The game’s 25th birthday has everyone going mad—mostly because the game is still out of reach on modern consoles. After the player was reliving the Kanto adventure for the first time with his own important twist, it had been released in 1998: Pikachu walking with the trainer with the electric mouse on its heels. This secret is still cherished by the people. But here lies the question: Where is the Switch port?
The milestone was recognized by the official Pokémon account with a throwback post showing one of those nostalgic box art designs. The players went back and forth in a mixture of love and frustration, as these are sweet memories now that in 2023 a playable version for the Switch is not legally available.
A little on-the-nose commentary on the wasted opportunity comes from Twitter handle @RickyOplinger: “Missed a good opportunity to drop it into Nintendo Switch Online.” Quite rightly so. With a somewhat slow-paced rhythm by Nintendo to add Game Boy titles to the Switch Online service, the company unfortunately goes MIA with games from the two classic Pokémon entries. @VieraAficionado adds, “Drop the game on the Nintendo Classics app already.”
Other than pure convenience, what they are really beating for is branding. For so many players, Pokémon Yellow was the very first video game. @nowornevernick recounts, perched in his seat for grinding Pikachu to Level 20, fainting Brock with Slam, just because, well, kid logic. @DragoldC said, on the contrary, the very same game is an enshrined memory which kept him tied down to the franchise throughout his life.
Basically, those accounts are for keeping this nostalgia afloat. @scooterscanley went on, conjuring up a full conspiracy theory regarding how Pikachu “used Porygon as a scapegoat” in the infamous episode that caused seizures (For the record, Porygon did nothing wrong).
The real question, however, is: why has The Pokémon Company withheld these games? The next generation has been pleading for years, and with the Switch having virtual console possibilities, it would be a no-brainer to do so. In @TheRealSorenzu’s own words: “I hope one day we get all the GB and GBA Pokémon games on the Switch.” Same, my friend, same.
Some still have hope for a surprise drop during a Nintendo Direct, while others want you to believe the waiting is on for the rumoured Switch 2. The call is loud and clear and heavily burdened with Pikachu-shaped nostalgia in either case.
Hail the 25th year of Pokémon Yellow! For Arceus’ sake, let us be able to play it on anything else but a filthy-old-Game-Boy cartridge.
And after those waves of nostalgia hit you: rustle up those old paws and celebrate a few Pokémon adventures; downside: don’t count on that battery save to work for very long!
