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[ASaiyan]

Hey GAF. It is time for us to settle something definitively and once & for all here.

Spoiler

Or not.

So, I recently received a $10 credit from Amazon for botching one of my orders. I was thinking of using it to buy a code for the VC re-release of Pokemon Gold/Silver next month. Only problem is, I can't decide between Gold or Silver.

Yes, there are version-exclusive Pokemon, but this is a moot point for me because there are cool exclusives for each game. So, what this choice boils down to is sprites. As you may or may not know, Gold and Silver are the only paired games to feature two completely different sets of Pokemon sprites in each of them. Why GameFreak decided to do extra work for no reason is a mystery. But, since these are the images we will be staring at for our entire 20+ hours of gameplay, we must decide: which set is better?

This is definitely something where it seems like people could have strong differing opinions. There are some clear examples, I think, where an individual Pokemon's sprite is better in Gold than in Silver:

What wrong, Silver Blastoise? Y u fall down?

And also examples where a Silver sprite is clearly better than Gold:

What are you doing with your legs, Gold Hitmonlee. You're a martial artist, you do kicks. Stop embarrassing yourself.

Which set is better overall? For reference, here all the full sprite sheets for Gold and for Silver, so you can compare them side by side (EDIT: The difference in color saturation is just this website. Both games have the same colors). I played Silver growing up and so was a little biased towards that, but looking at them now I feel like the Gold sprites may overall be better.

What does GAF think?

 

[Toxi]

Gold easily. That Hitmonlee sprite for is him just priming up for a kick, which looks fine.

 

[Milennia]

its gold for me, i like the softer look and my favorite pokemon all have better sprites in that version

 

[LordKano]

Gold easily. That Hitmonlee sprite for is him just priming up for a kick, which looks fine.

He looks like he just saw a huge spider and is freaking out.

 

[Firemind]

Scyther

Lugia

Case closed

 

[AlexFlame116]

Gold my man.

 

[LycanXIII]

Why not both, with Crystal?

 

[Blackquill]

Pikachu in Silver is better
Pikachu is the most important Pokémon
So Pokémon Silver > Gold

 

[yuoke]

More examples, I would say overall I like more gold ones, but there some silver ones clearly better.

Edit-ignore the edgy slurs from who ever made this

 

[MugiwaraCole]

I knew the sprite poses were different, but I never noticed the difference in...shading?

What's up with that? Weird.

 

[Panthalassic]

vs.

The real question is why do Gold's sprites look muted and Silver's sprites look oversaturated?

 

[13ruce]

Silver looks better than gold colour (yeah a silver cartridge wins from gold!) wise that is singlehandly why silver is the better game already.

 

[Brandon F]

As you may or may not know, Gold and Silver are the only paired games to feature two completely different sets of Pokemon sprites in each of them

I am not a Pokemon player, but I never knew this. Very cool actually.

Did this extend to the remakes on DS?

 

[litigationjackson]

More examples, I would say overall I like more gold ones, but there some silver ones clearly better.

You forgot the most important one

 

[Schucky Ducky]

Why not both, with Crystal?

Crystal isn't getting a VC release :/

 

[KarasuEXE]

Spoiler

NSFW? ��

 

[AlexFlame116]

Silver looks better than gold colour (yeah a silver cartridge wins from gold!) wise that is singlehandly why silver is the better game already.

LIES! LIES AND SLANDER!

I am not a Pokemon player, but I never knew this. Very cool actually.

Did this extend to the remakes on DS?

Unfortunately no. HG/SS have the same sprites and animations.

Kind of a missed opportunity for an already glorious game.

 

[Azure Phoenix]

Gold all the way. The gold sprites generally look more badass and silver more derpy, which is hilarious since silver is always seen as the "cooler" game.

 

[ONLYUSEmeFEET]

I also grew up with Silver. I do prefer its sprites overall. Gyrados Silver looks so much better than Gold. Especially given how important Gyrados is to the game, I'm surprised Gold looks so weird.

One sprite I hate across GSC, however, is Lugia. For being a main legendary (catchable in all games) you'd think Lugia would look badass. Neither pose is remotely intmidating and look awful compared to Ho-Oh's imposing presence. Hated the sprite back then and still do.

 

[i-Jest]

More examples, I would say overall I like more gold ones, but there some silver ones clearly better.

I'm a Silver kind of guy myself.

 

[Prodigenius10]

Gold easily. Maybe it's because I played Gold first and foremost but everyone I see Silver sprites they just make me feel like it's a fan game.

Protip I only play the game that is named first in a Gen Eg. Red (Red & Blue), gold (Gold & Silver), Ruby (Ruby & Sapphire), diamond (Diamond & Pearl) etc.

 

[woopWOOP]

I prefer Silver just because Rattata and Furret look cuter there

 

[13ruce]

Spoiler

NSFW? ��

Lol now it makes sense.

LIES! LIES AND SLANDER!

Gold looks tacky Silver atleast looks nice.

 

[Barrel Cannon]

Spoiler

NSFW? ��

Oh gosh... cannot be unseen

 

[LinkSlayer64]

More examples, I would say overall I like more gold ones, but there some silver ones clearly better.

Anyone judging pokemon being off being badass, including pokemon like... abra... is a fool.
Silver is way better, it is more varied in its depiction.
Also your pic uses a slur in victreebell's description. Whoever made this... yeesh, edgy as fuck.

 

[Galang]

Gold's sprites look more dynamic and silver sprites kinda look wonky tbh. :S Shame because as a game I prefer Silver

 

[AlexFlame116]

I look at Ho-Oh and my main man Typhlosion's sprites to decide.

*Looks

...nope! Still Gold!

 

[Aleh]

I grew up with Gold but I prefer Silver sprites. They look more fun and dynamic.

 

[yuoke]

Anyone judging pokemon being off being badass, including pokemon like... abra... is a fool.
Silver is way better, it is more varied in it's depiction.
Also your pic uses a slur in victreebell's description. Whoever made this... yeesh, edgy as fuck.

Yea its the only one I could find comparing more of them, but the slurs are lame.

Agree with abra in silver looking better.
Also like raichu in silver more. In gold he looks way too chubby.

 

[ASaiyan]

Crystal isn't getting a VC release :/

Yup. So, not an option here.

vs.

The real question is why do Gold's sprites look muted and Silver's sprites look oversaturated?

Is it just me or are the Silver sprites more colorful in OP's links? Were the games actually like that where Gold was more subdued and Silver was more saturated?

Hmm, looks like something peculiar to that website. Seems that the Gold sprites are GIFs and the Silver sprites are PNGs for some reason, which might have altered them. The colors should be the same in both games though, so that can't be part of anyone's argument.

Scyther

Lugia

Case closed

Case closed for Gold, or for Silver? I actually prefer Lugia's Silver sprite (on the right):

Whereas Gold Scyther (on the left) looks better, because Silver Scyther just looks like he's high all the time:

I am not a Pokemon player, but I never knew this. Very cool actually.

Did this extend to the remakes on DS?

Nope. HG/SS used one set of sprites for both. They must've realized after doing it for Gen 2 that it was so not worth it, lol. I'm honestly amazed they even made separate sprites for FireRed/LeafGreen vs Ruby/Sapphire back in the day.

 

[TheAggroCraig]

Silver, by far.

 

[Firemind]

Lugia and Scyther look more dynamic in Gold. Blastoise too. Ergo Gold > Silver

 

[Peltz]

Is it just me or are the Silver sprites more colorful in OP's links? Were the games actually like that where Gold was more subdued and Silver was more saturated?

(I can't really answer OP's question without knowing this).

Edit:

Hmm, looks like something peculiar to that website. Seems that the Gold sprites are GIFs and the Silver sprites are PNGs for some reason, which might have altered them. The colors should be the same in both games though, so that can't be part of anyone's argument.

Okay cool... I'm going to go with gold.

 

[Azure Phoenix]

Is it just me or are the Silver sprites more colorful in OP's links? Were the games actually like that where Gold was more subdued and Silver was more saturated?

Gold's sprites were not desaturated like that on original GBC hardware, but I seem to remember the Super Gameboy made the game look a bit more washed out.

 

[Neonep]

I think all of them look great. I never knew they had different sprites though. I only played Silver as a kid.

 

[horkrux]

I didn't even know they had different sprites. All I ever played was Crystal

 

[Wichu]

Nope. HG/SS used one set of sprites for both. They must've realized after doing it for Gen 2 that it was so not worth it, lol. I'm honestly amazed they even made separate sprites for FireRed/LeafGreen vs Ruby/Sapphire back in the day.

It wasn't just Ruby/Sapphire vs FireRed/LeafGreen. Platinum and HG/SS both had new sprites for the Pokémon in the regional Pokédex, and Black/White had new or edited sprites for almost all the 493 existing Pokémon (and new animations for every single one).

For example:

Ruby/Sapphire

FireRed/LeafGreen

Diamond/Pearl

Platinum

HeartGold/SoulSilver

Black/White

 

[Brandon F]

Nope. HG/SS used one set of sprites for both. They must've realized after doing it for Gen 2 that it was so not worth it, lol. I'm honestly amazed they even made separate sprites for FireRed/LeafGreen vs Ruby/Sapphire back in the day.

Wow. Leaf Green was one of the few Pokemon games I actually finished. Didn't realize it happened in that game as well!

 

[ShadowElliot]

Why not both, with Crystal?

I never noticed that Blastoise moves his tail, so cute!!

 

[xochipiltontli]

Those wondering why Gold's sprites are lighter than Silver's, if I remember correctly, both games' palette changes to a more faded look when played on a GBA because of the latter's dark ass screen.

 

[Serpens007]

Feraligatr's Silver is better, so that one !

 

[Giga Man]

Why not both, with Crystal?

I'm still mad Crystal VC didn't get announced. I legit was going to buy it.

You forgot the most important one

This legitimately makes me laugh. Thank you.

Feraligatr's Silver is better, so that one !

Same for Typhlosion, and Crystal agrees! https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Typhlosion_(Pokémon)#Sprites

 

[Navi]

Silver for the win.

 

[EloquentM]

Hold on. Holdrhe fucjing phone. When did G/S get announced for VC???!

Spoiler

to op: sulver

 

[DrArchon]

I don't get the hate for Silver Blastoise.

It's on all fours either to A) better absorb the recoil from firing its water canons, or B) to aim directly at something on the ground instead of have the shots arc up like artillery.

Makes perfect sense. They both look great.

 

[Neverforget]

My nostalgia goggles says Silver. I also played Crystal which is the superior version.

 

[Macka]

I also grew up with Silver. I do prefer its sprites overall. Gyrados Silver looks so much better than Gold. Especially given how important Gyrados is to the game, I'm surprised Gold looks so weird.

Really? The Gold one looks much better. Looks bigger and more imposing. Silver one looks like a shrimp.

 

[ONLYUSEmeFEET]

Really? The Gold one looks much better. Looks bigger and more imposing. Silver one looks like a shrimp.

Gold's not even looking at the player and the anatomy just looks, wrong. Silver looks big and threatening to me.

 

[Lord of Ostia]

Silver's are better

 

[Dremorak]

Hold on. Holdrhe fucjing phone. When did G/S get announced for VC???!

Spoiler

to op: sulver

A few months ago. I think the stream just before E3??