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Pokémon FireRed and Pokémon LeafGreen are 2004 Game Boy Advance remakes of the original Kanto adventures—not simple reissues of Red and Blue. They retain the Kanto setting and original 151 Pokémon while adding later-era mechanics, updated presentation, and the Sevii Islands. FireRed and LeafGreen share the main adventure but have different version-exclusive Pokémon. Their 2026 Nintendo Switch editions broadly preserve the GBA games and replace the original connectivity accessories with local wireless; they do not support online play.
How FireRed and LeafGreen compare with Red and Blue
| What to compare | Red and Blue | FireRed and LeafGreen |
|---|---|---|
| Era and platform | Original Game Boy-era Kanto games | 2004 Game Boy Advance remakes; later released digitally for Nintendo Switch |
| Presentation | Original Game Boy presentation | Updated graphics, locales, Pokémon, and animations for Game Boy Advance |
| World | The original Kanto adventure | Kanto plus the Sevii Islands, new areas not in Red |
| Features | Earlier feature set | Nintendo identifies abilities, natures, weather conditions, held items, and a choice of player-character gender among the later-era features |
| Version differences | Red and Blue have their own version identities | Each remake has Pokémon unavailable in the other; trading can help fill the gaps |
| Current multiplayer | Not applicable to the Switch editions | Switch editions support local wireless, not online play |
| Current purchase format | Legacy games | Digital-only Switch releases; Nintendo says there will be no physical Switch editions |
Nintendo describes FireRed and LeafGreen as remakes of the first Pokémon games and says the games retain the original 151 Pokémon. The comparison is therefore best understood as the same broad Kanto premise rebuilt for a newer platform and feature set, with extra post-Kanto exploration—not as a complete redesign of every original mechanic. Nintendo’s published comparison does not enumerate every mechanic side by side.
What changed in the remakes?
New presentation and areas
The Game Boy Advance versions update the visual presentation, including locales, Pokémon, and animations. They also add the Sevii Islands, extending the adventure beyond the original Kanto journey. The Pokémon Company highlights these islands as new locations, and Nintendo’s Switch listing also describes them as part of the games.
Later-era Pokémon mechanics
Nintendo names abilities, natures, weather conditions, and held items among the features brought into the remakes, along with the option to choose the player character’s gender. These are meaningful differences from the earlier Game Boy-era feature set, but the available official comparison does not establish a comprehensive inventory of every mechanical change.
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How FireRed and LeafGreen differ from each other
The main practical distinction is which Pokémon can be found in each version. Pokémon Database, a secondary reference rather than an official Nintendo checklist, lists Growlithe, Oddish, Ekans, Shellder, and Scyther among FireRed exclusives, and Vulpix, Bellsprout, Sandshrew, Slowpoke, and Staryu among LeafGreen exclusives.
- Choose FireRed if its exclusive species—such as Growlithe or Oddish—are the ones you want in your copy.
- Choose LeafGreen if you prefer its exclusives, such as Vulpix or Bellsprout.
- If you want species from both sets, plan to trade with someone who has a compatible copy.
The two games otherwise share the central Kanto adventure. The listed examples are useful for choosing a version, but they should not be mistaken for an official Nintendo-issued exclusives list.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is different about the Nintendo Switch releases?
Nintendo says the Switch editions broadly retain the content of the original FireRed and LeafGreen, with some specifications changed to suit current hardware. Their main connectivity change is straightforward: features that used a Game Link cable or Wireless Adapter on Game Boy Advance now use built-in local wireless on Switch and Switch 2.
- Players can connect in the Pokémon Wireless Club to trade, battle, or play a minigame.
- Nintendo says up to four other players can connect.
- Online play is not supported, and a Nintendo Switch Online membership is not required to purchase or play.
- Nintendo says Pokémon HOME transfers will be supported, but it has not established a specific transfer workflow or date in the FAQ.
The Switch games are digital-only, with no physical release, according to Nintendo’s FAQ. Nintendo’s North American announcement dated February 20, 2026, listed availability for February 27, 2026, and a suggested US price of $19.99 per game. Those date and price details are for that announcement and territory; for example, the Nintendo Australia listing gives February 28, 2026, as its regional release date. Check the relevant regional storefront for current availability and pricing. An original GBA cartridge is a separate legacy product, not a physical Switch edition.
Quick Recap
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- Pokémon Adventures Fire Red & Leaf Green / Emerald Box Set: Includes Volumes 23-29 (Pokemon) Paperback – October 6, 2015 by Hidenori Kusaka (Author), Satoshi Yamamoto (Illustrator)
Sources
- Nintendo: Pokémon FireRed Version and Pokémon LeafGreen Version are coming to Nintendo Switch
- Nintendo Support: Pokémon FireRed Version and Pokémon LeafGreen Version FAQ
- Nintendo Australia: Pokémon FireRed Version
- The Pokémon Company: Pokémon FireRed Version and Pokémon LeafGreen Version
- Pokémon Database: FireRed and LeafGreen version exclusives
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