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 or Yellow 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 or Yellow.
- If you want the 3D appearance, download VoxelMod and follow the guide for Windows or Mac or the separate Android 3D setup guide.
Gen1Recomp and VoxelMod are free downloads from their respective GitHub release pages. This website links to those official files and does not host Pokemon ROMs.
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 | 3D option |
|---|---|---|
| Pokemon Red | Matching 1 MiB US ROM | VoxelMod |
| Pokemon Blue | Matching 1 MiB US ROM | VoxelMod |
| Pokemon Yellow | Matching 1 MiB US ROM | VoxelMod |
Other regions, revisions and ROM hacks are not confirmed by the current project documentation. See Supported Games for the exact compatibility limits.
Device and Control Information
Official Gen1Recomp packages are available for Windows, macOS, Linux, Linux ARM64, Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch homebrew, Xbox UWP and a specifically named Anbernic RG34XXSP target. 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 links and Known Issues for current limitations and issue trackers.