Pokémon Blue Upgrade is basically the original Game Boy classic, but with some nice little tweaks that make it feel smoother. You still start in Pallet Town, pick your first Pokémon (Bulbasaur’s my go-to for an easier early game), and battle your way through gyms—but the sprites look cleaner, and some of the clunky mechanics from the original got polished up.

It’s not a full remake, more like someone took the old cartridge and quietly fixed the rough edges. Wild encounters still feel random, but the pacing’s a bit better, and grinding doesn’t drag as much. If you’ve got nostalgia for the original but wish it played just a little tighter, this is the version to try.