How Pokemon Red, Blue and Yellow Work in 3D
Gen1Recomp uses a hand-written Lua/LÖVE2D engine to run imported game data from a compatible Pokemon Red, Blue, Yellow, Gold, Silver, Crystal, FireRed or LeafGreen ROM. It is different from a traditional Game Boy emulator because it does not execute the original Game Boy program through emulated hardware.
The optional DramaticShapeVoxelMod adds the voxel-style overworld, camera depth, shadows and 3D battle presentation seen in videos online. Gen1Recomp supplies the game engine; VoxelMod changes how the game is displayed. Read Gen1Recomp vs VoxelMod for a focused comparison.
What You Need to Start
- Download the official Gen1Recomp build for your device.
- Import a compatible, user-supplied US ROM for Pokemon Red, Blue, Yellow, Gold, Silver, Crystal, FireRed or LeafGreen.
- For 3D Red, Blue or Yellow, download VoxelMod from the preserved version archive and follow the guide for Windows or Mac or the separate Android 3D setup guide.
Gen1Recomp is available from its official GitHub release page. VoxelMod versions are preserved through clearly labelled community archive links because the original repository is no longer available. This website does not host Pokemon ROMs or VoxelMod files.
Gen1Recomp, Gen1Recomp++ and Gen1Recomp Deluxe
| Name | Games | What the name represents |
|---|---|---|
| Gen1Recomp | Pokemon Red, Blue and Yellow | The original name for the Gen 1 games. |
| Gen1Recomp++ | Pokemon Gold, Silver and Crystal | The name introduced with the Gen 2 expansion. These games remain in Phase 1 while their support is completed. The ++ does not mean C++. |
| Gen1Recomp Deluxe | Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen | The name introduced with the Gen 3 beta. You may also see it shown as Gen1RecompDeluxe or G1R Deluxe. |
These names show how Gen1Recomp has expanded across three generations of games. They all refer to the same app, so you do not need a different launcher or download for each set of games.
Explore Gen1Recomp Community Mods
The community is also building gameplay changes, followers, translations, sprite packs, quests and tools. Visit the Pokemon Gen 1 Mods directory to browse verified individual projects alphabetically and open their original repositories or release pages.
Games Supported by Gen1Recomp
| Game | Documented input | Current project status |
|---|---|---|
| Pokemon Red | Matching 1 MiB US ROM | Supported; VoxelMod 3D guide available |
| Pokemon Blue | Matching 1 MiB US ROM | Supported; VoxelMod 3D guide available |
| Pokemon Yellow | Matching 1 MiB US ROM | Supported; VoxelMod 3D guide available |
| Pokemon Gold | Matching 2 MiB US ROM | Gen 2 Phase 1; engine still under construction |
| Pokemon Silver | Matching 2 MiB US ROM | Gen 2 Phase 1; added as an importable launcher version in v0.2.11 |
| Pokemon Crystal | Matching 2 MiB US ROM, revision 1.0 or 1.1 | Gen 2 Phase 1; engine still under construction |
| Pokemon FireRed | Matching 16 MiB US ROM, revision 1.0 or 1.1 | Gen 3 beta |
| Pokemon LeafGreen | Matching 16 MiB US ROM, revision 1.0 or 1.1 | Gen 3 beta |
Gen1Recomp v0.3.22 accepts the canonical US ROMs for all eight documented games. Gold, Silver and Crystal remain Gen 2 Phase 1 while that engine is under construction. FireRed and LeafGreen are playable beta implementations, with v0.3 releases focused on Gen 3 gameplay, trading, online play, Mystery Gift, ROM remembering and automatic re-import, and many fidelity and progression fixes. Archived VoxelMod support remains documented only for Red, Blue and Yellow.
Other regions, revisions and ROM hacks are not confirmed by the current project documentation. See Supported Games for the exact compatibility limits.
What the v0.2 and v0.3 Releases Add
Version 0.2.0 introduced the new touch-skin system and desktop Skin Studio. Gen1Recomp can import compatible RetroArch overlays and Delta skins, use different layouts and pressed-button art, detect a screen area from bezel artwork, and export edited skins. The v0.2 releases also build on earlier additions from v0.1.84–v0.1.99, including stronger mod dependency and permission checks, Gold save-editor support, save-slot recovery, patch notes, an optional widescreen battle layout and companion displays.
Later v0.2 updates added launcher Safe Mode and issue reporting, improved Android shortcuts and return-to-launcher behavior, added Pokemon Silver, improved save sync between desktop, Steam Deck and iOS, and fixed a large set of Gen 1 and Gen 2 gameplay and presentation differences. Versions 0.2.16–0.2.24 added more mobile and Skin Studio fixes, custom carts, responsive mod-index browsing and Pokemon Crystal support for both accepted US revisions. Versions 0.2.25–0.2.40 added the Online launcher, Linux AppImage and Flatpak packages, Gen 2 cartridge-save conversion, one-click mod updating, game filters, new touch and controller controls, and improved display synchronization.
Versions 0.2.41–0.2.60 add mobile launch URLs, direct custom-cart launch, iOS Home Screen entries, cart-aware bulk updates, broader translation routing, a mod API for previewing effective wild encounters and the Logic Clock timing option. Versions 0.2.61–0.2.75 continue fixing trades, saves, mods, Android audio, Crystal presentation, encounters, Surf and field events. Version 0.3.0 is the major Gen 3 expansion: it adds beta FireRed and LeafGreen imports. Later v0.3 releases add FireRed/LeafGreen online play and Mystery Gift, automatic ROM re-import, a 40-player Union Room, a custom-cart import picker, splash controls, separate battle-speed settings, Gen 3 save editing and clearer crash reports. Version 0.3.22 also includes the latest gameplay, controller, Android, rendering and progression fixes across the supported games.
Online Battles, Tournaments and Trades
Gen1Recomp 0.3.22 has an Online launcher tab for hosting or joining battles, watching live matches, running or spectating tournaments, and trading Pokemon between save files. FireRed and LeafGreen can also use the relay for a 40-player Union Room, Direct Corner, wireless minigames, private PIN rooms, and launcher or in-game invitations. Online rooms identify the game, engine version and rules they use. A room based on a custom cart requires both players to have the same sealed cart installed.
The original in-game Link menu remains the local-network option. It is separate from the newer Online launcher service.
Device and Control Information
Official Gen1Recomp packages are available for Windows, macOS, Linux x86_64 AppImage, Linux Flatpak, Linux ARM64 AppImage, Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch homebrew, Xbox UWP, Anbernic RG34XXSP and compatible ARM Linux SBC / PortMaster setups. Package availability does not guarantee that every device or graphics configuration will run VoxelMod equally well. Check Platforms and Requirements before downloading for a mobile device, console or handheld.
Nintendo Switch users can follow the complete Gen1Recomp Switch setup guide for installation, title override, ROM import, saves, controls and community mods.
For keyboard, controller, save, load and mod-manager shortcuts, use the Keys and Hotkeys guide.
Common Questions
Do I need a different 3D mod for each game?
No. The same VoxelMod setup works with the supported Red, Blue and Yellow imports.
Is VoxelMod required to use Gen1Recomp?
No. VoxelMod is optional. Gen1Recomp can run without the 3D presentation mod.
Where can I check current releases or reported problems?
Use Project Status for release information, Known Issues for current limitations, and VoxelMod Download for preserved versions.