Harkening Back to "Versus Guides"

One of the earliest and most influential things that helped to cement my liking and appreciation for Pokémon is something that helped me progress through the first-generation games of yore. That would be the strategy guide published by Versus Games, which is unlike any other strategy guide published for these breakthrough games. In fact, the guide became my preferred strategy guide for that very reason, and the guide has many features that contribute to the uniqueness and thereby my preference for it.

Something that sets apart the guide from others is how the guide went into detail regarding Pokémon encounters in various places. Whereas some other guides used only general descriptors, the guide used quantified percentages derived from statistical observations of encounters in the areas in question for the games; the creators actually made the statistical observations by tracking the encounters and then establishing representative percentages for each Pokémon involved. If this sounds exhaustive, it likely probably was, but it may be considered to add value to the guide.

The above is one of the things that makes the guide richly detailed. It also was richly detailed in other ways, one of the things being the information on Trainer encounters and possible game paths when possible or necessary. The Pokédex contained in the back of the guide spared no detail either and was both pretty to look at and very informative of what the Pokémon can and can't do. A final tidbit of rich detail came in the form of an accompanying poster, which for the guide is an illustrated listing of the Pokémon contained in the Pokédex. This last bit became something I was proud to put up in my room at that time.

With the onset of the second-generation games, Versus Games also made guides for the second-generation games, but this time setting some things apart: they made an abridged "Adventure Guide" for Gold and Silver, and when Crystal came about, the full guide approach returned for it. I too obtained these guides to help me continue on my journey through them, and with their usage, I helped myself get a feel for the Pokémon main series games such that when the third-generation games came, I no longer needed to be (too) reliant on guides to make my way past the things they offered.

The guides are by now a relic and a rarity even among devoted fans like me. But the attention to detail to them is amazing, beyond what can be regarded for pretty much any other strategy guide on the games of concern. With the efforts that the creators devoted to the creation of the guides, some fans are bound to appreciate them and even value them as a way of getting through the games; I would say that I can testify as such, as much as I appreciate and value my liking of Pokémon that has persisted to this very day.

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Two years ago: Expecting the Detective

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Four years ago: Evolution Revolutions?