Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen are skipping Switch Online because Nintendo "thought it would be fun," but the steep price has fans divided: "$20 is ABSOLUTELY disgusting for GBA ports"

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Others are just happy they can buy classic games without the subscription

Venusaur artwork
(Image credit: Nintendo | Game Freak | The Pokemon Company)

Fans are split on Nintendo releasing Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen on Switch as standalone titles with a $20 price point, but Nintendo just says it's having fun.

Earlier today it was revealed that the Nintendo Switch will finally be getting mainline retro Pokemon games on the system after years of fan requests for them to appear on Nintendo Switch Online. Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen are arriving next week on Pokemon Day, allowing people to relive the first games in the series via their 2004 remakes. However, they won't be on the Game Boy Advance Nintendo Switch Online service, instead costing $20/£17 each on the Nintendo eShop.

Nintendo acknowledges this weird release in a FAQ on its website (via Nintendo Life) explaining why these games have been handled differently: "In celebration of 30 years of Pokemon, we thought it would be fun to return to the ultimate versions of the original Pokémon adventures in the Kanto region with these special releases."

Scott McCrae
Scott McCrae
Contributor

Scott has been freelancing for over three years across a number of different gaming publications, first appearing on GamesRadar+ in 2024. He has also written for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, VG247, Play, TechRadar, and others. He's typically rambling about Metal Gear Solid, God Hand, or any other PS2-era titles that rarely (if ever) get sequels.

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