No one will ever know if Nintendo really understood the phenomenon they were launching with the Pokemon series, but history has shown it is definitely that, a phenomenon. Starting pretty simply, Pokemon was almost an innocent title but then well, gamers realized the hold it develops, subconsciously. A hold that has kept the series progressing and expanding (started with about 150 Pokemon to collect and at last count it is over 600).

Pokemon Gold/Silver is more of the same for fans, this time on the Game Boy Color and bringing along 100 new Pokemon creatures to collect (can you do it?). One feature of the Pokemon games was that they required players to seek out other players that owned the OTHER version (or at least one different than the one they already had) for some trading between Game Boys. This little feature kept players playing, talking and trading effectively keeping Pokemon on the minds of gamers till the next version was released.

Pokemon Gold/Silver pitted players against the Elite Four and Lance who stood in the way of crowning a new champion. As always, completing the Pokedex, an electronic dictionary of Pokemon collected, is a major piece of completing the game with 100% (this set has 251 total Pokemon, without another player with the other version, you won’t get them all so get to hitting the used game stores).

Each Pokemon game adds something slightly different to the mix, Gold/Silver offered Pokemon the ability to hold items in battle. A time of day real-time internal clock was added and therefore, nocturnal or tea sipping Pokemon could be added (or made harder to find). One interesting addition, other than the whole clock thing, was the Pokegear- a combination watch, map, phone and radio that allowed some interaction with other characters in the game if you have their phone number. Beat a nasty opponent that doesn’t take it well and they will probably offer up their number for a future rematch for instance.

Pokemon shows no signs of slowing down, they just made their debut on the Nintendo 3DS platform, have touched nearly every Nintendo platform after the Nintendo 64/Game Boy (except the Virtual Boy, wonder why?). Adults play Pokemon, kids play Pokemon, teens play (they would tell you if they thought it was hip to do so), seemingly everyone plays Pokemon. So, Today in History, we celebrate the release of Pokemon Gold and Silver for the Game Boy Color.

Pokemon Gold/Silver by Nintendo
Developer: Game Freak
Platform: Game Boy Color
Genre: Adventure, RPG-lite, collectathon
Rated: E for Everyone
Ongoing Franchise: Resoundingly YES!

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Carl Williams

It is time gaming journalism takes its rightful place as proper sources and not fanboys giving free advertising. If you wish to support writers like Carl please use the links below. https://www.paypal.me/WCW https://www.patreon.com/CarlWilliams