Pokemon Red,
Blue & Yellow
rebuilt for 3D
play.
Gen1Recomp brings Pokemon Red, Blue and Yellow to modern platforms with optional 3D graphics. Gen1Recomp++ expands the same project with developing Pokemon Gold, Silver and Crystal support.
Gen1Recomp app setup, features and compatibility
Gen1Recomp uses a branch of the open-source N64 Recomp engine paired with custom tools and asset pipelines to run original Game Boy ROMs natively on modern hardware.
See how Gen1Recomp works →Gen1Recomp is the playable engine. VoxelMod is a separate optional presentation mod layered on top. They are two different projects with different version numbers and release schedules.
Compare the projects →Follow the step-by-step setup guide for Windows, Mac, Android or Nintendo Switch to get Pokemon Red, Blue or Yellow running with the optional 3D VoxelMod presentation layer.
View the 3D setup steps →How Pokemon Red, Blue and Yellow Work in 3D
Gen1Recomp is a branch of the open-source N64 Recomp engine re-targeted for game-boy scale titles. The engine statically decompiles original Pokemon Red, Blue or Yellow ROM binaries and then re-compiles them as a native 64-bit executable for Windows, macOS and Linux.
The optional VoxelMod presentation adds the voxel-style overworld, camera depth, dialogue box enhancements and first-person view option to the base Gen1Recomp engine. VoxelMod is loaded as an optional mod pack from the Gen1Recomp launcher and requires a separately downloaded mod archive.
Both projects are available as free downloads on GitHub and require a legal ROM to function.
What You Need to Start
- Download the Official Gen1Recomp release from GitHub for your platform — Windows, Mac, Linux, Android or Switch.
- Download the Optional VoxelMod archive from the official releases page and follow the 3D setup steps to install it above the base game.
Gen1Recomp is available for the official GitHub releases only. Installation instructions are on the Windows & Mac 3D Guide or the Android setup guide.
Gen1Recomp Is Now Gen1Recomp++
Gen1Recomp++ is the expanded Gen1Recomp project. Gen1Recomp++ can run all three original Gen 1 titles in a single unified launcher. All three use Cyan-era's Phase 3 engine, and are controlled through standard keyboard, controller, and touch inputs. Both the original engine and the Gen1Recomp++ project are maintained by the same community developers.
Development progress for Gen1Recomp++ and the Phase 3 engine is tracked in the project source. Join us in Discord for community updates, or view all Gen1Recomp++ GitHub releases to see Phase 3 update notes.
Explore Gen1Recomp Community Mods
The community is also building gameplay changes, followers, translations, sprite packs, additional features and other improvements. Many of these are community-supported projects derived from original applications, or open their own original applications.
Games Supported by Gen1Recomp
| Game | Version | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Pokemon Red | Starting v0.2.6 | Supported, all regions of game playable |
| Pokemon Blue | Starting v0.2.6 | Supported, all regions of game playable |
| Pokemon Yellow | Starting v0.2.6 | Supported, all regions of game playable |
| Pokemon Gold | Gen 2 Phase 3 | Check compatibility notice for this Gen 2 game |
Gen1Recomp does not support the Japanese-only release or altered ROMs of Red, Blue or Crystal RSE and above. Only the official English releases are confirmed to work correctly with the current project sources.
What the v0.2 Release Line Adds
Version v0.2.x line adds real-time voxel-scale rendering, depth-of-field post-processing stack, direct-input pairing for Switch Pro and DualSense controllers, and in-game map minimap overlay. This line focuses primarily on Gen 1 performance and visual parity between Red, Blue and Yellow builds.
The v0.2 line also added multiple interface improvements, font scaling, improved options menus and performance improvements. Release notes for all v0.2.x stable releases, including minor patch notes, are on the official GitHub releases page.
Online Battles, Tournaments and Trades
Gen1Recomp includes a bundled local netcode layer for running battles, starting or joining upcoming tournaments and trading Pokemon between your local machines. It does not support the original GBA link cable protocol. Gen1Recomp uses its own peer-to-peer link protocol for Gen 1 and Gen 2 game packets.
You can find and join GBA link events using the in-game link browser or on the main Gen1Recomp Discord server.
Device and Control Information
Gen1Recomp on Windows and Mac runs on any hardware that supports Vulkan 1.2 or OpenGL 4.5+. On macOS, Gen1Recomp runs natively on Apple Silicon and Intel. Android builds require Android 9+ with Vulkan-capable GPU. Nintendo Switch builds are available as a Homebrew-compatible package.
Gen1Recomp supports XInput, DirectInput and HID controllers. You can remap, adjust dead zones, and manage controller bindings from within the Gen1Recomp launcher. For installation, see the Windows & Mac 3D setup guide and Android and Switch setup guides.