The second generation of the Pokemon games were a huge leap for the series. Not only did it introduce the widely beloved Johto region and an additional 100 Pokemon to catch, it brought a lot of features that are now staples of the Pokemon franchise.
Things like a day-night cycle, breeding, and the special attack/special defense split were all introduced during Gen 2. Now, approximately 20 years later, Gen 2 is due for a current-gen overhaul that will bring it back for new audiences to enjoy.
Why Gen 2 Deserves a Remake
Pokemon Gold and Pokemon Silver easily won the hearts of many players when they first released in 1999 or 2000 (Japan and the US respectively). Players got to play the game with new starters, encounter loads of new Pokemon, and explore the Johto region and unravel the plot of the remnants of Team Rocket. What's more is that once players complete the base game, they can then travel to the Kanto region to face off against another eight gyms - and even battle the mysterious Red atop Mt. Silver as a great way to wrap up the generation's post-game content.
Additionally, the graphics in this generation were a great step up from Gen 1, as they were optimized to make the most of the Gameboy Color's hardware. The gameplay for this generation was vastly improved compared to Gen 1, and players can still visit the iconic Gen 1 locations thanks to the ability to travel between Kanto and Johto. Gen 2 did already have a remake in the form of Heart Gold and Soul Silver; however, these important and formative generations deserve a current-gen remake on the Switch.
In terms of game mechanics, Gen 2 saw the birth of a lot of series staples that fans take for granted today. Breeding and Baby Pokemon made their first appearance. Shiny Pokemon also dazzled fans for the first time, though they work slightly differently in Sword and Shield. Many players encountered their first shiny Pokemon in Gold and Silver in the form of the Red Gyarados in the center of the Lake of Rage.
Gen 2 also marked the Special split, where the Gen 1 "Special" Stat was broken up into Special Attack and Special Defense, marking a huge move forward in battle variety. Held Items were also introduced, as well as the Dark and Steel types. The first seeds of the competitive Pokemon scene was born in Gen 2, but many players didn't know it yet.
Gen 2 has been the only generation of Pokemon that has allowed full exploration of two regions. Some games featured smaller side-areas that could be explored, but never to the extent that Gold and Silver had. Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield could do this thanks to their new DLC model that could keep the games going for years, but Game Freak has yet to confirm if this will ever happen - or if any DLCs will come out after The Crown Tundra. Because of this, Gen 2 is often seen as the best when it comes to endgame content.
Once players defeat the Elite Four of Johto, they are free to explore the Kanto region and see all the changes that occurred between Gen 1 and Gen 2 - like the destruction of Cinnabar Island, or the removal of the Lavender Town Pokemon Tower. This alone is reason enough to give these games another pass and remake them, especially considering how well the Johto and Kanto regions could be expanded and fleshed out using the Switch's hardware.
Let's Go vs. Full Remake
During one of Game Freak's Pokemon Presents livestreams, some interestingly curated plushies have fans believing that a Gen 2 remake is coming soon, or at the very least an announcement for one is. That begs the question: will the Gen 2 remakes be a Let's Go installment or a main-series installment? Some fans speculate that a Let's Go installment would make the most sense. Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee were a great gateway for those who were introduced to Pokemon from Pokemon Go and eased them into the core Pokemon format with mechanics that felt familiar to them.
It also created a beautiful and unique representation of the Kanto region to explore with a partner Pokemon. Since the assets are already there, it could be good to create what fans are calling "Let's Go Johto" under the same system - and they could even port over the Kanto region they've created (with some modifications of course).
If it were to be a Let's Go title, then Game Freak would need to find new Pokemon starters for players to choose. The first Let's Go titles featured Eevee and Pikachu, two of the series' main mascots, but unless they just use those two again (which would likely not go over well with some fans) then they would need to pick new ones. Marill and Togepi come to mind as iconic Pokemon of that generation - Togepi being the first Egg Pokemon players ever encounter, and Marill being the partner for the player's "friend" in Heart Gold and Soul Silver. Regardless of the choice, Game Freak will still have to decide if it wants to stick to the "no evolutions" mantra that they had with the original Let's Go starters, or if it will allow more freedom this time around.
On the other hand, many die-hard fans would likely want the remakes to be full-blown installments rather than Let's Go titles. With full remakes, they could really expand on the two regions of Gold and Silver, perhaps even turning the routes into Wild Areas like the Isle of Armor DLC did. While it may not make sense to have Dynamax Pokemon in the Johto Region, perhaps Game Freak could appeal to the fans who have missed Mega Evolution and bring that mechanic back, at least for a time.
Johto is home to several Pokemon that had Mega Evolutions, plus they could always find a way to write in a way for Mega Evolution as a mechanic to migrate to the region. That's not to say that Mega Evolution couldn't be in the Let's Go variant of Gen 2, especially since it's coming to Pokemon Go, but without Dynamax, the competitive scene will likely want some sort of "gimmick" for the competitive scene.
Pokemon Gold and Silver are fan-favorite games for a number of reasons. While they received remakes during the DS generation, it's time for these classics to be remade once more to fully utilize the Switch's hardware. Whether the games would be a Let's Go sequel or a fresh new installment in the franchise, it's time to return to Johto and explore Generation 2 once again.
Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield are available now for Nintendo Switch.