Pokemon Yellow Walkthrough
Pokemon Red Walkthrough
Pokemon Blue Walkthrough
Welcome to the World of Pokemon!
If you are reading this Pokemon Yellow walkthrough, Pokemon Red walkthrough and Pokemon Blue walkthrough you are most likely wanting to relive the old days of Game Freak’s inception or wanting to try the first generation for the first time. Maybe you are even trying Pokemon for the first time. There are few major differences between the aforementioned versions, with the Yellow version being the exception of the three. If you are using the Yellow version, please expect a much different experience. Providing some history for this version, it came out after Red and Blue, but before Gold and Silver. This version was designed to follow the anime and to tie players over until the Gold and Silver release.
Once you click New Game, you will be introduced into the world of Pokemon by Professor Oak. You will give your player character a name and a name for your rival. It isn’t until the Crystal version that you can choose your gender.
Pokemon Yellow Walkthrough Game Play Mechanics
Pokemon Red Walkthrough Game Play Mechanics
Pokemon Blue Walkthrough Game Play Mechanics
As you begin, there are a few things you should know about the first generation gameplay mechanics:
1. Leech Seed and Toxic are a deadly combo as the damage per turn add and stacks upon each other instead of being separate damage per turn for each move.
2. A Pokemon’s critical hit rate is determined by its speed. Evasion and Accuracy are also somewhat affected. The chances for a critical hit and the evasion and accuracy stats did not become their own until generation 2.
3. This game only has a “Special” stat. It serves as both your special attack and special defense. The two were not separate until generation 2.
4. This game (assuming you’re not playing on an amazing emulator), is full of bugs and glitches. These bugs and glitches will not be a part of this walkthrough as they are usually game breaking. The same goes for cheat codes of any kind.
5. Type matchups in this game were experimental and were not balanced until generation 2. This walkthrough will cover type matchups and dual-type weaknesses as you experience them.
6. You can only have up to 20 items at a time in your bag.
7. Your opponents have unlimited PP (number of uses) for their moves.
Pokemon Stats
1. HP – Hit points. This is a Pokemon’s overall health, determined by a number. Once HP reaches zero, the Pokemon is KO’d.
2. Attack – Physical Strength. Attack is pitted up against defense to determine damage.
3. Defense – Physical Resistance. Defense is pitted up against attack to determine damage.
4. Special – Both Special Attack and Defense. The Special stat is pitted against each other to determine damage. All Grass, Fire, Water, Psychic, Ice, and Electric attacks are SPECIAL. Every other attack type is PHYSICAL. Moves that affect status and give status effects are STATUS moves. Generation 4 will see attacks be split into Physical/Special by the attack itself and not the type.
5. Speed – Determines which Pokemon moves first.
You start the game in your room in the small town of Pallet. There is an SNES in front of you, but you cannot do anything with it. If you check your PC in the corner you can withdraw a potion. A potion heals a Pokemon’s HP (Hit Points) by 20. It may be helpful for your first battle or later on in the beginning of the game. Potions are not particularly useful after the first gym leader. If you go downstairs, you will see your mother and a “Stand By Me” reference on the television (just for a little fun, there are many other pop culture references in the Pokemon series). Your mother serves a healing station for Pallet Town.
If you leave your house, you’ll notice that this town only has three buildings. The one right next to you will be important later, and there is no need to go to the other building, which is Professor Oak’s Pokemon lab. Go north, and try to leave town. Professor Oak will stop you, and take you straight to his lab. In the Yellow version, he will catch a Pikachu first. After a short dialogue, you can choose your first Pokemon (unless you are playing Yellow).
Your First Pokemon
As your journey begins, you can select between Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle. There is no correct choice, and any one will do for your full journey (There are some better choices throughout the game that can fulfill your starter’s role, however). If you are playing the Yellow version,
1. Bulbasaur is a Grass/Poison type, and has a high special stat, with all of its other stats being average. This Pokemon’s movepool primarily consists of status-inducing effects and grass type moves. If you are using Bulbasaur, you want to rely on clever tactics and buffing with Growth to succeed. Bulbasaur also heavily relies on TMs as its initial naturally learned moves may not carry you all the way to victory. It can learn both Toxic and Leech Seed which gives it a fine tanking capability, at the cost of a two-turn set up.
a. It evolves into Ivysaur at level 16, and Venusaur at level 32.
2. Charmander is a Fire type, and is the best choice for players who want to battle all-out. Much of Charmander’s popularity can be contributed to players’ preference to One Hit KO (OHKO) all of their opponents. Its Attack, Special, and Speed (Critical Hits galore) make it very capable of doing so with relative ease. When it is fully-evolved, it will take on another type: flying. Watch out though, the Charmander line is incredibly frail, and Charizard has a double weakness to rock (this doesn’t become a real problem until generation 4). Expect Charmander to hit hard, and be hit hard as you play through the game.
a. Charmander evolves into Charmeleon at level 16, and Charizard at level 36.
3. Squirtle is quite possibly the most aggressive way to play through the game because of its excellent pure water typing and defense. Its slightly above average special stat is nothing to laugh at, either. Squirtle can tank and dish out damage at the sacrifice of speed (and that critical hit rate). It isn’t until later generations when its Special Defense gets buffed. The Squirtle line is not easily toppled and the two types that are effective against it would still have a rough time defeating it. It is highly recommended that teach Blastoise Ice Beam to deal with the endgame.
a. Squirtle evolves into Wartortle at level 16, and Blastoise at Level 36.
4. Pikachu is the only option for those playing the Yellow version. You were going to get an Eevee, but your rival swiped it. You can still get an Eevee later on. Pikachu is the mascot of the Pokemon series for its gender-neutral appeal, but it is not too useful in battle. There are much better Electric types in this game. You can get all three of the aforementioned starters in Yellow, however. It is most likely why you chose this version. Pikachu is fast and can learn powerful electric type moves to make up for its frailty. Pikachu can learn Thunder Wave to paralyze opponents and drop their speed, and buff its own speed for powerful critical hits. Pikachu evolves into Raichu by means of a Thunderstone, but this Pikachu won’t since Yellow follows the Pokemon anime. If you are using cheats to make Pikachu evolve (or trading), Raichu will not follow you unless you are using a mod.
Type Matchups so far…
1. Grass: attacks are effective against Water, Ground, and Rock. They are not effective against Grass, Fire, Bug, Flying, Poison or Dragon types. Grass types are resistant against Grass, Electric, Ground, and Water type attacks. They are weak against Bug, Fire, Flying, Ice, and Poison type attacks. They are immune to Leech Seed.
2. Poison: attacks are effective against Grass and Bug types. They are not effective against Rock, Ground, and Poison types. Poison types are resistant against Poison, Grass, and Fighting type attacks. Poison types are weak against Ground, Bug, and Psychic type attacks. Poison types can’t be poisoned.
3. Fire: attacks are effective against Grass, Bug, and Ice types. They are not effective against Fire, Rock, Water or Dragon types. Fire types are resistant against Grass, Bug, and Fire type attacks. Fire types are weak against Water, Rock, and Ground type attacks. Fire types cannot be burned.
4. Water: attacks are effective against Fire, Ground, and Rock types. They are not effective against Grass, Water, and Dragon types. Water types are resistant against Water, Fire, and Ice attacks. Water types are weak against Grass and Electric type attacks.
5. Electric: attacks are effective against Water and Flying types. They are not effective against other Electric types, and Ground types are immune to them entirely. Electric types are resistant against other Electric attacks, and Flying type attacks. They are only weak to Ground type attacks.
Dual Types so far…
1. Grass/Poison
a. Resists: Grass x2 (double resistance), Fighting, Electric, Water
b. Weaknesses: Bug x2 (double weakness), Ice, Fire, Psychic, and Flying.
Your Journey Begins
With your starter Pokemon in tow, you can now leave town; except when you try to leave, your rival (we’ll call him Blue) will challenge you to a Pokemon battle. You have four options in a Pokemon battle: Fight, Pokemon, Item, and Run. You cannot run from trainer battles. You don’t have any Pokemon to switch out, and unless you decided not to get the potion out of the item box, you can’t use any items.
Your rival will choose the starter Pokemon that has a type advantage over yours, and it will be an Eevee (a Normal type) if you are playing Yellow. There is nothing to be concerned about in this battle, just simply use you your first listed move to deal damage until your opponent’s Pokemon until the HP bar drops to zero. Pikachu will have Thundershock as an option and if chance is on your side, you might be able to paralyze Blue’s Eevee. Use your potion if necessary. You will get 80 Poke Dollars (or Yen) for winning. Your starter should level up from the battle’s experience points as well. Don’t be concerned if you lose, as this battle has little risk.
Tip: Talk to and check everything. You will learn how to play the game and understand more of the Pokemon lore. For instance, check the Professor’s PC!
Now you can leave town. The catchiest music in the Pokemon series is here, in Route 1. This route only has one item, and two Pokemon available to catch. Talk to the woman right next to the Pallet Town entrance and she will give you a potion.
Pokemon in Route 1:
Pidgey – Normal/Flying (Common)
Rattata – Normal (Common)
Type Matchups so far…
1. Normal: attacks have no super effective status against any other type. They are not very effective against Rock types, and Ghost types are immune to them entirely. Normal types have no resistances, but are immune to Ghost type attacks. Normal types are weak against Fighting type attacks.
2. Flying: attacks are super effective against Bug, Grass, and Fighting types. They are not very effective against Rock and Electric types. Flying types resist Bug, Grass, and Fighting type attacks, and they are immune to ground types entirely. Flying types are weak to Electric, Rock, and Ice type attacks.
a. Note about this type: It wasn’t until generation 5 where pure and primary flying types were introduced. The Flying type right now is exclusively a secondary type.
Dual Types so far…
1. Normal/Flying
a. Resists: Grass and Bug type attacks. Immune to Ground and Ghost type attacks.
b. Weak: Ice, Rock, and Electric type attacks.
You can easily defeat the Pokemon in this route just by using your standard attack. Pikachu has a type advantage over Pidgey, so Thundershock would make very little work of them. Use this opportunity to level up a little so you can have an easier time later. You cannot catch any Pokemon right now, so don’t worry about it.
You will arrive in Viridian City after a short while. This format is what most cities in the Pokemon world (Kanto Region specifically) will stick to. There are several places of interest in Viridian City, being the very first Pokemon Center that you will encounter. Healing Pokemon is free. Another place of interest is the Pokemon “School,” above the Pokemon Center. If you read the girl’s notebook, you’ll learn all about the quest you are embarking on. Check the Blackboard for status effects.
Status Effects:
1. Poison: Gradual damage over time, and after battle. Use an antidote to cure poison.
2. Paralysis: 1/4 chance of not moving per turn. Cuts speed, and requires a paralyze Heal to cure.
3. Sleep: Unable to attack on that turn for 2-5 turns. Use an awakening to cure.
4. Burned: Gradual damage over time. Cuts attack, and needs a burn heal to cure.
5. Frozen: Complete inability to move. To thaw, use an ice heal.
Others:
1. Confuse: 50% chance to deal damage to yourself. Goes away after battle.
2. KO: Requires an item called a revive or a Pokemon Center.
The PokeMart in Viridian City contains Poke Balls, Antidotes, Paralyze Heals, and Burn Heals. They also sell potions if you are playing Yellow.
You will be heading to the Poke Mart since you can’t past the Grumpy Old Man that is blocking the way to the North of Town to Route 2. The clerk there will give you a parcel to hand to Professor Oak. You unfortunately won’t be able to buy any items until this task is complete. So take care of that.
Once you hand the Parcel to Oak, he’ll give you the Pokedex. Play around with it to get used to all of its features. Now all that is left to do is to head to your rival’s house above the Pokemon Lab. His sister, Daisy will give you a town map. Now you know where you’re going.
Head back to Viridian and go west to Route 22. Go buy some Poke Balls, and catch your first Pokemon if you’d like. Pidgey is a good choice on Route 1, as it has some good base stats for its final evolution, Pidgeot, at level 36. There are better Flying types later in the game though, which includes the legendary birds and Dodrio.
Along the way to Route 22, there is a narrow passage that will lead you to a potion. Once you get on Route 22, there are two great Pokemon you can get.
Pokemon in Route 22 (not including fishing spots):
Rattata (Normal) Common in Red and Blue, but not Yellow.
Spearow (Normal/Flying) Uncommon
Nidoran/Male (Poison) Common in Red, Rare in Blue (Common in Yellow)
Nidoran/Female (Poison) Common in Blue, Rare in Red (Common in Yellow)
Mankey (Fighting) Uncommon, Yellow version only.
Type Matchups so far…
1. Fighting: attacks are effective against Rock, Normal, and Ice types. They are not very effective against Flying, Poison, Bug, or Psychic types. They have no effect on Ghost types. Fighting types resist Rock and Bug type attacks. They are weak to Flying and Psychic type attacks.
You can choose between the two Nidoran species, the female is better for bulk, while the male is better for offense. Mankey is great for Charmander users as it makes the gym leader a little bit easier, and especially for Pikachu users. Make the choice for your first Pokemon wisely, or wait until Viridian Forest.
Go further, and you will fight Blue for the second time. This time he has a Pidgey at level 9 and his Starter at level 8. Watch out for Pidgey’s and Eevee’s sand-attack, as it cuts accuracy. His Bulbasaur will have Leech Seed, or his Squirtle will have Bubble. This is where type advantages start to come into play. If you have a couple of potions and Pokemon around his level, he shouldn’t be too difficult.
Note: If you lose to Blue twice in the first and second battles, he will evolve Eevee into Vaporeon. If you win one, and lose one, he will choose Flareon. If you win both, he will choose Jolteon.
Blue, Second Battle
Pidgey Lv. 9 or Spearow Lv.9 (Yellow)
Starter Lv. 8 or Eevee Lv. 8 (Yellow)
After beating Blue, you can attempt to cross the Pokemon League gate but you will be stopped by the guard since you don’t have any badges. If you defeated Blue without catching any Pokemon, you can go back to Professor Oak and he will give you five Poke Balls. Regardless, you can go back to Viridian City and explore the North side of town (Note: you actually could have skipped the second battle with Blue, but it is not recommended). The grumpy old man now has had his coffee, and will teach you how to catch Pokemon. Keep in mind that catching Pokemon is much easier if you lower their HP closer to zero and put them to sleep or paralyze them. The first Pokemon Gym you encounter is actually locked, so now you have no choice but to head to Pewter City past Viridian Forest.
Route 2 is actually split into three parts: the area south of Viridian Forest, the area north of Viridian Forest, and the Diglett’s Cave area (which is not accessible yet) east of the route. All you have to do is simply head further north to get to Viridian Forest. If you didn’t catch a Nidoran or start with Bulbasaur, pack up on antidotes, as you will get poisoned a lot.
Pokemon on Route 2
Rattata (Normal) Common
Pidgey (Normal/Flying) Common
Caterpie (Bug) Uncommon – Red and Blue Only
Weedle (Bug/Poison) Uncommon – Red and Blue Only
Nidoran/Male (Poison) Uncommon – Yellow Only
Nidoran/Female (Poison) Uncommon – Yellow Only
Type Matchups so far…
1. Bug: Bug type attacks are strong against Grass, Poison, and Psychic types. They are not very effective against Fighting, Fire, Flying, and Ghost types. Bug types resist Fighting, Ground, and Grass type attacks. Bug types are weak against Fire, Flying Poison, and Rock type attacks.
Dual Types so far…
1. Bug/Poison
a. Resists: Grass x2, Fighting x2
b. Weak: Fire, Flying, Psychic, Rock
In Viridian Forest, head to the left and go north. In a corner you will find a Poke Ball. Catch any Pokemon in the area you like. If you are playing Red and Blue, there is a rare chance you will find a Pikachu for yourself. If you are playing Yellow, you will have a rare chance of finding a Pidgeotto. This is the second evolution of Pidgey, so it’s a little bit of a cheat to catch one at half the expected evolution level. If you are using a Charmander or a Pikachu and haven’t caught a Mankey in Route 22, catch a Caterpie and raise it to level 10 so it can become a Butterfree. Butterfree learns Confusion upon evolution in Yellow, and at level 12 in Red and Blue. Avoid Metapod or Kakuna entirely; they only know Harden, and raising them to level 10 would be a challenge.
Pokemon in Virdian Forest
Pikachu (Electric) Rare – Red and Blue Only
Pidgeotto (Normal/Flying) Rare – Yellow Only
Caterpie (Bug) Common
Weedle (Bug/Poison) Common
Metapod (Bug) Uncommon
Kakuna (Bug/Poison) Uncommon
You can head back to the main area and go left of the tree behind the NPC to find an antidote. Keep going right and there is a potion before the first trainer battle. There is an extra potion in Yellow behind the Trainer Tips sign. Now you will experience your first non-Rival trainer battle. It’s not impressive. If you have a Charmander or a Flying type, you can get through this area of the game in less than 10 minutes if you ran through it.
Author’s Note: This guide will give a general overview of trainers and their Pokemon in Routes instead of provide a full list. The guide will specify when a trainer uses a new or unique Pokemon.
The only trainers in this area are Bug Catchers. As such, they only use Caterpie, Weedle, Metapod, and Kakuna. Caterpie is of little threat unless you’re underleveled. Weedle can poison you with Poison Sting, and the after effects of poison are what made Viridian Forest infamous among beginners. Metapod and Kakuna can only use Harden, as stated before. If you are using a Pokemon with physical attacks, it could be a pain to have your PP run out if you are only dealing 1-3 HP damage against them.
Note: A Pokemon will still get experience even if it was only in the battle for one turn. Read Trainer Tips signs to learn stuff like this!
Above the second Bug Catcher, there is another antidote. In a long winding route after the third Bug Catcher (which is skippable), you can find another potion. There is also yet another potion hidden in front of the last Bug Catcher. Once you defeat them all, you can head out of Viridian Forest to the second half of Route 2, which contains the same Pokemon as before.
Welcome to Pewter City! It is basically a bigger version of Viridian City. Don’t worry about looking for any items, as there are none, and the only item given to you requires a certain move. Anyways, the Poke Mart in Pewter City has more of a selection with potions, awakenings, repels, and escape ropes. Don’t worry about that now, and focus on buying potions if you are short of having any.
You could go to the Gym Leader right away, or go to the Pewter Museum of Science. It costs 50 yen to get in, and you could see the bones of a couple of Fossil Pokemon. You must beat the Gym Leader, however, to leave town. Otherwise, the guy in the east side of town will take you straight to the Pokemon Gym. Don’t forget to heal first.
Pewter City Gym
This Gym is really simple, and you can skip the first trainer to reach Brock. It is not recommended though. Talk to the Gym Guide to learn about type matchups. Even though, this is a Rock type gym, all of the Pokemon in here are Ground type in some way. The Jr. Trainer has a Diglett and a Sandshrew, both of which are Ground types, and not resistant to fire if you have chosen Charmander. If you have a Butterfree in Red and Blue, this kid is great for leveling up to learn Confusion. Once you beat him, defeat Brock.
Brock “The Rock Solid Pokemon Trainer!”
Geodude (Rock/Ground) Level 10
Onix (Rock/Ground) Level 12
Beating Brock is not a difficult task with Bulbasaur or Squirtle. Both of his Pokemon are doubly weak to Water and Grass, and you can OHKO both of his Pokemon easily. If you are using Charmander, keep in mind that he has no Rock type moves for either of his Pokemon and that Ember is a special move. While it may not be very effective, Geodude and Onix lack a decent Special stat, and Ember can still do some considerable damage. If chance is on your side, you might even burn them and cut their attack. Using Pikachu is suicide. Mankey or Butterfree (with Confusion) can make short work of Brock’s Pokemon. In Yellow version, Nidoran (both genders) learn Double Kick at level 12, so that is also an option. Poisoning his Pokemon is a choice as well. Watch out for Onix’s Bide. If you hit him carelessly, your Pokemon will get KO’d. Use those two turns to affect status.
Type Matchups so far…
1. Rock: attacks are super effective against Fire, Flying, Ice, and Bug types. They are not very effective against Ground and Fighting types. Rock types are resistant against Normal, Fire, Flying, and Poison type attacks. Rock types are weak against Fighting, Grass, Water, and Ground attacks.
2. Ground: attacks are super effectives against Fire, Rock, Poison, and Electric types. They are not very effective against Bug and Grass types, and Flying types are immune to them enitrely. Ground types resist Rock and Poison type moves, and are immune to Electric type moves. They are weak against Grass, Water, and Ice type moves.
Dual Types so far…
1. Rock/Ground
a. Resists: Rock, Normal, Fire, Flying, Poison x2. Immune to Electric type attacks.
b. Weak: Water x2, Grass x2, Fighting, Ice, and Ground.
Congratulations! You defeated Brock and got the Boulderbadge. He will give you TM34 for Bide. If you have a defensive Pokemon that can learn it, it might be helpful. TMs can only be used once. Keep that in mind. Some of the best moves that a Pokemon can learn are from TMs.
To Cerulean City
Now you can leave town and head east to Mt. Moon and Cerulean City. You will fight a plethora of trainers in Route 3 before you even see a patch of grass containing Pokemon. Many of these trainers have Pokemon you’ve seen before, just slightly stronger. Note: Pokemon raised by trainers are much stronger than those in the wild. The AI is better, too. The first Youngster you encounter will have an Ekans that can use Wrap to prevent switching and poison you (Brock had a similar move called Bind). The Youngster below the second Bug Catcher has a level 14 Spearow, so watch out there. The Lass at the end of the line of trainers has a Jigglypuff that can put your Pokemon to sleep. There are no items on Route 3.
By now, at least your starter should have evolved. Check your Pokemon’s stats to see the improvement! You can learn moves faster if you decide not to evolve them (press B during the evolution process. Nidoran should have evolved too, and Pidgey and Rattata are close as well. Butterfree is a Bug/Flying type, but with Confusion, getting through Mt. Moon is a little easier. Buy some repels and escape ropes if you lack confidence.
Dual Types so far…
1. Bug/Flying
a. Resists: Fighting x2, Grass x2, Bug. Immune to Ground type attacks.
b. Weak: Fire, Ice, Electric, Rock x2, Poison, and Flying.
Pokemon in Route 3
Pidgey (Normal/Flying) Common – Red and Blue Only
Spearow (Normal/Flying) Common
Rattata (Normal) Uncommon – Yellow Only
Mankey (Fighting) Uncommon – Yellow Only
Sandshrew (Ground) Uncommon – Yellow Only
Jigglypuff (Normal) Uncommon – Red and Blue Only
There is a Pokemon Center in front of Mt. Moon, so heal up before you go inside the cave. You can buy a Magikarp for 500 yen; while this may seem like a rip off, if you train Magikarp to level 20, you can get a POWERFUL Pokemon called Gyarados near the second gym badge. Mt. Moon is a terrifying experience for beginners because the paths twist and turn, and there are trainers lurking in every corner. Go to the left and you will find a TM for Water Gun and a potion.
The trainers on the main floor of Mt. Moon are ordinary trainers: Youngsters, Bug Catchers, and Hikers will all use Pokemon you’ve seen before. The Lass next to the Trainer tips sign will use a rare Pokemon: Clefairy. Clefairy’s evolution Clefable is highly recommended as it serves as a jack of all trades. The Super Nerd to the west of the entrance will have a potion next to him. He will use two new Pokemon: Voltorb and Magnemite (both Electric types). Watch out for SonicBoom (always deals 20 HP damage), it is quite deadly in the beginning of the game and for newly caught Pokemon. By the Bug Catcher next to the Super Nerd, there is an escape rope and a Rare Candy (raises a Pokemon’s level by 1). Use the rare candy on Magikarp in later levels closer to 20 if you bought it. Head down the first latter to encounter Team Rocket for the first time. Catch any Pokemon you’d like before you do so. Geodude is good if you can trade or mod the game to get it to evolve into Golem. Zubat is not recommended until generation 2. Paras is not a good choice at all as it sports bad stats and three double weaknesses. Go for Clefairy if not anything else.
Pokemon in Mt. Moon
Zubat (Poison/Flying) Common
Geodude (Rock/Ground) Common
Paras (Bug/Grass) Uncommon
Clefairy (Normal) Rare
Note: Some Pokemon are more common in different floors of dungeons than others. For example, Clefairy is easier to find in the bottommost section of Mt. Moon.
Dual Types so far…
1. Poison/Flying
a. Resists: Fighting x2, Grass x2, Poison. Immune to Ground type moves.
b. Weak: Psychic, Ground, Electric, and Ice.
2. Bug/Grass
a. Resists: Grass x2, Water, Electric, Ground x2, and Fighting.
b. Weak: Fire x2, Flying x2, Poison x2, Bug, Rock, and Ice.
3. Poison/Ground (Nidoking, Nidoqueen; assuming you evolve them with a moon stone.
a. Resists: Fighting, Poison x2, Rock. Immune to Electric attacks.
b. Weak: Water, Ice, Bug, Psychic, and Ground attacks.
Once you go down the first latter you see, you will run into Team Rocket. If you read any signs or talked to any NPC’s, you would know about them by now. Team Rocket members have slightly higher AI than ordinary trainers, and use a lot of Pokemon with powerful moves and status effects.
Note: Team Rocket members will use Pokemon from the Zubat, Rattata, Sandshrew, Ekans, Cubone (Ground), Koffing (Poison), Machop (Fighting), Drowzee (Psychic), and Grimer (Poison) evolution lines. Team Rocket Scientists later in the game will add the Voltorb and Magnemite evolutionary lines to their teams.
In this room, upon defeating the first Team Rocket member, there is an HP Up. This is an item that will boost your Pokemon’s base HP stat. Head back up the way you came and proceed north. You will encounter a Lass with an Oddish and a Bellsprout (both Grass/Poison types), and you will have a chance to get those much sooner than you think. There is another ladder, go down that. You are about to fight another member of Team Rocket. In this room there is an TM01 Mega Punch, which is great for getting through the first half of the game, and it can replace your standard attack for any Pokemon on your team that can learn it. There is a hidden Ether on the rock in this room. Ethers heal PP; save it for a tough battle.
Again, go back the way you came. Go left, fight a Youngster and a Hiker. Next to the Hiker is a Moon Stone, the first evolutionary stone you’ve obtained. Clefairy, Jigglypuff, Nidorino, and Nidorina all require one to evolve into their final forms. Don’t evolve Jigglypuff until level 34 or 39 when it learns Body Slam or Double Edge, respectively. You can evolve Clefairy right away and teach it Mega Punch, or wait until level 31 when it learns a fun move: Metronome. You can evolve Nidorino and Nidorina right away if you wish. If you have two of these Pokemon, don’t fret. There is another Moon Stone deeper in the cave.
Now on the bottom floor of Mt. Moon are almost nothing but Team Rocket members. Prepare to fight some difficult battles as your Pokemon get worn out. Red and Blue Players should watch out for the Rocket member with the Raticate. The last battle is against a Super Nerd with a Koffing, a Grimer, and a Voltorb. Getting poisoned near the end of the cave is bad, so hopefully you packed some antidotes. When you win, you can choose between the Dome Fossil and the Helix Fossil. Both are Rock/Water types, but it won’t be until the Seventh Gym Leader when you can resurrect them. Ouch. If you went to the museum in Pewter City, you saw what the final evolution of the Dome Fossil looked like. If that is not your preference, pick the Helix Fossil. Get the hidden Moon Stone in the rock next to the platform the Super Nerd is on.
Yellow Version Players: You are about to fight the Team Rocket from the Pokemon anime for the first time. They have a level 14 version of each of their Pokemon: Koffing, Ekans, and a Meowth (Normal).
Now you’re truly out of Mt. Moon. Route 4 has no trainers (well, one that is high-level and inaccessible) but there is a hidden Great Ball on the plateau next to the exit. There is a TM04 that teaches Whirlwind to Flying types. It forces a switch or ends the battle. Jump down the ledges and cross the grass to get to Cerulean City.
Pokemon in Route 4 (fishing spots not included)
Rattata (Normal) Common in Red and Blue, Uncommon in Yellow
Spearow (Normal/Flying) Common
Ekans (Poison) Uncommon – Red Only
Sandshrew (Ground) Uncommon – Blue and Yellow Only
Mankey (Fighting) Uncommon – Yellow Only
Welcome to Cerulean City!
Go to the Northwestern most house. You can learn about badges here, and if you check behind his house in between patches of flowers, you’ll find a rare candy. You cannot afford a bicycle yet, or ever… But don’t worry about it until you get your third Gym Badge. There is an in-game trade (a Poliwhirl for a Jynx, the only Jynx in the game), but you can’t do anything about that yet. Yellow version players should go to the house next to the Pokemon Center (make sure Pikachu is happy), and talk to Melanie. She will give you a Bulbasaur! Yellow players can also buy super potions at the Poke Mart. Head north and you will fight your rival for the third time.
Blue, Third Battle
– Red and Blue
Pidgeotto Lv. 18
Rattata Lv. 15
Abra Lv. 15
Starter Lv. 18
– Yellow
Spearow Lv.18
Sandshrew Lv. 15
Rattata Lv. 15
Eevee Lv. 18
This battle is slightly harder than before. While the Yellow team isn’t too much of a threat, keep an eye on Pidgeotto (Red and Blue) and Sandshrew (Yellow). You should have some kind of a counter for your rival’s starter at this point in the game. Unlike other Gym Battles, you need to play Rock-Paper-Scissors with your rival most of the time. Unless you have the options on SET, you should always know what Pokemon are coming. Abra can’t attack right now, so use it to get Magikarp to level up if it knows Tackle at level 15.
Climb up the Nugget Bridge (of route 24) and fight 5 battles. You should know how to defeat all of the Pokemon on the bridge at this point. There is a Team Rocket Member and a Godfather reference waiting for you. If you win, you will get a nugget which you can sell for 5000 yen. This is also the opportunity to abuse the Mew glitch if you so choose. There’s a Jr. Trainer in the patch of grass where some excellent Pokemon are. If you do not have a Grass Type, you can get a really good one here (both of which are an excellent substitute to Bulbasaur). Abra is the same case as Geodude: It requires a trade to reach full potential. Also, Abra is really difficult to catch because of Teleport. Venonat is a good choice for Yellow players. If you talk to a boy on Route 24, he will give you a Charmander!
Pokemon on Route 24 (Fishing spots not included)
Oddish (Grass/Poison) Common in Red and Yellow
Bellsprout (Grass/Poison) Common in Blue and Yellow
Abra (Psychic) Rare – Red and Blue Only.
Weedle – Common in Red Only
Caterpie – Common in Blue Only
Metapod and Kakuna – Common in Red and Blue Only
Pidgey – Uncommon
Venonat (Bug/Poison) Uncommon in Yellow Only
Pidgeotto (Normal/Flying) Super Rare – Yellow Only
Type Matchups so far…
1. Psychic – attacks are strong against Fighting and Poison types. They are not very effective against other Psychic types. Psychic types resist other Psychic and Fighting type attacks and are immune to Ghost type attacks. Psychic types are weak against Bug type attacks.
Collect the TM45 Thunder Wave and move east to Route 25. There are no Pokemon in this route that are new. It is all trainers. Even so, all of these trainers have Pokemon you’ve fought before except for one Youngster with a Slowpoke (Water/Psychic). There is an Elixir near the first Hiker in the corner of the tree maze. It is hidden. Put some space between you and the male Jr. Trainer near the item ball to collect TM19 Seismic Toss (It deals HP damage equal to the user’s level), or get Cut to get it later. Between the Lass and the Seaside Cottage there is an ether.
Dual Types so far…
1. Water/Psychic
a. Resists: Fire, Fighting, Psychic, Water, and Ice. Immune to Ghost type attacks.
b. Weak: Bug, Grass, Electric
Once you enter the Seaside Cottage, you’ll notice that you can talk to a Clefairy. It’s Bill, the guy who runs the Pokemon Storage systems. He’ll give you an S.S. Ticket for helping him. It will be important later. Go back inside and you can see Eevee’s evolutions. Now go to the Cerulean City Gym.
In the Gym, there are two trainers. The Swimmer has a Horsea and a Shellder, and the Jr. Trainer with a Goldeen. All are pure water types.
Now fight Misty!
Misty “The Tomboyish Mermaid!”
Staryu Lv. 18
Starmie Lv. 21
Misty says that she fights all out, and backs it up. She will be relentless. If you chose Charmander, you will have some trouble. Pikachu, Bulbasaur, and other Grass types will make quick work of her. You should be leveled and evolved enough to deal with her antics since she lacks any real finishing move. Bubblebeam will occasionally lower speed, and she will occasionally have her Starmie use Harden. Staryu is a joke, so Starmie will be the real threat. Starmie is one of the best Pokemon in the series. Later in the game, if you don’t have a Water type, catch a Staryu.
By beating Misty, you will be awarded TM22 Bubblebeam and the Cascade Badge. Give Bubblebeam to Squirtle or Wartorle. It’s a superpowered version of Bubble and it occasionally drops speed. If you don’t have Wartortle, save it for another Water type.
Now in town, before visiting Bill, there should’ve been a police officer in front of the house to the right of Route 24. You can go inside the house now to progress through the game. It was wrecked by a member of Team Rocket, but you can fight him in the backyard. He has a Machop and a Drowzee. Once you beat him, you get the TM28 Dig. This move will be very helpful against the next Gym Leader.
Past the backyard is the entrance to two routes. The eastern one is Route 9. It is inaccessible and requires a certain move (you’ll get it soon). Go south but avoid falling down the ledge next to the Gym. You should now reach Route 5.
The only point of interest in Route 5 is the Day Care center. In this place, a man will raise your Pokemon’s level over a certain period of time for a price. If you have a Magikarp, or plan to catch one in Vermillion City, this is an alternative option to get a Gyarados.
Dual Types so far…
1. Water/Flying
a. Resists: Fire, Fighting, Bug, and Water attacks. Immune to Ground type attacks.
b. Weak: Rock, Electric x2
Pokemon in Route 5
Pidgey – Common
Rattata – Common in Yellow Only
Oddish (Grass/Poison) Common in Red Only
Bellsprout (Grass/Poison) Common in Blue Only
Mankey (Fighting) Uncommon in Red Only
Meowth (Normal) Uncommon in Blue Only
Abra (Psychic) Uncommon in Yellow Only
Jigglypuff (Normal) Uncommon in Yellow Only
Pidgeotto – Rare in Yellow Only
There is a gate to the south of the route, but is inaccessible because the guard is trying to keep you from getting into a hostage situation in Saffron City. Instead, go to the building next to the gate to get into the Underground Path. There is an in-game trade here: in Red and Blue, you can trade a male Nidoran for a female one. In Yellow, you can trade Cubone for a Machoke (Fighting). Catch a Meowth and teach it Pay Day if you want to earn a little extra money in your battles.
This Underground Path has two hidden items in it, but you will need the ItemFinder to get them. It is an X Special and a Full Restore. You can still search every tile really hard for them.
Now you are on Route 6. This is the point of the game where Trainers’ teams start to become a little more independent of one another. Past the Bug Catcher, there are two Jr. Trainers, both a boy and a girl. In Red and Blue the male has a Squirtle, and the female has a Rattata and a Pikachu. In Yellow, the male has a Weepinbell (evolved form of Bellsprout) and a Cubone. The biggest threat in this route is the second Bug Catcher (ironic, considering) with a Butterfree that can inflict a variety of status effects on your team, including confusion. There are n0 hidden items on this route.
Pokemon on Route 6 (not including fishing spots)
The Pokemon on Route 6 and their encounter rates are exactly the same as Route 5.
Welcome to Vermillion City.
This city is bigger, and with the exception of Lavender Town and Cinnabar Island, they only get bigger from here. The house next to the Pokemon Center has a guy who will give you an Old Rod. You can go to any body of water and use it. Unfortunately, an Old Rod will only catch Magikarp. The house next to the Gym is the Pokemon Fan Club; talking to the head honcho will get you a Bike Voucher. If you want, go to Cerulean City now and get your bike or wait until you beat the Gym Leader. The house in the lower section of the city will have an in-game trade. If you caught a Spearow, you can trade it for a Farfetch’d. This is the only way to get Farfetch’d in this game. It is recommended that you get Farfetch’d so you can teach it Cut to avoid wasting a move slot for your Pokemon (then you can put it in the P.C. for whenever you need it). You can now buy Super Potions at the Mart in all versions.
Now we’re going to get Cut, that certain move where a lot of your progress has been barred because you didn’t have it. Go to the South of the city, and enter the S.S. Anne. You would need to visit Bill to get the ticket here.
<h3> Pokemon Yellow Walkthrough: The S.S. Anne and the Diglett Cave HMs </h3>
The S.S. Anne is loaded with trainers, some of which have exotic Pokemon you’ve never seen before.
On the First floor, there is a woman who will heal your Pokemon for free, so there is no need to go back to town until you’re finished here. Check every room for items and trainers; once you get Cut and leave, you can never come back.
The first floor has trainers with Pokemon you’ve seen before, but one Gentlemen has two Growlithe (Fire). He can force a switch with Roar, so watch out. The kitchen on the first floor has a Great Ball in the bottom trash can. The second room from the left has the TM08 Body Slam. Clefairy benefits from having this move and a few other Pokemon do as well.
The basement floor is loaded with Sailors and Fishermen that have Water type teams. In Rooms 2 and 3, you can find an ether and TM44 Rest respectively. Rest heals your Pokemon at the cost of sleep status. The far left room contains a Max Potion, and a Hyper Potion is hidden in the pillow.
The second floor has a Gentleman with a Ponyta (Fire). You can find a Max Ether and a rare candy in the second and third rooms, respectively.
If you go up to the Deck from the second floor, you will fight some Sailors with Tentacool (Water/Poison). Other than those particular trainers, you’ve seen the rest of the Pokemon these trainers have to offer. Some of them even have the same teams. The Yellow version has a few different trainers with different teams, but still nothing new.
Head to the right on the second floor and you will fight Blue for the fourth time.
Blue, Fourth Battle
– Red and Blue Versions
Pidgeotto Lv. 18
Raticate Lv. 16
Kadabra Lv. 18
Starter Lv. 20
– Yellow Version
Spearow Lv. 18
Rattata Lv. 16
Sandshrew Lv. 18
Eevee Lv. 20
Saying this now, the Yellow version team is simply leveled up. That is all. Other than a couple of new moves, the Yellow Version rival teams are mostly a joke until the end of the game. The bigger threat is the Red and Blue Version teams. Kadabra can now use Confusion, and considering how unbalanced the types were in generation 1, anything that is not a high enough level will get destroyed. Your opponent’s starter is now in its second form, and is a much greater threat. If you chose Bulbasaur and did not get a Gyarados or a Geodude (or Ground type), you’re in for a tough battle. You probably have Grass or Electric type that can handle Wartortle, and Ivysaur has plenty of weaknesses to exploit. Counter Blue’s Pokemon types with your own and you should get a victory.
Go further, talk to the captain to get Cut, and make sure you found everything.
Dual Types so far…
1. Water/Poison
a. Resists: Fire, Water, Fighting, and Ice type attacks.
b. Weak: Electric, Ground, Psychic and Bug type attacks.
Once you leave (make sure to heal). Go to Diglett’s Cave north of the harbor and cross it. The only Pokemon found in this cave are Diglett. If you look hard enough, you’ll find its evolved form Dugtrio. Both Diglett and Dugtrio are Ground Types, which will be exceptionally helpful against the Gym Leader if you feel unprepared.
Diglett’s Cave is a shortcut to Route 2. Head south to find an in-game trade. If you can’t evolve Abra into Alakazam, get Mr. Mime. Mr. Mime is indisputably the best alternative Psychic type to Alakazam in this game (Mew and Mewtwo being the exceptions). It can learn Barrier to boost defense. It can use Light Screen to buff the special stat for your entire team and tear opponents apart. Trade Abra for Mr. Mime in Red and Blue, but a Clefairy is required in Yellow.
Go inside the gate. You can get the HM for Flash if you have 10 Pokemon registered in your Pokedex by talking to the Scientist. There is a Moon Stone and an HP Up immediately south of this gate.
You can now go to Pewter City and access the side of the museum that requires Cut. Talk to a scientist to get the Old Amber; the other Fossil display depicted Aerodactyl (the dragon-like one), and that is what the Old Amber will resurrect into once we reach Cinnabar Island. If you go to Viridian, you can get the TM42 Dream Eater. This is great for Pokemon with sleep inducing moves, such as Butterfree and Gengar. Drowzee and Hypno learn it naturally.
Go back to Vermillion, and use Cut to get into Lt. Surge’s Gym.
Note: HMs cannot be forgotten. Use them wisely.
This Gym is pretty simple. The trainers all use Electric types you’ve seen before: Voltorb, Magnemite, and Pikachu (Red and Blue Only). Check the trash cans for switches. The second switch to open the gate is always next to the first one.
Lt. Surge “The Lighting American!”
– Red and Blue Versions
Voltorb Lv. 21
Pikachu Lv. 18
Raichu Lv. 24
– Yellow Version
Raichu Lv. 28
Raichu is Lt. Surge’s trump card in the original Red and Blue games, with Thunderbolt ready to annihilate your team (it has an endgame base power of 90). If you have a Ground type, this move is no threat whatsoever. Electric types are fast and hit hard, but they are unfortunately frail. Dig or Magnitude will make short work of them if you are equal or greater in level. The Yellow Version is a different story. Lt. Surge is actually one of the more threatening Gym Leaders in the Yellow Version, as his Raichu is level 28 AND knows Mega Punch AND Mega Kick. If you are not opening with Geodude or Dugtrio, expect to get sweeped.
When you defeat Lt. Surge, you will get TM24, Thunderbolt. In Yellow, Pikachu naturally learns Thunderbolt, so hold off on that. Any Electric type can make full use of Thunderbolt. You will also get the Thunder Badge.
In Yellow, Talk to the Officer in Vermillion after beating Lt. Surge to get a Squirtle!
Author’s note: The Yellow Version follows the anime, and as such, many of the Gym Leaders (especially your rival) are crippled compared to their Red/Blue counterparts. These Gym Leaders are not much of a challenge as a result. It seems that this walkthrough mostly favors Red/Blue, but keep in mind that the only reason that Yellow exists was to tie people over for the Gold/Silver games. The greatest benefit of the Yellow version, however, is that rarer Pokemon are available in a much easier fashion: for example, the starters. Also, the Yellow Version teams deserve much better praise for its endgame potential, as the Gym Leaders prepare you for more challenges.
The Really Long Trek to Celadon
First, go to the east of town to Route 11. This route doesn’t lead anywhere (yet), but you will need to train your Pokemon a little before you head to the Rock Tunnel. After this, the game truly opens up.
The trainers in this route are unique as many of them carry Pokemon with types similar to your starters (Poliwag, Vulpix, Oddish, etc.) There is also a Youngster with a Nidorino and an Engineer with a powerful Magneton (Electric). This route winds quite a bit, and wild encounters are frequent if you don’t follow the dirt path. The only hidden item to be found is an escape rope on the rock next to the north easternmost Gambler. If you still lack a Psychic or Ground type, you can catch a Sandshrew or a Drowzee here.
Go inside the gate and talk to another one of Professor Oak’s scientists. If you registered 30 Pokemon in your Pokedex, you can get the ItemFinder, which is highly recommended to find hidden items. There is an in-game trade in the gate. For Red and Blue, you can trade a Nidorino for a Nidorina. In Yellow, you can trade a Lickitung (Normal) for a Dugtrio (this trade is a ripoff). You can’t go any farther east as a Snorlax (Normal) is blocking the way.
Pokemon on Route 11
Ekans (Poison) Common – Red Only
Sandshrew (Ground) Common – Blue Only
Spearow – Common – Red and Blue Only
Drowzee (Psychic) Common
Pidgey – Common, Yellow Only
Rattata – Common, Yellow Only
Pidgeotto – Uncommon, Yellow Only
Raticate – Rare, Yellow Only
Head back to Cerulean City, but make sure to stock up on a lot of items in Vermillion because you are in for a long walk/bicycle ride. By the way, get the Bicycle with the Bike Voucher if you haven’t already. Now you can move much faster. If you managed to get the ItemFinder, you can easily find the hidden items in the Underground Path. The area east of Cerulean is now accessible and you will find yourself on Route 9. Route 9 is a long area with a lot of trainers waiting to break your spirit. The last Bug Catcher found in this game has two Beedrill, which is the final form of Weedle. Hikers mostly use Rock types, but keep in mind that they occasionally use Fighting types as well. Make sure to explore the entire route so you can find all of the items within. There is an ether hidden in the rock northwest of the route and in the south of the route is TM30 Teleport. You can catch a Nidorina or Nidorino if you haven’t already. Fearow is easily evolved from Spearow.
Pokemon found on Route 9
Rattata – Common in Red and Blue, Uncommon in Yellow
Spearow – Common in Red and Blue, Uncommon in Yellow
Ekans – Uncommon in Red Only
Sandshrew – Uncommon in Blue Only
Nidoran (Male and Female) – Common in Yellow Only
Nidorina – Rare in Yellow Only
Nidorino – Rare in Yellow Only
Raticate – Rare in Yellow Only
Fearow (Normal/Flying) – Rare in Yellow Only
Once you finish Route 9, you will be on a short land/sea path that will take you to the Rock Tunnel. This is Route 10. Route 10’s sea path is inaccessible right now, and it leads to the Power Plant. If you don’t want to waste a move slot with Flash (cuts accuracy), catch a Voltorb on Route 10 and replace Farfetch’d for a while. Voltorb (Red/Blue) is a blast from the past as it can use Selfdestruct and Explosion. It’s also a fast Electric type if you’re looking for one. In Yellow, Magnemite is also an option for Flash. Many other Pokemon can learn Flash as well. Rock Tunnel is the only instance in the main game that requires Flash to traverse.
Pokemon found on Route 10 (fishing spots not included)
Magnemite – Common in Yellow Only
Voltorb – Common in Red and Blue Only
Spearow – Common in Red and Blue Only
Ekans – Uncommon in Red Only
Sandshrew – Uncommon in Blue Only
Rattata – Uncommon in Yellow Only
Nidoran (Male and Female) Uncommon in Yellow Only
Raticate – Rare in Yellow Only
Machop – Rare in Yellow Only
Note: Machop requires a trade evolution to reach its full potential, like Geodude and Abra. There are better alternatives to Machoke, like Primape (Mankey evolution) and Hitmonlee.
There is a Jr. Trainer next to the entrance of Rock Tunnel. Fight her before you heal your Pokemon at the convenient Pokemon Center next to the entrance.
Rock Tunnel is a dark place. You can get through here without Flash, but unless you know what you are doing, you are in for a painful trek.
Author’s Note: The Rock Tunnel could be compared to the St. Louis Arch: once you cross, the game gets much more open and harder to explore, similar to the Western Frontier. Most of the trainers for the rest of the game will carry much stronger Pokemon and there will be more of them. The game also opens up into a much more expansive and open world (which is sadly not the case of generation 5 and 6), that can bewilder a person into wondering what to do next. Imagine playing this game as a six-year-old: you had no idea where to find the Silph Scope, where the Legendary Birds were located, or the pain of getting Surf and Strength through the Safari Zone. I usually never use first person, but I thought the game was over when I beat the last Gym Leader. It wasn’t until a friend of mine told me there was a group called the Elite 4 that still had to be beat… The shared knowledge of the Pokemon Community is what gives this franchise its undying charm.
Note: Talk to people in the world to figure out what to do next… For instance, the guards in the Route 11 gate would have told you to go through Rock Tunnel.
There is a Super Potion hidden next to the Pokemon Center. Let this help you.
The trainers in Rock Tunnel all use a variety of Pokemon. You will run into a new trainer type, the PokeManiac. These guys use Pokemon like Cubone and Slowpoke, amongst a few others. The rest of the trainers are Hikers and Jr. Trainers. These Hikers have leveled up, as a couple of them are sporting a Graveler on their teams. You will likely see them use Selfdestruct, which is more than enough to wipe out your Pokemon. If you chose Charmander for your journey, expect a tough trip if you do not have a Grass or Fighting type or a Gyarados on your team. Pikachu will be ineffective here, as the Jr. Trainers are using Bellsprout/Oddish combos.
Thankfully, the Rock Tunnel only has two floors like Mt. Moon. There are no items in this cave during generation 1.
Pokemon found in Rock Tunnel
Zubat – Common
Geodude –Common
Machop – Uncommon
Onix – Rare
Once you shuffle through the cave and the trainers, as well as the maze-like corridors, you will still have to fight four more trainers before you reach Lavender Town. There is a hidden Max Ether (or PP Up) in this last stretch of trees.
Spooky, Spooky Ghost Town
This is the original version of the Lavender Town’s music. If you feel uncomfortable, leave the town, because it can cause headaches. There’s no risk of insanity; that’s just a rumor.
Anyways, Great Balls, Burn Heals, Ice Heals, and Super Repels are an option at the Poke Mart now. That include revives. If your team doesn’t have a Fire type, you can get one in the next route. First, explore the town and talk to a few NPCs. You will learn about some of the lore in this town and the antics of Team Rocket. The Name Rater is also here if you want to change the nicknames of any of your Pokemon.
Head into the Pokemon Tower, and to the next floor. Your Rival is here to greet you once again.
Blue, Fifth Battle
– Red and Blue Versions
Pidgeotto Lv. 25
Exeggcute, Gyarados, or Growlithe Lv. 23
Exeggcute, Gyarados, or Growlithe Lv. 22
Kadabra Lv. 20
Starter Lv. 25
– Yellow Version
Fearow Lv. 25
Magnemite, Shellder, or Vulpix Lv. 23
Magnemite, Shellder, or Vulpix Lv. 22
Sandshrew Lv. 20
Eevee Lv. 25
Do everything in your power to OHKO Gyarados. It knows Hydro Pump and Dragon Rage. It will absolutely wreck you if given the chance. Depending on the starter in Red/Blue, and what Blue will evolve Eevee into during Yellow will decide the rest of his team. For example, If he has a Charmeleon, the rest of his team will sport an Exeggcute and a Gyarados. It’s all about type matchups and type balancing at this point. The Yellow team is slightly more formidable but it is not exactly there yet. Watch out for Fearow’s Mirror Move, as it will use the same attack it used against you. Once Eevee evolves, the Yellow team will almost match the Red/Blue team in terms of power.
Dual Types so far…
1. Grass/Psychic (Exeggcute and Exeggutor)
a. Resists: Ground, Electric, Psychic, and Fighting type attacks. Immune to Ghost type attacks.
b. Weak: Fire, Ice, Flying, and Bug x2, and Poison type attacks.
You have a choice now after defeating Blue: Go up the tower and level up or wait until you get a certain item. This walkthrough assumes you’re going through the tower right now.
There are seven floors in the Pokemon Tower, but it’s not as intimidating as it sounds. There is no way you can fight the wild Pokemon in this tower without the Silph Scope. You can fight the trainers, which are Channelers. They only have Gastly and Haunter. Four floors of them.
Type Matchups so far…
1. Ghost: Ghost type attacks are super effective against other Ghost types. They have no effect over Normal and Psychic types. Ghost types resist Poison and Bug types. Fighting and Normal attacks have no effect on them.
Dual Types so far…
1. Ghost/Poison
Resists: Poison x2, Grass. Immune to Fighting and Normal type attacks.
Weak: Ground, Psychic, and Ghost type attacks.
Note: Gastly, Haunter, and Genger are the only Ghost types in the game. And all of them are Ghost/Poison. Considering that there was an error in the type balancing, it is not recommended to use any of them in battle. Haunter requires a trade to evolve. In generation 1, getting Gengar to reach a powerful status is a difficult one. Alakazam is faster and immune to Ghost attacks. Machamp has the benefit of STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus) that actually has types it will work against. Golem can tank and use Earthquake. Since Ghost and Poison attacks are physical in generation 1, Gengar can’t make full use of its attacks with its special stat.
There are no hidden items in the Pokemon Tower. On the third floor there is an escape rope. On the fourth floor, there is an elixir (PP for all moves restored by 10), an awakening, and an HP Up. On the fifth floor, there is a Nugget near the healing spot. On the sixth floor, there is a X Accuracy and a rare candy. You can’t access the seventh floor until you get the Silph Scope.
Pokemon in the Pokemon Tower
Gastly (Ghost/Poison) Common
Haunter (Ghost/Poison) Rare
Cubone (Ground) Uncommon
Cubone’s evolution Marowak is one of the best Ground types in the game.
Get back into Lavender Town and head west to Route 8. Here you can catch your first Fire type, if you so wish. I personally recommend that you skip the trainers here for now, because you might get two or three new Pokemon you want to raise in Celadon City alone. You can fight them later for levels. You will run into trainers who start sporting Grimer more frequently, which is annoying because they can use Minimize to raise their evasion. You need cut to access the patch of grass.
Pokemon found on Route 8
Pidgey – Common
Mankey – Common in Red Only
Meowth – Common in Blue Only
Ekans – Uncommon in Red Only
Growlithe – Uncommon in Red Only
Sandshrew -Uncommon in Blue Only
Vulpix – Uncommon in Blue Only
Abra – Uncommon in Yellow Only
Rattata – Uncommon in Yellow Only
Pidgeotto – Uncommon in Yellow Only
Jigglypuff – Uncommon in Yellow Only
Kadabra – Rare in Yellow Only
Beat the trainers if you want to and head to an Underground Path once again. Use the Item Finder to find a nugget and an Elixir. Now you are on Route 7, which isn’t exactly a route.
Pokemon found in Route 7
Pidgey – Common
Mankey – Common in Red Only
Meowth – Common in Blue Only
Growlithe – Uncommon in Red Only
Vulpix – Uncommon in Blue Only
Abra – Uncommon in Yellow Only
Rattata – Uncommon in Yellow Only
Pidgeotto – Uncommon in Yellow Only
Jigglypuff – Uncommon in Yellow Only
Bellsprout – Common in Blue Only
Oddish – Common in Red Only
The Big City
Immediately upon entering Celadon, you’ll most likely have no idea what to do. Go behind the Pokemon Center and enter a large building from the back (make sure you have an open Pokemon slot), and climb all the way to the top. You now have an Eevee, which you can evolve right away! If you don’t have a Water or Electric type, pick Jolteon. While Vaporeon is excellent, Lapras fills that role better. Avoid Flareon. Pick whichever one you like, though. There are good choices in general, but you can win with any team. Jolteon is a great replacement for Pikachu. Electabuzz in the Kanto Power Plant is also an option. This is the point in the game where you must think about your team more wisely. Butterfree and a couple of others won’t cut it anymore.
Note: The front of this building has the Game Freak department!
Next, go to the Department Store. Buy items to your heart’s content! on Floor 2 there are your standard items and TMs. Buy any TMs that suit your Pokemon’s party. TM17 Submission and TM33 Reflect are the best options. You can get Counter from a man on Floor 3. The best part about the Department Store is Floor 4, where you can buy Poke Dolls and evolutionary stones.
Thunderstone: evolves Pikachu and Eevee
Waterstone: evolves Poliwhirl, Staryu, Shellder, and Eevee
Firestone: evolves Vulpix, Growlithe, and Eevee
Leafstone: evolves Gloom, Weepinbell, and Exeggcute
Dual Types so far… (for Nidoking and Nidoqueen)
1. Poison/Ground
a. Resists: Rock, Fighting, Grass, and Poison x2 attacks. Immune to Electric type attacks.
b. Weak: Water, Ice, Bug, Ground, and Psychic attacks.
Note: Some Pokemon will stop learning moves if you evolve them with a stone. That includes those that evolve with the Moon Stone. Growlithe and Vulpix for instance, learn Flamethrower at level 50 and level 35, respectively.
The next floor is the Drugstore. Ignore it if you aren’t a hardcore player. On the roof, buy a drink, any drink. Don’t use it. Someone is thirsty! Buy them a drink for a TM. Buy Fresh Water if you want the TM for Ice Beam, buy a Soda Pop if you want Rock Slide, and buy a Lemonade if you want Tri Attack. Get Ice Beam, as it will be a helpful move in the endgame. Dodrio will naturally learn Tri Attack, and if you have a Golem or an Aerodactyl later, Rock Slide would be great for them. Just make sure you have a spare drink for later!
There’s a hidden PP Up in a short path above a cuttable bush. This can give some of you new moves a boost. Get the Coin Case from a man in the Restaurant. Explore the city to learn some secrets about it.
The Rocket Game Corner has some good moves and Pokemon to offer. You will be tempted to get a Pokemon here, but unless you’re going for Pokedex completion… hold off, as this game has a limited amount of money available. You can get a Scyther (Red and Yellow) or a Pinsir (Blue and Yellow) if you have enough coins. Dratini can be caught in the Safari Zone, but if you want that Psuedo-Legendary Dragonite early, you can get it here as well. Porygon (Normal) is interesting, but costly.
TMs worth getting here are TM 15 (Hyper Beam) or TM50 (Substitute). They’re quite expensive.
Go to the Gym! Requires Cut. Grind a little bit before you enter.
This is a Grass Gym and there are many trainers. There are no gimmicks. Use Cut, beat the trainers, and face Erika!
Erika “The Nature-Loving Princess”
– Red and Blue Versions
Victreebel Lv. 29
Tangela (Grass) Lv. 24
Vileplume Lv. 29
– Yellow Version
Weepinbell Lv. 32
Tangela Lv. 30
Gloom Lv. 32
Pick your poison. The Red and Blue teams sport fully evolved Pokemon but are at lower levels and have mediocre moves. The Yellow version sports the second stage versions of these Pokemon, but with better moves and at higher levels. Grass types have a lot of weaknesses to exploit, so you should be prepared for this battle as long as you are not underleveled. Erika is a threat with status effects and speed. She is also the first Gym Leader who is likely to switch out Pokemon if things aren’t going her way. The greatest threat is Acid, which cuts defense and makes you more vulnerable. Use the weaknesses of Grass and Grass/Poison types to win.
Beating Erika will award you the Rainbowbadge and TM21 Mega Drain. Teach Mega Drain to a Pokemon you’d like to last longer in battle.
The Pokemon Mafia
Head to the game corner and talk to the Team Rocket member in front of the sign. Press the sign to reveal a staircase. Now’s your time to head into the Rocket Hideout to get the Silph Scope. There are four floors of the hideout. The first thing you will notice about the hideout are the tiles that carry you to different places. You cannot control your movement on these tiles. Pay close attention to the direction of the tiles and where they lead. This base only contains Team Rocket members, so having potions and antidotes will benefit you.
Some great items are found in this area of the game.
B1 has a PP Up hidden in a plant, and an escape rope. A hyper potion is found from a B2 exit. B2 has a nugget and a Moon Stone. There is also a TM07 Horn Drill and a super potion. B3 has a nugget, TM10 Double-Edge, and a rare candy. B4 contains an HP Up and TM02 Razor Wind.
Your main priority finding the Lift Key to access the last floor and the main room. Team Rocket’s hideout appears to be a labyrinth, but careful planning before stepping on the spin tiles will lead you there easily. If you have a habit of skipping trainers, you’re in for a bad time as one of the grunts (on the fourth floor). See, one of the gimmicks of the Rocket Hideout is that there are actually two sections. You have to access all of the floors to find the Lift Key. There are actually two elevators: the bottom elevator will lead you where to need to go. Once you get inside the main hall of B4, you can fight Giovannni. If you are playing Yellow, you will fight the anime Team Rocket first. Their Pokemon are at level 25.
Rocket Boss Giovanni
– Red and Blue
Onix Lv. 25
Rhyhorn (Rock/Ground) Lv. 24
Kangaskhan (Normal) Lv. 29
– Yellow
Onix Lv. 25
Rhyhorn Lv. 24
Persian (Normal) Lv. 29
Kangaskhan is the real threat on Giovanni’s team. Persian is the Yellow Version’s equivalent, and it’s almost formidable. You’ll most likely sweep Onix and Rhyhorn, but Persian is fast and Kangaskhan is powerful. Grab the Silph Scope once you defeat him.
You should be able to get into Saffron City from Route 7 now with the drink you bought at the Department Store. You can enter from any direction.
Points of interest in Saffron include the Copycat’s house in the northwest of town. She will teach you Mimic. In the southeast of town, Mr. Psychic will give you TM29 Psychic, one of the most powerful moves in the game. You can buy Max Repels and Hyper Potions at the Poke Mart. Go to the Fighting Dojo in the northeast of town and challenge the Black Belts there. Now you can choose a Fighting type, Hitmonlee or Hitmonchan. Before the Physical/Special attack split in generation 4, it is unwise to pick Hitmonchan for his elemental punches since he only has a (way) below average Special stat. If you want it for punching in generation 1, you’re out of luck. The best moves it can learn are Body Slam, Submission, and Counter. Hitmonlee is the better choice because it has access to High Jump Kick and Body Slam, and overall better STAB moves. You cannot access the Silph Co. or Saffron’s Gym yet.
Head back to the Pokemon Tower in Lavender Town. Climb the seven floors and defeat Team Rocket there. The trio in Yellow has Arbok, Weezing, and Meowth at level 27. This will rescue Mr. Fuji. Now you have the Poke Flute, which can wake up Snorlax.
Note: The game really opens up here. You have three choices: go back to Saffron and free the Silph Co. from Team Rocket’s hostage situation, so you can challenge the Gym Leader. Or you can go to Fuchsia via two routes: Route 12 or Route 16. This game assumes you’re going to Fuchsia through Route 16 (west of Celadon).
If you want a powerful Normal type, Chansey, Snorlax, or Tauros are your best bet. You can catch a Snorlax here (you’ve got two chances, the other one is on Route 12) and have a powerful ally on your team.
Go north and use cut and take the above gate to access a house. A girl will give you Fly. Now you can travel to any town you’ve visited, as long as you have a Flying type. Charizard can’t learn it, and neither can Bug/Flying types. Doduo and Dodrio can learn it… With Tri Attack, Dodrio is one of the best Pokemon in the game as well.
Pokemon found on Route 16
Snorlax (Normal) Only 1
Spearow – Uncommon in Yellow, Common in Red and Blue
Rattata – Uncommon in Yellow, Common in Red and Blue
Doduo (Normal/Flying) Common in Yellow, Uncommon in Red and Blue
Raticate – Rare
Fearow – Rare in Yellow Only
Go through the bottom gate to get to Route 17. There are many Bikers here. They mostly use Fighting and Poison types, so antidotes will be very helpful to you. This is a downhill slope and you can only ride your bicycle. Riding up is hard.
There are items on this route, but they are all hidden. A rare candy is hidden in the patch of grass. A Full Restore is on the center bridge. A Max Revive is near where the center bridge and west segment connects. A PP Up is on the east bridge. A Max Elixir is near the southern body of water. Use the ItemFinder to get all of the specific locations. Hold down B to stop on your Bicycle.
Pokemon found on Route 17 (not including fishing spots)
Spearow – Common in Red and Blue
Raticate – Common in Red and Blue
Doduo – Uncommon in Red and Blue, Common in Yellow
Fearow – Rare in Red and Blue, Uncommon in Yellow
Ponyta (Fire) – Uncommon in Yellow Only
Dodrio (Normal/Flying) – Rare in Yellow Only
Route 18 is short with three Bird Keepers in it. Flying type Pokemon are here. In the gate, you can trade a Slowbro for a Lickitung (Red and Blue) or a Tangela for a Parasect (Yellow).
Pokemon found on Route 18 (not including fishing spots)
Spearow – Uncommon in Yellow, Common in Red and Blue
Doduo – Common in Yellow, Uncommon in Red and Blue
Raticate – Uncommon in Red and Blue, Rare in Yellow
Fearow – Uncommon in Red and Blue, Rare in Yellow
Rattata – Uncommon in Yellow Only
Congratulations on making it to Fuchsia. The Poke Mart sells Ultra Balls and Full Heals. They are pretty much all you need to complete the game besides revives and hyper potions. Ethers and elixirs help, too. Go to the house with the fisherman (there’s a lake behind it) and get the Good Rod.
Pokemon that can be caught with the Good Rod
Poliwag (Water) Most, if not all areas
Goldeen (Water) Most, if not all areas
The next house to the left is the residence the warden. You cannot understand him yet. Travel around the zoo and get to the Safari Zone. You got 500 steps and 30 Safari Balls to get to the Secret House to get Surf, and you must find the Warden’s Teeth to get Strength. The Gold Teeth are in area 3; read the signs to know which area you are in upon entering an area. you can’t miss the Secret House in area 3. Talk to the guy in it to get Surf.
Pokemon found in the Safari Zone (not including fishing spots, but Dratini and Dragonair can be found with the Super Rod near the Entrance of the Safari Zone)
– Author’s Note: So many Pokemon, so little time. The closer you get to the Secret House, the more likely you will find the rare Pokemon: Scyther, Pinsir, Venomoth, Parasect, Kangaskhan, and Tauros. Chansey is all up to chance.
Nidoran (Male) Red Only
Nidoran (Female) Blue Only
Nidorino Red Only
Nidorina Blue Only
Venonat
Venomoth
Paras
Parasect
Exeggcute
Rhyhorn
Scyther (Red Only)
Pinsir (Blue Only)
Kangaskhan
Tauros
Cubone (Yellow Only)
Marowak (Yellow Only)
Tangela (Yellow Only)
Chansey – 1% Encounter rate
Items in the Safari Zone
-Entrance
Nugget
– Area 1
Carbos
TM37 Egg Bomb
Max Potion
Full Restore
– Area 2
TM40 Skull Bash
Protein
– Area 3
Max Revive
Max Potion
Revive (hidden near the secret house)
TM32 Double Team
Type Matchups so far…
1. Dragon: attacks are super-effective against other Dragon types. Dragons types resist Fire, Water, Grass, and Electric type attacks. They are weak against Dragon and Ice type attacks.
a. The Dragon weakness to Dragon is pointless. The only Dragon type move in the game is Dragon Rage, and it always does 40 HP damage.
Dual Types so far…
1. Fire/Flying
a. Resists: Grass x2, Fighting, and Bug x2 attacks. Immune to Ground attacks.
b. Weak: Ice, Rock x2, Electric, Water attacks.
Once you grab Surf and the Gold Teeth, go to the Warden’s house and get Strength. Move the boulder for a rare candy.
Head into Fuchsia Gym. The trainers there strangely sport Ground and Psychic types on top of Poison types. You will be poison. Play close attention to the game’s screen to find the cracks in the invisible walls to reach Koga.
Koga “The Poisonous Ninja Master!”
– Red and Blue
Koffing Lv. 37
Koffing Lv. 37
Muk Lv. 39
Weezing Lv. 43
– Yellow
Venonat Lv. 44
Venonat Lv. 46
Venonat Lv. 48
Venomoth Lv. 50
Neither of these teams are impressive. By now, you should sport a team of at least four or five fully evolved Pokemon including your starter(s). The Yellow team can poison, put asleep or confuse your Pokemon, but what’s the point? You are most likely using a Charizard that will burn all of them to the ground (maybe not Venomoth, it is level 50 after all). The Red and Blue team is almost as bad. Only Weezing knows Toxic, and it’s likely going to blow itself up with Selfdestruct, so don’t be intimidated by its level. Muk can evade, but a fast Psychic type (Mew, Alakazam, or Mr. Mime) can hit it. If you are at an impressive level with a Ground type, use Earthquake.
You get the Soulbadge and TM06 Toxic (which badly poisons an enemy Pokemon. It’s much worse than regular poison if set up right). Teach Toxic to Venusaur or a Grass type with Leech Seed right away.
The Time Consuming Trek to Saffron City
This may take 2-4 hours of your game time. All of these routes are long, winding, and full of trainers. Running into Pokemon on all these routes are optional, but some great Pokemon are here, and you are likely to find any one of them on these routes as there is a lot of overlap in the encounter rates.
Go west of Fuchsia onto Route 15. Beauties are trainers on this Route that pay you a lot of money for beating them. You will remember fighting them in the Celadon Gym. Bikers, Jr. Trainers, and Bird Keepers are here. If you managed to collect 50 Pokemon by now, you can get Exp. All, which affects all Pokemon in your party. This is great for leveling up any Pokemon in your party. You must have a full party as late as Cinnabar Island. Any later and your Pokemon (at least the ones you caught) will be too weak for the endgame. There is a TM20 Rage in the northern segment of the route, but it is not worth using this late in the game. If you want some novelty in your game, catch a Ditto. It can Transform into any Pokemon you put it up against. Route 14 is northeast of Route 15 and serves as an extension of the route, containing a few Bikers. There are no items on Route 14.
Pokemon found on Route 15, 14, 13, 12 (fishing spots not included)
Oddish – Common in Red and Yellow Only
Bellsprout – Common in Blue and Yellow Only
Venonat – Uncommon
Ditto (Normal) – Uncommon in Red and Blue Only (Routes 15 and 13 Only)
Pidgey – Uncommon (Routes 15 and 14Only)
Pidgeotto – Rare
Gloom – Rare in Red and Yellow Only
Weepinbell – Rare in Blue and Yellow Only
Venomoth – Super Rare in Yellow Only (Routes 15 and 14 Only)
Farfetch’d – Rare (Route 13 an 12 Only)
Author’s note: Four routes in one section for Pokemon may seem rough, but there was a lot of overlap. In FireRed and Leafgreen, where the Pokemon distribution is sparse in comparison, all these routes had the same Pokemon and encounter rates.
On Route 13, you will see a maze of gates and a variety if trainers waiting to ambush you. A good deal of them are easily defeated, and some of them pay you well. There are two hidden items: a Calcium and a PP Up, both hidden in two different gaps along the southern fence. Now will head to Route 12 and the Silence Bridge.
Route 12 is South of Lavender Town. Items found on this route are an Iron that requires Cut to reach, a TM16 for Pay Day on an island that requires Surf, a hyper potion hidden where the Snorlax is, and a TM39 Swift (it never misses) from a girl in the Lavender Town gate to the north. This route contains only Fishermen, and a guy who uses Electric types. Go into the house on the Silence Bridge. He will give you the best fishing rod in the game: The Super Rod! You have another chance to catch Snorlax, by the way. Make sure you have the Poke Flute.
Pokemon found with the Super Rod
Tentacool (Water/Poison) – Most, if not all areas
Tentacruel – Rare in Sea Routes 19, 20, and 21
Goldeen – Most, if not all areas
Krabby – Most, if not all areas
Kingler -Rare in Route 10 and Seafoam Islands (Yellow Only), Rare in Route 23 (Red and Blue)
Psyduck – Commonly found in Freshwater areas
Poliwhirl – Uncommon in Freshwater areas
Slowpoke – Route 10 Only, better found by Surfing on Route 12
Slowbro – Common in Route 23 (Red and Blue Only)
Horsea – Common to Uncommon in Sea Routes
Seadra – Uncommon to Rare in Sea Routes, Yellow Only; Common in Route 23 (Red and Blue)
Seaking – Rare in Freshwater areas, Yellow Only; Common in Route 23 (Red and Blue Only)
Staryu – Common in Routes 19, 20, and 21
Shellder – Common in Routes 19, 20, and 21
Magikarp – Uncommon to Rare in most places (close to leveling up to Gyarados, though)
Pokemon found by using Surf
Tentacool – Pretty much all you’ll run into
Psyduck – Common in Route 6 (Yellow Only)
Golduck – Rare in Route 6 (Yellow Only)
Slowpoke – Common in Route 12 (Yellow Only)
Slowbro – Rare in Route 12 (Yellow Only)
With Surf, you can get the TMs 42 (Dream Eater) and 41 (Softboiled) in Viridian and Celadon, respectively. If you got a Poliwhirl, you can trade it for Jynx in Cerulean City.
Type Matchups so far…
1. Ice: attacks are effective against Grass, Ground, Flying, and Dragon types. They are not very effective against other Ice types and water types. Ice types resists Ice type attacks. Ice types are weak against Fire, Fighting, and Rock type attacks.
Dual Types so far… (also assuming you have a Lapras, Dewgong, or Cloyster)
1. Ice/Psychic
a. Resists: Psychic and Ice type attacks. Immune to Ghost type attacks.
b. Weak: Rock, Fire, and Bug type attacks.
2. Water/Ice
a. Resists: Ice x2 and Water types attacks.
b. Weak: Fighting, Rock, Electric, and Grass type attacks.
The Legendary Birds Trio (Part 1)
Go to Route 10, and pack as many Ultra Balls as you need. Take the northern water section via surfing above the Rock Tunnel entrance (between Cerulean and the Rock Tunnel). Go down south by surfing and you will eventually reach the Kanto Power Plant. It is abandoned, but filled with many items. There is a hidden PP Up next to Zapdos, and a hidden Max Elixir in between two fake items (a Voltorb and an Electrode). Watch out for these fake items, as they are occupied by Pokemon that like to use Selfdestruct. Six of these fake items are Voltorbs, and two are Electrodes.
Items found in the Power Plant are a Carbos, Rare Candy, and an HP Up. Two TMs are also found here: TM33 Reflect, and TM25 Thunder. Reflect boosts defense for the whole team and Thunder will another great endgame move with a base power of 120. It misses quite a bit, though. Thunderbolt is a safer bet.
Pokemon found in the Power Plant
Pikachu – Uncommon in Red and Blue Only
Voltorb – Common
Magnemite – Common
Grimer – Uncommon in Yellow Only
Magneton – Uncommon
Electabuzz – Rare in Red Only
Raichu – Rare in Blue Only
Muk – Rare in Yellow Only
Catching Zapdos requires patience. Remember to save before fighting any Legendaries, or attempting to capture them. If you got the Master Ball, don’t waste it on any of the three birds. Persistence is the best option if you want to get all three of them. Use Paralysis or Sleep and lower Zapdos’s HP as low as possible. Chuck Ultra Balls at it until you finally have it.
Legendary Bird Types
1. Articuno (Ice/Flying)
a. Resists: Bug and Grass type attacks. Immune to Ground type attacks.
b. Weak: Rock x2, Fire, and Electric type attacks.
2. Zapdos (Electric/Flying)
a. Resists: Bug and Grass type attacks. Immune to Ground type attacks.
b. Weak: Rock and Ice type attacks.
3. Moltres (Fire/Flying) Same type as Charizard.
Free the Silph Co.!
Head to Saffron City and into the Silph Co. It is held under hostage. The best thing to do is to head to the 5th floor from the elevator and go to the southernmost teleporter next to a Team Rocket member. Wherever you end up, go back the way you came and head right. That is the Card Key! Now you can enter any locked room you want. If you want to scale this place from bottom to top, immediately go back to the second floor and climb up from there using the stairs. Open every door and get every item, but don’t go through any teleporters. Fight every Team Rocket member there to boost the levels of your Pokemon. The next Gym Battle and the rest of the game require it to succeed. Pack Antidotes and Full Heals and a lot of Hyper Potions. Once you scale the building, the center teleporter on the 3rd floor will take you where you need to go. There is a Nurse on the 9th floor that will heal your Pokemon.
Items in the Silph Co.
– 2nd Floor
TM36 Selfdestruct (given to you by a woman)
– 3rd Floor
Hyper Potion
-4th Floor
Full Heal
Max Revive
Escape Rope
– 5th Floor
Protein
TM09 Take Down
Elixir (in a plant next to the Juggler)
– 6th Floor
HP Up
X Accuracy
– 7th Floor
TM03 Swords Dance (Use this for a Physical Pokemon immediately)
Calcium
– 9th Floor
Max Potion (in the bed to the right of the nurse)
– 10th Floor
Carbos
Rare Candy
TM26 Earthquake (Use this for a Ground type or Physical Pokemon immediately)
Once you take the center teleporter on the 3rd floor you will reach a room where you fight your rival once again.
Blue, Sixth Battle
– Red and Blue Versions
Pidgeot Lv. 37
Exeggcute, Gyarados, or Growlithe Lv. 38
Exeggcute, Gyarados, or Growlithe Lv. 35
Alakazam Lv. 35
Starter Lv. 40
– Yellow Version
Sandslash Lv. 38
Magneton, Ninetales, or Cloyster Lv. 35
Magneton, Ninetales, or Cloyster Lv. 37
Kadabra Lv. 35
Starter Lv. 40
The Yellow Version team is now threatening, if not more so in this particular instance. You should be able to figure out your Rival’s strategy by now in Red and Blue. Alakazam and Charizard are great threats, but Gyarados (assuming you don’t sweep him) could devastate you with Hydro Pump. In the Yellow Version, Jolteon is the greatest threat (ignore Flareon). Jolteon has a devastating critical hit rate, and it is fast. It knows Pin Missile, which was the bane of Psychic types, and if one shot is a critical, then all of them are. The same could be said for Double Kick.
Get the Lapras from the NPC if you need a Water Type and head to the next teleporter. A Dragon type like Dratini or Dragonair can learn Surf. Yellow players will fight the Team Rocket Trio for the last time. They have a level 31 Weezing, Arbok, and Meowth.
Now fight Giovanni again.
Rocket Boss Giovanni
– Red and Blue Versions
Nidorino Lv. 37
Rhyhorn Lv. 37
Kangaskhan Lv. 35
Nidoqueen Lv. 41
– Yellow
Nidorino Lv. 37
Rhyhorn Lv. 37
Persian Lv. 35
Nidoqueen Lv. 41
At first glance, it seems that the three versions have similar teams with the exception of the strong Kangaskhan being replaced with the faster Persian. The Giovanni in Yellow has a much more powerful team, because these Pokemon know more powerful moves. You will get hit with a variety of status effects on top of heavier attacks like Body Slam and Double Kick. Persian can make your Pokemon flinch. and Nidorino can boost its critical hit rate with Focus Energy.
Get the Master Ball after defeating Giovanni; if you’re not going after Mewtwo after beating the game, use it how you please. It will catch any Pokemon without fail.
Now go to Saffron Gym. You will fight Psychic and Ghost types there. Here are the teleporter patterns to get to Sabrina.
Fight Sabrina, and players must prepare for the hardest Gym Battle in the game.
Sabrina “The Master of Psychic Type Pokemon!”
– Red and Blue
Kadabra Lv. 38
Mr. Mime Lv. 37
Venomoth Lv. 38
Kadabra Lv. 43
– Yellow
Abra Lv. 50
Kadabra Lv. 50
Alakazam Lv. 50
The Yellow team looks like a sick joke, and might be considering that Alakazam is the only threat if you match her in level. But keep in mind that these are level 50 Pokemon that know Psychic. The lower level Red and Blue teams are still a great threat, too. There is no easy way to beat Psychic types in generation 1. Jolteon with Pin Missile is a good strategy. Having a heavy hitter that can shamble Sabrina’s defenses while maintaining your own is another (Lapras, Chansey, Tauros, and Snorlax) are best for this. If you can beat her, great. If you consistently struggle, you’ll have to grind the old fashioned way. The Seafoam Islands in Route 20 can help you.
Beating Sabrina will get you the Marshbadge and TM46 Psywave. It deals varying damage based on level. It’s okay to use if you lack a good Psychic type move, but Psychic (which is in Saffron) is much better.
To The Sea
Head back to Fuchsia and travel south of the city. Make sure you have Surf and Strength. You will get your first taste of the sea. While there apparently of lot of sea in the Pokemon world, there are actually only three routes in the game that are sea based. It doesn’t necessarily feel like the sea because the trainers there are Swimmers and Fishermen which use Water type Pokemon (which you can find on this route). So you can guess that you are on shallow water, and you simply can’t swim. The real thing on Route 20, which is west of Route 19 from Fuchsia, is the Seafoam Islands. This is not required (as most second half routes are) to complete the game, but this is where you can catch Articuno. Some rare Pokemon are also found here.
Pokemon found in the Seafoam Islands
Seel (Water) Common in Red and Blue Only
Slowpoke – Uncommon to Rare
Horsea – Uncommon in Red Only
Krabby – Uncommon in Red and Yellow Only
Shellder – Uncommon in Red Only
Staryu – Uncommon in Blue Only
Zubat – Common in Yellow, Uncommon in Red and Blue
Psyduck – Uncommon to Rare
Golbat – Rare
Golduck (Water) – Super Rare in Red only
Slowbro – Super Rare in Blue Only
Dewgong (Water/Ice) – Rare to Super Rare
Seadra – Rare in Red Only
Kingler – Rare in Blue and Yellow Only
Note: The encounter rates vary with each floor. While Psyduck and Golduck can use Psychic attacks, they are both pure Water types: Slowbro and Starmie are better options.
You need to go to the highest levels and drop boulders down the holes to block the water current on the lower levels. This will allow you to leave on the other side and access Articuno. It will reset if you leave. Use your Pokemon catching strategies to get it.
There are three hidden items in the Seafoam Islands. It is much easier to use the Itemfinder to get them. They are all on a rock of some sort.
B2 – Nugget
B3 – Max Elixir
B4 – Ultra Ball (will help with Articuno)
Once you’ve finished your business, go west through the other entrance and head to Cinnabar Island. The items here are the same as other places. Go to the Pokemon Lab and you will see three in-game trades in the lobby. The Yellow version has a GREAT choice in Rhydon.
– Red and Blue
Trade Ponyta for Seel
Trade Raichu for Electrode
Trade Venonat for Tanglea
– Yellow
Trade Growlithe for Dewgong
Trade Kangaskhan for Muk
Trade Golduck for Rhydon
Note: Tangela is the only pure Grass type in the game. It’s in the grass on Route 21; the only other Pokemon there are Pidgey, Rattata, Pidgeotto, and Raticate. Tangela has an uncommon encounter rate.
Now you can get Aerodactyl, Omanyte, and/or Kabuto. Go to the room on the far right. It’s not instant. You’ll need to get through the Pokemon Mansion or the Gym first.
Dual Types so far…
1. Rock/Water
Resists: Normal, Fire x2, Flying, Ice
Weak: Grass x2, Fighting, Electric, Ground
2. Rock/Flying
Resists: Normal, Fire, Flying. Immune to Ground
Weak: Electric, Rock.
3. Water/Fighting (for Poliwrath)
Resists: Rock, Bug, Water, and Ice type moves.
Weak: Psychic, Electric, Grass, and Flying moves.
Go to the Pokemon Mansion. This is your last chance to get a reasonably leveled team before the end of the game. You also need to find the Secret Key to access the Gym Leader. The Burglars, Scientists, and Super Nerds use Fire, Poison, and Electric types. Collect the various items in the area by flipping switches. Fall down a chasm on the 3rd Floor to access the basement where the key is.
Items in the Pokemon Mansion
– 1st Floor
Moon Stone (hidden in a pillar)
Escape Rope
Carbos
– 2nd Floor
Calcium
– 3rd Floor
Max Potion
Max Revive (hidden next to the Max Potion)
Iron
– B1 Floor
Rare Candy x2 (second one hidden in a plant)
TM22 Solarbeam
Full Restore
TM14 Blizzard
The secret key is in the B1. Go to Blaine’s Gym once you finish your business here. Check the Journals to learn the history of Mew and Mewtwo.
Pokemon found in the Pokemon Mansion
Ponyta – Common
Koffing – Common in Red, Rare in Blue
Grimer – Rare in Red, Common in Blue and Yellow
Weezing – Rare
Muk – Rare
Rattata – Common in Yellow
Raticate – Common in Yellow
Growlithe – Uncommon in Red and Yellow Only
Vulpix – Uncommon in Blue Only
Magmar – Rare in Blue Only
Ditto (B1) Uncommon in Yellow Only
Now go fight Blaine. You’re so close to the end of the game! By the way, the answers to his quiz are Yes, No, No, No, Yes, No. You should fight trainers for experience and money.
Blaine “The Hot-Headed Quiz Master!”
– Red and Blue Versions
Growlithe Lv. 42
Ponyta Lv. 40
Rapidash Lv. 42
Arcanine Lv. 47
– Yellow Version
NInetales Lv. 48
Rapidash Lv. 50
Arcanine lv. 54
Fire Spin will give you nightmares (you can’t move in generation 1). Fire types are frail, so if you have a Starmie with Surf or Blastoise with Hydro Pump, this is your best chance. Blastoise can tank the Fire Blasts but Starmie can deal much better damage and is faster. A fast Ground type with Earthquake and a Golem or Aerodactyl with Rock Slide can make short work of his Pokemon. Arcanine’s species name is the “Legendary Pokemon,” and it is well deserved. Much like Raichu and Alakazam from previous Gyms, this guy can sweep, and much better, too. Accuracy is somewhat affected by Speed and Arcanine is fast. Fire Spin and Fire Blast are a combination you don’t want to get hit with.
Beat Blaine, and you get the Volcanobadge and TM38 Fire Blast.
Go to Viridian, the first real city in the game through Route 21 and Pallet Town. You will fight Cooltrainers, Black Belts, and Tamers with Ground types and powerful Normal types. You should be able to guess who the leader is when you see the pattern of the puzzle.
Giovanni “The World’s Greatest Trainer!”
– Red and Blue
Rhyhorn Lv. 45
Dugtrio Lv. 42
Nidoqueen Lv. 44
Nidoking Lv. 45
Rhydon Lv. 50
– Yellow
Dugtrio Lv. 50
Persian Lv. 53
Nidoqueen Lv. 54
Nidoking Lv. 55
Rhydon lv. 55
You should be well-versed in dealing with Ground types now. Watch out for both Earthquake and Fissure (Sadly Fissure will be useless to you) if you are underleveled. Despite having a primarily Ground team, Giovanni compensates for his weaknesses better than the Elite Four does occasionally. Giovanni is at his toughest here, as he is sporting his strongest Pokemon. Nidoking and Nidoqueen are his greatest threats. It is unlikely that Rhydon poses any threat with his double weaknesses , and you definitely should have at least a Water type in your party.
Beat Giovanni and get the Earthbadge and TM27 Fissure (It’s useless). Now go to Route 22, where you fought your Rival for the second time. Now you will fight him again.
Blue, Seventh Battle
– Red and Blue
Pidgeot Lv. 47
Rhyhorn Lv. 45
Exeggcute, Growlithe, or Gyarados Lv. 45
Exeggcute, Growlithe, or Gyarados Lv. 45
Alakazam Lv. 50
Starter Lv. 53
– Yellow
Sandslash Lv. 47
Kadabra Lv. 50
Exeggcute Lv. 45
Magneton, Ninetales, or Cloyster Lv. 45
Magneton, Ninetales, or Cloyster Lv. 47
Starter Lv. 53
Match his types to win (he now has much more powerful moves) and head for Victory Road on Route 23 after you heal. You must have all 8 Gym Badges. Route 23 has Pokemon you’ve seen before, but if you’re playing Yellow and need another Pokemon, catch aPrimape here. A Full Restore, Max Ether, and Ultra Ball are hidden on the route. You know what to do.
Victory Road
This place has Cooltrainers with Starters and balanced teams, much like your rival. Tamers and Jugglers are here as well. The best thing to do is to fight all of these trainers for those last few precious levels. To get through Victory Road, you must utilize Strength and press switches with them to reveal the path. Leaving will reset everything.
The only two items are a Rare Candy and Tm43 Sky Attack on the first floor. Enter the cave and leave to get both. Sky Attack is fairly powerful, but requires a turn.
The second floor contains TM05 Mega Kick, a Full Restore hidden on a rock, a Full Heal, a Guard Spec., an Ultra Ball hidden on a rock, and TM17 Submission, which is a great move.
You will find a Max Revive and TM47 Explosion on the third floor.
Press the switches to get through the cave. You will also need to push boulders down holes like you did in the Seafoam Islands. On the second floor next to the Super Nerd, you can catch Moltres. If you screw up and get a boulder stuck, you need to use an Escape Rope.
Pokemon found in Victory Road
Onix – Common to Uncommon
Machop – Uncommon in Red and Blue Only
Geodude – Common to Uncommon
Zubat – Uncommon
Golbat – Uncommon to Rare
Machoke – Rare
Marowak – Rare
Graveler – Uncommon to Rare
Welcome to Indigo Plateau! Buy everything you need and grind. Get Dragonair up to level 55 if you have one.
Dual Types so far…
1. Dragon/Flying
Resists: Grass x2, Water, Fire, Bug, Fighting. Immune to Ground.
Weak: Rock, Dragon, and Ice x2.
The Elite Four
This is the opportunity to take everything you’ve learned so far and apply it in battle. The Elite Four will behave like humans and withdraw. They also use two Full Restores each, but only if they have a status effect or in the red. Base 90 attacks compared to base 120 attacks are better in this regard if you can’t sweep them.
Lorelei
Dewgong Lv. 54
Cloyster Lv. 53
Slowbro Lv. 54
Jynx Lv. 56
Lapras Lv. 56
Lorelei is no joke. While the guide did suggest to level to Dragonite, using it is suicide. Lorelei has a massive disadvantage against Electric types, as four of her Pokemon are weak to it. If you have an Electabuzz or a Jolteon, you can sweep her. The biggest threat is getting frozen. If you get frozen, there’s little way out unless you have Ice Heals and Full Heals, and that costs a turn. You are also under risk of getting confused.
Bruno
Onix Lv. 53
Onix Lv. 56
HItmonchan Lv. 55
Hitmonlee Lv. 55
Machamp Lv. 58
A Psychic type, a Water type, or a Flying type can make short work of Bruno. He is the easiest of the Elite Four since the Fighting type is not that good until generation 2. Onix is easy, but don’t be caught unprepared by a Rock Slide or an Earthquake. Hitmonchan may not deal a lot of damage with his elemental punches, but it covers his type disadvantages. Machamp has power, but you can outspeed him. Hitmonlee’s Hi Jump Kick is his greatest threat, but a good Fly will render that useless. Exeggcutor can even tank it with Softboiled.
Agatha
Gengar Lv. 56
Golbat Lv. 56
Haunter Lv. 55
Arbok Lv. 58
Gengar Lv. 60
If you have a fast and powerful Psychic type, congratulations! This fight is easy peasy. But if not, you are facing a variety of status effects such as sleep, poison, confusion, and paralysis. Sleep is the one you need to worry about. She will reinforce her health with Dream Eater, and if you manage to get the jump on her, prepare to be confused. Gengar is fast; really, really fast. You are most likely not going to get the first hit on her. Essentially you might have to rely on chance that Hypnosis or Supersonic misses. The first Gengar pales in comparison to the second one, as it doesn’t have such powerful moves.
Lance
Gyarados Lv. 58
Dragonair Lv. 56
Dragonair Lv. 56
Aerodactyl Lv. 60
Dragonite Lv. 62
Throw out all of you powerful moves to defeat Lance. If you have Blizzard and Ice Beam, use it on Dragonair and Dragonite to sweep them. Dragon types have amazing stats and move pools, while Gyarados and Aerodactyl have more obvious weaknesses to exploit. Dragonite in Red/Blue will buff itself. The Yellow Version sports Thunder, Blizzard, Fire Blast and Hyper Beam. Ouch.
Blue, Final Battle
– Red and Blue
Pidgeot Lv. 61
Rhydon Lv. 61
Exeggcutor, Arcanine, or Gyarados Lv. 61
Exeggcutor, Arcanine, or Gyarados Lv. 63
Alakazam Lv. 59
Starter Lv. 65
– Yellow
Sandslash Lv. 61
Alakazam Lv. 59
Exeggcutor Lv. 61
Magneton, Ninetales, or Cloyster Lv. 61
Magneton, Ninetales, or Cloyster Lv. 63
Starter Lv. 65
This is the final boss. Unlike the other Elite Four members, you can abuse the type matchup system a little better because you are used to fighting your rival. This is where his Yellow team is better than his Red/Blue team (assuming he’s not using Flareon). This match could be your hardest battle or he will be a complete pushover, depending on how you’ve handled him before.
Enjoy your victory.
Once you beat the game, you can head to Cerulean Cave from the river on Route 24. The best items are in this cave. Some great Pokemon are in here, too: like Chansey, Rhydon, Raichu (amongst a few others) but you are most likely here for Mewtwo. Chuck your Master Ball at it, and sweep the Elite Four. Sadly, you can’t use it in multiplayer unless you have a great mod.
Author’s note: I hope you enjoyed your experience.