22 Years Later, Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen Players Are Just Now Discovering a Double Battle Trick

Players of Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen recently found a helpful feature that displays a Pokemon’s exact HP during Double Battles. Originally released for the Game Boy Advance in 2004, FireRed and LeafGreen were updated versions of the very first Red and Green games. The developers, Game Freak, added improvements from later games like Gold and Silver and Ruby and Sapphire, including Double Battles, the ability to run with Running Shoes, and the introduction of Dark and Steel-type Pokemon.

To celebrate Pokémon’s 30th anniversary, Nintendo released Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen on the Switch in February. These remakes have quickly become popular with both new fans and longtime players. Although the original Game Boy versions were previously re-released on the 3DS for the franchise’s 20th anniversary, FireRed and LeafGreen hadn’t been available on any other system until now.

A Welcome Feature in Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen‘s Double Battles

Double Battles in Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen can feel cramped, as four Pokemon fill the screen. To help with this, the games hide the exact HP numbers and only show a health bar. While the bar gives you a general idea of how much health a Pokemon has left, it’s not as precise as seeing the numbers. Recently, a Reddit user named PSPMan3000 discovered that you can press the ‘Start’ button during a Double Battle to switch back to a numerical HP display. This was news to many other players, who didn’t realize this option existed in the games.

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It’s understandable why players might not have discovered this feature in Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen. Double Battles aren’t very common in those games, and the option wasn’t in the original Red and Green versions. This means there are only a handful of opportunities to battle two Pokemon simultaneously. Plus, most battles involve simply choosing a move and pressing a button, so it’s easy to overlook this Double Battle possibility, particularly since the games came out over 22 years ago. In fact, FireRed and LeafGreen have many hidden details, like the location of HM02.

The Pokémon franchise is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a strong start. With releases like Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, Pokopia, and Pokémon Champions coming out this month, there’s plenty for fans to enjoy. This is great news, as the next main Pokémon games won’t arrive for a while. Pokémon Winds and Waves were announced for the Nintendo Switch 2 earlier this year, but they aren’t expected to be released until 2027. Fans are excited to see what the 10th generation of Pokémon will offer, and so far, only the first Pokémon you can choose to start with have been revealed.

There are plenty of games available now, but many players are wondering if Nintendo might re-release some classic Pokemon titles. Rumors suggest Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald could be coming to the Nintendo Switch, though Nintendo hasn’t officially announced anything. If released, these games would let players experience the entire Game Boy Advance Pokemon generation on one system, and potentially complete their Pokedex by trading with others. While nothing is certain, the continued popularity of these older games makes a re-release seem likely.

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2026-04-05 18:05