Extra Ketchup
Old Video Games + New Apps
Pokémon Yellow & Ketchup | A Perfect Match
Well, I had planned to write about something else entirely this week, but I got completely sucked into an item of nostalgia, Pokémon Yellow. This is thanks in large part to both the Delta emulator I talked about last week and another recently released app, Ketchup.
Ketchup is a beautifully designed Pokédex app for iOS from Ben McCarthy. It’s free for the first 151 Gen 1 Pokémon with a $10 one-time fee to fully unlock the app. Utilizing the PokéAPI, it takes the massive amount of data across all existing Pokémon games and presents it in an easy to digest way. A full catalog of Moves, Evolutions, Items, etc. is at your fingertips, and it has been a game changer as I’ve given Pokémon Yellow another try over the past couple of days.
Despite having played Pokémon games since their release stateside in the late 90s, I’ve never actually seen one all the way through. I’ve gotten as far as the Elite Four once in my life - primarily through a strategy constructed around spamming my strongest attack from an over-powered starter and nothing more. Typically though my patience would wear thin and I’d move on to something more exciting. But I believe Ketchup may be the secret sauce to helping me get the most out of my Pokémon experience.
Ketchup has empowered me to actually think through my roster and the combination of types and moves that give me the best chance at success in a given area. This knowledge has led to overall deeper engagement and fun in the early stages of the game. Combine that with Delta lowering the access barrier all the way to the floor, and it allowing me to speed through the more grind-heavy portions of the playthrough that I historically loathe and my previous obstacles have been removed.
I should probably say something about the game itself huh? I’ve only gotten through the first two gyms, so it’s still early days, but if you couldn’t tell I’ve been having a lot of fun with Pokemon Yellow and not just because of the apps. As I mentioned previously, I’m currently playing through Final Fantasy VII as well, and that has funnily enough helped shine a light on the genius of Pokémon. The structure of the underlying system has room for complexity, but by default it keeps it simple letting you decide how invested you want to be. Just in the opening gyms alone, I have room to develop a strategic approach or simply spam “Gust” with my over-powered Pidgey. Both feel like equally valid approaches, and I’ve switched between both strategies from session to session depending on my mood.
This may just be the nostalgia talking, but there is something so sweet about the lineup of creatures in this game too. I’m sure some may see them as overly simple or unimaginative by today’s standards, but that simplicity helps to make the world more realized and relatable. You can keep your Honedge to yourself.
I honestly think I might finally complete my first Pokémon game. Pokemon Yellow has completely replaced my usual 5-minute break game, Flipflop Solitaire, a crown not easily taken. If you haven’t already I highly recommend that you check out Delta and/or Ketchup. These new apps have sparked new life into my old cartridge.