Ah, Pokémon Blue—where it all began. You start in Pallet Town with nothing but a dream and a weirdly empty house (where are your parents, really?). Professor Oak shows up, gives you the whole "world of Pokémon" speech, and then—boom—you're picking between Squirtle, Charmander, or Bulbasaur. I went with Squirtle my first time, no regrets.

The pixelated tall grass outside town feels weirdly dangerous when all you’ve got is a level 5 starter. You’ll bump into Pidgeys and Rattatas, maybe a wild Weedle if you’re unlucky (those Poison Stings hurt early on). The music’s simple but catchy, and the battles? Pure turn-based chaos where you’re praying your Tackle lands before theirs does.

Team Rocket’s lurking around every corner, gym leaders actually feel tough if you don’t grind, and trading with friends via link cable? Magic. Just don’t let them talk you into trading away your starter—trust me. It’s janky by today’s standards, but there’s something about those chunky sprites and glitchy MissingNo rumors that still hits different. Grab your Game Boy and a pack of AA batteries—you’re gonna need ‘em.