Welcome to another episode of Retrotopia: Another Video Game Podcast. This is a show where we, Alan, Brian, and Sam, get together to discuss video games from years gone by. We like to look at video games from the perspective of lifelong gamers and how they hold up in the retro sphere. This week we’re diving into Pokémon Gold and Silver, the legendary Game Boy Color sequels that dropped in 1999 (Japan) and 2000 (North America/Europe) and completely redefined what a follow-up game could be. These weren’t just “more Pokémon” slapped onto Red and Blue—Gold and Silver gave us an entirely new Johto region, 100 fresh Pokémon to catch, and game-changing innovations like the day and night cycle, an internal clock that synced to real-world time, and the debut of Dark and Steel types to shake up battles forever. On top of that, they introduced breeding, held items, and a ton of new mechanics that made the world feel more alive than ever before. And just when you thought the adventure was over, the game blew everyone’s mind by letting you travel back to the Kanto region from the original games—turning one cartridge into basically two full Pokémon journeys. These games weren’t just sequels; they were an evolution, setting the gold standard (pun intended) for how to expand a beloved series. You can join in on the fun FOR FREE over at patreon.com/retrotopia There, you can participate in the 9-Bit Banter Box, comment on the Game of the week, take part in polls, and listen to the Patreon exclusive Quick Play or get RetroBytes 15 days early with an exclusive Patreon topic. You can also join The Hero tier for $2 a month and choose a host to play and review a game for Quick Play and listen to Retrotopia After Dark, where we start each week with a little warm-up and chat. Find us on social media at linktr.ee/retrotopia Instagram, Twitter, BlueSky, YouTube, and a link to our Discord can all be found here. Direct Discord Link: https://discord.gg/Fn63vQ4CPc Find Retrotopia Merchandise at https://retrotopia.dashery.com/ We have many designs and are adding more all the time. Get T-Shirts, Hoodies, Mugs, Stickers, Magnets, Hats, and more.
