Pokémon Red

Pokémon Red's original 151-Pokémon Kanto adventure gets completely reshuffled in this pre-randomized ROM. The eight gyms, Elite Four, and rival battles all remain intact, but any Pokémon from the full Gen 1 roster could appear in the wild or on a trainer's team. Your starter is a surprise — you might begin your journey with Gengar, Jynx, or even Mewtwo.

Red's tight eight-gym structure and compact 151-Pokémon roster make every encounter difference immediately noticeable — there's no large dex to hide familiar Pokémon in. The randomized starter is a highlight of any Red run, since beginning your Kanto journey with an unexpected Gen 1 Pokémon reframes the entire early game.