Revisiting Kanto: Why Pewter City Is A Hidden Slice Of Pokemon Paradise

thegamer.com:

I've been exploring Kanto from Pokemon Blue for a while now, slowly making my way through the nostalgic foothills as I try to soak up the region for what it represents as a place, rather than as a staging ground for gym battles, trainer conquests, and catching 'em all. Having slowly wandered through my home town, its neighbouring city, and the forest at its fringes, this week I venture onwards to Pewter City. I had never really considered this before, but given my protagonist is only ten years old, this may be the furthest they have ever been from home before. We tend to think of Pewter City as being very close to the start of the game, and if you choose the right starter for Brock and rush through it, then I'm sure it is. But as you play to explore the region, you realise how monumental it must be for the protagonist themselves.

It is entirely feasible that they may have been entrusted to explore as far as the nearest reaches of Viridian Forest on their own, and even if that was a brave new world for them, as last week's column detailed, I detest Viridian Forest and seeing it through this new lens did nothing to endear it any further, so I am going to wipe it from my memory and press on boldly with the assertion that Pewter City marks a watershed moment for our adventure, even if playing Pokemon as it is meant to be played means Pewter City is a trivial stop on our route to the top.

Related: Revisiting Kanto: Giovanni's Secret Gym Makes Viridian City Great

The first thing I notice about Pewter City is that there is so much I haven't noticed before. There is a flower garden in the centre, which is usually used as a way to provide you with Repels for the upcoming Cave Of 1,000 Zubats, or as it's known in the game, Mt.