Pokémon Yellow: Special Pikachu Edition
Encyclopedia
, is a 1998 role-playing video game developed by Game Freak
and published by Nintendo
for the Game Boy
handheld
video game console
. Along with the release of Pokémon Yellow, a special edition yellow Pokémon-themed Game Boy Color
was also released.
games Pokémon Red and Blue
. Like its predecessors, it is a third-person
, overhead perspective and consist of three basic screens: an overworld
, in which the player navigates the main character; a side-view battle screen; and a menu interface, in which the player configures his or her Pokémon, items, or gameplay settings. The player can use his or her Pokémon to battle other Pokémon. When the player encounters a wild Pokémon
or is challenged by a trainer, the screen switches to a turn-based battle screen that displays the engaged Pokémon. During battle, the player may select a maneuver for his or her Pokémon to fight using one of four moves, use an item, switch his or her active Pokémon, or attempt to flee. Pokémon have hit points
(HP); when a Pokémon's HP is reduced to zero, it faints and can no longer battle until it is revived. Once an enemy Pokémon faints, the player's Pokémon involved in the battle receive a certain number of experience point
s (XP). After accumulating enough EXP, a Pokémon may level up
. A Pokémon's level controls its physical properties, such as the battle statistics acquired, and the moves learned.
Catching Pokémon is another essential element of the gameplay. During battle with a wild Pokémon, the player may throw a Poké Ball at it. If the Pokémon is successfully caught, it will come under the ownership of the player. Factors in the success rate of capture include the HP of the target Pokémon and the type of Poké Ball used: the lower the target's HP and the stronger the Poké Ball, the higher the success rate of capture. The ultimate goal of the games is to complete the entries in the Pokédex, a comprehensive Pokémon encyclopedia, by capturing, evolving, and trading to obtain all 151 creatures. Pokémon Yellow allows players to trade Pokémon between two cartridges
via a Game Link Cable, including the previous games Pokémon Red and Blue. This method of trading must be done to fully complete the Pokédex, since each of the two games have version-exclusive Pokémon. The Link Cable also makes it possible to battle another player's Pokémon team.
Pokémon Yellow features several enhancements and changes. Including the below-mentioned inclusion of Pikachu
as the only available Pokémon to start with, Pikachu is given both a voice and a personality unique from other Pokémon. It follows the player-character on the overworld, and can be examined by speaking to it. While it initially has an indifferent opinion of the player-character, it can grow to love or hate him based on the players' actions; leveling up will keep Pikachu happy, while fainting frequently will make it unhappy (this enhanced feature would be used again in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver
, the remakes of Pokémon Gold and Silver
). There is an area in Pokémon Yellow that features a "Surfing Pikachu" mini-game. In order to play it, players must have a Pikachu who can learn "Surf", a Water-based attack. At the time, players could only accomplish this by winning a contest to get a "surfing Pikachu". However, if players use their Pikachu from Yellow in Pokémon Stadium
and beat a certain mode under the proper circumstances, they are rewarded with the Surf ability, which can be used both in battle, out of battle, and in the above mentioned mini-game. Pokemon Yellow can also print pokedex entries onto stickers using the Game Boy Printer
.
that Professor Oak catches becomes players' Pokémon, while the rival character takes an Eevee
that was intended for the player. The plot takes from the anime
, and features characters that were not featured in the game or have been enhanced to resemble their anime characters, including Jessie, James, Meowth
, Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny. Similar to the anime, Pikachu refuses to evolve. Players are also given the opportunity to obtain the original three starters. As players quest on, they collect more Pokémon and use them to defeat the eight Gym Leaders and eventually the Elite Four, all the while battling Team Rocket, a gang devoted to using Pokémon in order to make themselves more powerful.
and published by Nintendo
for the Game Boy Color
handheld game console
. It was made to coincide with the release of Pokémon: The First Movie
. Nintendo
president Satoru Iwata
commented that people likely felt Yellow to be unnecessary due to the upcoming release of Pokémon Gold and Silver
, which were scheduled to be released in the same year. It was released in Japan on September 12, 1998, in Australia on September 3, 1999, in North America on October 19, 1999, and in Europe on July 7, 2000. A Pikachu
-themed Game Boy Color bundle was released in North America on October 25, 1999. A collaboration between Volkswagen
and Nintendo
resulted in the creation of a yellow Volkswagen Beetle
with some features taken from Pikachu. This was done as a promotion for Pokémon Yellow. Nintendo World Report
listed Pokémon Yellow as one of the notable handheld releases in 1999.
based on 15 reviews. This made it the fifth best Game Boy
game and the 1,017th best video game. Nintendo Power
gave it an eight out of 10, while Game Informer
gave it a 6.5 out of 10. Electric Playground gave it a 7.5 out of 10. The Sarasota Herald-Tribune
recommended Yellow as a good game for children. In a panel of 10 children, nine of the children gave it a "very good" or "excellent" score in the fun category, but only five recommended its purchase. RPGFan called it "so revoltingly addictive that any player of it has no choice but to "catch 'em all"". They also called Yellow "insulting" in how limited the additions from Red and Blue were. IGN
's Craig Harris praised the game's mechanics, commenting that Yellow was the best game of the three to start with. He gave it a perfect score.
GameSpot
's Cameron Davis called it a "stopgap" to appease players until the release of Gold and Silver
, commenting that "the new challenges are enough to fill the hole - but only just." GameDaily
's Chris Buffa listed it as one of the best Pokémon games, commenting that while it was a rehash, there was enough that was new to warrant playing. Allgame
's Brad Cook commented that for those who didn't play Red and Blue, Yellow was good; but otherwise, he advised that they wait until Gold and Silver. The Daily Telegraph
s Steve Boxer commented that while it had good gameplay mechanics, it was held back by the lack of features. He described Nintendo's actions as avaricious, commenting that Yellow "marks the point where Pokémon ceases to become a game and becomes a marketing exercise/obsession-satisfier."
anticipated that it would make them 75 million dollars in the 1999 holiday season. The Pokémon Yellow Game Boy Color
bundle was predicted to be the second most popular toy of the holiday season. Nintendo
executive George Harrison
predicted that Yellows sales would exceed 3 million in sales, and would also surpass Donkey Kong 64
in the process, another title anticipated to sell well by Nintendo. In North America the game received roughly 150,000 pre-order
s. The bundle debuted at #2 in video game sales and claimed the #1 spot a week later. For the month of December, Yellow was surpassed by both Donkey Kong 64 and Gran Turismo 2
. In a survey conducted by CNET
, it found that none of the stores it contacted had Yellow in stock. The standard cartridge sold over 600,000 units in its first week and more than one million copies by the next week, becoming the fastest selling handheld game of all time when it was released. Pokémon: The First Movie
, a film released around the same time as Yellow, was expected to give it a sales boost. A Nintendo spokesman attributed the high demand for the Game Boy Color
during the Christmas season of 1999 to Yellow.
Gwenn Friss of the Cape Cod Times
called it one of the hottest item of the 1999 Christmas season, comparing it to popular Christmas toys from previous years such as Furby
and Tickle me Elmo
. Thomas Content of USA Today
reiterated the comparison, commenting that it was "poised to stomp" them. He added that it, along with Red and Blue, were responsible for the boost of Game Boy sales from 3.5 million in 1998 to 8 million in 1999. Yellow was the third best-selling video game in North America in 1999, the other four spots occupied by other Pokémon titles. The demand for Yellow resulted in Target to issue an apology for not being able to meet the "unprecedented demand". A spokes-person for FuncoLand attributed a drop in sales to shortages of both the Game Boy Color and Pokémon Yellow. Yellow is the fastest selling Pokémon title in the United Kingdom
. Wii Fit
for the Wii
's command of the number one spot on the United Kingdom's top list of best-selling games was equal to Yellows. The Idaho Statesman called it the "hottest new title for the Game Boy Color".
Game Freak
is a Japanese video game developer that currently creates games exclusively for Nintendo. It has developed the Pokémon series of role-playing games and several other games.-History:...
and published by Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
for the Game Boy
Game Boy
The , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
handheld
Handheld game console
A handheld game console is a lightweight, portable electronic device with a built-in screen, game controls and speakers. Handheld game consoles are run on machines of small size allowing people to carry them and play them at any time or place...
video game console
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
. Along with the release of Pokémon Yellow, a special edition yellow Pokémon-themed Game Boy Color
Game Boy Color
The is Nintendo's successor to the 8-bit Game Boy handheld game console, and was released on October 21, 1998 in Japan, November 19, 1998 in North America, November 23, 1998 in Europe and November 27, 1998 in the United Kingdom. It features a color screen and is slightly thicker and taller than...
was also released.
Gameplay
Pokémon Yellow is an enhanced version of the Game BoyGame Boy
The , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
games Pokémon Red and Blue
Pokémon Red and Blue
Pokémon Red Version and Blue Version, originally released in Japan as , are role-playing games developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy. They are the first installments to the Pokémon series. They were first released in Japan in 1996 as Red and Green, with Blue being...
. Like its predecessors, it is a third-person
Grammatical person
Grammatical person, in linguistics, is deictic reference to a participant in an event; such as the speaker, the addressee, or others. Grammatical person typically defines a language's set of personal pronouns...
, overhead perspective and consist of three basic screens: an overworld
Overworld
An overworld is, in a broad sense, an area within a video game that interconnects all its levels or locations. They are mostly common in role-playing games, though this does not exclude other video game genres....
, in which the player navigates the main character; a side-view battle screen; and a menu interface, in which the player configures his or her Pokémon, items, or gameplay settings. The player can use his or her Pokémon to battle other Pokémon. When the player encounters a wild Pokémon
Random encounter
A random encounter is a feature commonly used in various role-playing games whereby encounters with non-player character enemies or other dangers occur sporadically and at random...
or is challenged by a trainer, the screen switches to a turn-based battle screen that displays the engaged Pokémon. During battle, the player may select a maneuver for his or her Pokémon to fight using one of four moves, use an item, switch his or her active Pokémon, or attempt to flee. Pokémon have hit points
Health (gaming)
Health is a game mechanic used in role-playing, computer and video games to give value to characters, enemies, NPCs, and related objects. This value can either be numerical, semi-numerical as in hit/health points, or arbitrary as in a life bar....
(HP); when a Pokémon's HP is reduced to zero, it faints and can no longer battle until it is revived. Once an enemy Pokémon faints, the player's Pokémon involved in the battle receive a certain number of experience point
Experience point
An experience point is a unit of measurement used in many role-playing games and role-playing video games to quantify a player character's progression through the game...
s (XP). After accumulating enough EXP, a Pokémon may level up
Level Up
Level Up was a UK children's TV programme that was broadcast on CBBC. It was launched on the 3rd April 2006, replacing Xchange. The show was an hour long and during the school year broadcasting from 7:30am until 8:30am...
. A Pokémon's level controls its physical properties, such as the battle statistics acquired, and the moves learned.
Catching Pokémon is another essential element of the gameplay. During battle with a wild Pokémon, the player may throw a Poké Ball at it. If the Pokémon is successfully caught, it will come under the ownership of the player. Factors in the success rate of capture include the HP of the target Pokémon and the type of Poké Ball used: the lower the target's HP and the stronger the Poké Ball, the higher the success rate of capture. The ultimate goal of the games is to complete the entries in the Pokédex, a comprehensive Pokémon encyclopedia, by capturing, evolving, and trading to obtain all 151 creatures. Pokémon Yellow allows players to trade Pokémon between two cartridges
ROM cartridge
A ROM cartridge, sometimes referred to as a cart, is a removable enclosure containing read-only memory devices designed to be connected to a computer or games console....
via a Game Link Cable, including the previous games Pokémon Red and Blue. This method of trading must be done to fully complete the Pokédex, since each of the two games have version-exclusive Pokémon. The Link Cable also makes it possible to battle another player's Pokémon team.
Pokémon Yellow features several enhancements and changes. Including the below-mentioned inclusion of Pikachu
Pikachu
is one of the species of Pokémon creatures from the Pokémon media franchise—a collection of video games, anime, manga, books, trading cards, and other media created by Satoshi Tajiri. As do all Pokémon, Pikachu fight other Pokémon in battles central to the anime, manga, and games of the series...
as the only available Pokémon to start with, Pikachu is given both a voice and a personality unique from other Pokémon. It follows the player-character on the overworld, and can be examined by speaking to it. While it initially has an indifferent opinion of the player-character, it can grow to love or hate him based on the players' actions; leveling up will keep Pikachu happy, while fainting frequently will make it unhappy (this enhanced feature would be used again in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver
Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver
are enhanced remakes of the 1999 video games Pokémon Gold and Silver. The games are part of the Pokémon series of role-playing video games, and were developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS...
, the remakes of Pokémon Gold and Silver
Pokémon Gold and Silver
are the second installments of the Pokémon series of role-playing video games developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Color. The games have dual-mode capabilities allowing them to also be played on earlier Game Boy models. They were first released in Japan in 1999 and to...
). There is an area in Pokémon Yellow that features a "Surfing Pikachu" mini-game. In order to play it, players must have a Pikachu who can learn "Surf", a Water-based attack. At the time, players could only accomplish this by winning a contest to get a "surfing Pikachu". However, if players use their Pikachu from Yellow in Pokémon Stadium
Pokémon Stadium
Pokémon Stadium, known as in Japan, is a strategy game developed by Nintendo EAD with the assistance of Creatures and HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64 video game console. It was released on April 30, 1999 in Japan, February 29, 2000 in North America, and April 7, 2000...
and beat a certain mode under the proper circumstances, they are rewarded with the Surf ability, which can be used both in battle, out of battle, and in the above mentioned mini-game. Pokemon Yellow can also print pokedex entries onto stickers using the Game Boy Printer
Game Boy Printer
The Game Boy Printer, known in Japan as the , is a thermal printer accessory released by Nintendo in 1998. Nintendo ceased manufacture in 2003. The Game Boy Printer is compatible with the Game Boy, Game Boy Pocket, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance systems and is designed to be used in...
.
Plot and setting
Like Pokémon Red and Blue, Yellow takes place in the region of Kanto, which features habitats for 151 Pokémon species. The objectives remain the same as well, though some differences exist along the way. For example, in the beginning, players are not given an option of choosing one of three starters. Instead, a wild PikachuPikachu
is one of the species of Pokémon creatures from the Pokémon media franchise—a collection of video games, anime, manga, books, trading cards, and other media created by Satoshi Tajiri. As do all Pokémon, Pikachu fight other Pokémon in battles central to the anime, manga, and games of the series...
that Professor Oak catches becomes players' Pokémon, while the rival character takes an Eevee
Eevee
is a Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon franchise. Created by Ken Sugimori, Eevee first appeared in the video games Pokémon Red and Blue and subsequent sequels...
that was intended for the player. The plot takes from the anime
Pokémon (anime)
, abbreviated from , is a children's TV anime series, which has since been adapted for the North and South American, Australian and European television markets...
, and features characters that were not featured in the game or have been enhanced to resemble their anime characters, including Jessie, James, Meowth
Meowth
Meowth, known as in original Japanese language versions, is a Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon franchise. Created by Ken Sugimori, Meowth first appeared in the video games Pokémon Red and Blue and subsequent sequels, later appearing in various merchandise, spinoff titles and...
, Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny. Similar to the anime, Pikachu refuses to evolve. Players are also given the opportunity to obtain the original three starters. As players quest on, they collect more Pokémon and use them to defeat the eight Gym Leaders and eventually the Elite Four, all the while battling Team Rocket, a gang devoted to using Pokémon in order to make themselves more powerful.
Development
Pokémon Yellow first began development after the completion of the Japanese Pokémon Blues development, which was made after the Japanese Pokémon Red and Green. It was developed by Game FreakGame Freak
is a Japanese video game developer that currently creates games exclusively for Nintendo. It has developed the Pokémon series of role-playing games and several other games.-History:...
and published by Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
for the Game Boy Color
Game Boy Color
The is Nintendo's successor to the 8-bit Game Boy handheld game console, and was released on October 21, 1998 in Japan, November 19, 1998 in North America, November 23, 1998 in Europe and November 27, 1998 in the United Kingdom. It features a color screen and is slightly thicker and taller than...
handheld game console
Handheld game console
A handheld game console is a lightweight, portable electronic device with a built-in screen, game controls and speakers. Handheld game consoles are run on machines of small size allowing people to carry them and play them at any time or place...
. It was made to coincide with the release of Pokémon: The First Movie
Pokémon: The First Movie
Pokémon: The First Movie, originally released as , is a 1998 Japanese animated film directed by Kunihiko Yuyama, the chief director of the Pokémon television series. It is the first theatrical release in the Pokémon franchise...
. Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
president Satoru Iwata
Satoru Iwata
is the fourth president of Nintendo, succeeding the long-standing previous president of the company, Hiroshi Yamauchi in 2002. He was responsible in great part for defining Nintendo's strategy both before and during the release of its Nintendo GameCube video game console in 2001, a vision which...
commented that people likely felt Yellow to be unnecessary due to the upcoming release of Pokémon Gold and Silver
Pokémon Gold and Silver
are the second installments of the Pokémon series of role-playing video games developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Color. The games have dual-mode capabilities allowing them to also be played on earlier Game Boy models. They were first released in Japan in 1999 and to...
, which were scheduled to be released in the same year. It was released in Japan on September 12, 1998, in Australia on September 3, 1999, in North America on October 19, 1999, and in Europe on July 7, 2000. A Pikachu
Pikachu
is one of the species of Pokémon creatures from the Pokémon media franchise—a collection of video games, anime, manga, books, trading cards, and other media created by Satoshi Tajiri. As do all Pokémon, Pikachu fight other Pokémon in battles central to the anime, manga, and games of the series...
-themed Game Boy Color bundle was released in North America on October 25, 1999. A collaboration between Volkswagen
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
and Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
resulted in the creation of a yellow Volkswagen Beetle
Volkswagen Beetle
The Volkswagen Type 1, widely known as the Volkswagen Beetle or Volkswagen Bug, is an economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen from 1938 until 2003...
with some features taken from Pikachu. This was done as a promotion for Pokémon Yellow. Nintendo World Report
Nintendo World Report
Nintendo World Report is a Nintendo-specific video game website that covers Nintendo's current consoles, the Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi, and Wii.-History:...
listed Pokémon Yellow as one of the notable handheld releases in 1999.
Critical reception
Since its release, Pokémon Yellow has been well-received by critics, holding an aggregate score of 85.47% from Game RankingsGame Rankings
GameRankings is a website that collects review scores from both offline and online sources to give an average rating. It indexes over 315,000 articles relating to more than 14,500 games.GameRankings is owned by CBS Interactive...
based on 15 reviews. This made it the fifth best Game Boy
Game Boy
The , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
game and the 1,017th best video game. Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
gave it an eight out of 10, while Game Informer
Game Informer
Game Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
gave it a 6.5 out of 10. Electric Playground gave it a 7.5 out of 10. The Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
The Sarasota Herald-Tribune is a daily newspaper located in Sarasota, Florida.It is owned by The New York Times Company, who purchased it in 1982, and part of its regional news group. Along with Comcast, the newspaper operates a local 24-hour...
recommended Yellow as a good game for children. In a panel of 10 children, nine of the children gave it a "very good" or "excellent" score in the fun category, but only five recommended its purchase. RPGFan called it "so revoltingly addictive that any player of it has no choice but to "catch 'em all"". They also called Yellow "insulting" in how limited the additions from Red and Blue were. IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
's Craig Harris praised the game's mechanics, commenting that Yellow was the best game of the three to start with. He gave it a perfect score.
GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
's Cameron Davis called it a "stopgap" to appease players until the release of Gold and Silver
Pokémon Gold and Silver
are the second installments of the Pokémon series of role-playing video games developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Color. The games have dual-mode capabilities allowing them to also be played on earlier Game Boy models. They were first released in Japan in 1999 and to...
, commenting that "the new challenges are enough to fill the hole - but only just." GameDaily
GameDaily
GameDaily was a video game journalism website based in the United States. Launched in 1995 by entrepreneur Mark Friedler under the name Gigex and focused on free game demo downloads, The site changed its business model from a flat fee per download CDN distributed service network to an...
's Chris Buffa listed it as one of the best Pokémon games, commenting that while it was a rehash, there was enough that was new to warrant playing. Allgame
Allgame
Allgame is a commercial database of information about arcade games, video games and console manufacturers.Allgame is owned by All Media Guide, along with Allmusic and Allmovie....
's Brad Cook commented that for those who didn't play Red and Blue, Yellow was good; but otherwise, he advised that they wait until Gold and Silver. The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
s Steve Boxer commented that while it had good gameplay mechanics, it was held back by the lack of features. He described Nintendo's actions as avaricious, commenting that Yellow "marks the point where Pokémon ceases to become a game and becomes a marketing exercise/obsession-satisfier."
Sales
Pokémon Yellow is considered a commercial success. Before its release, NintendoNintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
anticipated that it would make them 75 million dollars in the 1999 holiday season. The Pokémon Yellow Game Boy Color
Game Boy Color
The is Nintendo's successor to the 8-bit Game Boy handheld game console, and was released on October 21, 1998 in Japan, November 19, 1998 in North America, November 23, 1998 in Europe and November 27, 1998 in the United Kingdom. It features a color screen and is slightly thicker and taller than...
bundle was predicted to be the second most popular toy of the holiday season. Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
executive George Harrison
George Harrison (executive)
George Harrison was the Senior Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Communication at Nintendo of America when he left at the end of December 2007.-Education:...
predicted that Yellows sales would exceed 3 million in sales, and would also surpass Donkey Kong 64
Donkey Kong 64
Donkey Kong 64 is a platform game, developed by Rare and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It was released in North America on November 24, 1999 and in Europe on December 6, 1999. The game is a follow up to the Donkey Kong Country trilogy on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System...
in the process, another title anticipated to sell well by Nintendo. In North America the game received roughly 150,000 pre-order
Pre-order
A pre-order is an order placed for an item which has not yet been released. The idea for pre-orders came when people found it hard to get popular items in stores due to their popularity. Companies were then given the idea to allow people to reserve their own personal copy, before the release, ...
s. The bundle debuted at #2 in video game sales and claimed the #1 spot a week later. For the month of December, Yellow was surpassed by both Donkey Kong 64 and Gran Turismo 2
Gran Turismo 2
is a driving simulator / racing game for the Sony PlayStation. Gran Turismo 2 was developed by Polyphony Digital and published by Sony Computer Entertainment in 1999. The games serves as a sequel to Gran Turismo...
. In a survey conducted by CNET
CNET
CNET is a tech media website that publishes news articles, blogs, and podcasts on technology and consumer electronics. Originally founded in 1994 by Halsey Minor and Shelby Bonnie, it was the flagship brand of CNET Networks and became a brand of CBS Interactive through CNET Networks' acquisition...
, it found that none of the stores it contacted had Yellow in stock. The standard cartridge sold over 600,000 units in its first week and more than one million copies by the next week, becoming the fastest selling handheld game of all time when it was released. Pokémon: The First Movie
Pokémon: The First Movie
Pokémon: The First Movie, originally released as , is a 1998 Japanese animated film directed by Kunihiko Yuyama, the chief director of the Pokémon television series. It is the first theatrical release in the Pokémon franchise...
, a film released around the same time as Yellow, was expected to give it a sales boost. A Nintendo spokesman attributed the high demand for the Game Boy Color
Game Boy Color
The is Nintendo's successor to the 8-bit Game Boy handheld game console, and was released on October 21, 1998 in Japan, November 19, 1998 in North America, November 23, 1998 in Europe and November 27, 1998 in the United Kingdom. It features a color screen and is slightly thicker and taller than...
during the Christmas season of 1999 to Yellow.
Gwenn Friss of the Cape Cod Times
Cape Cod Times
The Cape Cod Times is a broadsheet daily newspaper serving Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, Massachusetts, United States. It is owned by the Dow Jones Local Media Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation. It is also the sister paper of the weekly The Barnstable Patriot.-History:The paper...
called it one of the hottest item of the 1999 Christmas season, comparing it to popular Christmas toys from previous years such as Furby
Furby
A Furby was a popular electronic robotic toy resembling a hamster/owl-like creature which went through a period of being a "must-have" toy following its launch in the holiday season of 1998, with continual sales until 2000...
and Tickle me Elmo
Tickle Me Elmo
Tickle Me Elmo is a children's toy from Tyco Preschool, a division of Tyco Toys, based on the character Elmo from the children's television show, Sesame Street. When squeezed, Elmo would chortle. When squeezed three times in a row, Elmo would begin to shake and laugh hysterically.The toy was...
. Thomas Content of USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
reiterated the comparison, commenting that it was "poised to stomp" them. He added that it, along with Red and Blue, were responsible for the boost of Game Boy sales from 3.5 million in 1998 to 8 million in 1999. Yellow was the third best-selling video game in North America in 1999, the other four spots occupied by other Pokémon titles. The demand for Yellow resulted in Target to issue an apology for not being able to meet the "unprecedented demand". A spokes-person for FuncoLand attributed a drop in sales to shortages of both the Game Boy Color and Pokémon Yellow. Yellow is the fastest selling Pokémon title in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Wii Fit
Wii Fit
is a video game developed by Nintendo for the company's home video game console, Wii, designed by Hiroshi Matsunaga. It is an exercise game consisting of activities using the Wii Balance Board peripheral...
for the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
's command of the number one spot on the United Kingdom's top list of best-selling games was equal to Yellows. The Idaho Statesman called it the "hottest new title for the Game Boy Color".