Back in September players had the ability to experience Generation 2 on the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console in the form of Gold and Silver versions. When the first generation of Pokemon titles released on the Virtual Console players received Yellow Version along with Red and Blue but that wasn’t the case here.
This omission led us to wonder where Crystal Version was at. We figured that since Crystal was pretty much considered the definitive version of the Johto generation that Nintendo decided to hold it back to encourage more players to double dip.
Another reason could be that Yellow represented a different game of sorts when compared to the other versions. Yellow gave players a Pikachu to start the game with and it followed in the footsteps of the anime. There may have been people out there who didn’t enjoy starting off with a Pikachu, it certainly made the Pewter City gym a much harder challenge. There was a reason to buy Blue or Red over Yellow version and that may have been why it was included.
The same dataminer who revealed Mario and Luigi Superstar Saga DX has also revealed Pokemon Crystal for the Nintendo 3DS. This wasn’t clear-cut proof the game was coming but today Nintendo has officially confirmed the game is coming to the Virtual Console.
Pokemon Crystal Version will be joining the other games on January 26, 2018. This means players have another opportunity to jump back into the Johto region and also have the chance to do it with the best version.
The price of this title is $9.99, like the rest of the Pokemon games on the Virtual Console, so you won’t be putting a huge dent in your wallet if you decided to let nostalgia take the wheel. Like the generation before it, these games might feel a little dated when compared to today’s standards but they are still excellent games on their own. Johto does represent one of Pokemon’s most iconic regions so any reason to jump back into it is a good one.
Crystal Version gave players the ability to choose the gender of their character which was a first for the franchise. The feature began being including in Generation 3 and beyond but many forget that Crystal Version made the change first.
This generation of Pokemon was important to the growth of the series in other ways as well as it introduced a number of features that have since become series staples including male and female Pokemon, a day and night cycle, Pokemon breeding and the Steel and Dark types.
It’s fair to assume pre-loading will be available for this game like it was with Gold and Silver so you shouldn’t have to worry about a lengthy download once the unlock time hits. Pokemon Crystal Version releases January 26, 2018 exclusive on the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console. Nothing definitive has been announced yet but we’re going to assume another midnight unlock time is on the horizon.
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Pokemon Crystal Version Coming to 3DS VC: Here’s When