Ishihara says making Pokemon Red and Green took 'a great deal of trial and error'

Gamesradar reports that series boss Tsunekazu Ishihara said developing the original Pokemon games wasn't straightforward in a video message shared during the New York Game Awards following Pokemon's win of the Andrew Yoon Legend Award.

Ishihara, who served as producer of Pokemon Red and Green, said the series began with a small idea — "Wouldn't it be fun if you could catch creatures in a game and trade them with your friends?" — and that realising Game Freak's "simple concept" required "a great deal of trial and error." He added the team remained "confident in the main gameplay elements" because they were "tied to experiences everyone had as children," and wanted "many people" to experience those elements through the RPGs; the series turns 30 this year.

On the subject of future titles, Ishihara said that when thinking about "how to produce the next game — and how we can make it even more enjoyable for everyone," a "major driving force" for him is the belief that "Pokemon has the power to connect the world."

Key Topics

Culture, Tsunekazu Ishihara, Game Freak, Pokemon Red, Pokemon Green