Remake

May and Brendan in the trailer of the Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire remakes

A video game remake is a game that is made again, in a new and updated style.

In Pokémon terms, five pairs of core series games are remakes:

• Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen (2004), Generation III remakes of the Generation I games Pokémon Red and Green (1996);
• Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver (2009), Generation IV remakes of the Generation II games Pokémon Gold and Silver (1999);
• Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire (2014), Generation VI remakes of the Generation III games Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire (2002);
• Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! (2018), Generation VII remakes of the Generation I game Pokémon Yellow Version: Special Pikachu Edition (1998).
• Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl (2021), Generation VIII remakes of the Generation IV games Pokémon Diamond and Pearl (2006).

The names of the remakes are derived from the names of the original source games, with a modifier word attached to the front. The exception to this is Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, which are a pair of games based on a single upper version game, so only the title of one of them (Let's Go, Pikachu!) is derived from the original game's title.

In addition, one spin-off game is a remake:

• Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX (2020), a Generation VIII remake of the Generation III games Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team and Blue Rescue Team (2005).

The above game is a single game based on a pair of games, so the Red/Blue portion of the title was cut, and DX was added to signify the game's new status as a remake.

Changes

In addition to graphical updates, remakes introduce new features. The script is retranslated for localizations. The remakes in the first six generations also include all Pokémon and moves in the generation they are remade in.

Core series

FireRed and LeafGreen

• The new stat system, Abilities, the Steel and Dark types, friendship, genders, weather, and breeding are carried over from Ruby and Sapphire.
• The Sevii Islands expand the main story and allow the player to obtain Pokémon native to Johto.

HeartGold and SoulSilver

• The physical/special split, foreign Pokédex entries, Pal Park, and the Battle Frontier are carried over from Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum.
• The Hoenn Sound and Sinnoh Sound can be used to find Pokémon native to those regions.
• The Pokéwalker replaces the Pokémon Pikachu 2 GS.
• The Global Terminal is added to Goldenrod City.
• Walking Pokémon return for the first time outside of Amity Square since Pokémon Yellow, and now all Pokémon can walk with the player rather than just Pikachu.
• The Pokéathlon is introduced.
• Route 47 and Route 48 are introduced, which lead to the new Johto Safari Zone. The locations Cliff Edge Gate, Cliff Cave, Embedded Tower, and Safari Zone Gate are also added along this new path.

Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire

• The physical/special split, foreign Pokédex entries, the Fairy type, and Mega Evolutions are carried over from X and Y.
• The Pokémon Contest has been enhanced and it is now called the Pokémon Contest Spectacular.
• Groudon and Kyogre can undergo Primal Reversion.
• Mauville City has changed in appearance from Ruby and Sapphire, being mostly an indoor city.
• Deoxys can be encountered by completing the Delta Episode post-game story.
• Most Legendary Pokémon since Generation II can be encountered.
• The player can fly around Hoenn with Latios or Latias.

Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!

• Walking Pokémon once again return, for the first time since Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver.
• A new Pokémon catching mechanic, similar to that used in Pokémon GO, replaces wild Pokémon battles.
• Compatibility with Pokémon GO and the Poké Ball Plus is added.
  • The GO Park, which allows players to transfer Pokémon over from Pokémon GO, replaces the Safari Zone in Fuchsia City.
• Two new Pokémon, Meltan and Melmetal, are introduced.
• Master Trainers, individual Trainers who each specialize in a single Pokémon species, can be found across Kanto after entering the Hall of Fame.
• PCs are removed, with Pokémon storage now being relegated to the Pokémon Box found within the player's bag, allowing the player to switch out their party at any time.
• Pokémon can now be sent to Professor Oak in exchange for Candies, in the same vein as Pokémon GO, with received Candies being kept in the Candy Jar in the player's bag.
• The Berries from Pokémon GO have been added, with some of their effects being altered.

Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl

• Walking Pokémon return from HeartGold and SoulSilver, and all Pokémon can walk with the player outside of Amity Square across the entire Sinnoh region.
• Amity Square allows the player to bring up to six Pokémon with them to interact with.
• The Underground is upgraded into the Grand Underground, and includes Pokémon Hideaways where various wild Pokémon can be encountered and captured.
• HMs are now replaced by Hidden Moves, a feature in the Pokétch that allows the player to summon wild Pokémon to perform field moves.
• Exp. Share is no longer an item, and its mechanics are present from the start of the game and cannot be turned off, much like in Pokémon Sword and Shield.
• Pokémon Box Link carries over from Sword and Shield, with the ability to access the PC at any time.
• Pal Park is replaced with Ramanas Park, a new location where players can use Slates to encounter Legendary Pokémon not native to Sinnoh.

Spin-off series

Rescue Team DX

Main article: Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX#Features

• The Fairy type, foreign Pokémon evolutions (such as Sylveon and Mantyke), Mega Evolution, and Primal Reversion are all carried over from Generations IV and VI.
• All evolution items have been replaced by the Evolution Crystal.
• Many minor changes to various dungeons, such as Oddity Cave becoming accessible after completing Mt. Steel, the Friend Bow moving to the end of Solar Cave, and Mewtwo's dungeon—Western Cave—being lowered from 99 floors to 20.
• Shiny Pokémon—excluding the Shiny Celebi cameo from previous games in the series—appear as "Strong Foes" in completed dungeons.
• The maximum team size has been increased from 4 to 8, but as in the original games, only 3 Pokémon may be brought into a dungeon. The other 5 team members must be recruited after entering.
• Rare qualities replace the IQ system, and Gummis have been lowered to only two varieties.
  • Rainbow Gummis will raise a stat at random, and will sometimes give the Pokémon a new Rare Quality.
  • DX Gummis will raise a stat at random, and will always give the Pokémon a new Rare Quality.
• Riolu and Lucario originally appeared as cameos, but can now be recruited through the use of Mystery Houses—rare rooms found in post-game dungeons, accessible with an Invitation.

Impact on other media

Anime

Steven Stone in Pokémon the Series: XY and specials

Due to the release of Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, in Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire, Ash and his friends traveled back to Kanto to compete in the Battle Frontier (also a reference to Pokémon Emerald) and Kanto Pokémon Contests. However, its influence can be seen as early as Grass Hysteria!, where May befriended and caught a Bulbasaur.

Due to the release of Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, several references to those games appeared in Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl, such as the Pokéathlon in A Marathon Rivalry!, the Johto Festival introducing several in-game Key Items, Ash's main rival being Paul who resembles Silver in many ways, Lyra temporarily journeying with the gang and her attempt in participating in the Johto League, about half of the Johto Gym Leaders reappearing with their redesigns, and several main characters obtaining Pokémon in the Johto Pokédex like Dawn's Quilava or with a cross-generational evolution line like Ash's Gliscor he caught as a Gligar.

With the debut of Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, several references appeared during Pokémon the Series: XY. Sawyer, originally from the Hoenn region, was introduced as Ash's new rival and is first shown to have a Treecko and a Bagon. A Mega Audino and its respective Mega Stone also made an appearance in A Giga Battle with Mega Results!, under the ownership of Nurse Joy.

Many newly introduced Mega Evolutions were seen in Mega Evolution Special II. Steven Stone, in his new design, and his Shiny Mega Metagross also made an appearance along with Mega Rayquaza in the aforementioned special. Both Pokémon reappeared in Mega Evolution Special III with the inclusion of Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre. Rustboro City made a reappearance in the aforementioned special but was first mentioned in the former. Ahead of the games' release, Mega Diancie debuted in Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction. Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre also made an appearance in Hoopa and the Clash of Ages with Mega Latios, Mega Latias and a Shiny Mega Rayquaza. Also, a Mega Glalie, Mega Steelix, Mega Salamence, Mega Beedrill, Mega Pidgeot, Mega Swampert, Mega Camerupt and Mega Sharpedo made an appearance in Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel. Steven reappeared in the main series in a flashback in Coming Apart at the Dreams! and in person in The Right Hero for the Right Job!, Rocking Kalos Defenses! and Forming a More Perfect Union!. Steven helped Ash, Alain, Diantha and the Kalos Gym Leaders defeat Team Flare's Giant Rock, first appeared in Mega Evolution Special II as a huge stone that contains huge amounts of Primal energy. At the end of Pokémon the Series: XY, Serena decided to travel to Hoenn and compete in Pokémon Contests to improve her skills.

Several references to Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! appeared in Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon. In A Plethora of Pikachu!, before the games' release, several of the Pikachu that appeared within the Pikachu Valley sported hairstyles similar to the ones players could give their partner Pikachu and Eevee. From Lillier and the Staff! to Bright Lights, Big Changes!, a series of shorts called Where Are You Going, Eevee? aired, which focused on a wild Eevee and its journey, before finally meeting Ash and his friends. In We Know Where You're Going, Eevee!, which was broadcast after the games release, the wild Eevee was captured by Lana, who nicknamed it "Sandy". Furthermore, she cut its unruly hair into one of the styles used on the partner Pokémon in the game. A group of Meltan, a Pokémon species introduced in Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, debuted in Evolving Research!, with one of them getting caught by Ash in Got Meltan?.

References to Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl have appeared in Pokémon Journeys: The Series. In Nightfall? Nightmares! and A Midsummer Night's Light!, Ash, Goh, and Chloe visited the Sinnoh region, and Dawn reappeared, with Goh and Chloe meeting her for the first time. During these episodes, they intervened in Team Rocket's attempts to capture Cresselia and Darkrai. In Excitement From the Ultra-Shocking Start!, Ash had a rematch with Volkner in the World Coronation Series, with the episode later revealing that Sinnoh Champion Cynthia is a member of the Master Class. Cynthia herself appeared in JN083, intervening in a mysterious situation involving Unown.

Manga

Generally, only long-running Pokémon manga series are affected by remakes, considering most series begin and end within the time frame of one generation.

Pocket Monsters HeartGold & SoulSilver Go! Go! Pokéathlon

A manga titled Pocket Monsters HeartGold & SoulSilver Go! Go! Pokéathlon was created at the time of Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver's Japanese release. It features the Pokéathlon, a new feature added to the remake games.

Pocket Monsters HGSS Jō's Big Adventure

A single-volume manga, Pocket Monsters HGSS Jō's Big Adventure, was released concurrently with the games Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, which it takes its name from. It features the adventures of a Trainer named Jō in his travels through the Johto and Kanto regions, following the storyline of the games.

Pokémon Adventures

FireRed & LeafGreen arc

In the Pokémon Adventures manga, the FireRed & LeafGreen arc, HeartGold & SoulSilver arc, and Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire arc return the focus of the story back toward characters introduced in older chapters (the Red, Green & Blue arc/Yellow arc, Gold, Silver & Crystal arc, and Ruby & Sapphire arc/Emerald arc, respectively). However, instead of focusing on the whole region like the originals, the main plot of the remake chapters generally focuses on events and places which were new to the enhanced remakes of their game counterparts. FireRed & LeafGreen focuses on the Sevii Islands, HeartGold & SoulSilver focuses on the Pokéathlon, the new Johto Safari Zone, and the Sinjoh Ruins, and Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire focuses on the events of the Delta Episode.

Pokémon Chamo-Chamo ☆ Pretty ♪

In the Pokémon Chamo-Chamo ☆ Pretty ♪ manga, there are several bonus chapters focusing on characters from Magical Pokémon Journey. As a Generation III sequel of the Magical Pokémon Journey series, this manga was being speculated by fans as a first hint for the remakes of Pokémon Red and Green (later was named as Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen).

Pokémon Ruby-Sapphire

In the Pokémon Ruby-Sapphire manga, which is based on the Generation III games of the same name, some of the chapters in Volume 3 revolve around Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen. This includes a character named Red, who is designed based on Red's appearance in the remakes; and a character named Blue, who is based on Green's appearance.

Following the Pokémon Ruby-Sapphire series, the manga began a trend of rebooting its numbering and naming system with the release of each core series game. After the end of Generation III and the Ruby-Sapphire series, the manga's story continued with Pocket Monsters DP, which led the main characters to Sinnoh. When the Generation II remakes Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver were released, the series once again rebooted with Pocket Monsters HGSS, which led the main characters back to Johto; which they had previously visited during the original Pokémon Pocket Monsters series.

Pokémon 4Koma Encyclopedia

The Pokémon 4Koma Encyclopedia manga was released around the time of Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen. It is five volumes in total and has comics featuring each Pokémon in the National Pokédex up to the end of Generation III. The volumes feature artwork of Red as he appears in FireRed and LeafGreen.

TCG

In the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the EX FireRed & LeafGreen expansion was inspired by and released concurrently with the Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen video games.

Likewise, the HeartGold & SoulSilver, Unleashed, Undaunted and Triumphant expansions correspond with the Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver video games.

Primal Clash was the primary expansion that corresponds with the Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire video games. Roaring Skies, Ancient Origins, BREAKthrough, and BREAKpoint featured Mega Evolutions introduced in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire and also introduced Hoopa.

The Team Up and Unbroken Bonds expansions correspond with Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, primarily featuring Generation I Pokémon.

One of the S-P Promotional cards, Rescue Team DX's Pikachu, was released as part of a purchase campaign to Japanese customers who bought Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX and Pokémon Card game products at participating Geo stores.

Trivia

• Some remakes have several unique distinctions:
  • Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen are the only remakes:
    • To originally be released for a platform that could also play their original games via backwards compatibility.
      • However, the Nintendo 3DS can play Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver via backwards compatibility as well as Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal as Virtual Console titles.
    • Not to incorporate any features from the upper version of the original games. However, Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! were remakes of the upper version itself.
  • Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver are the only remakes which did not include a type that did not exist in the original games. Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen included the Dark and Steel types, which did not exist in Generation I; and Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX, and Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl included the Fairy type, which did not exist in Generations I, III, and IV.
  • Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire are the first remakes:
    • To which Pokémon originally obtained in their original versions could be transferred over. Players are capable of migrating Pokémon originally obtained in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire all the way up through subsequent generations using their respective methods of migration.
    • That were not bundled with an accessory. Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen were originally bundled with the Game Boy Advance Wireless Adapter, Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver were bundled with the Pokéwalker, and Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! were available bundled with the Poké Ball Plus accessory.
  • Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! are the first remakes:
    • To introduce new Pokémon.
    • To be based on an upper version.
    • To not have every Pokémon revealed at the time programmed into the game.
  • Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are the only core series remakes to not be developed by Game Freak and the first core series games overall to not be developed by Game Freak.
• Each set of main series remakes uses unique Pokémon artwork on the boxart. This artwork differs from the official standard Pokémon concept artwork that is usually released with the games. Rescue Team DX, meanwhile, uses an updated version of the artwork used for the original title.
• Several generations that received remakes have several unique distinctions:
  • Generation I is the only generation to have multiple remakes of its core series games.
  • Generation III is the only generation to have a remake of one of its spin-off titles.
  • Generation VIII is the only generation to have more than one remake.
• While Pokémon Yellow is the only upper version to be remade, several features introduced in Pokémon Crystal, Pokémon Emerald and Pokémon Platinum were incorporated into the remakes Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire and Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, respectively.
• The accessories included with Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen and Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver serve as precursors to a feature found in their respective following generations. The Generation IV games used the Nintendo DS's wireless play for communication, while Generation V's Dream World was somewhat similar to the concept of the Pokéwalker.
• There has yet to be a remake of a side series game.

External links

• Wikipedia article

This game-related article is part of Project Games, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon games.