Upon starting a new game in Pokémon Crystal, you'll be greeted by Professor Elm. He will introduce you to the world of Pokémon and guide you through the initial setup. One of the most significant new features in Crystal is the ability to choose your gender. You can play as either a male or female trainer, which slightly alters your sprite and some dialogue, but does not affect the core gameplay or story.
After selecting your gender, you'll be prompted to enter your name. You can use up to seven characters. Choose wisely, as this name will be displayed throughout your adventure and cannot be changed later. You'll also be asked to set the current day of the week and time. This is crucial for many in-game events, such as daily encounters, specific item availability, and Pokémon evolution methods. set it accurately to your real-world time for the best experience.
While Pokémon Crystal pioneered gender selection for the series, modern titles like Pokemon Unite have expanded this customization by offering diverse outfits and hairstyles for trainer avatars.
While Pokémon Crystal first introduced gender selection, the series eventually expanded this customization in Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire by allowing players to select diverse skin tones.