Pokemon fans are exploring the Kanto region from an entirely new perspective following a rapid wave of updates to fan-made modification projects for Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow. Footage showcasing the classic Game Boy titles rendered in 3D, first-person, and virtual reality has spread widely across social media.

Quick Facts

  • Core Engine: Gen1Recomp by bryanthaboi, running via a hand-written Lua engine in Love2D.
  • Visual Mod: Dramatic Shape Voxel Mod by DramaticShape, turning Kanto into a 3D voxel diorama.
  • First-Person Support: Added in version 1.5.1 on August 2, allowing mouse, controller, and touch movement.
  • VR Support: Added in version 1.5.2 via OpenXR, featuring a Pokedex interface on the left hand.
  • Third-Person Camera: Added in version 1.5.5 on August 3.

How the Gen 1 Mods Work Together

The projects combine two separate fan-made undertakings to rebuild how the original games are presented on PC. The foundation is Gen1Recomp, which extracts necessary game data and graphics from a user-provided, legally obtained US ROM. Rather than emulating Game Boy hardware, the program runs the games natively with modern features including higher frame rates and mod support.

The 3D visuals are supplied by the Dramatic Shape Voxel Mod. This separate add-on converts the flat, tile-based overworld of Kanto into a voxel diorama while keeping the original maps, events, battles, and progression intact underneath.

First-Person and VR Implementations

Recent updates have rapidly expanded the control and camera options available to players. Version 1.5.1 introduced an experimental first-person mode, letting trainers look around and navigate locations like Pallet Town from a first-person viewpoint using mouse, controller, or touch inputs.

Shortly after, version 1.5.2 introduced PC virtual reality support through OpenXR. Players can move using the left stick, look around through their headset, and interact with menus, dialogue, and traditional 2D battle screens via a Pokedex displayed on their left hand. Version 1.5.5 further expanded camera options by adding a third-person perspective and adjustable battle angles.

Both Gen1Recomp and the Dramatic Shape Voxel Mod remain unofficial, actively developed fan projects.