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Ashely currently works as a news writer for Polygon. After getting her Translation degree, she was hired as a guide and news writer for GameRant and TheGamer. She enjoyed working as an author for these sites for six years, and in 2026, she started at Polygon, where she is able to continue to do what she loves: writing about video games.
Can you beat Red today?
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Do you know Wordle, the word puzzle that challenges you once a day? What if, instead of a puzzle, it were a Pokémon battle? That's the concept of Daily Red, a fan-made Pokémon game that you can play in your browser. Each day, players can enter this browser game and try to beat the legendary trainer, Red, using a different set of Pokémon.
A fan-made Pokémon game challenges you to battle Red with a random team every day
In Daily Red, players must face Red daily using a team of six random Pokémon from Gens 1-3. Red leads with Pikachu and always has the same team as when players find him on Mt. Silver in Johto: Pikachu, Espeon, Snorlax, Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise. This allows players to become increasingly acquainted with the lineup over time.
Before battling, gamers are advised to analyze their team for the day. This way, they can understand its strengths and weaknesses and decide which Pokémon to lead with. They can also try a practice run before they commit to the battle. After the battle, they can continue practicing, but their result will be locked in.
The objective is to beat Red and start a winning streak. Unfortunately, it's not currently possible to make an account to save progress, but it's stored locally in the browser. Once the battle is over, players can share their grid with friends or on social media. If they lose, the grid will have red squares, revealing how many of Red's Pokémon fainted. If they win, the grid will have a green square for each of their Pokémon that didn't faint.
This simulator uses Gen 3 rules. For fans who aren't familiar with the ruleset, the FAQ section explains what sets them apart and also provides some tips on how to beat Red. Additionally, players can use Pokémon Showdown, a popular battle simulator, to train, as it has an array of advanced settings that they can customize freely.