Pokémon Sword and Shield on Nintendo Switch shows how far the franchise has come since the days of Red and blue, but what would the latest game look like in a similar 8-bit style? A Japanese YouTuber named Hayate Keiunji just introduced it with a new Pokémon video marrying the two Pokémon generations. Keiunji’s video is a wonderful relaxation from the Galar region, and one that feels true to the past and present of the Pokémon franchise. What’s even more impressive is that the video lasts a total of 19 minutes and even teases a sequel!
The video can be found embedded below.
Pokémon Red and Blue opened with a battle between two Pokémon: Nidorino and Gengar in Red, and Gengar and Jigglypuff in Blue. Keiunji’s video repeats the opening using two Pokémon debuting in Generation VIII: Corviknight and Duraludon. From there, the player is taken to a home screen where the protagonist Victor stands next to a sprite of the starter Scorbunny. As the game begins, however, it’s clear that this is not the story of the version Sword and Shield. Instead, it’s an original story in which Victor and Hop wake up in ‘low resolution’ without knowing what happened!
There is a very impressive attention to detail in the video. Everything looks and sounds like a classic Pokémon game, but the heart of Sword and shield remain intact; there’s even a series where Victor and Hop are chased by a Dynamax Wooloo! According to Keiunji, they came up with this concept when they wanted to hear a Game boy version of the background city music Sword and shield. When they could not find it, they decided to make it, and this project was the result!
The video is another testament to the creativity of the Pokémon fan. In the 25 years since Pokémon Red and Green released in Japan, fans have found a number of ways to showcase their passion for Pokemon, and Keiunji made it clear with their video. It will be interesting to see where the storyline goes when they launch their second video!
Pokémon Sword and Shield is now available exclusively on Nintendo Switch. You can see all our previous coverage of the game here.
Are you a fan of Pokémon Sword and Shield? What do you think of the video? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to play all games!