Zaborn_1997
patreon
Chapter 563 Pokémon Crystal.
🕑 Added 2025-08-06 01:58:31 +0000 UTCSaturday 27 January 1995, Japan.
Today marks the release of the highly anticipated sequel to Pokémon, and fans around the world can hardly wait. Unlike the original Red and Green versions, this new entry doesn’t come as a two-version release—instead, it's a single title called Pokémon Crystal. According to spoilers featured in the ZAGE POWER Monthly magazine, this game takes place in an entirely new region called Johto, departing from the familiar Kanto setting of the first game. Johto promises a fresh experience, introducing many new Pokémon species and gameplay mechanics that build upon the foundation of the original title.
Starting in 1995, ZAGE official shops introduced a pre-order and delivery option. Zaboru added this service with a small additional fee for customers who preferred to skip the long queues. The feature quickly became popular among players. However, it was only available to customers whose homes were located reasonably close to ZAGE’s official retail locations. To ensure timely delivery, Zaboru asked Sora Distribution, Emerald Wings, and Flocks, coordinating efforts to ship game packages directly to customers’ addresses.
At home, Satoshi Sawamura—a die-hard Pokémon fan, university student majoring in zoology, and an old high school friend of Zaboru—was thrilled beyond words. After waiting for what felt like forever, the long-anticipated Pokémon sequel had finally arrived, and he couldn’t wait to dive in.
“Hah! Finally, Zaboru made a Pokémon sequel!” Satoshi exclaimed with excitement. While he played almost every game ZAGE had released, Pokémon remained his absolute favorite. It had been more than two years since the original game launched, and the wait had felt endless.
He admired the new game cartridge in his hand. The label featured a four-legged, bluish creature with a crystal-like horn protruding from its forehead. “Whoa, cool! I wonder what this Pokémon is called,” he said to himself.
Opening the ZGB Pokémon cartridge box, Satoshi found the usual contents: the game cartridge, a game manual, a ZGB flyer, and the familiar black Z Pin. He chuckled. “A true Pokémon Master doesn’t need a manual!” he declared, tossing it aside.
With a grin, he inserted the cartridge and powered on his ZGB handheld. A short cutscene played, then the screen displayed the “Pokémon Crystal” title menu. Satoshi's heart raced with excitement as he quickly pressed Start.
Satoshi was then prompted to choose his character’s gender. “What? I can choose my gender now? Neat! Well, obviously I’m a male,” he said, grinning as he selected the male option.
Next, the game asked him to set the current time—just like in the previous Pokémon games. He adjusted the clock carefully, knowing it would influence certain in-game events based on the time of day and day of the week.
Suddenly, the screen lit up with a familiar figure. The renowned Pokémon researcher, Professor Oak, appeared and welcomed Satoshi to the world of Pokémon. “Hello, Professor Oak!” Satoshi said, smiling at the screen.
Finally, Satoshi was prompted to select his character’s name. He scanned the list of preset options, but without hesitation, opted to create a custom name. “Well, it’s obvious, isn’t it?” he grinned, confidently typing in “Satoshi” as his character’s name.
Before long, Satoshi dove into the game, starting from his character’s home in New Bark Town. With excitement building, he guided his character straight to Professor Elm’s lab. “Hehehe, where’s my starter Pokémon!?” Satoshi muttered eagerly, unable to contain his anticipation.
Professor Elm then asked Satoshi for a favor—he needed him to visit a friend named Mr. Pokémon. To help with the journey, Professor Elm offered Satoshi the chance to choose one of three starter Pokémon. The choices were:
Chikorita
Cyndaquil
Totodile
Satoshi had already made up his mind—the goofy, blue crocodile Totodile was the clear choice. Grinning, he exclaimed, “I choose you, Wani Blues!”
He selected Totodile, and when prompted by Professor Elm to give his new companion a nickname, Satoshi confidently typed in “Wani Blues.”
With Wani Blues by his side, Satoshi stepped out into the world of Johto. The music swelled, and the familiar overhead view of the pixelated world filled the screen. He marveled at the upgraded graphics and the smooth animation as he guided his character through New Bark Town’s pathways, toward Route 29.
Wild Pokémon appeared in the tall grass, and Wani Blues leapt into battle. Satoshi’s face lit up with joy. “Scratch, Wani Blues!” he called out instinctively. The small blue croc obeyed on-screen, landing a decisive hit on a Pidgey. “Nice! One hit KO!”
Satoshi continued onward, collecting berries from trees, battling wild Pokémon, and watching day turn to night in-game—a new feature that fascinated him. “Wow, the world actually changes with time now? That’s amazing,” he muttered.
Soon, he reached Mr. Pokémon’s house and received a mysterious egg, along with a visit from Professor Oak again, who handed him a Pokédex. The moment he stepped outside, Satoshi was already planning his perfect team.
“This is it,” he whispered to himself. “Johto’s gonna be my region. I’m gonna catch them all—again.”
And with that, he continued his adventure, eyes locked on the screen, unaware of the hours flying by around him.
He had been playing for nearly six hours straight, fully immersed in the world of Johto. His ZGB battery was nearly drained when he finally decided to take a break. “Well guys, time to rest a bit!” Satoshi said with a satisfied grin as he saved his Pokémon Crystal game.
He had already defeated his rival, Silver, who used a team consisting of Bayleef, Zubat, and Gastly. His trusty partner, Wani Blues, had evolved from Totodile into Croconaw—much to Satoshi’s delight. Croconaw’s scrappy, almost rebellious look suited his style perfectly, and at level 18, Wani Blues was leading the team with strength and confidence.
The rest of Satoshi’s team had also grown well. He now had a level 16 Geodude named “Crush,” a level 15 Zubat called “Wayne,” a level 15 Oddish nicknamed “Yasaiboy,” and his faithful level 15 Rattata, “Nezu-chan.”
He had also battled and defeated several trainers along the way, steadily building both his team’s strength and his confidence as a Pokémon Trainer. The most recent and memorable challenge was against Bugsy, the Gym Leader of Azalea Town, known for specializing in Bug-type Pokémon. Bugsy’s team, featuring a high-level Scyther, had proven to be tricky with its speed and powerful moves. But Satoshi strategized carefully, using his Geodude and Croconaw to counter the type disadvantage. After an intense match filled with smart switches and well-timed attacks, Satoshi emerged victorious, earning his second Johto Gym Badge. The win felt earned, and it pushed him even closer to his goal of becoming a regional champion.
By now, he had just reached Ilex Forest, but decided to take another short break. Satoshi had been playing at a slow and thoughtful pace, often pausing to grind and level up his Pokémon. He enjoyed exploring every patch of grass and battling every trainer he encountered. That steady approach was exactly why, even after six hours of gameplay, he had only just arrived at the outskirts of Ilex City. Still, he didn’t mind—every moment spent with his team made the journey feel worthwhile.
Satoshi leaned back, feeling the ache in his hands after hours of gripping the handheld. He relaxed for a moment, planning to replace the ZGB battery later. For now, he decided to pause and rest a bit. “Damn, this is really good—hehehe,” he chuckled to himself. The excitement hadn’t worn off at all. He was already counting down the minutes until he could dive back into the world of Johto. He couldn't wait to play more.
To be continue
