Classic Pokémon Games on Switch Ban Certain Names While Others Slip Past Censors

In celebration of the franchise’s landmark 30th anniversary, Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen made their debut on the Nintendo Switch this past Friday. Originally released in 2004 for the Game Boy Advance, these beloved remakes of the series’ origins have been transitioned to modern hardware with a high degree of fidelity—though not without a few modern adjustments.

Veterans of the ’90s and early 2000s likely recall the juvenile tradition of labeling their rival with crude epithets. Whether you embarked on your journey through Kanto as “ASS” or spent your childhood defeating a rival named “SHITBAG,” these nicknames were a rite of passage for many young Trainers. However, the Switch ports have introduced a significant hurdle for those looking to relive their more rebellious years.

As documented by users on X and highlighted by Kotaku, Nintendo has implemented a profanity filter that curtails this brand of creative naming. The days of unrestricted “Pokémon cockfighting” under vulgar aliases are largely over. Instead, if you attempt to slip a banned word past Professor Oak, the game politely redirects you toward more wholesome, banal options like “Mina” or “Leaf.” Even relatively mild terms like “crap” are now rejected by the system.

However, the filter is not entirely ironclad. In my time testing Pokémon LeafGreen, I found that certain juvenile terms still manage to evade detection. “Fart” and “butt” remain acceptable monikers. The name “Buttfac”—a truncated version of “Buttface” necessitated by character limits—also slipped through the cracks, as did the word “hell.”

Curiously, while “Ass” is strictly prohibited, the game allows for “ASSMAN.” For fans of 1990s sitcoms, this opens the door for a Seinfeld-inspired playthrough where every Gym Leader and Elite Four member acknowledges your trainer as “The Assman.” It is a bizarre loophole in an otherwise stringent system.

After cross-referencing a variety of common swear words, I have compiled a non-exhaustive list of “naughty” terms that the current Switch ports still permit. If you are looking to channel your inner eight-year-old, these names are currently viable:

• Arse
• Assman
• Balls
• Butt
• Buttfac
• Damn (Though “Goddamn” is filtered)
• Fart
• Hell
• Prick

Go forth and conquer Kanto with maturity—or a lack thereof. You’re welcome.

Source: Polygon