Japanese Pokémon Blue, originally distributed via CoroCoro magazine subscription. Slightly different roster from other Japanese versions (Aka/Midori), rarer Pokémon. Later put on regular sale. For Pokémon collectors, otherwise Aka or Midori cover the essentials. A historical Japanese niche.
Your verdict
Category
RPG1 player7+
Description
Original Japanese version of Pokemon Blue, initially available through CoroCoro magazine subscription in Japan with a slightly different Pokemon roster. Published by Nintendo/Game Freak, released in Japan in October 1996. 151 Pokemon with some differences from Aka, same Kanto region, and 8 gyms.
Pocket Monsters - Ao review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
3/5
Story
★★★★★
"Solid"
From the quiet of Pallet Town to the supercharged battle themes, Junichi Masuda's compositions have etched a whole universe into collective memory. The chilling Lavender Town melody and the victory fanfares alike remain indelible. This foundational soundtrack, of rare evocative power, has marked entire generations.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first minutes"
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Catching a creature, leveling it up then completing your Pokédex weaves a loop of short-term goals that never truly stops. Each battle yields experience, each route hides an unseen species and trading between versions pushes you to explore further. The pacing shows its age and the grind makes itself felt, but this collecting quest stays irresistibly gripping.
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Massive"
A variant with a slightly reshuffled roster, this edition pushes you to trade in order to gather the exclusives missing from its counterpart. Roaming Kanto, defeating the gyms and completing the Pokédex demand the same patience, doubled by cooperation between versions. That trading mechanic, at the heart of the phenomenon, feeds a lifespan that stretches well past the last badge.
Original version first distributed by mail order through CoroCoro Comic magazine in October 1996, with a retail printing only following three years later. That postal exclusivity at launch is why the first run is genuinely scarce and why copies still carrying their original mailing envelope hold a particular value. Also serves as the graphical base for the Western Red and Blue, making it the technical link between Japan and the international releases.
A cult cover
Blastoise trains the cannons jutting from its shell against a deep blue, a calm bulk of restrained power. A special Japanese print run, this edition stands out for its more polished linework and clean layout. The artwork's aquatic serenity contrasts with the Red version's fire and makes it a sought-after collector's piece.
A questionable morality
Becoming the greatest trainer relies on a routine no one questions mid-game: bumping into wild creatures out in nature, wearing them down through fights, then sealing them in a ball to complete a collection. Sold as a grand friendly adventure, the pastime amounts to assembling a team of captured brawlers, which somehow never stops anyone from adoring it.
Is Pocket Monsters - Ao still worth playing in 2026?
The mother of the entire franchise, the first Pokemon generation remains a fascinating object to study today. One hundred and fifty-one creatures to catch, evolve, trade and battle, a clever cartridge economy between versions, and turn-based fights of surprising readability. The pacing is slow by modern standards, the balance occasionally rough and the interface dated, yet the writing is mature for a Game Boy title and the freedom to explore still holds. For game design enthusiasts, collectors or the simply nostalgic, it stays a historical source in its own right.
