Only A True Pokémon Fan Can Remember Generation I... Can You?
- by Dylan Jacob
- – on
- in The Geek Corner
So you wanna be the master of Pokémon? Do you have the skills to be number one? Then go and take this quiz already.
Hey, if we're talking about Generation I, then using lyrics from the anime's soundtrack during this time is only fair. We celebrated 20 years since Pokémon's first generation hit Game Boys over the world just a few years ago and today, as we prepare for the series hitting the Nintendo Switch sooner rather than later, we're going to throw it back to the Game Boy days.
Today, you're going to think back to Generation I: Red, Blue, Yellow, and Japanese Green. Mostly Red, Blue, and Yellow, though knowing that there once was a Japanese Green may help your general Poké knowledge down the road. You never know what kind of trivia they'll ask at the bar or pub.
There really aren't any ground rules other than, as per usual, we'll try to keep positive about a generation of games that many have said in recent years are only good because nostalgia makes us think that. All we care about is hoping you do well on this quiz and wanting to be the master of Pokémon because we think we have the skills to be number one.
When were Pokémon Red and Blue first released in America?
Don't worry, we're not going to ask you for the specific date, just the year. When did the trend known as Pokémon begin? For reference, we celebrated the 20-year anniversary of the games releasing in Japan just a few years ago. But we're looking for the year that these games, which have gone on to sell so many copies and change the way that we look at modern video gaming, came to North American and had young children trying to catch 'em all.
What Pokémon, besides, these three, was a version mascot?
This should be fairly obvious, but we have to ask it anyway. So Pokémon Red had Charizard, Pokémon Blue had Blastoise, and Pokémon Yellow had Pikachu. Those were the three main games which launched outside of Japan, but there was another game in the Land of the Rising Sun which essentially served as the Blue to the first Red version. There were smaller differences, mainly in which Pokémon was available where. Who was the mascot Pokémon for that game's cover?
Who was intended to be the "ultimate" trainer in Generation I?
20+ years later, we know how Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow all end: Red faces Blue to become the Champion in what the developers hoped would be a close battle, but winds up being a blowout win if you planned your team right. Use Venusaur, Alakazam, Gengar, and the legendary birds to truly sweep Blue and the Elite 4 with ease. Leftover game data shows there was one final battle to be had after the Championship. Who would Red face in the "ultimate" duel?
True or False: Pokémon can be caught by fishing in Pallet Town
Weird question to include? Not really, given that you can fish in most bodies of water regardless of the rod you have (more on that later). Pallet Town does have water right near Professor Oak's lab, so common logic would dictate that if you can surf in that water, you can also fish in there too, right? Well, that's what we're asking you, because we know the answer and we want to see if you're truly a master of Pokémon.
What Pokémon does Blue start off with in Yellow?
As you know, Blue normally gets the starter that is strong against yours. You pick Squirtle, Blue gets Bulbasaur. Picking Bulbasaur means you're going to face Charmander when you deal with Blue. Hopefully, you've realized that picking Charmander means Blue will have Squirtle. Yellow opted to do something different, giving Blue a Normal-type Pokémon to go up against Pikachu. That's the only hint we're going to give you because you've most likely played Yellow once in your life, right? Right!?
What side Pokémon game was not released in partnership with the games?
We did say that this was a quiz about Generation I, which means this may also be the toughest question on here. There were other games released besides Red, Green, Blue, and Yellow, from 3D fighting games - and no, not like Mortal Kombat, like one-on-one Pokémon showdowns - to...well, we'll let you figure that one out because we'd spoil it otherwise. We hope that you can figure this one out because if you do, that means you'll probably ace the rest of this quiz.
Who is Viridian City's gym leader?
If you've played this game once, you know the answer. The game thought it'd be a nice twist as having it be someone that you run into throughout your journey. I'm sure part of that is why Blue took over as a replacement for this adult gym leader in Generation II. Well, that and so Blue could reappear three games later because Red also appeared. If only that meant they could sell more Blue toys and merchandise. We're in the money. Who's the answer here?
Where can Pikachu be caught outside of Yellow?
If you want to catch Pikachu elsewhere in Pokémon Yellow besides when Oak catches it for you, you're out of luck. That's the only Pikachu available unless you trade with other games, so let's talk about the other games. Pikachu isn't a starter in those games, so you have to find the cute yellow mouse in the wild. It's not as common as a Pidgey or a Rattata, so you'll have to go to select places to find Pikachu. Where are those places?
True or False: Pokémon Yellow has a special Pikachu surfing minigame
Pokémon Yellow had things that made it different, as we'll get to later on, but did it have a surfing Pikachu minigame? The thought of Pikachu surfing is funny to think about and it'd certainly get rid of the weakness to ground if he could use Surf in battle, although the lack of STAB would hurt just a bit. Oh, and evolve it into Raichu for maximum strength, you know? So, does Pokémon Yellow actually allow you to surf with Pikachu in a minigame?
The Pewter City gym leader uses what type?
The entire reason you're playing Generation I is for three things: Catch all the Pokémon, win all eight gym badges, and become the Pokémon champion. Hooray, you've done great things. So you finally get to Pewter City, which holds the first Pokémon gym you can face. Remember, Viridian's is closed because Giovanni is off ignoring his son and doing evil things for Team Rocket. This town has a museum, but you're more worried about winning your first gym battle against this type.
True or False: Jessie and James appear in the Generation I games
If you've watched the Pokémon anime even once, you quickly have become acquainted with these bumbling fools. They go by Jessie and James, like the famous outlaw who would probably leave both of them to a wild Tauros when they did something stupid for the first time. People obviously cared more about Jessie and James when the anime was popular during Generation I, but did we ever see these two Team Rocket grunts in the main series games? Think wisely.
Which of the following things are not in Pokémon Yellow?
What made Pokémon Yellow unique was that it was a variation of the other games with actual differences rather than a small change here and there. Other Pokémon games followed this strategy for as long as there was a third version, though that was scrapped in Generation V for the sequel effect. Then, they sort of brought it back in Generation VII with Ultra Sun and Moon. Anyways, which of the following things is not included in Pokémon Yellow? Think wisely.
Speaking of Mew, where is this guy's glitch most commonly used?
The story behind Mew getting into the original Pokémon is brief but legendary. Everyone thought 150 Pokémon was all the programmers could fit onto the game's hard drive, but coding for Mew was included and boom, 151 Pokémon. Not even Game Freak nor Nintendo knew about this until afterward. Mew was an event-only Pokémon, though fans still found an easy way to get this cute, overpowered pink beast into their parties. Where was this glitch most commonly used? Hint: it involved teleporting.
Which fully-evolved Pokémon does Misty have in her party?
Misty is a tough second Gym leader at times because of her Water-type Pokémon having a STABed Bubblebeam (in Generation III, they have Water Pulse, which can also confuse...woof). Oh, and she has a fully-evolved Pokémon at a point in the game where the only fully-evolved you probably have is one of the bugs or a Pokémon who evolved with a Moon Stone. Or, if you got lucky, an Alakazam. Which fully-evolved Water-type does Misty carry around in her party?
What was the equipment used to trade Pokémon between games?
Let's take a break from the main plot of these games to talk about what made Pokémon so fun to play with friends: trading. If your friend needed a Tauros in his Pokédex and you needed your Haunter to evolve into Gengar by trade, you two could swap monsters for a minute and then trade them back. This was back in the late 90s, of course, so things weren't simple the way they are now. What did you need to use in real-life to trade?
Lt. Surge is said as being from what real-life country?
We think about Pokémon Platinum being dark or Black & White having a tone shift that didn't feel like the old days, but let's not act like the old days were innocent and simple. Vermillion's gym leader is Surge, an army lieutenant who fought in a war with his Pokémon. Yes, a war that is never expanded upon in later games. Sure, why not? As Kanto is based on Japan, Surge is described as a foreigner because he comes from...
True or False: Farfetch'd can be caught in the wild in all Generation I games
Farfetch'd was an interesting Pokémon in Generation I not because of its stats or that it could fly, but that it was available in an in-game trade and was a fairly rare Pokémon. Other in-game trades included the Nidorans or a Raichu for an Electrode, but getting a rare Pokémon in exchange for only a Spearow or Pidgey? If you wanted to fill your Pokédex, this would definitely make things much easier. Is Farfetch'd available to be caught in the wild in all Gen I games?
Which fishing rod does not appear in Generation I?
Not only did Pokémon Generation I allow players to catch their creatures in tall grass and in caves, but they could fish for them too. In fact, the game gave players three distinct fishing rods. One was the weakest and could catch really only Magikarp; it was almost like a gag item. The next two were so much better and allowed players to catch great Pokémon...at least, if you needed HM slaves. Krabby could do that with ease. Which rod is not in Gen I?
Giovanni mainly uses what type?
If Pokémon Red and Blue came out today the idea to name the leader of the game's Mafia "Giovanni" would probably upset some people. Stereotyping Italians as being gangsters and all that. There may have even been some people upset when the games were re-released a few years ago, but whatever. All that matters about Giovanni in Generation I is that he's evil and you need to beat him multiple times. What type does Giovanni mainly use in Generation I?
Silph Co. does not provide what reward in Generation I?
Silph Co. is the first time in the Pokémon games that we truly experience a gauntlet of non-stop action. Team Rocket tries to take over the company which manufactures Poké Balls, potions, and other gear in hopes of, well, taking over the world. There are other theories involved that lead to Team Rocket - or at the very least, Giovanni - having other motives for wanting to take over Silph Co., but we'll let you research those on your own. What don't you get from Silph Co. in Gen I?
The following enemy is not encountered in Silph Co in all Generation I games
The Silph Co. gauntlet takes a long time and is considered by fans to be one of the weakest parts of Generation I. It's nine floors (floors 2-10) of non-stop battles with Team Rocket grunts with the same Grimers, Koffings, and Magnemites. You do at least get the aforementioned rewards and some much-needed experience, so long as you didn't fight the bare minimum of four trainers. One of the following trainers is not encountered in Silph Co. Who is it?
Articuno is found where in Generation I?
Generation I didn't just introduce 146 regular Pokémon, but it also introduced five legendaries: Articuno, Moltres, Zapdos, Mewtwo, and Mew. Articuno is one of the first you'll be able to catch, having access to it as early as the fifth badge. In fact, you can even get Articuno after four badges if you map your game out a certain way. When you do finally decide to try catching the mythical Ice and Flying-type bird, where will you find it? Bring Ultra Balls and a sleeper, by the way.
Moltres is found where in Generation I?
My personal belief is that for Generation I, Articuno is the most practical of the birds because you can find Fire and Electric types elsewhere. Ice-types that are worth using in battle are pretty rare in this generation. For a long time, Moltres was the black sheep of the three birds, though it can learn Flamethrower and Fire Blast through TM in this game. Part of what made it the black sheep was how late it could be caught. Where was that?
What level is Zapdos, and the other birds, all found at?
We would have done the same "where can you find Zapdos" question, but the Power Plant would have been far too obvious an answer. All three legendary birds are found at the same level despite being in different locations from one another, though none of them truly present a challenge if you're at the right level. In fact, just bring a Marowak or Golem to face Zapdos and the ground immunity saves you. What level are the three birds at?
Blaine awards the TM for...
Blaine is one of the funner characters in Generation I, if only because his gym gimmick is trivia machines and his meme-worthy advice of hoping you have Burn Heal. We'd have loved to see Blaine get more screentime in other games down the road, though Giovanni more than makes up for that. (Even if his special scene in Heartgold and Soul Silver was unfortunately limited to event-only.) When Blaine and his fire-types are defeated, he faces defeat by giving you the TM for...
True or False: The Dratini line is not the only Dragon-line in Generation I
The Elite 4 is a challenge only because Lorelei, Bruno, Agatha, and Lance all have highly-leveled Pokémon, though you've faced most of their types throughout the game. Lorelei relies on Ice and Water-types, while Bruno is more about Rock and Fighting. Agatha has Poison mixed with Ghosts, which shouldn't be too much of a problem. It's Lance and his Dragon-types, which you probably haven't encountered yet, that may bring about an issue. Is Dratini and its evolution the only Dragon-type in Generation I?
Mewtwo is found in the bottom of what cave?
Congratulations, you defeated the Elite 4 and you think your game is over, right? You think you've traveled everywhere? Nope, that's not exactly the case. There's a cave left in Kanto that houses Mewtwo, an artificially-created Pokémon with the stats to destroy your entire team. This is what the Master Ball is for, but you're going to have to climb down a cave filled with Pokémon in the 50s and 60. It could get ugly. What cave is Mewtwo in during Generation I?
Where was Mewtwo created and experimented upon?
For people who think Pokémon was for kids, let's just remind everyone that Generation I has death, ghosts (as in the dead being unable to rest, not Ghost type-Pokémon), demonic possession, implied child abuse, domestic terrorism, references to war, Pokémon abuse, Golbat's sprites, and scientific experimentation. That last one comes in the form of Mewtwo, an imperfect clone from the original Mew. That sounds like a bad fan fiction we're not even going to try writing. Where did Mewtwo suffer its pain?
Where is the Missingno glitch most commonly used?
You do know that Missingno's name comes from the fact that it's a Pokémon that is missing a Pokédex number, right? That makes it MissingNo. Using the Missingno glitch can cause plenty of havoc, though that hasn't stopped fans from trying it 20+ years into the game's lifespan. Doing the glitch is fairly convoluted, with the player needing to have the old man in Viridian City show you how to catch a Pokémon. Then, Red has to fly to here, surf for a bit, and you'll land it. Or, use a GameShark.
Blue's famous taunt to Red is...
There's something slightly off-putting about Blue's character design from the Pokémon Generations miniseries. I think it's the eyes. Who knows? Anyways, every Pokémon fan should get this one right because it's one of the series' more iconic lines. It's right up there with "dropped my balls" (the juggler said it, not us) and what Professor Oak did when he heard his grandson defeated the Elite Four. But we're more curious to see if you know what Blue tells Red, not what Oak does when he hears news.