"In 1997, I wrote the first guide for Pokemon on GameFAQs. It was terrible."

I was 12 years old in 1998, and because of my familiarity with the emulation scene, I found out about a little game called "Pocket Monsters" before it came out in the US. At the time, there were no guides for the game on GameFAQs, so I wrote one, based on my experience with an untranslated ROM of the Japanese version. It was godawful, but it was the only guide on the site for a while before being taken down and replaced with way better guides. The link below is the only version that remains in the Wayback Machine, from RPGamer. I hope you enjoy it.http://ift.tt/2dimlXr: Tue, 23 Jun 1998 12:41:10 -0400Pocket MonstersBeginner's GuideAnd FAQBy Wingleader (princemichael@mail.geocities.com)Welcome! To the exciting world of Pocket Monsters (Pokemon). In this world Pokemon are just like pets, like friends. Now, go on your quest to be the best Pokemon trainer ever......Let's take a look at the controls.A button: Enter/accept function, advance conversationB button: Cancel, continue conversationStart button: Pause/menuSelect button: No function.D-pad: Move around, choose optionAnd an overview of the game.Pocket monsters are small creatures that live in your pocket or in monster balls. You can catch wild Pokemon. Your quest is to be the absolute best, to become the top pokemon trainer. To do this, you need to get the 8 master badges. You can buy items, or fight other people's monsters with your own. If you win you get cash.Now for the FAQ.Q. How do i play? A. Look at the top two sections.Q. How do i catch wild pokemon? A. Batter them until they're almost dead or half-full of life, then use a monster ball on them.Q. Oooh! Nifty! A. Isn't it, though?Q. Should i buy used Pokemon from dealers? A. Yup. But only cool ones.Q. How do i know which ones are good to capture? A. Look at them. If they're stupid-looking, don't get them.Q. My pokemon is poisoned! Aieee! A. Buy an antidote at a store.Walkthrough of the first three townsMasaraYou begin in a house. Exit through the stairs. Find the welcome mat, then go out the door. Go up and go through the tall grass. Dr. Orchid will rescue you and take you to the lab. He will give you a choice of three pokemon. I highly suggest getting Liz. Rocky really sucks and Turtle is just okay. Dr. Orchid's grandson will pick Turtle, and you can whoop him with Liz. Go through the tall grass again, and if you run into a monster, fight him. See the man walking by the wall? He'll give you a free medic. Keep heading up. Now, once you are in town, go to the SHOP. Talk to the man at the counter and take the shop notice. Go back to the lab and give Dr. Orchid the notice. Now when you go to the shop again, you can buy monster balls.Trap the first rat and bird you encounter. Beef 'em up until they're up to level 10, along with your Lizard. Most get a new power by then.Go past the gym, past the old man and go up. Go into the building. Go through the back door. You are now in the hedge maze. This is a very good place to advance your pokemons. Wander around, you'll find an antidote and monster ball.Find your way out of the maze. You are in a new town. Go to the Poke Center and get refilled. If you are at lvls. 16-18, you are ready to go into the gym and fight the first master trainer. You also have to fight his lackey, but it's not too hard. Use a fire type against the master trainer's dragon, and a poison against the Orb.For all of you unscrupulous people out there, here are the cheats:TO BRING YOUR POKEMON TO LEVEL 100: Press start. Go to the item menu and press select next to the seventh item on the list. Go into battle. Press select next to an attack you dislike. Beat the enemy, and your monster will be level 100!!!TO GET THE SECRET CHARACTER: Press start. Go to the item menu and press select next to the 13th item. Go into battle. Press a next to pocket. Press a on a monster and it will turn into Mew, the secret character!That is all. Hope this helps all of you beginner trainers!Yours in Fantasy, Wingleader via /r/pokemon http://ift.tt/2dNSWEC