to 46 Pokemon that you won't be able to get.

Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen's Celadon City Gym keeps the peeping old man

For the unaware, Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreens Gyms include the infamous Celadon City Gym, which has Erika as its leader. Here, players will battle several Grass-type Pokemon and trainers, and they are all young girls. The list of trainers (and their Pokemon) in the gym is as follows:

• Load Kay

  • Bellspire (23)

  • Weepinbell (23)

• Beauty Tamia

  • Bellspire (24)

  • Bellspire (24)

• Beauty Bridget

  • Bellspire (21)

  • Bellspire (21)

  • Weird (21)

  • Weird (21)

• Picnic Tina

  • Bulbasaur (24)

  • Ivysaur (24)

• Cool trainer Mary

  • Bellspire (22)

  • Weird (22)

  • Weepinbell (22)

  • Gloom (22)

  • Ivysaur (22)

• Gym leader Erika

  • Victreebel (29)

  • Tangela (24)

  • Vile Plume (29)

As can be noted by the names and trainer types of each trainer in the gym, these are all female characters, and that's where the infamous creepy old man comes in. Just outside the Celadon City Gym is an NPC who is happy that the building only has women inside, which he can tell because he peeks through the window.

Why Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen's Creepy Old Man Stay

This was probably meant to be a joke in the original games, but it aged poorly within the community, to the point that Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu! and Eevee! changed the old man's dialogue from “Heheh! This gym is great! It's full of women!” to “Hahaha! This gym is awesome! It has people inside!”, showing that The Pokemon Company is aware of the creepy nature of the original NPC. Still, without any changes, it means that Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen's Celadon City will retain both its original charm and the original binoculars.

Considering how far the franchise has come in terms of female representation, the Old Man of Celadon City sticks out like a sore thumb, and it would have been much better to just remove him outright. The problem obviously comes from the fact that changes like this would have opened a can of worms, and then fans would have been unhappy if more pressing gameplay changes were skipped. The games are so identical to the original that they even skip the online features of modern editions, so you'll be stuck with local co-op to complete Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreens Pokedex.

System

Released

September 7, 2004

ESRB

e

Publisher

Nintendo

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