Nintendo celebrates the 20th anniversary of 'Pokemon' with new 3DS and 2DS bundles in February

Kids from the 1990s are about to feel old, as the “Pokemon” franchise will soon be celebrating its 20th anniversary. To celebrate the occasion, Nintendo has announced new 3DS bundles that will come with the first two games that shipped worldwide: “Pokemon Red” and “Pokemon Blue.”

These bundles will be coming out on Feb. 27, which is also the same date the original “Pokemon” games will be coming to the Nintendo eShop, according to Kotaku. Those who already own a New 3DS can choose among “Pokemon Red,” “Pokemon Blue” and “Pokemon Yellow,” which is the only version of “Pokemon” that starts the player off with Pikachu.

Nintendo stated that the games would be installed immediately, so players will be able to start their “Pokemon” journey right away. Furthermore, each game will support online play, so players can battle their friends and trade Pokemon without those old cable links that were needed in the Gameboy versions.

Fans who decide to pick up these New 3DS bundles will also get a special “Pokemon” menu theme, which is a nice treat for fans of the franchise. Also noteworthy are the faceplates of the bundle, which let fans choose between the Charizard cover of “Pokemon Red” and the Blastoise cover of “Pokemon Blue.”

Pocket Gamer has also confirmed that 2DS bundles will also be released in Europe. These will also celebrate the 20th anniversary of the franchise and will come in three different versions, each one representing Red, Blue or Yellow. While the 2DS doesn’t support faceplates, each bundle comes with 15 stickers and the same “Pokemon” menu theme.

Unlike the 3DS bundles, these special 2DS releases will only come with one game each. Depending on which was chosen, players will either get Yellow, Red or Blue version.

The bundles aren’t the only part of the 20th anniversary of “Pokemon,” as Nintendo has also confirmed the re-releases of the original Pokemon trading card game, sanctioned festivities based on the series and a Super Bowl Commercial. It’s clear that the company wants to give a big blowout to a series that inspired a generation of fans, and it seems like a fitting one so far.

Classic Pokémon Games Return! (Credit: YouTube/Official Pokemon Channel)