Pokémon Gold Silver and Crystal (Nintendo GameBoy Color) - Retro Game Review - Tamashii Hiroka

[@jacksonvanhaitsma2266]

One thing you didn’t mention that I also love is the thematics. Johto is much more traditional in its construction than the more urban Kanto. The game communicates the idea of progression and evolution of time so well. This is especially paid off when you then get to Kanto later and you see all the ways it has changed since Gen 1. Even though you’re still playing a Pokémon game time has continued on and the world you knew before isn’t the same. The changes made in Kanto especially reflect this because they cover the Pokémon Tower being replaced with a radio tower and Copycat’s house being torn down for the Magnet Train. Gen 2 feels like a genuine commentary on our increasingly global and technologically capable world, musing on what changes in the process. It’s quite compelling!

[@santasnoopy456]

Plus you get to see the dangers of having lived on a volcano island. The owner of the Safari Zone closing up shop, the fate of the Viridian Gym. So many things in Kanto that change for us.

[@espio87]

@Jackson VanHaitsma : This. So much this. World Building. That is what this game accomplished. Gen 1 created a world but Gen 2 breathed life into it. Such a simple thing as a "Before/After" gives you the sensation that the world is changing. And while the internal clock could be considered a gimmick, they made the most of it. Day/Night cycles, daily and weekly events, everything was made surrounding the clock mechanic and that further feeded the idea that the world was alive. Time played an important part on gen 2.

[@ryanjonsson2468]

Where have you been tamashi hiroka good to see you back again I miss your videos

[@Sombres]

Indeed. I only really came to realize how cool it was by looking at the tcg card arts

[@ryanjonsson2468]

You're so very incredibly beautiful looking too tamashi hiroka could you get anymore beautifuler like seriously

[@WadeVillines]

I always LOVED the optional legendary idea. Exploring and stumbling upon a rare Pokemon was always so exciting. You could see Lugia on the box, so you know it's in there somewhere, but having to figure out how to encounter it was the best part.

[@gameygeemer4142]

As a fun fact, the reason they put Kanto into Gen 2 was because they went to Satoru Iwata because they couldn't get all of Johto onto the cartridge, and he came up with a new compression system that there was so much space left over they could fit all of Kanto in there as bonus stuff, so they didn't actually sacrifice anything to get it in there.

[@ferroth]

then why where chunks of kanto removed

[@Indeside]

Not everything could fit in? Miraculous compression tools or not you can't always put in everything. That and potential glitches

[@starmangalaxy2001]

@@ferroth They didn't sacrifice anything in Johto. Kanto was extra, but even better compression has it's limits, which is why Kanto sucks in GSC

[@ferroth]

@@starmangalaxy2001 I guess that makes sense

[@M3rtyville]

Kanto was intended to be in Gen 2 but much much smaller as well as Kensai (the region Johto is based on) as just 2 towns. It suppose to be about all of Japan but they changed their mind to focus on just to regions.

[@WritingErick]

When I was a kid and played through it. I remember loving being able to re battle trainers and how they'd call you! It was magical to me

[@Logdotzip]

Love this review! This was my all time favorite game, I got every TM and maxed the Pokedex after 300 hours and a couple trades with some friends' shifty cartridges 😂

[@Cr4cked_Dan74]

Logdotzip??? NANI

[@Cyphule]

Seeing random big channels in this comment section is kinda bizarre.

[@Incrypt3d]

Wow logdotzip watches Tama!

[@PeanutButterGamer]

Awesome to see a new vid from you! =)

[@BaltaBueno]

PBG here? NICE!

[@rustytoyota]

Hi PBG.

[@MrRigoberto2333]

Damn, PBG thirsty

[@beavercontrol1743]

PBG I thought you hated pokemon

[@makesomething4093]

RIGMAC Ruiz Or, this married man is just a fan of her stuff and a decent person with no ulterior motives outside of his appreciation for quality content.

[@CreepsMcPasta]

This was wonderfully in-depth. I loved how you tackled the subject in multiple angles, showing Gen 2 in various lights, rather than one centered opinion

[@synysterdub]

Didn't expect to find Creeps on here but cool nonetheless

[@reyjustine7116]

Creeps!!!

[@rustytoyota]

Damn all my favorite KZbinrs on here

[@maikomarx]

You should do a creepypasta on Pokémon!

[@Incrypt3d]

Wow

[@ProtoMario]

My favorite Pokemon Game is Pokemon Crystal.

[@shreym03]

I never played the gen 2 games. But I did enjoy HeartGold and SoulSilver

[@YustinJ420]

Good for you, I guess?

[@stevenkennedy6870]

same the sprites are awesome

[@Adam-dn5oc]

@@YustinJ420 Salt

[@AlexTheChaosFox1996]

My first ever Pokemon game was Pokemon Crystal

[@Leopold_33w]

Wow. Just wow. Everything about this was wonderful. The script, it’s presentation. The energy throughout was fun. It was a bit drawn out at times, but overall, this video was wonderful. It’s refreshing to see a video as honest as yours. Glad to see this. Also, hope you’re doing well. I’ve been a fan of your channel for a while and I kinda fell off the planet. Catching up and rewatching some of your older content. Seems like you’ve been through a lot and doing better. Wish you a good one and continue to do what you love!

[@BigKlingy]

9:47 Black and White did this too. In fact Surf in BW only served to open up optional areas in previous locations, you never needed it for story progression. There are several whole water-accessible routes you never need to go to, located right next to the hometown. Funny thing is, the way you talk about Pokemon doing a bad job of teaching the player its complex battle system is pretty much EXACTLY the issue with another game that I've seen brought up a lot: Kingdom Hearts 2. And I do mean EXACTLY. I only found out that KH2 has a complex, deep and rewarding battle system when I watched speedruns over a decade after I played it. And that's because the game never REQUIRES you to learn its battle system to win. Most reviews called it a mindless "mash X and occasionally triangle to win" game, and most casual players saw it that way too. And just like Red, KH2 throws an optional postgame boss at you (Sephiroth, and in the remake Lingering Will and the Data Organization) that will kick casual players' butts and force them to grind because it's the ONE fight in the game that DOES require you to have mastered the battle system. I never beat Sephiroth as a kid because the game never taught me how to use all the tools I'd need to win that fight. As much as I generally dislike X and Y, I will say they actually do kind of go out of their way to address this. Basic trainers have pretty smart moves, e.g. Black Belts with Poison Jab for Fairies, and a Kingdra with Flash Cannon, also for Fairies, and some even pack Egg Moves. ..........BUT MOST PLAYERS WILL NEVER KNOW, BECAUSE THEY'LL BE 20 LEVELS HIGHER THANKS TO THE EXP SHARE AND WILL JUST ONESHOT EVERYTHING!!!!!! (Sorry. I got carried away there. I just really don't like how XY's Exp Share means so few people know how good those games' basic trainers are. Every time I try to point this out, I get "duuuur you think XY is hard you're a filthy casual". No Exp Share Nuzlockes of XY tend to have the highest body-counts of any generation, from what I've seen.)

[@nidohime6233]

Yeah, I think the option to give Exp. to the entire Pokémon team should be a endgame thing. I even find it funny how many trainers of ORAS where ignored by basically everyone because how broken the secret bases are. Why expend so much time traveling the entire Hoenn region when you can defeat a bunch of level 100 Blissey?

[@wildresin6292]

@@nidohime6233 i dissagree i not only like exp share its on the beginning i think it should be before first gym. The role of the exp share in this game is not to be used on only 6 pokemon through the whole game but to catch and train all met pokemon. This is why the first route and forest has so.many different pokemon in previous games you get at least 3 times les pokemon. I also think they should include an iv judge in your home town so you can always check the ivs of pokemon you have cough. Because hes in the post game i had to buy second ds and multiple version of games so i can use the judge nearly straight away.

[@nidohime6233]

@@wildresin6292 The IV Judge at the start fine, but the issue with the exp share is not how early they give to you but how broken it is in the whole playthrough. Most ended with overlevel team because the amount of exp they get is to high, not only from battles but also now from catching Pokémon. Also many people prefer to have a team made of Pokémon they want or like, leaving training and raising Pokémon after they defeated the League, and the fact that many recurring trainers like the 4 kids of XY have weak Pokémon on purpose don't help either. Do you know one of them haves a Roselia (or Lilligant, I don't remember) who only knows Petal Dance? It makes the games to easy and boring.

[@wildresin6292]

@@nidohime6233 well the games are meant to be played differently. To train high number of pokemon at the same time and to have lots if optional pokemon for each gym. It is game shaped by old motto to "catch em all and to be the best that ever was" all in the name of variety and appreciation for all pokemon and to discover other that we dont use so much. About them four kids theyre not meant to be rivals or to challange as their purpose is to support us not to gives us a challange. Once you accept them truths the game looks way better as the whole game is all about you. Its not gamefreaks fault that most of people are lazy and obsolete in their choices of pokemon. For the same reason i despise hm slavery as hms are meant to be used not only outside of battle but as a integral part of our team. Thats why we have things like stab and technician ability to make for the lack of power in some of them.

[@nidohime6233]

@@wildresin6292 Funny enough you are not the only one who hate HM slaves, everyone does! The reason they have it is because nobody wants to put weak and annoying moves in their "real" team. Surf and Fly? Those are fine, but Cut? Rock Smash? Flash? Even Defog? And we didn't even started with the water type HM. Nobody wants to put so many in the same Pokémon to the point they don't have a good type coverage. Also it doesn't help that means you should remove someone of your team everytime you want to go somewhere. No wonder Hoenn and (specially) Sinnoh where the most annoying to travel, that's why many love the idea of Pokerides, because that mean they could have their favourites in their team. Besides, many prefer to train just a few not just from lazyness but because they get attached with their Pokémon. They want to battle with them everytime. Also what about who already caught everything? To me, someone who already got every Pokémon except for a few mythical ones is kinda pointless to catch more of the same thing. Like, I already got the full Pidgey line in the Pokébank, what's the point of getting another one? And last, those four kids where officialy rivals, if at least they have something interesting to say o do apart of battling they could be more bearable. But because they just follow you and say how great you are...

[@cerulee]

I don't understand people who complain about Chikorita. "It's weak against Falkner!" Geodude is right outside of Route 46. "It's weak against Bugsy!" Pidgey and Hoothoot are all over the place. Butterfree and Beedrill are also not hard to get. You're not supposed to just use ONE Pokemon for the whole game. Chikorita might not be a star player but it has good utility and I got plenty of use out of it in my game.

[@RokuroCarisu]

Don't use a Geodude against Falkner. His Pokémon have Mud Slap, remember?

[@AFollowerOfCanti]

Chikorita was soooooo cool in the anime lmfao I don't understand why didn't people just use their favourite pokemon like the devs kinda intended.

[@kclink1579]

I love Chikorita and it's whole evolution line.

[@cerulee]

@@RokuroCarisu Mud slap is a weak move and ground only dealt physical damage back then. Geodude has enough defense to counter it.

[@saprwin]

Personally I don't like Chikorita or Meganium. Bayleef is cool and it's the only part of the line I really like.

[@mylesaveyard3843]

you must be the halley’s comet of youtube because your videos are out of this world and come once every 76 years.

[@JDjade1]

This comment deserves a standing ovation

[@cristianroy21]

Calm down killer

[@pikablu_25]

I had never thought I missed your videos as much as I did when I saw this video on my feed. I instantly clicked!!! Welcome back queen!

[@unwithering5313]

I seem to be addicted to this video Also I tend to find breeding for egg moves in GSC to be more meaningful And yes, it is essentially a crime that they neglected to put Stadium 2 on the Wii U or even the Switch for 3DS VC users to replicate the experience of the transfer feature Almost every fully evolved Pokemon was at least reasonably viable last time I checked

[@gluedtogames]

I'm 9 minutes in and so far, this is one of the most well thought out retrospectives of Pokemon I have ever seen. I'm impressed.

[@vinnymovingfwd]

I WAS JUST REWATCHING YOUR DP REVIEW. WELCOME BACK QUEEN

[@PenguinExplosion89]

A Tamashii Video is the best birthday present ever

[@SleepyDonnnn]

Happy Birthday

[@Sonny02339]

happy birthday!!

[@AbdulAhad0128]

Happy birthday!

[@alexsmith2910]

Congratz!

[@SuperLucky7]

22:58 As someone that picked Chikorita in Gold Version I can confirm that not being able to beat Red is nothing but BS. Red is definitely beatable regardless of which starter you pick.

[@shestewa6581]

Meganium has its pros and cons just like any other starter, but a lot of people don't really understand quite how to use it. It works way better as bulky support in concert with other pokemon. Meganium works really well with Synthesis, Solarbeam and two support moves like Reflect, Light Screen, Protect or Toxic. If you have another mon with sunny day, it can come out and become and immortal sweeper. I think people just use it wrong and have the wrong expectations as to what you can do with it.

[@alphavolta5038]

Watching this in the hospital at 3am because there's too much beeping to sleep. Thanks Tamashii

[@dr4c0blade]

I'll always have a soft spot for this game, mainly because of that one time I caught Raikou when he was at full health with just a Pokeball. Still one of my favorite gaming moments.

[@Squirt4757]

_It's like the opposite of when Gamefreak revisits their old work_ *AIRHORNS*

[@Fantallana]

Squirt4757 it’s ironic that Heartgold and Soulsilver were the one remake that really felt like a love letter to the originals.

[@josephmcdonagh8389]

@@Fantallana They were, and still are, awesome.

[@KahunaLagoona]

Yeah, they've been Dobbin' it lately...

[@Anti-HyperLink]

Joseph McDonagh No, they’re garbage.

[@ringodoom2559]

@@Anti-HyperLink The problem with FRLG is how much these games hold your hand. These games arent love letters to classics, they were released at a time when people thought Pokemon games are too complicated and FRLG were meant to be a start for new players who never played a Pokemon game before. FRLG are great at that. If I wanted to introduce a 6 year old to Pokemon I would give them FRLG. HGSS are really for people who grew up with the originals. They dont hold your hand any more than the originals and recreate the experience in a great way. For Players who have been playing Pokemon for a long time HGSS are a nostalgia trip. Also these games have one of the most asked for feature in any Pokemon game: having your favourite Pokemon follow you in the overworld and not just sit in your inventory. If you prefer FRLG thats totally fine. If you dont mind all the tutorial stuff these games are a great graphical update for the first generation games which will stay classics in the hall of fame of games forever. TL;DR: HGSS and FRLG have different target audiences. Both are great games, but HGSS are a bit better for experienced players, the kind of player you will more likely find in this comment section.

[@EdwinHernandez-nm4uq]

She’s back! And covering the gen 2!! We are living in the blessed timeline. :)

[@TheRexisFern]

I literally teared up a few times remembering my playing everyday to do all of the events. Even now, I played again as an almost 30 year old, and still smiled at every moment. This generation has a corner of my heart for as long as I live.

[@TTEchidna]

A corner of your heart and a piece of your soul.

[@jurjenbavelaar1558]

Not gonna lie, I damn near cried at the "end" screen.

[@MrCrowley2474]

The sheer boost in confidence from your first review of gen2 to this one is a joy to see.

[@DeliveryCrow]

It's rare that I'll watch a 34 minute video from start to finish on a youtube channel that I've never seen before, but you managed to keep me interested the whole 34 minutes and for that I subscribe. Looks like you just came back recently too so I look forward to whatever else you produce in the near future. :) P.S. Gold, Silver, and Crystal was by far my favourite gen of Pokemon

[@Valtharr]

I remember playing Heartgold not too long ago, and yeah, it was the remake, but what I'm about to talk about could also happen in the original Gen 2 games. I had just beat Bugsy and was ready to move on to Goldenrod. But then, I got a call from that Bug Catcher who gives you Berries. Also, Togepi hatched shortly after that, so I was like "oh, whatever, let's get those berries and show the Prof the baby." So backtracked all the way back to New Bark, got the Berries on the way, and even found one of the weekday siblings. I remember doing all that, and then stopping to think "huh. this feels familiar." And no, it didn't remind me of the original games. You know what it reminded me of? Breath of The Wild. Yeah, obviously it was on a much, much smaller scale, but...I had a clear goal (getting to Goldenrod), but then I was given a secondary goal (getting the Berries) which required me to go the completely opposite way, and then I got _another_ secondary goal (showing the Prof the Togepi), which required me to backtrack _even more_ and on that way, I found another quick side thing to do. And it just reminded me of playing Breath of the Wild, setting a primary goal, like doing a story quest, but then getting distracted from that goal by something like a tower, then getting distracted from _that_ by a shrine, then on the way to that shrine finding a chest or Korok seed... Really, it's the Johot games that make me think that Pokémon would not be that hard to make into an open world game. In fact, someone already did that. Look up "Pokémon Crystal Clear", a romhack that removes all the plot barriers like Sudowoodo and anything you need HMs for, lets you visit any place in both Johto and Kanto from the start (even restoring and adding some areas), and even allows you to challenge gym leaders in any order, since the strength of the trainers scales with the number of badges you have. And I think the fact that they chose the definitive Gen 2 for that was deliberate. As you said, Tamashii, the games give you interesting and fun things to do and discover almost everywhere. Honestly, if they don't go the Open World route for Pokémon Switch, I just hope they take more of an inspiration from Gen 2...

[@XenithShadow]

I mean it makes sense that back when Pokemon was more rpg like, it would have similar situations occur to in an open world rpg. I too would like a return to the style of play of the earlier gen's, with thing to find and places to discover. Such as lapras appear in a cave on a friday. The return of day of the week event would be cool, as would the return of seasonal effects in gen 5 which allowed you to access new area in certain seasons (obviously you couldn't block part of the main story behind seasons if they only change once a month.

[@The_Court_Poet]

This is a great comment. Wish the games had turned out more like gen 2.

[@galarprince]

*She protec* *She attack* But most importantly... *SHE BACK!!*

[@charmanderfan1]

attacc*

[@galarprince]

@@charmanderfan1 i ment Attac lol

[@mohammedsabha1985]

*bacc

[@lui4129]

Protecc*

[@abbad707]

UmbreonErick lmao

[@MrScraftineer]

Jeez what's with this new Tamashii and why is she spitting fire like a Heatmor?

[@jordanlouie_]

MrScraftineer Tamashii needs to be on shofu’s next pokemon cypher

[@scentsiclestylings4443]

I love it so much

[@abbad707]

MrScraftineer I know :d

[@datboi_gfx5504]

I remember when I was young and I would have sleepovers with some friends we would stay up all night with our gameboys in the Ruins of Alph. We would spend hours finding secrets, solving puzzles and coming up with theories about the Unown and how they were "legendary pokemon". *(gotta point out this is a testament to how fun this game is without even going along with the story all the time)*. The Internet and computers, in general, were very rare and only a handful of my friends had a computer at home (including me). My dad would often let us play around with his PC and thought us about the internet, after searching on the internet with my friends we came across the "King Unown" myth and as the internet was very limited we just took it without questioning it... the rest is just us walking around the ruins of alph for years until we found out it was fake and all our """"""research"""""" was suddenly poinless... i love this game anyways!

[@BlackCroLong]

Or turning the radio on in the ruins. Creepy shit

[@existential_dread_and_chill]

I remember spending hours traversing Johto and Kanto, taking in every pixel of the bullet train scene while speeding from Saffron to Goldenrod. My childhood imagination allowed me to put myself in the shoes of a young trainer adventuring, seeing the hustle and bustle of cities like Celadon and the laid back attitude of the people in Cherrygrove.These games are part of the reason I started traveling as soon as I became an adult, I already had so many imaginary escapades in the world of Pokémon that it made me want to explore my own just as vigorously.

[@jacksonvanhaitsma2266]

You managed to articulate what I love about Gen 2 in a way I didn’t even know myself. You’re so right, the immersion is genuine. When I was a kid I felt like I was actually in the Pokémon world. I would listen to the radio for Oak’s show and spend hours giving my Pokémon vitamins and haircuts to make them love me more. There are still aspects of the new games that emulate this experience but Gen 2 is still the peak, and being able to find unique ways to face the challenges it presents is always a great time.

[@truegreen7]

At first I was a bit conflicted that this review wasn't very traditional (As in, you didn't go through the aspects of the game, like Pokemon, characters, story, region, etc.) but rather focused on the aspect you thought made these games unique, but honestly, it was very fresh, somehow nostalgic, and eye opening. But it did confirm my "bias" that Pokemon really is extremely dynamic and everybody has a completely different reason for playing. For example, I play Pokemon for the Pokemon themselves, the way they are integrated into the world and the bonds I form with my team, and even the characters. Gen 7 simply seemed to do that for me more than any other gen. All the Pokemon had some sort of lore, you encounter them in the over world in appealing and immersive ways (like Totem Pokemon) and USUM were without a doubt the most difficult Pokemon games I've ever played (in terms of straight up battling) so when my Pokemon defeated a totem or Ultra Necrozma, it felt satisfying af. On the other hand, the fact that in Johto, most of the Pokemon are from Kanto and the team building isn't very dynamic AND a good amount of new Pokemon are only accessible during the post game isn't very appealing to me. Kids simply wouldn't play a Pokemon game like Gold and Silver where the gratification isn't instant, and why would they when all the other games are available... for free? Even I can't rack up 300 hours on a Pokemon game in my adult life. I wish I could, but I can't. I definitely don't think tutorials and hand-holding is the way to go, but it just doesn't impede my experience cause the reason I've played Pokemon for so long, the Pokemon, has never gone away. Like you said, we westerners weren't introduced to Pokemon through the RPG aspects, but rather the Anime. I loved the Pokemon I saw, so being the trainer I've always wanted to be was why I played. Not the over world obstacles. I wanted the RPG elements, which are still present in the game. Not the JRPG elements. (although I'm not apposed to them, just explaining why I'm still a fan of the newest Gen) I'm still connecting with my team. Still role playing. Even in Let's Go Pikachu. While it's far from my favorite Pokemon game, I actually bonded with my Pokemon in that game, more than any other. I'm very optimistic when it comes to Gen 8.

[@faisalkabirtaj3297]

I clapped when i read this.

[@rustytoyota]

@@faisalkabirtaj3297 Shut Up Truegreen! She's taken! 😘

[@SwiggleMcJiggle]

It's strange how opinions differ when it comes to the Pokémon games. The JRPG aspects are exactly what I like most about Gen 2 and until this day I haven't invested as much time into any Pokémon title than I have in Crystal. I really hope that when Let's Go 2 comes around (we all know it will), that it does stay true to some of these aspects which made Gen 2 what it is. Also surprised that you found gen 7 to be the hardest of all. Personally I had more problems with 4 and 5 (Ghetsis after N), though this could be that I unknowingly built up a team in Gen 7 which turned out to be a nearly perfect counter to the Ultra Necrozma encounter. I do wish that the handholding is minimised again and also that cutscenes won't be quite as long as they were in SM/USUM, but even if that won't be the case in Gen 8 I am still confident that I will enjoy it, because I honestly have never not enjoyed a Pokémon Gen... though Gen 6 was really meh imo.

[@gomer2813]

I'll have to disagree about kids not liking Gold and Silver. When I was a kid playing this game, the first playthrough was all about beating the gyms and elite four. Then, as I replayed, I got more into bug catching, legendary searching, and finding the nooks and crannies. Difficulty was also there. The dragon gym was hella hard, since the dragons could beat any ice types you had, and since training dragons was so difficult. The puzzles were good, the second gym was also hard, and levelling up for the elite four was definitely hard. The postgame was fine with me. I don't see why it is bad to have new Pokemon in the postgame. Catching all the Pokemon should be optional, anyways.

[@anirudhviswanathan3986]

@@gomer2813 Also, kids in my school LOVED GSC. It was such a big step up graphically from RBGY that we finally saw the designs of the pokemon from the show being adequately rendered on the GBA.

[@cyducktv]

As someone who has watched your videos for 8 years, I’m so excited to see you continue to create the content you love!

[@alejandromolina672]

When I saw the duration of this video I said Wow! But, honestly, I could talk hours about this generation. Johto is my favorite region in the pokemon world. Pokemon gold/silver was my gift for my 11th birthday. Colors, the history, beautiful sprites, 2 regions in 1 game, Game Freak really made a fantastic job. Thanks for the video 💕

[@secretvillage]

I return to this video for different reasons. Sometimes it's to remind me of the major perspective expansion I got from my first viewing, and other times to be inspired to be more thoughtful about my pokemon playthroughs in Gen 2 and otherwise. Playing a game against its strengths cheapens your experience and takeaway from it, and building your own fun through the opportunities it creates is such a valuable lesson. Seriously, this is one of the most important videos I've watched of my nearly 2 decades viewing this website. Pokémon fans really can be magic.

[@themilkman7921]

It made my most recent play through of heartgold incredible.

[@RetroAli]

YESSSS I've been waiting for this video! :D So excited!

[@EdwinHernandez-nm4uq]

SCf3 hi Ali!:)

[@Rafaay]

Feels like 2014 again

[@Kamodomon]

You have evolved too, unlike a lot of KZbinr reviewers that just press B. Great review. Very well thought out and you brought out a lot of great points. Didn't realize that Colosseum 2 would have been part of the core Gen 2 experience. Makes me kind a wanna find a copy of it and and reset my cart of Gold with that game in mind.

[@chyandinii]

i love that first sentence so much, kudos to you

[@JokerGriever]

Exactly! These were the games that REALLY got me into Pokémon because of how much effort and time you had to put into it. I remember I had a friend who had Silver and I had Gold. We would see each other in school and see how much we had advanced since you had to do it little by little to actually enjoy it. Like you said, like a MMO.

[@bennett2428]

Might also be worth pointing something out. The team was inspired by Dragon Quest (specifically 3) and if anyone has played the whole trilogy, you know what you get to experience? Playing through DQ 3 gives you a nice new map full of stuff to explore, with an act 2 consisting of the world from DQ 1, but it's watered down compared to playing through that same world of DQ 1. I'm not sure if both regions were planned from the start. Them having issues fitting all of Johto seems like they weren't, even though I think the Poke Wiki claims G/S were meant to be the final games, so Kanto was indeed planned from the beginning. The compression vs initial planning feel like they contradict one another. I just thought it was interesting to see the parallel with DQ 3 since they were so inspired by it in the first place. Also, with all the stuff I've seen/read about Gen 2 over the last x amount of years, you're the only person I've ever seen to mention that Stadium 2 was meant to be post game content. I trust you're right, given the amount of research you put into this. For me, this illustrates how much GameFreak loved their IP and the potential they used to see in it.

[@David-lk5bt]

This was my favorite GSC review! You completely understand the magic of this game. I put so many hours into simply exploring forests, walking through and enjoying the towns, hunting for rare Pokémon, etc. Gold is special to me ❤️

[@Yamartim]

man as someone who started with gen 3 this video was really enlightening and made me appreciate the older games way more, thanks tamashii!

[@went22]

As an Espeon fan from Madrid, I very much approve of your naming choices.

[@vaannebilim]

Madrid ???? Edit:Oh I saw the rest of the video I'm from Madrid too

YOUR ALIVE!😭 I LOVE YOU AND YOUR CHANNEL SO MUCH SO IM VERY HAPPY YOUR HERE!👍

[@PedroPerez-we9oh]

Just started playing silver on my bright green game boy color I got for Xmas 20yrs ago and this game feels perfect! I love that it keeps the day and time while you play, it feels like your in the world. Thanks for the video and the history it’s great.

[@shibarin4374]

I just watched your Ruby & Sapphire review and just had to watch this review again. Your videos are so great and informative; it's just alway a joy to watch them.

[@darrielmairena1651]

Kills the only sudowoodo available in the game" I can relate

[@MrFireboyFTW]

Weston Meyer looool

[@The_Court_Poet]

Lol! I just caught it first try

[@hermaeusmora345]

I was still Playing Yellow Version when Gold and Silver Came out. However, when Crystal rolled around. I got it that day with money I earned by Mowing lawns. It was worth it. It was better than expected. I even skipped school one day, just to play it! My only gripe with Crystal? NO MAREEP!!! Ugh... Anyways... Thank you for this amazing video. Subscribed!

[@Celestial07]

I love you!!

[@MustacheDLuffy]

That’s funny given I was born in 2001 Edit: how was there no mareep?

[@SS64DD]

when I herd that mereep wasn't in I chose gold, it was cheeper and easier to find any way

[@KrishDamany]

I’m so glad you created another really in depth review of a Pokémon game. Your analysis is well thought out and researched, and while there is a bit of bias, it never takes away from the points you make. Great job! :)

[@genwunnergreen2100]

"Polished" *laughs in PC cloning glitch* But seriously, cloning the Master Ball was helpful for those blasted roaming dogs. 😂

[@haydens.2755]

I beat red as a sixth grader without every having to grind, and I'm also terrible at Pokemon in general. Never understood why that fight is so hated, honestly beating red with that amazing music and incredible atmosphere is one of my fondest gaming memories.

[@ilngsisfh]

“Does Not Support Thoughtless Unplanned Team Building Style” Kid Me: Only TYPHLOSION

[@kris8430]

Lilliana Reichard actually it supports thoughtless unplanned team building style EVEN MORE than planning bcuz if u try to use 4+ mons there’s not enough EXP to grind them enough, but if you over level 1 or 2 mons it’s easier to plow through the elite four. It’s easier to use only one mon in this game, not harder

[@diogenes26]

Typhlosion with Earthquake, Flamethrower, Thunderpunch and Strenght for the win

[@DrewPicklesTheDark]

Same, except it was Meganium, which as you might expect, made the Johto gyms terrible.

[@YoKozo]

You mentioned the internal clock playing a role but never had to emphasize how Gen 2 introduced new mechanics that are integral to competitive play to this day, such as hold items and gender/breeding. The games introduced new Types, Shinies, rebattles, and made some quality of life changes like the bag and PC improvements, move deleter, select shortcuts. It's a huge leap from Gen 1 even if it visually doesn't look so. It's part of why I love this Gen's games and their remakes. You managed to tell a new perspective on Gen 2 I never thought of before and I appreciate that.

[@goon_369]

Man I'm only 11 minutes in and I'm already moved. I miss when I played Pokemon relegiously and watched videos like yours and others who were so dedicated to sharing what made these games so fun and captivating. I really appreciate the time and dedication you put into making this video so well thought out and provoking.

[@sonimatic]

Can you guys help me find my friend? Her name is Margaret and she was my best friend on Pokémon X and Y PSS five years ago. I was a pretty lonely dude in middle school. I didn't have any truly good friends, and at the time one of my comforts was Pokémon. So when Pokémon X came out I spent most of my time fooling around. It's the game where I got really good at battling, collected shinies, got every awesome Pokémon I had dreamed of getting through making friends with random people, battling, then trading. One of those friends was Margaret. She was probably the first friend I made on PSS, and we became best friends. For the first time in three years I had a true best friend. We voice called every day, tested battling Pokémon, traded constantly, helped with breeding and collecting, and just generally had a hilarious time together. I lost that 3DS so I don't have her friend code, my old friend code, my old miiverse, etc. The only memory of her is a Togekiss she hatched as a Togepi that I trained personally into one of my best battling Pokémon, and it still says she was the original trainer. Margaret, Margie, if you're still out there, I miss talking to you! It's been over 5 years but I haven't forgotten. Guys, is there any way I can get more people to see this? Can anybody help? How can I spread this? I appreciate any and all upvotes you can give to improve visibility.Thank you!!

[@Charroshi]

I'll screenshot this and post it to Twitter tmrw, hopefully ppl will retweet this. Really hope you find her man, that's super sad to hear

[@observerf-03p.d39]

Good luck in your quest of reunion!

[@Charroshi]

twitter.com/CharoshiVGC/status/1092521189245779969?s=19

[@Scissorhandsx91]

Aw man, you have my support. I hope you find your friend! I was a lonely kid, myself. I suffered from depression-like symptoms and isolated myself a lot. My online gaming buddies truly meant more to me back then than I will ever dare to tell them.

[@xSynergized]

I would highly recommend posting this on Reddit and asking people to share the post. I hope you find her :(

[@DoctorObjection]

27:04 I don't agree with this onscreen message, it's entirely too silly. While I can't speak on behalf of the Let's Go kanto remakes I will say that even as a child that could barely read I managed to play through Pokemon firered without walkthroughs as I didn't know those even existed. I managed to get through the cave even without flash, I managed to use context clues to find out that the pokeflute was something I could get and with that continue on. I will say that the guards not letting you through kinda makes sense from the fact that they always repeat how thirsty they are and that as a kid I was baffled by this- but I managed to basically brute through it- because it basically forces you to talk to people and explore. If you don't take your time to find the tea then you probably won't find the nearby eevee either, or the lapras in silph co, you may not even know that you can get a porygon with a bit of grinding and you're probably too impatient to even get a pikachu in veridean forest at that point. If you need to be spoonfed nearly completely basic puzzles that just require walking around and experiencing the world then why even play an RPG? tldr; Man, just talk to the old people, they give you free shit.

[@bartoszpiorkowski8763]

Honestly i think that gen I made a better job with finding a way to get into Saffron with vending machine drinks. They on their own are very good items thanks to their superior cost-to-effectiveness value, which can award players that know how to count with accidental opening gates to Saffron, but also there's small event on the roof with girl giving away TMs for these drinks, teaching players that they can be used as currency to bargain with thirsty people. Either player is awarded for good economics or recognizing similiar situations, two completely different ways to take on this problem with one event.

[@pixality7902]

I will say firered/leaf green made it a lot easier for kids. It presents you the tea and it seems important. In rby you had to go to the top of celadon department store and buy something from the vending machine (the art wasn't amazing lol). But somehow we still managed. I've seen grown men get confused at the newer pokemon games. It kind of makes me realize that people dont really want to or try to think that hard.

[@tylerm8145]

THANK you. I was thinking the exact same thing. Like this is an rpg, if you don't want to explore and talk to just about everyone then why are you even playing? I found flash by accident just exploring. The dude offered up a reward and I wanted it. That's always been one of the main staples of an rpg... I figured out the guards in the same way you did too: you eventually explore your way to celadon and find the vending machines. If you're anything like me you've tried to get past those guards an unreasonable amount of times. By then the thirst of those sumbitches is burned into your brain. Same thing with the pokeflute. Most rpg players know you should, and in fact WANT to explore everything. I did exactly that and eventually put the pieces together. I found an item that wakes sleeping pokemon and thought oh shiiit we can finally get past fatty ding dongs! While the snorlax in gsc was quite a bit harder to figure out, I think every single one of these obstacles can be solved SUPER intuitively.

[@andrewprahst2529]

Imagine a modern Pokemon game making you pick up an invisible train part in a gym you've already been in

[@lassemathisen60]

I was stuck at that part for 2 years as a kid. ;-;

[@JokerGriever]

-"Are you saying I'm playing it wrong if I don't like it?" -"Correct" Haha that made the whole video.

[@murpuhbuh1196]

was she joking when she said that?

[@Pichuscute]

@@murpuhbuh1196 Nope, it's 100% true.

[@End_Zionism]

Every second of this review was perfectly executed painting a very clear picture of what these games really are past the fan base. Wow well done.

[@Handington]

Wow, I completely agree with this video, as I played the remakes like this and it felt so much more rewarding than a lot of people tend to describe the experience. Heck, I loved running around so much that I still haven't beaten it and I have over 400+ hours. It's really nice to see appreciation for these games in this way

[@Evanskyethomp]

This is the best summary of Gen 2 I’ve ever seen @Tama Hiroka

[@friendbotlu3920]

I’ve always cherished Gen 2 for nostalgia, but never really understood why other older fans loved it so much. This genuinely opened my eyes to a game I’ve been “playing wrong” for a good 20 years. I’m definitely more of a story-driven, long-play kind of RPG fan, so it being designed for shorter, daily bursts makes a LOT more sense now. Not sure why I didn’t connect the dots sooner. Amazing video, super insightful, well-constructed and edited, and very funny! (I laughed out loud at “nice”).

[@TheLostArts]

I'm excited for everyone to get to watch this and see their reactions!! Also, something to note for anyone paying close attention to the music, in the "Under the Hood" section, a remix of "My Favorite Things" plays in the background. It's a really nice touch and exemplifies that those RPG mechanics are the driving force behind all that I love about this game as well! All around, a wonderful video~!

[@victikirby15]

Tamashii only shows up once in a blue moon these days, but it’s always exciting to see a new video from her.

[@acciuntxyz3462]

Fun fact, quicker way to get to the Indigo league, go to New Bark Town, surf a little to right, and fly from there! Much quicker than taking the train.(especially if you're grinding, that is where you spawn, so you just gotta surf to the right and fly from there! Easy Peasy!)

[@Thundermaster258]

Well done review, you’ve basically summed a lot of my feelings of Pokémon as a whole, the fun isn’t about grinding to me but always going on that adventure and problem solving it your way with your team, I always loved Pokémon for how you’re journey was unique to everyone else’s journey and how you’re able to fill in The gaps as the story progresses I truly hope someday they return to the nonlinear

[@kingofthebis1068]

Ur bacccccccccccccc Like legit that sinnoh review immortalized ur content for me

[@Dsk994]

I'm deployed overseas and this made my day 😭 so happy to see you another video from you again

[@Dsk994]

@Miguel tvid The US military is completely voluntary, buddy. No one now in the modern US military is forced against their will to raise their right hand and sign the dotted line. Join the military and find out for yourself, buddy. Have a good day

[@Dsk994]

@Miguel tvid I get some units are complete craps like how my last one was. I get it's tough to make a career out of it because of the factors. Unit, MOS, but mainly the leadership. But thank you for your service I do appreciate it

[@joshuabrewer5397]

Miguel tvid You didn’t happen to go OSUT at Benning around 2016 did you?

[@Dsk994]

@@joshuabrewer5397 Unfortunately, no 😅 Relaxin' Jackson 2017

[@TJ-Henry-Yoshi]

Wow. The amount of love in this video is insane. As someone who doesn’t find long RPGs appealing, this makes me want to try this game. Everything in this video was masterfully created and elaborated on to a point where there’s so much content here, that I feel like I should have been taking notes! I wish there was an abridged version of this video called “How to play Generation 2 Pokémon” since this video has so much advice to follow, that I’d never remember it all.

[@SSDARKPIT]

Well said, I don't think I could word it better, myself.

[@SomeMoofMilker]

Gen II's return to Kanto was great because it gave you a chance to really exercise the team you've bonded with throughout Johto and the Elite Four. It's so fun to use your fully developed team in post-game. Same with the Sevii Islands in FireRed/LeafGreen and the Battle Frontier.

[@dolebiscuit]

I really like your videos! Learning about the history and context of some of my favorite childhood games is a nostalgia bomb combined with information I never could have wrapped my head around as a kid.

[@kaleidoscope1588]

These games are my favourites and always will be, and I don't blame nostalgia as I much prefer these over the gen 1 trio. Something that really stood out was the way they had none-legendary pokemon on the map, they were such a treat to suddenly come across after exploration. The Lapras in particular. Nowadays it's usually only legendaries who get to shine like this. Also fun stuff like the Bug catching contest, the hair dressing bros, the siblings, fishing contest - every day something new was going on and it felt like you were living in the world rather than just passing through it collecting gym badges. It was sad to see gen 3 neglect this aspect, and I hope it makes a return in the future.

[@MAZZ0Murder]

Gen II is still my favorite generation

[@viraticwars]

I loved Gen 2 as well, but HeartGold/SoulSilver really improved it. Gen 4 may not be my favorite but it did improve the classics.

[@yuvyx3288]

good for you?

[@Glitch_Man42]

The more I think about the points made in this video, I feel like that what is said to be the core appeal of Pokemon Gen 2, or just a major part of it, is very similar to the core appeal of Animal Crossing. Like the all the daily stuff, the intimate learning of the world, the nonliterary, and the work all are the same as Animal Crossing. The combination of the Life Sim elements and RPG gameplay seems to be the core of GSC. And there in lies the divide I feel. Most of the biggest components of Generation 2 also seem to be the types of people who love Animal Crossing games. And the people that aren't as into Animal Crossing's core appeal, aren't as big on GSC. Thinking about it this way really makes me understand why some people really like it, and why I am not the biggest fan of it.

[@eduardoguzman3751]

Crystal has always been my favorite Pokémon game, so many fond memories and so many features! Forever a piece of my heart 😊

[@armyofninjas9055]

OG genwunner here. Never played gen 2 back in the day. Went back to gen 2 recently. Dope af. Excellent game.

[@rickydillon]

omg you look fantastic

[@Tama-Hero]

omg thanks lol

[@2u6qiyj1]

Lol a wild Ricky

[@adlanti-definitionleague8659]

Nut

[@ninnghhizziddha]

the thirst is real

[@AtomicCortex]

@@ninnghhizziddha Who would win, one thristy boi vs 1000 marines?

[@Josh_Stuchbery]

I think I'm going to have to pickup a copy of Pokemon Stadium 2, so I can get the full experience.

[@gregtrial1930]

Its a great game, just know that the A.I cheats. Hope I'm not ruining anything. It really is unique and ahead of its time.

[@proxyg4884]

held items introduced berries introduced internal clock and time based evolution mechanics introduces breeding introduced 16 gym 2 regions in one cartridge roaming Pokemon introduced 28 versions of one pokemon introduced (unown) Crystal introduces pokemon animations when a pokemon comes out of its ball Gold Silver Crystal are the GREATEST ADVANVEMENT in the development in Pokemon

[@zencyn4682]

26 versions, Gen 4 added the last 2

[@Heimal]

You forgot the best one. Playable female trainer.

[@ijneb1248]

Didnt gen 1 add like 151 pokemon or something??

[@PerrydactylShow]

Really enjoyed this video! Captured what drew me to it as a kid and why I keep coming back to it now as an adult. Great work!

[@UltimaRomance]

Great video! Gen 2 has always been my favorite but before watching this, I couldn't really explain why until you talked about the daily quests and Stadium 2. It used to be a daily routine for me to do the mystery gift and go talk to the person of the week (Monica Monday, Tuscany Tuesday, etc...), go check the lottery in case I won anything, I would go to the radio station at a certain time to go on air and answer questions. I had made it a challenge to catch every Pokémon, and I was only missing 1 which was Entei (I was too young to realize I could trap him with mean look so I would always hope for the best with my 1 ultra ball but he always broke through). I had put so many hours in Crystal it was insane for a 5-6-year-old. My mom used to help me understand a lot of things, especially since English isn't my native language (primary being French), and she even had her own Crystal v. that she would play sometimes. The fact that it was a family effort made me enjoy the game a lot more. I was immersed in the game! Those are some of the reasons why I loved gen 2. I could go on, but you get the idea.

[@TacoNut823]

Seeing all the Twitter updates about this video, I was worried it wasn't going to live up to the hype. Turns out I was worried for nothing! It was well worth the wait!

[@funninoriginal6054]

32:25 ...ooooooooor you can just surf to the pond right next to your house and then fly to the indigo plateau.

[@NuUnlimited]

Thats what I always did

[@peteypete9357]

Shhh only people with big brains are supposed to know about that secret...

[@bensjammin9]

It’s more time consuming that way unless you have max repels

[@muslimmetalman]

This is one of the finest and most enlightening videos on one of my most treasured games ever. Thank you for this magnificent work of art.

[@seanfitzgerald341]

Hey there! You taught me a lot more about this game than I thought I'd ever know, design wise. Your review delves into different aspects than usual ones about this generation, and I appreciate your input. I want to know what you and other people think about with the rivals these days. I haven't felt super challenged by a lot of them, and gsc's rival was honestly my favorite. A lot of current rivals are more like buddies, with very little skill as opposed to gsc where he had some hard hitters and a full team. Hau is the worst offender of this, his Pokemon don't even have full movesets.

[@Em-ct4ik]

Gen 2 is literally my goddamn favorite. Its amazing! I prefer it over the newest games tbh

[@loveless9528]

I love you my lil egg! Ganbatte!

[@HybridAngelZero]

I have always loved and will always love Gold, Silver and Crystal, but I could never quite pinpoint why or how to articulate it, but this video just completely nails exactly my feelings on it. I especially agree with what you said about Stadium 2... Having that game really turns GSC into a magical, engaging experience

[@thepokemonqueen]

honestly the only problem I had with them was the "no flying to indigo plateau from new bark town" problem and the red problem, but considering I prefer to brute-force my way through fights it's understandable 😂 I do enjoy the challenge of the game though, yet like you said I fell back on the over-levelling tactic a lot because I don't like losing my money 👀 if only they could combine the challenge of crystal, the gorgeous graphics of let's go and the cool pokemon designs of alola with the sinnoh region i'd be in love 😍 I will admit that I don't particularly like this competitive-central component to the newer games though :/

[@antonioscendrategattico2302]

I think more games should do the surprise "ta-dah, here's another region" thing. For me, despite how basic the Kanto region was, it really felt like travelling abroad. I had never played the first gen games before, so that also helps, I guess.

[@FenrisChosen]

I love the additional scope this video gives, such as the background going on in Game Freak and tying back table-top roleplaying to the experience of Gold and Silver. Connecting it all back is so neat.

[@Worldend23]

I have never clicked on a vid so fast~ oh my Tamashiii I missed youu

[@JDotKazaam]

I always felt like the people complaining about difficulty and having to grind for levels have very unbalanced teams. Having type advantage is what the game is built around. I remember the amount of people that would use just the starter pokemon and have a team of one or two over-leveled pokes and the rest untouched low leveled fillers. The game gives early access to many types and some really strong pokemon. You can get Gastly in Sprout Tower before you even get your first gym badge. The next route after Violet City has Mareeps, Bellsprouts, and Woopers giving you coverage of many types. Just keep your party equally leveled and use type advantages and the game should be smooth sailing.

[@anirudhviswanathan3986]

I love playing my Pokemon games in a Monotype way just for that(every member of my team share one type). The dual typings will be there to cover my weaknesses rather than give me superfluous advantages, and I don't like challenges like Nuzlocke that actively gimp the player by preventing them from using healing items, unnecessarily restrict what pokemon you use and the fact that you are forced to release Pokemon. This challenge, to me, is stupidly counterintuitive to how Pokemon is designed, and all it does is make people ragequit over an unlucky crit.

[@MrTots-lp4jx]

Man, I have always wonder why Gold, Silver, and Crystal were so ravine for being the best Pokémon games because I had found them to be dull and I didn't understand the appeal of it for a long time. Once I had heard that you were working on a massive review on those games, like Gen 4. I was ecstatic on what do you had to say on them, due to how much you played them. Then the video itself came out and I get it now. I now know why people enjoy them so much and that I was playing it wrong the whole time. Also, the those points on leveling and grinding was handled elegantly. Excellent video Tamashii! I need replay them, except the reason I haven't been able to do so. Is not that I lost interest in playing them, but because my 3ds is busted and I need to fix it. :'(

[@jahmerecrooms3162]

I liked how when she censored her cussing, unown appears over her mouth and it reads what she said

[@luiscanamarvega]

Wow, I wasn’t aware of this video until now. I really enjoyed it! Thank you! I even let the ads run and all.

[@Daisy-xo9cq]

I definitely agree with the idea of outplaying vs grinding. Throughout my childhood I've never felt the need to grind, it's more about seeking the perfect battle. My perfect Pokémon, with perfect moves, replaying each battle to study their moves and strategies and use healing and switching to get the perfect battle. In almost every playthrough I've done playing classic Pokémon, my team is at least 10 levels lower than e4 / champion. I guess some feel losing is really frustrating but for me it's just about experimenting for next time. New aspects such as being able to infinitely reteach TM's really benefit this system, between each elite four member changing your team to fit the opponent's strategy. I was shocked when I started watching let's plays and saw KZbin players grinding before every battle. Fighting Lance as a child took me weeks, because I needed the perfect battle, I never grinded and it made every victory feel earned and incredibly satisfying.

[@Livein5]

Dude your shelves are awesome.

[@lack_of_reality]

SHE EMERGES

[@pkmntrainerred6093]

I’m only 14 but I appreciate R/B/Y and G/S/C more than what they are coming out with today. I’m a 90s kid at heart gameboys and slow computers are my life!

[@JaneDoe-yj1ki]

Omg I'm a 90's kid and you couldn't pay me to go back

[@Borchert97]

While I love Gen 2, I will give Joe Merrick one point. There is no reason why over half the new Pokemon needed to be exclusive to Kanto routes or Mt. Silver. Like, why is Dratini available before the Pokemon League by not Larvitar? It should be the opposite. Maybe that's not the best example considering Blackthorn City is the city of the dragon trainers but you get what I mean, why give us access to Kanto Pokemon we already used in Gen 1 before we even get to Kanto? Even HGSS didn't do much to fix this. If Johto gets another remake, like a Let's Go version, I hope this is addressed, other than that, the Johto games are all phenomenal.