The Pokemon Company and Nintendo made the surprise announcement that Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen are coming to Nintendo Switch next week, but some fans are puzzled by the unusual standalone release of these retro Game Boy Advance classics. While a Nintendo FAQ did little to elaborate on why these games aren't coming to Nintendo Switch Online, the official word is fascinating regardless.
One prompt in the Nintendo Support FAQ reads, "Why are you handling these classic games differently?" The answer states: "In celebration of 30 years of Pokémon, we thought it would be fun to return to the ultimate versions of the original Pokemon adventures in the Kanto region with these special releases." It's a response that largely dodges the core concern of the question.
In the FAQ, Nintendo also stated that it "thought users will appreciate the ultimate versions of those original adventures" rather than releasing the original Red and Blue for Game Boy. When addressing whether those original versions would be a part of Nintendo Switch Online, the FAQ simply lists every Pokemon spin-off title already in the Nintendo Classics library, adding that the company has "nothing to announce regarding any other potential titles."
Fans have also raised complaints about the $20 price tag attached to the re-release. For reference, that's the same price as one year of a base Nintendo Switch Online membership. If you want both versions, you'll have to cough up $40 in total. Unusually, separate versions of the two games are being released for three different languages.
While Nintendo didn't fully explain why these GBA titles won't be part of the platform's subscription service, speculation points to the Nintendo Classics apps supporting cloud saves, save states, and rewind functionality--all features that could muddle a traditional Pokemon experience and that players could easily exploit. But until Nintendo, The Pokemon Company, or developer Game Freak says anything on the matter, it remains conjecture.
Released all the way back in 2004, Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen received a score of 8.4 in GameSpot's review and remains a fan favorite. The games will officially launch after the upcoming Pokemon Presents livestream on February 27 concludes.
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One prompt in the Nintendo Support FAQ reads, "Why are you handling these classic games differently?" The answer states: "In celebration of 30 years of Pokémon, we thought it would be fun to return to the ultimate versions of the original Pokemon adventures in the Kanto region with these special releases." It's a response that largely dodges the core concern of the question.
In the FAQ, Nintendo also stated that it "thought users will appreciate the ultimate versions of those original adventures" rather than releasing the original Red and Blue for Game Boy. When addressing whether those original versions would be a part of Nintendo Switch Online, the FAQ simply lists every Pokemon spin-off title already in the Nintendo Classics library, adding that the company has "nothing to announce regarding any other potential titles."
Get ready to relive the Kanto region Trainers, Pokémon FireRed Version and Pokémon LeafGreen Version are coming to Nintendo Switch!
Pre-order here:https://t.co/WzCCWh1fn8https://t.co/5SdXjg75is https://t.co/XVYS5wVZYp
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) February 20, 2026
Fans have also raised complaints about the $20 price tag attached to the re-release. For reference, that's the same price as one year of a base Nintendo Switch Online membership. If you want both versions, you'll have to cough up $40 in total. Unusually, separate versions of the two games are being released for three different languages.
While Nintendo didn't fully explain why these GBA titles won't be part of the platform's subscription service, speculation points to the Nintendo Classics apps supporting cloud saves, save states, and rewind functionality--all features that could muddle a traditional Pokemon experience and that players could easily exploit. But until Nintendo, The Pokemon Company, or developer Game Freak says anything on the matter, it remains conjecture.
Released all the way back in 2004, Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen received a score of 8.4 in GameSpot's review and remains a fan favorite. The games will officially launch after the upcoming Pokemon Presents livestream on February 27 concludes.
Source