Pokémon Crystal Version

Pokémon Crystal Version (Japanese: ポケットモンスター　クリスタルバージョン Pocket Monsters: Crystal Version) is the third and final Generation II core series game for Game Boy Color. It was released as a solitary version to Pokémon Gold and Silver, which were released one year before. It was released in Japan on December 14, 2000, in North America on July 29, 2001, and in Europe on November 2, 2001.

Pokémon Crystal Version ポケットモンスター　クリスタルバージョン
Pokémon Crystal Version's boxart, depicting Suicune.
Basic info
Platform:	Game Boy Color Nintendo 3DS (Virtual Console)
Category:	RPG
Players:	2 players simultaneous
Connectivity:	Game Link Cable, IR*, Mobile*
Developer:	Game Freak
Publisher:	Nintendo
Part of:	Generation II core series
Ratings
CERO:	A
ESRB:	E
ACB:	G8+
OFLC:	G8+
PEGI:	12
GRAC:	N/A
GSRR:	N/A
Release dates
Japan:	December 14, 2000 (Game Boy) January 26, 2018 (3DS VC)
North America:	July 29, 2001 (Game Boy) January 26, 2018 (3DS VC)
Australia:	September 30, 2001 (Game Boy) January 26, 2018 (3DS VC)
Europe:	November 2, 2001 (Game Boy) January 26, 2018 (3DS VC)
South Korea:	N/A
Hong Kong:	January 26, 2018 (3DS VC)
Taiwan:	January 26, 2018 (3DS VC)
Websites
Japanese:	Pokémon.co.jp Nintendo.co.jp
English:	Pokémon.com (US) Pokémon.com (UK) Nintendo.com Pokémon Crystal.com
Japanese boxart Boxart of Pocket Monsters Crystal Version.

It featured various fixes and some new additions, most notably the introduction of the option to play as a girl. It takes place in the region of Johto like Gold and Silver, with access to Kanto granted later in the game, with the player's starting town being New Bark Town.

The Japanese version had far more new features, all related to a mobile phone-related linking technology usable through the Mobile System GB when connecting a Mobile Game Boy Adapter to a Game Boy Color or Game Boy Advance (original or SP).

The game was available on the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console between January 26, 2018 and the discontinuation of the 3DS Nintendo eShop on March 27, 2023.

Plot

Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.

In New Bark Town, the player is called to Professor Elm's lab to run an errand. Elm provides the player with one of three Pokémon: Chikorita, Cyndaquil, or Totodile to help them get to Mr. Pokémon's house. The player meets Kanto's own Professor Oak during the errand for Elm. Oak, convinced that the player has started their own Pokémon journey, gives them a Pokédex. On the way back, the player is attacked by a spiteful and mysterious Pokémon Trainer. Upon the player's return to New Bark Town, they are informed that someone has broken into Professor Elm's lab and has stolen a Pokémon, the same Pokémon that the Trainer from earlier battled with (the Pokémon that the player's first partner Pokémon is weak against); even more so, that very same Trainer fits the description of the Pokémon thief. This Trainer will become the player's rival for the course of the game, having several conflicts with the player as to what it means to be the world's greatest Pokémon Trainer. Seeing that Oak gave the player a Pokédex, Elm then encourages the player to start a journey into becoming the Champion.

Meanwhile, Team Rocket has returned with a new attitude, since the disappearance of their leader Giovanni, and once again tries to take over the world, starting with the Johto region. They begin with petty things (such as cutting off the tails of Slowpoke to sell as food for a high price) before becoming more devious, such as a plan to use radio frequencies to artificially induce evolution in some Pokémon at the Lake of Rage near Mahogany Town. When the player defeats or captures the Red Gyarados rampaging in the lake, Lance will arrive and congratulate the player for their battling and requests that the player help him find the source of the radio signals. Eventually, the player and Lance discover a secret Rocket Base in a Souvenir Shop in Mahogany; they defeat the Rocket Executive found in the hideout and knock out the Electrode powering the machine producing the radio waves.

Later, after the player defeats Pryce - the leader of Mahogany Gym - Professor Elm will call the player and tell them about unusual broadcasts from the Radio Tower in Goldenrod City. When the player reaches the city, it is revealed that Team Rocket has taken over the Radio Tower, their intent being to try to contact Giovanni and persuade him to return to the organization. Furthermore, the Director of the Goldenrod Station has been kidnapped and replaced by an impostor. After the player defeats the impostor, he tells the location of the real Director; the player then frees the real Director and receives the Card Key, which opens the door on 3F of the Radio Tower and leads to the Rocket Executive currently in charge of the group. The player defeats the executive and Team Rocket officially disbands for a second time. The Director rewards the player with a Clear Bell.

Throughout the adventure, the player will also come across Suicune, a Legendary Pokémon that traverses Johto after the player awakens the three Legendary beasts from their sleep at the Burned Tower. Unlike Raikou and Entei, Suicune takes notice of the player; similarly, Eusine shows interest in Suicune, having sought it for ten years and finally catching a glimpse of it thanks to the player. As Eusine challenges the player to a battle near Cianwood City, it becomes clear that Eusine wants to earn Suicune's respect so that he can find out what it is that it looks after. However, it is when the player is entrusted with the Clear Bell that the Wise Trio allow them to enter the Tin Tower, where Suicune has arrived to put them to the test. Later in the story, after the player has proven their ability to touch the souls of Pokémon by catching all three of the Legendary beasts, Ho-Oh returns to the Tin Tower after 150 years of testing humans from afar.

As in all previous games, one of the main goals of the player is to defeat all the Gym Leaders of Johto, win all eight Badges, and take on the Elite Four and the current Pokémon League Champion. Afterward, the player will be able to travel to the region of Kanto and take on the Kanto Gym Leaders for their Badges. After winning all eight Badges, Professor Oak will give the player permission to go to Mt. Silver and face the protagonist from Generation I, Red.

	Spoilers end here.

Blurb

The latest in the Gold & Silver series!
Travel back to the world of Johto as the Gold & Silver series continues with brand new features! Whether you're reading the fresh descriptions in your Pokédex, using the unique sort function to organize your Pokémon in new ways, watching the all-new battle animations, or discovering another way to capture Suicune, you'll need all of your Poké-skills to master Pokémon Crystal on your Game Boy Color!

• Unlock the mysteries of the Unown! All-new puzzles and rewards await you in the Ruins of Alph!
• Fight through the Battle Tower, a challenging tournament featuring Johto's best trainers!
• For the first time, play as a male or female trainer!
• Trade with Gold, Silver, Red, Blue, and Yellow versions to catch 'em all!
• Compatible with Pokémon Stadium 2 for the Nintendo 64!

Changes from Pokémon Gold and Silver

Aesthetic changes

• A female player character, Kris, is introduced, marking the first time players can choose the gender of their character. The choice is purely aesthetic and does not affect gameplay or the story.
  • The player sprite for Kris is blue instead of red; this also applies to the surfing sprite. Pokémon sprites on the party screen, as well as the sprite that appears when Fly is used, remain red for both Kris and Ethan.
  • To accommodate for this feature, some lines of dialogue that referred to the player's gender have been rewritten to be gender-neutral. For instance, Blue calls the player character "Johto Champ" instead of "Johto boy".
• When entering a location, its name is displayed on-screen. This feature is carried forward in all subsequent games.
• Several locations have had their graphics altered:
  • The Bellsprout statues in Sprout Tower are now beige instead of gold.
  • The Goldenrod Game Corner and Celadon Game Corner are both redesigned with a different color scheme and a new design for the slot machines.
  • The Goldenrod Radio Tower has a subtly different color scheme, and the second floor has been largely redesigned with the addition of Buena's studio and new furniture.
  • The pond in National Park now has a fountain in the center, and a drinking fountain is added next to the benches in the south of the park.
  • The Burned Tower appears as a visibly burnt-out building on the exterior. The interior is now dark and has a different layout.
  • The exterior of the Olivine Lighthouse has been altered, with a new window design at the top making it more distinctly resemble a lighthouse.
  • The Ice Path is redesigned with a bright blue ice-like appearance. Some of the puzzles within have also been altered.
  • Lance's room at the Indigo Plateau now has a draconic appearance, with the generic statues in the room being replaced with Dratini statues.
  • The restaurants in Olivine City, Celadon City, and Fuchsia City feature a new design with a different color scheme.
  • In the Celadon Mansion, there is an Easter egg on the right side of the staircase that leads up from the roof's entrance/exit. Interacting with this wall yields the text "There's graffiti on the wall... <Player> added a moustache!"

Pokémon sprites are now animated.

• Pokémon sprites have been updated:
  • Front sprites for every Pokémon now play a short animation upon entering battle and a longer one when the Pokémon's profile is viewed. This feature wasn't carried forward again until Pokémon Emerald.
  • While most of the Pokémon feature an animated version of their sprites from either Gold or Silver, certain Pokémon, such as Houndoom and Croconaw, were given new ones.
  • Raikou and the W Unown was redesigned, and their new designs are used in all subsequent games.
  • A few Pokémon, such as Spinarak, Magnemite and Sneasel, were recolored to more closely match their official artwork.
  • Several of the Pokémon that were redrawn have different back sprites.
  • The Legendary beasts now appear in the overworld as the three separate sprites , instead of all sharing the same overworld sprite (each with their own color palette) like in Gold and Silver. However, after they are caught, they still appear in the party as the icon.
• Certain Trainers have different dialogue to Gold and Silver.
• Raikou, Entei, and Suicune share a unique battle theme when the player encounters them in the wild, making Crystal the first core series game to sport special Legendary Pokémon battle music.
• The user interface used during Game Link Cable trades was redesigned. Gold and Silver used a simple black on white trading interface that was identical to the one used in the Generation I games, mainly to retain compatibility with older Game Boy systems. In Crystal, the menus were revamped with full color on a black background, a design which better suits the capabilities of the Game Boy Color.

Location changes

• Grass is now present on the eastern side of Route 36, west of Violet City. In this grass, Growlithe can be caught, allowing players to acquire a Fire-type Pokémon much earlier than in other versions (assuming they did not choose Cyndaquil). This can aid the player in areas like the Azalea Gym and the Sprout Tower, where Fire-types are super effective.
• Just like in the Japanese Pokémon Blue and all releases of Pokémon Yellow, changes are made to available wild Pokémon:
  • Several Pokémon that were exclusive to either Gold or Silver, like Gligar and Skarmory, can be found in Crystal. However, certain species that were available in both versions, like the Mareep family, are not available in Crystal.
  • Sneasel appears in the Ice Path, whereas in Gold and Silver it can only be found in Mt. Silver.
  • Magmar can no longer be found in the Burned Tower, instead appearing exclusively in Mt. Silver Cave.
  • Some of the wild Pokémon that appear in Kanto have been altered.
  • Mass outbreaks have been dialed back and can now only occur with Yanma, Dunsparce, and Qwilfish. Previously affected species Tauros, Marill, and Snubbull are now easily available in the wild (with Snubbull relocated to different routes), and Remoraid is unavailable in this version.
  • Some Pokémon that are available at all times of the day in Gold and Silver, like Smeargle or Tauros, are now purely diurnal or nocturnal.
• Some trainer placements in the overworld have been adjusted.
• Several new Trainers have been added, some of whom can only be battled when certain conditions are met. For example, Pokéfan Jaime on Route 39 can only be battled at night. Some of these new trainers won't lock eyes with the player, and when spoken to won't play the "encounter" music before engaging in battle.
• The Goldenrod Department Store features a new rooftop area. Sales are periodically held here, which the player is informed about if Camper Todd's number is registered in the Pokégear.
• The Flower shop in Goldenrod City has been relocated slightly further from the main street and decorated with flowers, making it stand out from the surrounding buildings.
• A Battle Tower, the first in the series, is now present to the north of Route 40.
• Cianwood City has been slightly expanded further northwards, with the addition of the Poké Seer's house and a small ledge.
• The layout of Mt. Mortar is significantly different compared to Gold and Silver, and it no longer requires Flash to navigate.
• The Dragon's Den has received several alterations: the Dragon Shrine can be entered, some Headbutt trees are added directly behind Shrine, and the Den itself is now populated with Trainers.

Gameplay changes

• Ho-Oh and Lugia can only be caught after completing the game and reaching Kanto. They are both at level 60.
  • Ho-Oh can be caught after Raikou, Entei, and Suicune are all caught.
  • Lugia can be caught after obtaining the Silver Wing in Pewter City, like in Pokémon Gold.
• Changes have been made to the Ruins of Alph. This includes more common Unown, as well as a new subplot—completing enough puzzles allows the player to read a secret message left behind by the Unown. It suggests that the Unown were left behind by the ancient civilization that constructed the Ruins of Alph, and that the statues that line the interior were made by those people.
• Trainers who call the player on the cell phone now have distinct personalities (one talks about shopping, another about grooming etc.), and call for reasons other than battling, such as giving the player items, or informing them of a rare Pokémon appearing (Wade gives the player Berries, Alan gives them a Fire Stone, etc.). In Gold and Silver they all say the same phrase, with only the names of the Pokémon they reference changing.
• A new radio show, Buena's Password, has been added. Players can listen out for a password on their Pokégear radio and tell Buena the password to receive points, which can be spent to redeem prizes.
• The function to reset the clock in non-Japanese and non-Korean versions of Gold and Silver remains, although it is now more difficult to access.
  • On the title screen, the player must first hold the ↓, SELECT, and B buttons.
  • While holding SELECT, they must release ↓ and B.
  • Still holding SELECT, they must now hold ← and ↑.
  • Finally, the player must release SELECT.
• Kurt can now make multiple Balls from same colored Apricorns simultaneously.
• The Odd Egg can be obtained from the Day-Care Man after speaking to him for the first time.
• 15 Pokémon have changed level-up movesets; however, all except Suicune only have a single change.
• Some bugs with the battle mechanics were fixed; however, the game performs a check when it detects a Link battle to use the older and buggy mechanics in order to maintain compatibility with Pokémon Gold and Silver. This occurs even between linked players of Pokémon Crystal games.
  • Likewise, the game also performs a check that partially converts Kris into Ethan at the Cable Club and Time Capsule rooms, even if all the players using the Cable Club rooms are specifically playing Pokémon Crystal.
• A Pokémon's friendship can be increased more effectively by training in the same location where the Pokémon has been caught or hatched.

Storyline changes

• The player must first meet the florist's assistant on Route 36, who then heads back to inform her boss about the strange tree blocking the path, before the SquirtBottle can be obtained.
• Suicune, instead of being a side Legendary Pokémon, has a prominent role in the game's storyline. Awakening the Legendary Beasts is now a prerequisite for challenging Morty. After this, the player will constantly find Suicune in various locations throughout Johto. After receiving a Clear Bell (where in Gold and Silver, the Rainbow or Silver Wing would be obtained instead), the player will have a chance to battle and capture it in the Tin Tower, and it will not run away.
• A new character, Eusine, is added to the game. He is searching for Suicune as well, and will battle the player in Cianwood City to earn its respect.
• The chain of events to obtain the Rising Badge is altered. Whereas in Gold and Silver it involves a trip to the Dragon's Den to retrieve the Dragon Fang, it now involves entering the Dragon Shrine within the Den. There, Clair's grandfather and leader of the dragon-user clan quizzes the player on their style of battling. Clair arrives and still refuses to hand over her Badge after the player passes. In response, her grandfather threatens to tell her cousin, Lance, of whom Clair is terrified. If all the questions are answered correctly, the player will receive a Dratini that knows ExtremeSpeed upon returning and speaking with Clair's grandfather.

Missing Pokémon

These Pokémon must be traded from the other games of Generation I and II, as they cannot be found in Pokémon Crystal.

Note that Vulpix and Ninetales are available in the Japanese Green (which uses the same encounter rates as international Blue), but not Japanese Blue

Found in Gold and Silver 0037 Vulpix Fire S BY 0038 Ninetales Fire S BY 0056 Mankey Fighting G RY 0057 Primeape Fighting G RY 0179 Mareep Electric GS 0180 Flaaffy Electric GS 0181 Ampharos Electric GS 0203 Girafarig Normal Psychic GS 0223 Remoraid Water GS 0224 Octillery Water GS

Only in Generation I 0001 Bulbasaur Grass Poison 0002 Ivysaur Grass Poison 0003 Venusaur Grass Poison 0004 Charmander Fire 0005 Charmeleon Fire 0006 Charizard Fire Flying 0007 Squirtle Water 0008 Wartortle Water 0009 Blastoise Water 0138 Omanyte Rock Water 0139 Omastar Rock Water 0140 Kabuto Rock Water 0141 Kabutops Rock Water 0144 Articuno Ice Flying 0145 Zapdos Electric Flying 0146 Moltres Fire Flying 0150 Mewtwo Psychic 0151 Mew Psychic

Connectivity

This section is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it.

Localization changes

• Pokémon Crystal version is the last localized core series game to use the slogan Gotta catch 'em all!.
• The Japanese version of Pokémon Crystal has an emblem of Suicune's crest on the back of the Game Pak's circuit board.
• During battles in Pokémon Crystal, Japanese midline horizontal ellipses ("⋯") are used in the English versions instead of regular ellipses ("…") due to an oversight.
• In the Japanese version, Celebi's Pokédex entry states: "もりのかみさま として まつられる" (worshipped as a deity of the forest). This was adapted in English as "revered as a guardian of the forest".
• As the Mobile Game Boy Adapter was not released outside of Japan, these related features were present in the Japanese version but were entirely removed in the localized versions of Crystal:
  • Goldenrod City's Pokémon Center was replaced by a much larger building, the aforementioned Pokémon Communication Center. The localizations reverted it to the Pokémon Center of Pokémon Gold and Silver while changing some of the NPCs to match those in the Pokémon Communication Center.
  • The Pokémon News Machine at the Pokémon Communication Center updated over the Mobile System GB. Pokémon News was compiled from the saved game data of players across Japan, allowing players to read about other players' adventures.
  • Players could link to trade or battle through the use of the Mobile Game Boy Adapter and the previously mentioned Mobile System GB.
  • Players could leave a Pokémon and a request for the Pokémon species that it be traded for at the Pokémon Communication Center's Trade Corner. A player could also view Pokémon up for trade from other players, and trade with them. This is similar to the current Global Trade System of the Generation IV and later games.
  • A researcher at the Ruins of Alph claims that the Pokémon Communication Center in Goldenrod City influences the Unown. His unused English text is: According to my research... Those mysterious patterns appeared when the Pokécom Center was built. It must mean that radio waves have some sort of a link...
• Some features are related to the Mobile Game Boy Adapter in Japanese but are still available in the international versions without using that device:
  • The Battle Tower was connected to the Mobile System GB. In the localization versions, the Battle Tower is open at all times.
  • The Day-Care Man at the Pokémon Day Care on Route 34 gave an Egg Ticket which, when taken to the Trade Corner at the Pokémon Communication Center, could be traded for an Odd Egg which hatched into a baby Pokémon that knows Dizzy Punch and has a 50% chance of being Shiny. In the localizations, the Day-Care Man instead gives away the Odd Egg himself and it only has a 14% chance of being Shiny.
  • The GS Ball was distributed in Japan using the Mobile Game Boy Adapter. This item, given by a Pokémon Center lady at the Pokémon Communication Center in Goldenrod City, may be taken to Kurt in Azalea Town to investigate. After a day passes, Kurt gives back the GS Ball to the player and asks them to check the restless Ilex Forest. Taking the GS Ball to the shrine at Ilex Forest summons a level 30 Celebi to battle.
    • Despite the fact that the GS Ball was unavailable overseas without cheating or hacking, the event was translated and adapted to the regular Pokémon Center in Goldenrod City of the Western releases of Crystal, indicating that it was intended for the localizations to include the event, but was later scrapped. Celebi was distributed internationally by other methods which did not involve the GS Ball.
    • In the release of this game for Nintendo 3DS's Virtual Console, the GS Ball is obtained once the player enters the Hall of Fame, being equally available in all language versions.

Localization changes shared by Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal

Main article: Pokémon Gold and Silver Versions → Localization changes shared by Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal

Differences in the Virtual Console release

As with Pokémon Gold and Silver, the Crystal Virtual Console releases include a few changes:

• The Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console releases can link with other Virtual Console Generation I and II core series games via Nintendo 3DS wireless communication, simulating the Game Link Cable. Like in the original releases, they can only communicate with the Virtual Console Generation I core series games by using the Time Capsule. Unlike the VC releases of Generation I games, closing the communication normally does not cause the emulator to restart, although it does restart if the communication was cut due to an error. When initiating a link, the Virtual Console menu on the touch screen replaces the Cable Club attendant's dialogue. Additionally, all of the Game Boy Printer features are disabled, although the option still appears in the Pokédex and the PC menu.
• Mystery Gift can be performed with other Virtual Console copies of Pokémon Gold, Silver and Crystal using the Nintendo 3DS system's infrared port. Unlike other link features, the user interface remains unchanged from the original games.
• Using Poké Transporter, Pokémon can be sent from the Generation II core series games to Pokémon Bank, and from Pokémon Bank, they can then be moved to Generation VII core series games.
• In battle, some moves had their animations changed slightly to tone down the flashing by dimming the screen, although this is not the case in all localized releases.
• In the Japanese release, Jynx's sprite has been replaced with the sprite used in Western versions, as the original had previously fell under controversy for its resemblance to blackface. In addition, due to the Mobile System GB not being present, Japanese players are unable to use any of the features in the Pokémon Communication Center, access the Battle Tower, and receive the Egg Ticket to exchange for the Odd Egg.
• The event allowing the player to obtain the GS Ball and capture Celebi is activated by entering and leaving the Pokémon Communication Center (in the Japanese release) or the Pokémon Center in Goldenrod City (in non-Japanese releases) after entering the Hall of Fame, without any additional requirements. Not only is this event now available to Japanese players outside of set dates, and to worldwide players at all, it also occurs earlier in the game, as the original Crystal release required the player to get all eight Kanto badges first.
• Even if the Nintendo 3DS clock is adjusted, the in-game clock stays the same time as before.

Special Australian Rev A revision

A variation of Pokémon Crystal Version, marked Rev A (v1.1), was distributed in Australia. It made some subtle changes to Game Corner texts without actually removing the slot machines. It also modified some of the coding for the Mobile System GB's Mobile Stadium, despite that feature being disabled in the localized versions.

By Evie ChickasaurusGL Evie

Legacy

While Gold and Silver introduced the majority of Generation II's contributions to the game mechanics, Crystal also featured several additions to the franchise that continue into the future. First, Crystal introduced the option to play as a female character. The game also featured the first Move Tutor of the series, as well as the first Battle Tower. This was the first game to include animated sprites for Pokémon, though this only applied to front sprites (back sprites remained still as they did in previous games). This feature was absent in later games until it was reintroduced in Pokémon Emerald, after which it became standard. Back sprites did not become fully animated until Pokémon Platinum, which also added animations for important Trainers such as Gym Leaders. In Pokémon Black and White, sprites remain animated throughout the battle; before these games, Pokémon Crystal was the only game that had more than two frames per animation.

Even though Pokémon Gold and Silver were the first games to use Legendary Pokémon (specifically Ho-Oh and Lugia) as game mascots, it was Crystal that incorporated them into the plot for the first time. The story additions involving the Legendary beasts (most prominently Suicune), Ho-Oh and Unown were unprecedented, since up until then no Pokémon had been referenced in the dialogue on more than one occasion. This was also evident in the fact that the Legendary beasts received a unique battle theme, and in that the plot climax was no longer limited to thwarting Team Rocket, instead culminating in the battle against Suicune at Tin Tower. Later generations focus on their game mascots as part of the plot involving the villainous team of the respective region (with the only exception being the remade versions; Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen follow Pokémon Red and Green's footsteps, and Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver are similar to Crystal in keeping the two stories separated).

The Japanese version of Crystal notably introduced the ability to link to a wireless connection and interact with other characters (via cell phone). The Game Boy Advance Wireless Adapter also enabled this ability in Generation III (albeit to a far lesser extent, due to the Wireless Adapter's limited range), and the Wi-Fi capabilities of the Nintendo DS completely optimized the concept in Generation IV games. The GS Ball event was the first time where an event Pokémon (in this case Celebi) could be caught in-game as opposed to being directly downloaded to the cartridge; this went on to be the case for several such Pokémon in subsequent generations.

Reception

Pokémon Crystal received good reviews, although they were not quite as positive as those of Pokémon Gold and Silver. Like Pokémon Yellow before it, and subsequently Pokémon Emerald, it was criticized for being too similar to its sister games, with IGN commenting "there's not much in this edition that makes it a 'must buy' for folks who already own a copy or two of the previous editions." IGN still gave the game an "Amazing" rating of 9.0/10. It holds an average score of 79.86% on GameRankings, about 10% lower than Pokémon Gold and Silver.

Sales

Japanese sales

Pokémon Crystal sold 549,135 units on its first week on the Japanese market. By December 31, 2006, the end of its 316th week, it had sold 1,550,698 copies.

Battery life

Cartridges of the Generation II games typically lose the ability to save in a shorter time frame than copies of other Pokémon games due to the battery maintaining both the saved game and real-time clock data, causing it to drain quicker. A symptom of a battery running dry is the game's inability to keep track of the time correctly and the error message TIME NOT SET may also appear on the title screen.

The cartridge memory is powered by a CR2025 or a CR2032 battery. Since it powers the memory containing the save file, the battery running out or interrupting the power by removing the battery will cause any current save file to be erased and internal clock to be reset. External power sources and third party devices have been used to maintain or backup and restore the save file to and from an external memory or a personal computer.

Staff

Main article: Staff of Pokémon Crystal

Music

Main article: Pokémon HeartGold & Pokémon SoulSilver: Super Music Collection

Most of the game's music comes from Pokémon Gold and Silver, which have not had any sort of official soundtrack release of the games' original tracks. The closest approximation to such a release is Disc 3 of Pokémon HeartGold & Pokémon SoulSilver: Super Music Collection, which is based on the GB Sounds item and the Pokémon Past Archive radio program of HeartGold and SoulSilver that is meant to emulate the style of chiptunes. However, not all of the old-style music is available on the CD. Additionally, Discs 1 and 2 of the aforementioned soundtrack contain remixes of the music originating from Pokémon Gold and Silver (and Crystal). Moreover, several tracks that are exclusive to Japanese Crystal have not received official releases.

Version history

Japan

Only one version was released.

International

Version	Changelog
1.0	Initial release (English version only)
1.1	Adds a new memory address for the page number value in the Pokédex, fixing a potential glitch. Unintentional encoding change. This corrupts the graphics in the unused Mobile Stadium screen (also applies to the non-English European localizations). Fixes a glitch in v1.0 in which Battle Tower Trainers use text belonging to the list of female Trainers only.

Development cycle

Main article: Pokémon Crystal beta

Gallery

Logos

• 

  Japanese logo

Title screens

• 

  English title screen

• 

  Japanese title screen

• 

  English title screen (Super Game Boy)

• 

  English title screen (Virtual Console)

• 

  English Secret title screen (Virtual Console)

Flyers

• 

  Front of Japanese flyer

• 

  Back of Japanese flyer

Virtual Console icons

• 

  English Crystal Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console icon

• 

  Japanese Crystal Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console icon

Trivia

An early logo for Japanese Crystal (the word kashō (仮称) means "tentative title")

English equivalent logo

• Although Game Freak released a game called Pokémon X for the Nintendo 3DS in 2013, the tentative title for a game similar to the Japanese version of Pokémon Crystal with planned support to connect to a mobile phone and set for an April 2000 release was also Pocket Monsters X (ポケットモンスターＸ), according to multiple sources such as an Asahi Shimbun news article from December 1999 and IGN. The game was postponed until 2001 due to the planned release of the Game Boy Advance. The article mentions an adapter for linking a Game Boy to a mobile phone, with the datacenter server used for the feature being hosted by Kyocera in Kyoto.
• The Japanese logo shown at Nintendo Space World 2000 was originally similar to the one from Pokémon Gold and Silver. Additionally, the previous referred source also shows an early design for the PokéCom Club rooms.
  • An English equivalent of this logo was created and used on the Pokémon minisite hosted by Nintendo Denmark.
• People buying a Game Boy Color during the release of this game were given the option of buying a Game Boy Advance that came with Pokémon Crystal in the package.
• This is the core series game with the lowest maximum level available for a wild Pokémon, having no higher than level 60 Ho-Oh and Lugia.

The unused title screen of Pokémon Crystal

• The game's opening shows several Unown communicating with Suicune over radio waves, alerting it to the Ruins of Alph. Oddly, this is not part of the game's story, with the Ruins of Alph sidequest being independent of the plot involving Suicune. That said, the Unown are referenced by the Wise Trio as having a cooperative bond with Suicune.
  • In the Japanese version, a researcher at the Ruins of Alph claims that the Pokémon Communication Center in Goldenrod City influences the Unown. His unused English text is: According to my research... Those mysterious patterns appeared when the Pokécom Center was built. It must mean that radio waves have some sort of a link...
  • Additionally, there is an unused static title screen in the game's data that shows an A-shaped Unown instead of Suicune. It also does not reboot the game automatically after the title screen's music stops.
• The Japanese Super Game Boy border of Pokémon Gold (labeled Pocket Monsters Gold Version) is unused in all releases of Pokémon Crystal. The equivalent border from the Japanese Pokémon Silver (labeled Pocket Monsters Silver Version) is not present.
• This is the last localized core series game to use the slogan Gotta catch 'em all!.
• The Japanese version has an emblem of Suicune's crest on the back of the Game Pak's circuit board.
• This game was developed using Pokémon Gold as the base game.
• This is the only internationally released upper version game where the Gym Leaders or the Champion don't use any different Pokémon compared to the original pair of games.
• Pokémon Crystal is missing from the list of compatible core series games at the English boxart and manual of Pokémon Stadium 2, despite the games being fully compatible (and the Japanese lists including Pokémon Crystal); however, the English version of Pokémon Crystal was released four months after the English version of Pokémon Stadium 2.
• This is the final core series game released for the Game Boy Color, as well as the final Pokémon game released overall for the Game Boy Color outside of Japan.
• Prior to the Virtual Console release announcement, Pokémon.com listed Pokémon Crystal with a PEGI rating of 3.
• The Virtual Console re-release of this game was announced exactly 17 years after the release of the original game in Japan.
  • It is also the only Virtual Console release of 2018 as well as the final Virtual Console release overall.
• It is the only Gen II main series game that cannot be played on the original Game Boy or Game Boy Pocket systems.

In other languages

Language Title Japanese ポケットモンスタークリスタルバージョン French Pokémon Version Cristal German Pokémon Kristall-Edition Italian Pokémon Versione Cristallo Korean 포켓몬스터 크리스탈 Spanish Pokémon Edición Cristal

See also

• Crystal walkthrough

References

Core series games and DLC

Gen I

Red

Green

Blue^JP

Red

Blue

Yellow

Gen II

Gold

Silver

Crystal

Gen III

Ruby

Sapphire

FireRed

LeafGreen

Emerald

Gen IV

Diamond

Pearl

Platinum

HeartGold

SoulSilver

Gen V

Black

White

Black 2

White 2

Gen VI

X

Y

Omega Ruby

Alpha Sapphire

Gen VII

Sun

Moon

Ultra Sun

Ultra Moon

Let's Go, Pikachu!

Let's Go, Eevee!

Gen VIII

Sword

Shield

+

Sword and Shield Expansion Pass (DLC)

The Isle of Armor

The Crown Tundra

Brilliant Diamond

Shining Pearl

Legends: Arceus

Gen IX

Scarlet

Violet

+

The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero (DLC)

The Teal Mask

The Indigo Disk

Legends: Z-A

Pokémon games

Core series • Side series • Spin-off series • Pokémon mini • Individual spin-offs • Betas • Demos

This game-related article is part of Project Games, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon games.