Pokémon Yellow's Best Starter Change Has Never Been Repeated

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In , starter Pokémon were treated in a way that has never been replicated since (with the exception of the remakes). is well known for diverging from the standard formula in many ways, but few of these changes have ever been carried forward to other titles. As a consequence of this, fans have faced difficulties with starters that are perhaps ultimately unnecessary.

changed many parts of its preceding titles,. These changes were all in aid of capitalizing on the popularity of the anime, allowing fans to play a version of the games more in line with the anime’s events. The most iconic change is, of course, players receiving Pikachu as their starter Pokémon, but other differences include the addition of Jessie and James to the game. Players have never been without a choice of three starter Pokémon in a core game since but this is not the only change to starter Pokémon in Pokémon Yellow to not be carried forward into other games.

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Although made Kanto’s starter trio of Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle unavailable at the very start of the game, this does not mean that players were unable to obtain them. In fact, all three can be received from NPCs early in the game, making for one of the best ideas used in Pokémon Yellow. A Squirtle can be obtained from Officer Jenny in Vermillion City, for example, referencing the anime’s Squirtle Squad and Ash’s own Squirtle. Later, in the games, this was expanded upon to make the trio also available as rare wild encounters; however, no other game has made the unchosen starters so easily obtainable.

The unchosen starter Pokémon in any given title are typically only obtained through trading or transfers via,