Pokémon Red Version (Game Boy) — Complete Kanto Walkthrough (Original USA / Europe Game Boy release)

1. Start the game and check the basic controls

At the title screen, press A or Start and choose New Game. Professor Oak introduces the Kanto region, then asks for your character's name. Select a preset name or choose New Name and enter a custom name. The original Game Boy version allows a custom name of up to seven characters. Oak next asks for the name of his grandson, who becomes your rival. Choose a name that will be easy to recognize during battle messages.

You begin in your bedroom on the second floor of your house. On the original Game Boy, use the Control Pad to move and move the cursor through menus. Press A to talk to people, inspect objects and confirm commands. Press B to cancel a selection or leave a menu. Press Start to open the main menu, which contains your party, Bag, Pokédex, trainer information, Options and Save commands.

Before leaving the room, examine the PC in the corner. Choose Withdraw Item and take the Potion stored there. This is the intended early healing item and is especially useful during the first rival battle. Do not confuse it with a Potion lying on Route 1; in the original Red Version, the opening Potion comes from your bedroom PC.

• Name your character.
• Name your rival.
• Withdraw the Potion from the bedroom PC.
• Open the Start menu and locate Save.

2. Leave home and trigger Professor Oak's introduction

Walk downstairs and speak with your mother if you want to confirm the opening objective. Leave the house through the mat along the south wall, then walk north toward the tall grass at the top of Pallet Town. You cannot cross the grass normally at this point. When you try, Professor Oak appears and stops you because you do not yet have a Pokémon.

Follow Oak back to his laboratory. Your rival is already there, and three Poké Balls are waiting on the table. The available Level 5 starters are Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle. Select one by standing in front of its Poké Ball and pressing A, then confirm the choice when Oak asks.

• Walk toward the north grass so Oak appears.
• Follow Oak to his laboratory.
• Choose one Level 5 starter.

3. Choose a starter with the early Gyms in mind

Bulbasaur is the smoothest choice for the opening portion because Grass attacks are effective against Brock's Rock/Ground Pokémon and later perform well against Misty's Water Pokémon. Bulbasaur is not mandatory, but it reduces the need for extra preparation before the first two Gyms.

Squirtle is also a dependable opening choice. Its Water typing and early Water attacks give it a strong matchup against Brock, and it remains useful against many opponents throughout the campaign. It does not have Bulbasaur's advantage against every early section, but it is a sturdy general-purpose starter.

Charmander makes the opening more demanding. Fire attacks are poor against Brock's Rock/Ground team, so you will need to train more carefully and may want to catch another Pokémon or rely on neutral damage. Charmander becomes more attractive later, especially against Grass-focused opponents such as Erika. Choose it if you prefer the Pokémon, but expect the first Gym to require more work.

Your rival automatically chooses the starter with a type advantage over yours: Charmander if you choose Bulbasaur, Squirtle if you choose Charmander, and Bulbasaur if you choose Squirtle. This affects the first rival battle and later rival teams, but it does not block any required story route.

• Choose Bulbasaur, Charmander or Squirtle.
• Confirm that the selected Pokémon is in your party.
• Remember that the rival takes the type-advantaged starter.

4. Win the first rival battle

After choosing your starter, walk toward the laboratory exit. Your rival challenges you before you can leave. Both Trainers use only their newly selected Level 5 starter. Choose Fight, select your damaging move and continue attacking. The opposing Pokémon also has a stat-lowering move, so do not be alarmed if its first few turns do not cause much damage.

If your HP falls low, open the battle menu and choose Item, then use the Potion withdrawn from the PC. You may also use a move that lowers the rival's stats if your starter has one, but a direct attack is usually the quickest approach. Winning gives money and enough experience for your starter to reach Level 6. If you lose, the story continues, but you lose money and should retry after using the Potion or changing your opening tactics.

After the battle, leave the laboratory. If your starter is injured, return home and speak with your mother to heal, or proceed to the Pokémon Center after reaching Viridian City.

• Complete the first rival battle.
• Use the Potion if necessary rather than allowing an avoidable defeat.
• Leave the laboratory after the rival departs.

5. Travel north on Route 1 to Viridian City

Walk north from Pallet Town through Route 1. Wild Pokémon can appear in the tall grass, but you cannot catch them yet because you do not have Poké Balls. Fight a few wild Pokémon if you need experience, but do not spend time trying to build a full party before the parcel errand.

At the north end of Route 1, enter Viridian City. Visit the Pokémon Center and speak with the nurse to restore your Pokémon for free. Healing at the Center is preferable to using the Potion after ordinary battles. The first Viridian City Poké Mart visit is part of the story: the clerk gives you Oak's Parcel instead of selling you normal supplies.

• Reach Viridian City through Route 1.
• Heal at the Pokémon Center.
• Visit the Poké Mart and speak with the clerk.
• Receive Oak's Parcel.

6. Return Oak's Parcel to Pallet Town

Take Route 1 south back to Pallet Town. You can use the ledges on the return trip to reduce the number of wild encounters. Enter Oak's laboratory and speak with Professor Oak. Give him the parcel when the conversation prompts you to do so.

Oak then gives you and your rival a Pokédex. This is a required story event, not an optional collection reward. Oak also gives you five Poké Balls, which finally allows you to catch wild Pokémon. After this point, you can catch Pokémon in Route 1 and in later grassy areas. During a wild battle, lower the target's HP without knocking it out, then choose Bag and use a Poké Ball. A status condition can make a capture easier, but early wild Pokémon are normally manageable after safe HP reduction.

• Deliver Oak's Parcel to Professor Oak.
• Receive the Pokédex.
• Receive five Poké Balls.
• Confirm that Poké Balls are now available in your Bag.

7. Collect the Town Map and buy only the essentials

Before leaving Pallet Town again, enter your rival's house in the northeast part of town and speak with Daisy, the rival's sister. After you receive the Pokédex, she gives you the Town Map. It is not required for the story to continue, but it is useful for checking Kanto's route layout and planning future returns.

Return to Viridian City and visit the Poké Mart again. You can now buy Poké Balls. Make them the priority because catching a second Pokémon gives you insurance against a single bad matchup and provides extra options for Brock. Buy a modest supply rather than emptying your money on Potions. You will find items on routes and can heal for free at Pokémon Centers. Carry at least one healing item if your remaining money allows, but do not spend early funds on anything unnecessary.

Pokémon Red does not contain every species by itself. Some Pokémon are version-exclusive or require trading with another compatible game, so do not treat the opening Pokédex as a promise that every entry can be obtained on one cartridge.

• Speak with Daisy and receive the Town Map.
• Return to Viridian City's Poké Mart.
• Buy Poké Balls after receiving the Pokédex.
• Keep enough money for future essentials.

8. Save and establish a repeatable routine

Save from the Start menu after receiving the Pokédex, after collecting the Town Map and before beginning the next major route section. To load the file later, start the game and choose Continue from the title screen. Saving after the parcel sequence prevents a failed battle or accidental shutdown from forcing you to repeat the opening errands.

Use the following routine throughout the campaign: heal at a Pokémon Center before a long route, save before entering a Gym or major building, save before accepting a one-time reward or making a fossil choice, and keep important one-use TMs until you know which Pokémon will remain on your team. Early progress does not require perfect team planning, but it does benefit from keeping money, Poké Balls and rare resources available.

• Save after receiving the Pokédex.
• Save before continuing north toward Route 2 and Viridian Forest.
• Keep one-use TMs and rare items for a planned team member.
• Leave Viridian City with Poké Balls and a healed party.

1. Leave Viridian City through Route 2

Start this chapter in Viridian City with the early Pallet Town errands already complete. Heal at the Pokémon Center before heading north. The Viridian City Gym is not available for normal progression yet: its Leader is absent, and this Gym is revisited much later as the eighth Kanto Gym. Do not spend time trying to force entry or treating the building as the next objective.

Take Viridian City’s northern exit to Route 2. The initial northbound section is a short passage leading to the southern gatehouse for Viridian Forest. In the original Game Boy Red Version, this is the intended route toward Pewter City. The more distant eastern portion of Route 2 is not needed for this journey and cannot be fully used as an early shortcut because later field access is required.

The grass on Route 2 contains low-level Pidgey and Rattata in Pokémon Red. These are optional captures rather than mandatory additions. Pidgey can provide Flying-type coverage later, while Rattata is useful early because it gains experience quickly and can help when the starter is weakened. Do not empty your Poké Ball supply searching for a particular nature, ability or move combination; those systems do not exist in this Generation I release.

• Heal in Viridian City before leaving.
• Take the northern exit onto Route 2.
• Leave the Viridian City Gym for the late game.
• Recognize Pidgey and Rattata as the normal Route 2 grass encounters in Red.
• Keep enough Poké Balls and healing items for Viridian Forest.

2. Catch and train selectively before the forest

If you want another party member, weaken a wild Pokémon carefully before throwing a Poké Ball. In the original battle system, lower HP improves the chance of capture, but an accidental critical hit can still knock out a low-level target. Avoid using your strongest attack against a Pokémon you intend to catch. If a catch attempt fails repeatedly, leave the encounter rather than spending the entire supply of five starting balls on one target.

Route 2 is not a major grinding area. Wild Pokémon are low level, and the forest contains more relevant trainer battles and encounters. Fight enough wild Pokémon to bring a new capture close to the level of the rest of the party, then move on. A newly caught Pokémon does not need to replace the starter immediately; it can serve as an emergency switch, absorb a hit or gain experience in safer battles.

Keep your starter or primary Brock preparation Pokémon near full health before entering the gatehouse. Potions are useful after trainer battles, but do not spend money on a large stock of items if doing so leaves no room for Poké Balls or an Antidote. You can always retreat south to the Viridian City Pokémon Center, heal for free and return to the route.

• Weaken wild Pokémon before attempting captures.
• Avoid using more Poké Balls than the planned team requires.
• Train new captures without letting the whole party fall behind.
• Keep money available for basic healing supplies and Antidotes.
• Return to Viridian City if the party is injured before the forest.

3. Enter Viridian Forest and learn its hazards

Pass through the Route 2 gatehouse to enter Viridian Forest. This is the first dungeon-like area of the campaign: there is no Pokémon Center inside, the paths contain several trainers, and wild encounters can interrupt every few steps. Heal before entering rather than expecting to recover inside the forest.

In Pokémon Red, the forest’s characteristic encounters are Weedle and Kakuna, with Pikachu available as a rare optional encounter. Caterpie and Metapod belong to the opposing encounter table in the original Red and Blue releases, so do not treat them as standard Pokémon Red captures. Pikachu is not required for the story or Brock. It can be useful later, but its rarity makes prolonged searching a poor use of time if the goal is to reach Pewter City.

Poison is the main practical danger. Weedle, Kakuna and some Bug Catcher battles can inflict Poison, and a poisoned Pokémon loses HP while you walk. Use an Antidote as soon as poison becomes a meaningful risk, especially if the affected Pokémon is already below half health. If you have no Antidote, walk back toward the entrance and return to Viridian City rather than gambling on the remaining steps. Fainting sends the party back to the last Pokémon Center and costs money.

• Heal before entering Viridian Forest.
• Carry an Antidote if you can afford one.
• Remember that Pikachu is optional and rare.
• Do not expect Caterpie or Metapod as normal Red encounters.
• Treat poison before crossing a long stretch of ground.

4. Cross the forest and fight its trainers

Follow the paths through the trees toward the northern exit. The forest layout is compact, but take the time to collect visible items when your party is healthy. Trainer sight lines matter: Bug Catchers may challenge you when you step into their view, and trainer battles cannot be escaped. Before walking past a trainer, check that your lead Pokémon has enough HP and that at least one backup can enter safely.

Fight the forest trainers instead of avoiding every battle. Their experience is more valuable than repeated low-level wild encounters, and these battles are the most efficient preparation available before Pewter City. The highest-level regular trainer Pokémon in the original Red and Blue Viridian Forest reaches level 9. Having most of your usable Pokémon around level 8 or higher is a practical preparation point, but it is not a mandatory threshold. Bulbasaur and Squirtle have a naturally easier time against Brock later; Charmander requires more careful leveling and support from additional team members.

Switch Pokémon when necessary rather than allowing the same damaged battler to absorb every encounter. If one Pokémon is poisoned and approaching critical HP, place another Pokémon at the front for battles, use an Antidote or retreat. Do not repeatedly challenge Brock after reaching Pewter if the party is clearly underleveled; train in the forest or Route 2 first so that each attempt costs less money and fewer items.

• Move north through the forest using the visible paths.
• Battle trainers when the party is healthy enough to continue.
• Aim for roughly level 8 or higher on most usable Pokémon if preparation is needed.
• Keep at least one healthy backup available.
• Use the forest for training instead of repeatedly losing to Brock.

5. Exit to Pewter City and prepare for Brock

Continue north until the forest’s northern gatehouse. The exit places you on the upper section of Route 2, which leads directly to Pewter City. If a Pokémon is poisoned or nearly fainted, prioritize reaching the city over collecting another wild encounter. Items in the forest are helpful, but none justify losing the party.

Enter Pewter City and go straight to the Pokémon Center. Heal the entire party, review the order of your Pokémon and decide which one will lead against Brock. Save after healing so a failed Gym attempt does not erase useful preparation.

Your required objective for this chapter is complete when you are in Pewter City with a functional party and supplies. The next chapter covers the Pewter Gym, Brock’s Rock-type team and the Boulder Badge. If the starter is Charmander, consider training a second Pokémon rather than relying only on Ember. If the starter is Bulbasaur or Squirtle, their type advantages make Brock more manageable, but you should still heal and save before entering the Gym.

• Exit Viridian Forest through its northern gatehouse.
• Reach Pewter City via the upper Route 2 section.
• Heal at the Pewter City Pokémon Center.
• Arrange the party for the Brock battle.
• Save before attempting the Pewter Gym.

Leave Viridian Forest and reach Pewter City

Exit Viridian Forest through its northern entrance onto Route 2. Follow the route north until you enter Pewter City. If you battled several Bug Catchers or caught new Pokémon in the forest, stop at the Pewter City Pokémon Center before doing anything else. The city’s Poké Mart is also your first convenient place to buy Potions, Poké Balls, and an Escape Rope for the cave section ahead.

Viridian Forest is the important early obstacle because it combines wild encounters with several trainer battles. Use those battles to give your starter and any new team members useful experience, but do not spend all your money on optional captures or unnecessary items. A healthy starter and a small supply of Potions are more valuable than filling every available party slot before Brock.

You do not need a particular Pokémon to enter Pewter Gym. Bulbasaur has the easiest matchup because Vine Whip is super effective against Brock’s Rock/Ground Pokémon. Squirtle is also well placed once it knows Bubble. Charmander faces a less favorable type matchup, but Brock’s original Red team does not know a Rock-type attack, so a sufficiently trained Charmander can still win with Ember and careful healing. A Butterfree with Confusion or another trained party member can provide additional support.

• Exit Viridian Forest through the northern route into Route 2.
• Enter Pewter City and heal at the Pokémon Center.
• Buy a few Potions before entering the Gym or starting Route 3.
• Keep enough money for supplies needed before Mt. Moon.

Prepare for the Pewter Gym

The Pewter Gym is in the western part of Pewter City. Its path contains one Gym Trainer before Brock. You can fight that trainer for experience, then return to the Pokémon Center if your party has lost significant HP or useful move PP. Brock is close to the Pokémon Center, so there is little benefit in beginning the leader battle while injured.

In the original Red Version, Brock uses Geodude at level 12 and Onix at level 14. Both are Rock/Ground Pokémon. Electric attacks do not affect them, so Pikachu should not be your main answer. Water- and Grass-type moves are the most dependable choices because they are super effective against both opponents. Squirtle’s Bubble and Bulbasaur’s Vine Whip are particularly efficient options at this point in the game.

If you chose Charmander, train it through the nearby routes and Viridian Forest rather than repeatedly challenging Brock while under-leveled. Ember is resisted, but the original opponents have poor Special performance and do not carry Rock attacks. If Charmander is still struggling, use a second Pokémon, apply a status condition when available, or lower Brock’s Pokémon with a stronger move before switching back. A party whose main battlers are around the low-to-mid teens is generally prepared for this fight; you do not need to over-train every team member.

• Identify your strongest Grass- or Water-type attack, if available.
• Do not plan around Electric attacks against Brock’s Ground-type Pokémon.
• Heal before the leader fight and carry several Potions.
• Train Charmander or a supporting Pokémon if the matchup is unfavorable.

Defeat Geodude and Onix

Lead with the Pokémon that has your strongest super-effective move. Geodude is level 12 and should usually fall quickly to Bubble or Vine Whip. When Onix enters at level 14, continue using the strongest reliable attack rather than assuming the fight is finished. Onix has high Defense, so weak Normal-type or other physical attacks may take several turns.

Pay attention to Onix’s moves. Tackle causes direct damage, Screech lowers the active Pokémon’s Defense, and Bide stores damage before returning it. If Onix uses Bide, avoid dealing unnecessary damage during the storage period when you can safely wait, switch, or use a non-damaging action. Do not confuse Screech with a move that raises Onix’s own Defense; it makes the player’s active Pokémon more vulnerable instead.

Use a Potion when your active Pokémon is approaching knockout range rather than gambling on one more weak attack. If your lead is defeated, switch to the healthiest Pokémon with a useful type advantage or reliable damage move. Status effects such as Sleep can create a safer opening, but they are support options rather than requirements. After both Pokémon are defeated, Brock awards the Boulder Badge and TM34, Bide.

• Defeat Brock’s level 12 Geodude.
• Defeat Brock’s level 14 Onix.
• Receive the Boulder Badge and TM34, Bide.
• Heal and save after the victory.

Use the Boulder Badge to open Route 3

Leave the Gym and head east across Pewter City to the Route 3 gatehouse. The guard allows you through after Brock has been defeated. Route 3 is the next required path toward Mt. Moon and contains a long sequence of trainer battles, so heal at Pewter’s Pokémon Center before leaving.

Buy only the supplies you can reasonably afford. You will need healing items for Route 3 and Mt. Moon, and the wild Pokémon in and around Mt. Moon may give you useful opportunities to train or fill an empty party slot. If the route’s trainers reduce your party to low HP, return to Pewter rather than consuming every Potion.

The Boulder Badge also permits the later use of Flash outside battle, but it does not give you HM05. Flash is obtained afterward from an aide in the Route 2 gatehouse once you meet the required Pokédex condition. Flash is not needed for Viridian Forest, Route 3, or the immediate route through Mt. Moon, so continue east without searching Pewter for the HM.

• The Route 3 gatehouse is open.
• Your party is healed before starting the route’s trainer sequence.
• You retain enough money and healing items for Route 3 and Mt. Moon.
• You understand that HM05 Flash is obtained later and is not required yet.

Finish the first trip through Mt. Moon before entering Cerulean City

From Pewter City, take Route 3 east and enter Mt. Moon. The cave is the required connection between Route 3 and Route 4, so do not treat it as an optional detour. Heal at the Pokémon Center on Route 3 and buy enough Potions, Poké Balls, and at least one Escape Rope if you want a quicker exit. Wild encounters are frequent, and several Team Rocket members are distributed through the cave.

Useful Red Version encounters include Zubat, Geodude, Paras, and Clefairy. Geodude is a sturdy physical-oriented option, Paras can provide status support, and Clefairy offers flexibility but is not essential. You can also use the cave’s trainers to bring weaker party members toward the mid-teens. Do not exhaust every move and item before reaching the exit; retreat to the Route 3 Pokémon Center if necessary and enter again.

• Heal and restock before entering Mt. Moon.
• Use cave trainers for experience, but keep enough HP and PP for the remaining floors.
• Remember that the original Game Boy version uses the standard bag and field-item system, so carry an Escape Rope if you do not want to walk back through the ladders.

Navigate the cave and defeat the Team Rocket trainers

Follow the ladders between Mt. Moon’s floors and collect useful items when they are safely reachable. Team Rocket trainers are part of the route through the cave, not a separate postgame activity, so defeat the members who block the passages. Wild Pokémon can interrupt nearly every section; if your lead Pokémon becomes badly weakened, switch to another member rather than risking a knockout for a small amount of experience.

A Moon Stone is available in Mt. Moon. It can evolve Pokémon such as Clefairy and members of the Nidoran families, but it is better to keep it until you have decided which evolution you want. The stone is not needed to leave the cave. Other items, including a Rare Candy, are optional and should not justify a dangerous detour when your party is already low on health.

• Defeat the Rocket trainers blocking the route forward.
• Keep the Moon Stone unless you have a planned evolution.
• Use an Escape Rope or walk back through the cave after reaching the final area.

Defeat the Super Nerd and choose one fossil

Near the end of Mt. Moon, a Super Nerd challenges you over the fossils. Defeat him, then interact with the two fossils on the ground. You may take only one in a normal Pokémon Red playthrough. The Helix Fossil becomes Omanyte, while the Dome Fossil becomes Kabuto. Either choice is acceptable for the main campaign; the decision mainly affects which fossil Pokémon you can revive and which species you can add without trading.

The fossil is a Key Item and is not revived in Mt. Moon. Keep it in the Key Items pocket and carry it to the Pokémon Lab on Cinnabar Island later. In the Lab’s fossil-revival room, give it to the scientist, then follow his instruction to leave and return before collecting the restored level 5 Pokémon. Do not expect the fossil Pokémon to help immediately in the next Cerulean battles, and do not discard the fossil after choosing it.

• Defeat the Super Nerd guarding the fossils.
• Choose either the Helix Fossil or the Dome Fossil.
• Keep the fossil for the later Pokémon Lab visit on Cinnabar Island.

Exit through Route 4 and enter Cerulean City

After the fossil choice, continue to the eastern exit of Mt. Moon and arrive on Route 4. Collect the accessible items if your party is healthy, then follow the route east into Cerulean City. This is the correct time to heal and reorganize your party. The rival battle is ahead at the north exit, so do not walk directly to Nugget Bridge with a weakened team.

For the next battles, a Pokémon with Electric attacks can pressure the rival’s Pidgeotto, while a Grass-type such as Oddish is especially useful in Pokémon Red against Water-type Pokémon later. If you chose Charmander, consider adding a Grass- or Electric-capable teammate rather than relying on Ember alone. If you chose Bulbasaur or Squirtle, keep at least one other Pokémon trained so the rival cannot exploit a single matchup.

• Leave Mt. Moon through Route 4.
• Heal at the Cerulean City Pokémon Center.
• Save before approaching the north exit and Nugget Bridge.

Defeat the rival at the entrance to Nugget Bridge

Walk north from Cerulean City. The rival challenges you before you can cross Nugget Bridge. In the original Pokémon Red, his team is Pidgeotto at level 18, Rattata at level 15, Abra at level 15, and his unevolved starter at level 17. He uses Charmander if you chose Bulbasaur, Bulbasaur if you chose Squirtle, and Squirtle if you chose Charmander.

Pidgeotto is the immediate threat because Gust, Quick Attack, and Sand-Attack can wear down a slower team. Electric attacks are useful, and Rock- or Water-based damage can also work. Rattata’s Hyper Fang can deal heavy damage for this point in the game, so defeat it promptly rather than allowing repeated attacks. Abra only knows Teleport in this battle and cannot damage you; use the free turn to switch or gain experience, but do not assume every rival Pokémon will be this passive. Against the starter, use a favorable type matchup or a healthy neutral attacker instead of repeatedly trading weak hits.

• Defeat Pidgeotto level 18, Rattata level 15, Abra level 15, and the rival’s level 17 starter.
• Use Abra’s non-damaging turn to switch or give a lower-level Pokémon experience if safe.
• Return to the Cerulean Pokémon Center if the battle consumed most of your healing items.

Cross Nugget Bridge and clear Routes 24 and 25

After winning the rival battle, cross Nugget Bridge by defeating the five trainers placed along it. The battles are a useful training block for a team preparing for Misty, but switch out Pokémon that are close to fainting. At the north end, speak to the apparent Team Rocket member. Reject his invitation, defeat him, and receive a Nugget afterward. The Nugget is a regular sellable item, not a Key Item, so you may sell it at a Poké Mart for extra money.

Continue north through Route 24 and east along Route 25. Route 24 and Route 25 offer wild Pokémon that can improve your next matchup. In Pokémon Red, Oddish is available on these routes and can provide Grass attacks and status support. Abra can also be encountered, but it often uses Teleport immediately. Throw a Poké Ball early if you want to catch it; a long attempt to weaken it may simply give it time to escape. Caterpie or Metapod raised into Butterfree can also contribute if it has learned Confusion.

• Defeat all five Nugget Bridge trainers.
• Defeat the Rocket recruiter at the bridge’s northern end.
• Collect the Nugget.
• Consider catching Oddish, Abra, or another Pokémon for the Cerulean Gym.

Help Bill and receive the S.S. Ticket

Follow Route 25 to the Sea Cottage. The route is a narrow series of ledges and trainer battles, so heal before starting if you returned to Cerulean after Nugget Bridge. There is no Pokémon Center on Route 25. If you need healing, go back west to Cerulean City before continuing.

Inside the cottage, interact with the Pokémon beside the computer. This is Bill, who has been transformed during an experiment. Use the computer as instructed to reverse the transformation, then speak with Bill again after he returns to human form. He gives you the S.S. Ticket. The ticket is a Key Item required later to board the S.S. Anne in Vermilion City, so keep it in your possession.

Return west to Cerulean City after leaving the cottage. You can now heal, sell the Nugget, buy supplies, and prepare for Misty. The fossil remains in your Key Items pocket until the Cinnabar Island Lab visit much later in the story.

• Reach the Sea Cottage at the end of Route 25.
• Restore Bill by using the computer.
• Speak to Bill again and receive the S.S. Ticket.
• Return to Cerulean City and heal before the next chapter.

Start from a healed Cerulean City party

Heal at the Cerulean City Pokémon Center before entering the Gym. By this point, the northern route, Bill’s Sea Cottage, the S.S. Ticket, and the southern route should already be available. If you deviated from the intended route and have not yet restored Bill or received the S.S. Ticket, finish that sequence first; otherwise the officer will continue blocking the house northeast of the Pokémon Center and you will not have the normal route toward Vermilion City.

Check your party’s current HP, PP, status conditions, and available moves. Misty is the second Gym Leader, but her level 21 Starmie can defeat an unprepared Pokémon quickly. Carry a few Potions if your supply is low, although healing at the Pokémon Center before the Gym is the most efficient preparation. Save before entering if you want a convenient retry point after arranging your party.

A full party is not required. Two or three trained Pokémon with dependable attacks are safer than six weak Pokémon sharing the same Water weakness. Put your best Water counter in a position where it can be sent out immediately, but do not lead with a newly caught Pokémon that has not gained enough experience to survive Starmie’s attacks.

• Heal at the Cerulean City Pokémon Center.
• Confirm that Bill has already given you the S.S. Ticket.
• Carry a few Potions if necessary.
• Place a trained Grass- or Electric-capable Pokémon in the party.
• Save before challenging the Gym if desired.

Choose a practical counter for Misty

In the original Pokémon Red release, Misty uses Staryu at level 18 and Starmie at level 21. Both are Water-type Pokémon. Grass- and Electric-type attacks are the clearest ways to exploit this matchup, but a strong neutral attacker with a level advantage can also win if your team lacks those types.

If you chose Bulbasaur, Ivysaur’s Grass attacks give you a natural advantage. If you chose Squirtle, do not expect Water attacks to deal especially useful damage; use another party member for faster progress. If you chose Charmander, bring a trained secondary Pokémon rather than trying to force the battle with Fire attacks. Charmander or Charmeleon can contribute with neutral damage if sufficiently trained, but Misty’s Water attacks remain dangerous.

Oddish is available in Pokémon Red on the northern routes near Cerulean and is a strong option if you already caught and trained it during the earlier chapter. Pikachu can be used if you caught it in Viridian Forest, although it may need additional training because it is encountered at a lower level than the Gym Leader’s strongest Pokémon. You do not need to capture a new Pokémon solely for this battle if your existing party already has reliable damage and adequate levels.

Avoid relying on a single weak move just because it has a type advantage. A low-powered Electric or Grass attack may still fail to defeat Starmie before Starmie attacks. If your counter is underleveled, train it against any remaining nearby wild Pokémon or earlier trainers before attempting the Gym again.

• Use Grass- or Electric-type attacks when available.
• Do not rely on a Fire-only party.
• Train Pikachu, Oddish, or another counter before the battle if necessary.
• Keep a strong neutral attacker available as backup.

Navigate the Cerulean Gym

Enter the Gym from the city and speak to the Gym trainers if you want the additional experience. The original Red Gym contains a Junior Trainer and a Swimmer before Misty. Their battles are optional in the sense that you can maneuver around at least one of them, but fighting them is useful if your party needs experience and they cannot be fought later once the Gym is cleared.

The Gym trainers also provide a chance to test your intended strategy without risking the Leader battle immediately. If a counter is losing too much HP to ordinary Water-type attacks, return to the Pokémon Center before facing Misty rather than spending all your Potions inside the Gym.

When you are ready, approach Misty at the back of the Gym. Save beforehand if you want to preserve your preparation. Make sure the Pokémon you want to use has enough PP for several attacks and that no intended counter is already paralyzed, poisoned, asleep, or otherwise impaired.

• Defeat the Gym trainers if you want the experience.
• Return to the Pokémon Center if the preliminary battles leave you weakened.
• Approach Misty only after confirming your main counter is ready.

Defeat Staryu and Starmie

Misty sends out Staryu at level 18 first, followed by Starmie at level 21. Defeat Staryu efficiently, but do not spend all of your best resources before Starmie appears. Preserve the Pokémon with your strongest reliable Grass- or Electric-type attack for the second half of the battle.

Starmie is faster and more dangerous than Staryu. Use your type advantage immediately rather than wasting turns on weak setup moves. If your counter can survive one attack, concentrate on dealing damage. If you have a dependable status move such as paralysis, it can reduce Starmie’s ability to act first, but status should support a damage plan rather than replace it.

When your main counter is close to fainting, switch before it is knocked out if another party member can safely take the next attack. Do not repeatedly switch between Pokémon that all take heavy damage from Water attacks. If you lose, return to the Pokémon Center, review which Pokémon was defeated first, and either train your counter, change your lead, or use a stronger neutral attacker. The nearby routes and cleared trainer battles provide practical experience without requiring a long detour.

• Defeat Staryu at level 18.
• Defeat Starmie at level 21.
• Preserve your strongest counter for Starmie.
• Use healing or a tactical switch before a key Pokémon is knocked out.
• Return to the Pokémon Center and retrain if the first attempt fails.

Claim the Cascade Badge and continue south

After winning, Misty awards the Cascade Badge and TM11 BubbleBeam. The badge makes traded Pokémon up to level 30 obey you. It also authorizes the use of Cut outside battle, but only after you obtain HM01 from the S.S. Anne captain in Vermilion City and teach the move to a compatible Pokémon. The badge does not place HM01 in your inventory.

Leave the Gym and save after the victory. Because Bill’s sequence has already been completed, the southern route is available through the house northeast of the Cerulean Pokémon Center. Enter the house, pass through the hole in its rear wall, and defeat the Team Rocket member outside if that battle has not already been completed. If the route is already cleared, proceed directly south.

Travel down Route 5, enter the Underground Path, and continue through it to Route 6. Route 6 leads directly into Vermilion City, where the next required objectives are the S.S. Anne and Lt. Surge’s Gym. Heal again after reaching Vermilion before beginning that sequence.

TM11 BubbleBeam is optional to teach. It is useful for a Water-type Pokémon that currently needs a stronger attack, but do not replace a move you still rely on without checking your party’s available coverage.

• Receive the Cascade Badge.
• Receive TM11 BubbleBeam.
• Confirm that traded Pokémon up to level 30 will obey you.
• Remember that Cut requires HM01 from the S.S. Anne captain.
• Use the cleared southern route through Route 5 and the Underground Path.
• Reach Vermilion City and heal before continuing.

Reach Vermilion City from Cerulean City

Leave Cerulean City through the southern exit and follow Route 5. At the bottom of the route, enter the Underground Path and walk through it to Route 6. Continue south through Route 6, fighting its trainers for experience if your party needs it, then enter Vermilion City.

Heal at the Vermilion Pokémon Center before visiting the harbor. You should have received the S.S. Ticket from Bill after completing the earlier Cerulean-area event. The ticket is required to board the S.S. Anne. The ship is at the harbor in the southern part of Vermilion City; speak to the sailor at the entrance and show the ticket.

You can also inspect Vermilion’s other facilities before boarding. The Pokémon Fan Club is optional but provides a useful reward later, and the house near the Pokémon Center contains the Old Rod. Neither is required for the main campaign, so prioritize the ship and Gym if you are following the shortest route.

• Arrive in Vermilion City through Route 5, the Underground Path, and Route 6.
• Heal at the Pokémon Center.
• Confirm that the S.S. Ticket is in the Key Items pocket.
• Save before boarding the S.S. Anne.

Explore the S.S. Anne before taking Cut

The S.S. Anne contains many trainers and item pickups. Walk through the corridors and cabins, battle the passengers who are in your way or whom you want to use for experience, and inspect accessible rooms for items. There is no Pokémon Center on the ship, but you can leave and return to Vermilion’s Pokémon Center while the ship remains docked and before you receive HM01 Cut.

The required rival encounter occurs on the ship’s second floor. Reach the second-floor corridor and approach your rival. His exact team depends on your starter, but he uses several evolved Pokémon and is stronger than the early Cerulean-area battle. Lead with a healthy Pokémon that matches his current lead, and switch when his next Pokémon has a clear type advantage over you.

After defeating the rival, continue through the ship using the nearby stairs and connected passageways until you reach the captain’s quarters. You do not have to clear every optional cabin, but finish any exploration you want before taking the captain’s HM. In the original Game Boy game, receiving Cut and leaving the ship causes the S.S. Anne to depart. Unvisited rooms and their items cannot normally be revisited afterward.

• Explore the cabins and collect any desired items.
• Defeat the rival on the second floor.
• Return to Vermilion’s Pokémon Center if your party needs healing.
• Do not leave the ship after receiving Cut until you are finished exploring.

Help the captain and receive HM01 Cut

Enter the captain’s quarters and speak to the seasick captain. Interact with him as required to help him recover. Once the event is complete, he gives you HM01, Cut.

HM01 is a field move as well as a battle move. Teach it to a compatible Pokémon from the party menu. Because HM moves cannot normally be deleted during the main journey in the original games, place Cut on a Pokémon you do not expect to need for a more valuable long-term moveset when possible. Several early Pokémon can serve this role, so do not remove an important team member solely to make room if you have another compatible option.

Leave the S.S. Anne only after you have received HM01 and completed your desired ship exploration. The ship’s departure is the normal permanent outcome in this version. Heal at the Vermilion Pokémon Center after disembarking.

The Cascade Badge, earned from Misty, allows Cut to be used outside battle. You already possess that badge at this point, so open the Pokémon menu near the small tree blocking the Vermilion Gym and select Cut. HM01 comes from the captain; the Thunder Badge does not grant access to Cut.

• Speak to the captain and receive HM01 Cut.
• Teach Cut to a compatible Pokémon.
• Leave the S.S. Anne after all desired exploration is complete.
• Use Cut on the tree blocking Vermilion Gym.

Prepare for Lt. Surge

Lt. Surge uses three Pokémon in Pokémon Red: Voltorb at level 21, Pikachu at level 18, and Raichu at level 24. His team is entirely Electric-type. A Ground-type Pokémon is the most reliable counter because Electric attacks do not affect Ground types. Diglett’s Cave, entered from Route 11 east of Vermilion, is an especially convenient place to obtain a Diglett or Dugtrio before or after the Gym. Geodude and other Pokémon with dependable Ground-type attacks can also work.

Ground-type Pokémon are not invulnerable to every move Surge uses. Voltorb and Pikachu have Normal-type attacks and status moves, while Raichu can use physical damage and paralysis. Keep your Ground-type healthy, carry Potions and Paralyze Heals, and bring a second attacker in case your main counter is weakened or paralyzed.

Do not make a Flying- or Water-type your only answer. Electric attacks are super effective against both types, and paralysis can turn a favorable battle into a sequence of lost turns. If you lack a Ground-type, use a durable Pokémon, apply status when available, and maintain enough healing items to survive Raichu’s higher level. Fight the Gym trainers for experience unless your party is already at full preparation, then save before challenging Surge.

• Bring a Ground-type Pokémon or a Pokémon with a strong Ground-type attack.
• Carry Potions and Paralyze Heals.
• Keep a backup attacker healthy.
• Save before speaking to Lt. Surge.

Open the Vermilion Gym’s electric locks

After cutting the tree, enter Vermilion Gym and defeat the trainers if you want their experience. The doorway to Lt. Surge is controlled by two hidden switches inside the trash cans.

Search the cans until one reveals the first switch. The second switch is normally in a can directly adjacent to the first, but the original Red and Blue versions contain a known puzzle behavior that can place the second switch in an unexpected location. Check the adjacent cans first. If you activate a wrong can after finding the first switch, the puzzle resets and you must search for the first switch again.

Once both switches are activated in the correct sequence, the barrier opens. If you want to reduce repeated searching, save after finding the first switch and test the likely adjacent cans. If the attempt fails, reload and try another adjacent can. Complete the puzzle, heal your party with items if necessary, and save before starting the Leader battle.

• Find the first switch in a trash can.
• Check the adjacent cans for the second switch.
• Restart the search if the puzzle resets.
• Open the barrier and save before the Leader battle.

Defeat Lt. Surge and claim the Thunder Badge

Lead with your Ground-type and use its strongest accurate Ground attack against Voltorb, Pikachu, and Raichu. This prevents Surge’s Electric attacks from damaging that Pokémon, although Normal-type attacks and status effects can still matter. If your Ground-type is low on HP, heal instead of assuming it can survive one more hit from Raichu.

Raichu is the final and highest-level opponent, so keep your best counter ready for it. If Surge paralyzes your lead, use a Paralyze Heal or switch to a healthy backup rather than losing several turns. If you do not have a Ground-type, combine a durable Pokémon with status effects, healing, and consistent damage; this approach is less secure but can still succeed with an appropriate level advantage.

After the battle, Lt. Surge awards the Thunder Badge and TM24, Thunderbolt. The badge provides its Generation I battle benefit and allows the field move Fly to be used outside battle after you obtain HM02 later. It does not replace the Cascade Badge’s Cut requirement.

The next main route is east from Vermilion through Route 11. You may also use Diglett’s Cave to reach the Pewter-side area, but the usual forward route after Surge is toward Route 11 and then the Rock Tunnel and Lavender Town sequence. Heal before leaving Vermilion and keep a Cut user available for future trees.

• Defeat Voltorb, Pikachu, and Raichu.
• Receive the Thunder Badge.
• Receive TM24, Thunderbolt.
• Heal before continuing through Route 11 or Diglett’s Cave.
• Keep a Pokémon that knows Cut in the party.

Enter Celadon City and establish a supply point

Enter Celadon City from Route 7 through the western entrance. Heal at the Pokémon Center before beginning the city’s longer objectives. Celadon is an important preparation hub because it has a large Department Store, the Game Corner, Erika’s Gym, and the route toward Lavender Town and Saffron City.

Use the Department Store to restock Poké Balls, Potions, Super Potions, status-healing items, and other supplies your party actually needs. The upper floor has vending machines selling Fresh Water, Soda Pop, and Lemonade. Buy at least one drink if you can afford it. In the original Pokémon Red Version, a drink from these machines is used later to get past the guards at Saffron City’s gates. This is not the same system as FireRed and LeafGreen, where Tea is obtained from a Celadon resident.

Do not spend all your money in Celadon. You still need healing items and capture supplies for the Rocket Hideout, Pokémon Tower, and the routes that follow. Save before major battles, especially before Erika and Giovanni.

• Heal at the Celadon Pokémon Center.
• Restock Poké Balls and healing items at the Department Store.
• Buy a vending-machine drink for the later Saffron City gate sequence if funds allow.
• Save before challenging Erika or entering the Rocket Hideout.

Decide how much time to spend at the Game Corner

The Game Corner is in the southeast part of Celadon City. The larger western building contains the slot machines and the entrance to the Rocket Hideout. The smaller building immediately to the east is the Prize Corner, where Coins can be exchanged for Pokémon, TMs, and other prizes.

If you want to use the machines, first visit the restaurant elsewhere in Celadon City and speak to the man there to receive the Coin Case. You can then obtain Coins by playing the machines or purchasing them from the Game Corner cashier. None of this is necessary for defeating Erika, clearing the Rocket Hideout, or reaching the Pokémon League.

Prize Pokémon and prize TMs can strengthen a particular team, but they are optional rewards rather than campaign requirements. If your goal is main-story completion, preserve your money for Potions, Poké Balls, and later League preparation. You must still visit the Game Corner itself because the Rocket Hideout entrance is hidden there.

• Obtain the Coin Case only if you intend to use the Game Corner.
• Treat Coins, prize Pokémon, and prize TMs as optional.
• Keep enough money for healing items and Poké Balls.
• Remember that the Prize Corner is separate from the main Game Corner building.

Prepare for Erika’s Gym

The Celadon Gym is in the southwest portion of the city and requires Cut to pass the small tree at the entrance. Erika’s Pokémon are Victreebel at level 29, Tangela at level 24, and Vileplume at level 29. Fire- and Flying-type attacks are the most straightforward counters. Ice- and Bug-type attacks can also help, while a sufficiently strong neutral attacker can win if it is not vulnerable to Grass attacks or status moves.

Victreebel and Vileplume can inflict status conditions, so carry Antidotes and other status recovery if you have them. Keep your best counter at full or near-full HP before entering. If your party is below Erika’s level range, battle some of the Gym Trainers for experience and return to the Pokémon Center before the Leader battle rather than entering with a damaged team.

You do not have to defeat every Gym Trainer. The hedge layout allows you to approach Erika without clearing the entire Gym, but the optional battles provide useful experience and money.

• Bring a Fire-, Flying-, Ice-, or Bug-capable attacker where possible.
• Carry Antidotes and other useful status recovery.
• Heal before the Leader battle.
• Save before speaking to Erika.

Navigate the Gym and defeat Erika

Enter the Gym through the Cut tree and follow the hedge paths toward Erika. Fight the Trainers that block your route or use the open paths to avoid some of them. Start the battle with a healthy Pokémon that can use a reliable Fire- or Flying-type attack, if available.

Defeat Victreebel first if it threatens your lead with status moves. Tangela is lower level than the other two Pokémon but can still waste turns with status effects, so do not leave a weakened attacker in battle unnecessarily. Switch to a healthier party member when the matchup is poor rather than allowing a poisoned or sleeping Pokémon to be knocked out.

After the battle, Erika awards the Rainbow Badge and TM21, Mega Drain. In the original Game Boy games, the Rainbow Badge permits the use of Strength outside battle once you have obtained HM04. It also raises the obedience limit for traded Pokémon to level 50. TM21 is single-use in this edition, so teach Mega Drain only if you have already decided which Grass-type member will remain in your party.

• Defeat Victreebel, Tangela, and Vileplume.
• Receive the Rainbow Badge from Erika.
• Receive TM21, Mega Drain.
• Remember that Strength becomes usable outside battle after the HM is obtained.

Open the Rocket Hideout beneath the Game Corner

The Rocket Hideout is available after you reach Celadon City; defeating Erika is not required to reveal it. When you are ready, enter the Game Corner and walk to the Rocket member guarding the poster at the back of the room. Defeat him in battle, then examine the poster he was standing in front of. The hidden switch opens the staircase to the underground base.

Heal before entering and bring enough Potions, status recovery, and battle-capable Pokémon. The Hideout has four underground floors. Team Rocket uses many Poison-types, along with Pokémon such as Rattata, Raticate, Drowzee, and Machop. Psychic- or Ground-type attacks are useful against many of the common opponents, but do not rely on one Pokémon if it has a shared weakness or limited PP.

The main navigation hazard is the collection of arrow panels that force your character to move in fixed directions. On the lower floors, use the panels to reach the Lift Key. The Lift Key is on B4F. Once you obtain it, use the elevator to travel between the relevant floors and return to B4F for the final approach to Giovanni. You may collect optional items along the way, but do not leave before obtaining the Lift Key and reaching the boss room.

Defeat Giovanni at the end of the Hideout. His team includes Ground- and Rock-oriented Pokémon, so Water-, Grass-, and Ice-type attacks are useful, while Electric attacks are a poor choice against Ground-types. After Giovanni is defeated, take the Silph Scope he leaves behind. This Key Item is the normal requirement for identifying the ghost in Pokémon Tower.

• Defeat the Rocket member at the poster.
• Activate the hidden switch behind the poster.
• Reach B4F and obtain the Lift Key.
• Use the elevator to reach Giovanni’s area.
• Defeat Giovanni and obtain the Silph Scope.

Leave Celadon with the correct next objective

After obtaining the Silph Scope, return to the Pokémon Center and heal. The Silph Scope lets you identify the ghost blocking the upper floors of Pokémon Tower in Lavender Town. Clearing that tower allows you to rescue Mr. Fuji and receive the Poké Flute, which is needed to wake the Snorlax blocking later routes.

The Hideout also establishes the larger Team Rocket storyline that eventually leads to the Rocket takeover of Silph Co. in Saffron City. Do not confuse the original Hideout with the Rocket Warehouse from FireRed and LeafGreen; the warehouse is a remake-specific location and does not belong in this Game Boy Red Version route.

Your immediate campaign route is to travel to Lavender Town and use the Silph Scope in Pokémon Tower. Before leaving, confirm that Erika’s Rainbow Badge and the Silph Scope are both secured, then restore your supplies at Celadon’s shops.

• Rainbow Badge is displayed among your Gym Badges.
• TM21 has been collected from Erika.
• The Rocket Hideout poster switch has been activated.
• Giovanni has been defeated and the Silph Scope is in your Key Items.
• Your party is healed and your supplies are restored.
• Your next required destination is Pokémon Tower in Lavender Town.

Reach Lavender Town and inspect Pokémon Tower

You can reach Lavender Town from Celadon City by leaving through Celadon’s east gate and following Route 8 east. The route continues directly to Lavender Town; do not use the Route 7–8 Underground Path unless you specifically want to travel between Celadon’s western side and Route 7. You can also reach Lavender Town from the south after passing through Rock Tunnel and Route 10.

Heal at Lavender Town’s Pokémon Center, then enter Pokémon Tower, the tall cemetery building in town. On the second floor, your rival challenges you. This battle can be completed before obtaining the Silph Scope, but the unidentified ghost encounters prevent you from reaching the upper part of the tower. After seeing the obstruction, leave and travel to Celadon City for the Silph Scope sequence.

Without the Silph Scope, the tower’s ghost encounters appear as an unidentified GHOST. You cannot catch these encounters, and the ghost blocking the upper staircase cannot be resolved through ordinary battling. Save your Poké Balls for later and do not spend healing items trying to force progress through the tower.

• Heal at Lavender Town’s Pokémon Center before entering the tower.
• Defeat the rival on 2F if you choose to make the initial tower visit.
• Leave once the unidentified ghost blocks further progress and obtain the Silph Scope in Celadon City.

Enter Team Rocket’s Hideout through the Game Corner

Return to Celadon City and enter the Celadon Game Corner. Walk toward the poster at the rear of the building and defeat the Team Rocket member standing in front of it. After he moves away, examine the poster to reveal the entrance to Team Rocket’s Hideout.

The hideout contains several Rocket battles, staircases and spinning-floor panels. Work through the floors until you reach B4F. On B4F, locate the Rocket member carrying the Lift Key and defeat him. Pick up the Lift Key he leaves behind. Without it, the elevator cannot be used to reach the part of B4F where Giovanni is waiting.

Use the Lift Key to operate the elevator. The correct elevator route takes you to the lower hideout floors, after which you return to B4F and enter Giovanni’s room. Team Rocket’s Pokémon commonly include Poison-types such as Koffing, Grimer, Zubat and Rattata. Ground-type attacks are useful against Poison-types, while strong neutral attacks remain dependable when a type advantage is unavailable.

There is no Pokémon Center inside the hideout. Heal before entering, bring Potions or Super Potions, and leave to recover at the Celadon Pokémon Center if your party becomes weak. The hideout’s progress is retained when you leave, so there is no reason to risk a failed run after reaching the lower floors.

• Trigger the hidden entrance behind the Game Corner poster.
• Defeat the Rocket member who drops the Lift Key on B4F.
• Use the Lift Key and elevator to reach Giovanni’s room.
• Save before fighting Giovanni.

Defeat Giovanni and take the Silph Scope

Giovanni uses Onix, Rhyhorn and Kangaskhan in the original Red and Blue battle at the end of this hideout. Water- and Grass-type moves are effective against his Ground-type Pokémon. Kangaskhan does not share their Ground typing, so use your strongest reliable damage against it and keep a healthy Pokémon available in case it survives several hits.

After Giovanni is defeated, he leaves the Silph Scope behind before departing. Walk over the item and collect it. The Silph Scope is a Key Item, so it does not occupy a normal battle-item slot and cannot be discarded. Its purpose is to reveal the identities of the ghosts in Pokémon Tower.

Leave the hideout and heal at Celadon’s Pokémon Center before returning to Lavender Town. If you have not already visited the tower, make sure your party has enough PP and healing supplies for multiple trainer battles. The direct return route is east from Celadon along Route 8.

• Giovanni has been defeated in the Rocket Hideout.
• The Silph Scope has been collected and appears among the Key Items.
• The party is healed before the return trip to Lavender Town.

Climb Pokémon Tower with the Silph Scope

Re-enter Pokémon Tower and climb from 2F. If you did not fight your rival during the first visit, the battle occurs when you meet him on 2F. His team depends on the starter you selected, so use the party member that best handles his current lineup rather than following a fixed counter list.

With the Silph Scope in your possession, the tower’s unidentified ghosts are revealed during encounters. Gastly and Haunter are the main Ghost-type encounters, and Cubone can also appear. Psychic- and Ground-type attacks are useful because Gastly and Haunter are also Poison-type. Normal- and Fighting-type attacks cannot damage Ghost-types, so avoid relying on those moves against the tower’s wild encounters.

Channelers and other trainers occupy the tower floors. Cure paralysis, sleep or other disabling conditions when they threaten to interrupt progress, and switch out a weakened lead instead of allowing it to faint unnecessarily. Catching Gastly or Haunter is optional; neither capture is required to complete the story.

On 5F, walk onto the small marked restorative area. It restores the party’s HP and PP, making it the most useful recovery point inside the tower. It does not save the game, so use the Game Boy’s Save command separately after healing if you want a secure stopping point. If your supplies are nearly gone, retreat to Lavender Town’s Pokémon Center before attempting the upper floors.

• Defeat the rival on 2F.
• Use the Silph Scope to turn the unidentified ghosts into normal encounters.
• Use the 5F restorative area before continuing toward the top.
• Save manually after making satisfactory progress.

Defeat Marowak and rescue Mr. Fuji

On 6F, a large ghost blocks the staircase to the upper floor. Approach it while carrying the Silph Scope and the game reveals it as a level 30 Marowak. This is a required story battle, not a normal catch opportunity. Poké Balls will not capture it, so defeat it with Water-, Grass- or Ice-type attacks when available. Ground-type defenses and weak physical attacks can make the battle slower, so use your strongest dependable moves.

After Marowak disappears, continue to 7F. Defeat the Team Rocket members guarding Mr. Fuji, then speak to Fuji. The game transports him back to his house in Lavender Town after the rescue. Leave Pokémon Tower and visit that house to receive the Poké Flute.

The Poké Flute is the lasting campaign reward for this sequence. It wakes the sleeping Snorlax blocking Route 12 and Route 16 when selected beside one of them. The tower’s optional items and wild Pokémon are not required for the main story, but the Silph Scope, Marowak battle, Rocket guards and Mr. Fuji conversation are the progression steps that lead to the Poké Flute.

• Defeat the level 30 Marowak rather than attempting to catch it.
• Clear the Team Rocket guards on 7F.
• Speak to Mr. Fuji after he returns to his Lavender Town house.
• Receive the Poké Flute and confirm it is stored among the Key Items.

Prepare in Saffron City

Enter Saffron City through an open gatehouse and heal at the Pokémon Center before entering Silph Co. The building contains eleven floors, numerous Rocket members and Scientists, locked doors, warp panels, and several battles in succession. Bring healing items, status cures, and enough Poké Balls if you still intend to catch Pokémon during this part of the game. Save before entering.

Silph Co. can be completed without fighting every trainer, but optional battles provide useful experience and money. Psychic-type attacks are effective against many of Team Rocket’s Poison-types, while Ground-type attacks are useful against Electric Pokémon used by some Scientists. The building also contains a nurse on 9F who can restore your party, making it a useful recovery point during the infiltration.

• Heal at the Saffron City Pokémon Center.
• Carry healing items and status cures.
• Save before entering Silph Co.

Take the Card Key from 5F

Use the elevator to go directly to 5F. From the elevator area, travel toward the southern side of the floor until you reach a Rocket Grunt near a warp panel. Step onto that panel, then immediately step back onto the paired panel to return to the nearby section of 5F. Defeat the Rocket Grunt blocking the corridor.

Continue through the corridor after the battle and pick up the Card Key. This Key Item opens Silph Co.’s electronic doors throughout the building. Collecting it before exploring the remaining floors prevents unnecessary backtracking. After obtaining it, you may use the elevator and Card Key to reach 9F, where the nurse in the southwest section can heal your party for free. The nurse is optional, but she is valuable before the rival and Giovanni battles.

• Reach 5F by elevator.
• Use the warp panel and return through its paired panel.
• Defeat the Rocket Grunt in the southern corridor.
• Pick up the Card Key.
• Optionally heal at the 9F nurse.

Use 3F to reach Blue

Return to 3F and use the Card Key to open the central room. The required warp panel is inside that room. Step on it to reach the northwest room on 7F, where Blue is waiting. You can open additional doors for items and trainer battles, but they are not required to reach the rival.

Blue’s Silph Co. party varies according to the starter you chose. His team includes Pidgeot and Alakazam, plus a combination of Pokémon selected to counter or complement your starter choice. Prepare more than one answer: Electric attacks are useful against Pidgeot and Gyarados, Ground or Water attacks help against Growlithe and Charizard, and Fire, Flying, or Ice coverage can help against Grass- or Exeggcute-based members. Strong physical attacks are generally more dependable than weak special attacks against Alakazam.

Save before speaking to Blue if you want a clean retry point. After the battle, heal with items or use the 9F nurse before continuing if the rival fight consumed much of your party’s HP or PP.

• Open the central 3F room with the Card Key.
• Use the warp panel inside that room.
• Defeat Blue in the northwest 7F room.
• Restore your party before the final Silph Co. battles if necessary.

Reach Giovanni on 11F and rescue Silph Co.

After Blue leaves, speak to the nearby Silph Co. employee. If you have an empty party slot, he gives you a level 15 Lapras. Lapras is optional and is not required for the story. If your party is full, you can deposit a Pokémon at a PC and return to accept the gift.

Use the warp panel in the room after the rival battle to reach the west side of 11F. Defeat the final Rocket Grunt blocking the boardroom, then open the boardroom door with the Card Key.

Giovanni uses Nidorino at level 37, Kangaskhan at level 35, Rhyhorn at level 37, and Nidoqueen at level 41 in the original Red and Blue games. Ground attacks are effective against Nidorino, Rhyhorn, and Nidoqueen. Water attacks are especially useful against Rhyhorn and Nidoqueen, while Fighting attacks provide the clearest advantage against Kangaskhan. A sturdy neutral attacker can also handle it if you lack Fighting coverage.

After defeating Giovanni, speak to the Silph Co. president in the boardroom. He gives you the Master Ball. It is optional for ordinary progression, so save it for a difficult legendary encounter unless you have another specific capture plan. Giovanni’s defeat causes Team Rocket to leave Silph Co. and removes the Rocket Grunt blocking the Saffron Gym.

• Use the post-rival warp to reach 11F.
• Defeat the final Rocket Grunt.
• Open the boardroom with the Card Key.
• Defeat Giovanni.
• Speak with the Silph Co. president.
• Receive the Master Ball.

Navigate the original Saffron Gym by room landmarks

Leave Silph Co. and heal before entering the Saffron Gym in the northeast part of the city. A Rocket Grunt blocks the Gym before Silph Co. is cleared, so Giovanni must be defeated first.

The original Red and Blue Gym does not visibly label its warp panels with letters. To use the fewest warps, follow the panels by their locations in each room. From the entrance room, step on the panel near the entrance. It sends you to the southeast room. In that room, step on the northwest panel. In the next room, step on the southwest panel. In the following room, step on the southwest panel again. This sends you to the central room, where Sabrina is waiting.

This is the shortest route by number of warp panels. The Gym contains optional trainers, so you may deliberately take other panels if you want experience or money. If you fight them, heal before Sabrina. Do not use FireRed or LeafGreen maps for this puzzle; the remakes use different layouts and directions.

• Confirm that Team Rocket has left Silph Co.
• Enter the Saffron Gym.
• Use the entrance panel to reach the southeast room.
• Use the northwest panel in that room.
• Use the southwest panel in the next room.
• Use the southwest panel in the following room to reach Sabrina’s central room.
• Save before challenging Sabrina.

Defeat Sabrina and claim the Marsh Badge

Sabrina’s original Red Version team is Kadabra level 38, Mr. Mime level 37, Venomoth level 38, and Alakazam level 43. Kadabra and Alakazam can use Recover, so weak attacks may allow them to undo your progress. Alakazam is the largest threat because it is fast and has high Special power. Venomoth can inflict poison or paralysis with its powder moves, so remove it promptly or keep status cures available.

Use strong physical attacks whenever possible. In Generation I, Psychic Pokémon generally have lower Defense than Special, so reliable Normal-, Flying-, or Rock-type physical moves can deal good damage without a type advantage. Snorlax is a dependable option because it can absorb hits and return strong physical damage, but any sufficiently strong physical attacker can work if it survives Psychic attacks.

Bug attacks are technically super effective against Psychic Pokémon in the original type chart, but available Bug moves are often weak. Ghost-based advice is unreliable because of the Generation I Ghost-versus-Psychic type-effectiveness bug. Dark Pokémon and Dark-type moves do not exist in Pokémon Red, so later-generation recommendations do not apply. Avoid relying on a fragile Ghost Pokémon simply because modern type charts list Ghost as a counter.

After winning, Sabrina gives you the Marsh Badge and TM46, Psywave. The badge is the required sixth badge and allows traded Pokémon up to level 70 to obey. Psywave deals variable damage and is optional. Heal and save after leaving the Gym before continuing to the next part of the journey.

• Defeat Kadabra level 38.
• Defeat Mr. Mime level 37.
• Defeat Venomoth level 38.
• Defeat Alakazam level 43.
• Receive the Marsh Badge.
• Receive TM46, Psywave.
• Heal and save after leaving the Gym.

1. Reach Fuchsia City and prepare

Fuchsia City has two practical land approaches. From the north, follow Route 15. From the west, travel east along Route 18 after crossing Cycling Road on Route 17. Route 19 lies south of Fuchsia, but it is a water route and is not the normal first approach. Heal at the Fuchsia Pokémon Center and save before beginning the Safari Zone or Gym.

The Safari Zone entrance is at the north side of the city. Entry costs 500 Poké Dollars and gives you 30 Safari Balls. In the original Red Version, the Safari Game ends when you use all 30 balls or take 500 steps. Your normal party cannot battle Safari Pokémon, and ordinary Poké Balls cannot be used there. Make sure you have room in the party or PC before entering.

• Reach Fuchsia City through Route 15 or Route 18.
• Heal and save at the Pokémon Center.
• Carry at least 500 Poké Dollars and make room for possible captures.

2. Enter the Safari Zone and secure the required items

Pay the entrance fee, then prioritize the Gold Teeth and HM03 Surf instead of spending the entire visit searching for rare Pokémon. The Safari Zone contains a Center Area and Areas 1, 2, and 3. The Secret House is in Area 3, the western section, and the Gold Teeth are also in Area 3. Finding the Secret House awards HM03 Surf.

A practical route is to leave the Center Area through its eastern path, climb the rocky plateau, descend by the western stairs, and take the western exit into Area 2. In Area 2, head west through the northern grass, use the stairs, move around the plateau, and take the southern exit into Area 3. In Area 3, pick up the Gold Teeth to the south, then continue west toward the Secret House near the statue. Enter the house and speak to the man inside to receive HM03 Surf.

If the step counter is running low, do not continue searching for optional items. The Gold Teeth and Surf are the important objectives. Safari Pokémon can flee, and the mechanics are luck-based: bait reduces fleeing but makes capture harder, while rocks improve capture odds but make fleeing more likely. Throwing Safari Balls without using bait or rocks is a simple approach when the goal is to conserve time and complete the required objectives.

• Pay 500 Poké Dollars and receive 30 Safari Balls.
• Reach Area 3 and collect the Gold Teeth.
• Enter the Secret House in Area 3 and receive HM03 Surf.
• Leave promptly if the 500-step limit is nearly exhausted.

3. Decide whether to make optional captures

The Safari Zone is the source of several uncommon Pokémon in Red Version, including Exeggcute, Rhyhorn, Chansey, Kangaskhan, Tauros, and Scyther. The exact encounter depends on the area, and some are rare enough to escape repeatedly. None of these captures is required to defeat Koga or finish the main campaign.

For a story-focused run, collect the required items first and only then use remaining steps for captures. Rhyhorn can eventually provide Ground-type coverage, while Exeggcute can develop into a useful Grass- and Psychic-type team member, but both may need substantial training before becoming immediately valuable. Dratini is also optional and requires long-term training, so do not rely on it as an answer to the next Gym.

• Treat Safari captures as optional.
• Prioritize team roles over rare species.
• Return to the Pokémon Center if the party or PC becomes inconveniently full.

4. Return the Gold Teeth and handle nearby NPC options

After leaving the Safari Zone, enter the Safari Zone Warden’s house in southeastern Fuchsia City and speak to the Warden with the Gold Teeth in your inventory. He gives you HM04 Strength. Strength is not required to defeat Koga, but it is needed later to move boulders and is part of normal story progression. The Warden’s house also contains a Rare Candy that becomes accessible after Strength is available.

Fuchsia’s southeastern-most house contains the Good Rod, obtained from the Fishing Guru’s brother. The city also has the Move Deleter, which can remove ordinary moves. Neither NPC is required for the Badge, but the Good Rod can broaden fishing options and the Move Deleter is useful when reorganizing a Pokémon’s moves.

The useful Fuchsia-area trade is in the Route 18 gatehouse west of the city: give the trader a Slowbro to receive Lickitung. Lickitung is otherwise unavailable in the original Red and Blue games, so this is relevant for Pokédex progress rather than required campaign completion. Separately, the Route 11 gatehouse contains the Red and Blue trade for Nidorino in exchange for Nidorina. Neither trade is necessary for Koga.

• Give the Gold Teeth to the Warden and receive HM04 Strength.
• Optional: obtain the Good Rod in southeastern Fuchsia.
• Optional: trade Slowbro for Lickitung in the Route 18 gatehouse.
• Optional: trade Nidorino for Nidorina in the Route 11 gatehouse.

5. Navigate the Fuchsia Gym

Fuchsia Gym uses invisible walls or glass-panel barriers. Walk toward the center and change direction whenever an unseen barrier stops you. You do not need to defeat every Gym Trainer, but the trainers provide useful experience and reveal the maze’s open corridors. Heal before entering and bring Antidotes or other poison recovery items.

Several Gym Trainers use Psychic- or Ground-type Pokémon even though Koga specializes in Poison, so do not assume every battle will follow the same type pattern. If you want experience, fight trainers while your team is healthy, then return to the Pokémon Center before challenging Koga. Save immediately before speaking to him.

• Bring Antidotes and healing items.
• Use the trainers’ positions to identify the open paths through the invisible barriers.
• Heal and save before challenging Koga.

6. Defeat Koga and confirm the result

In the original Red Version, Koga uses Koffing at level 37, Muk at level 39, a second Koffing at level 37, and Weezing at level 43. All four are pure Poison type. Ground- and Psychic-type attacks are the clearest type advantages, while weak physical attacks may struggle against Muk and Weezing.

Koga’s team can inflict poison, use Smog and Sludge, lower accuracy with SmokeScreen, and raise evasion with Muk’s Minimize. Use reliable attacks rather than depending on one low-accuracy move. If Muk uses Minimize, continue with your strongest dependable attack instead of wasting turns on unnecessary setup. Keep a healthy Pokémon available for Weezing, whose final move is Selfdestruct; defeating it before it can use that move is preferable, but do not risk a team wipe by refusing to heal.

After winning, Koga gives you the Soul Badge and TM06 Toxic. The Soul Badge enables Surf to be used outside battle. HM03 can therefore be collected in the Safari Zone before the Gym, but you cannot use Surf for field travel until Koga has been defeated and a compatible Pokémon has learned it. Teach Surf to a suitable Water-type before leaving if you plan to travel south over Route 19 or continue toward Cinnabar Island.

• Defeat Koffing, Muk, Koffing, and Weezing.
• Receive the Soul Badge and TM06 Toxic.
• Teach HM03 Surf to a compatible Pokémon if needed.
• Confirm that Surf now works outside battle.

Prepare Surf and supplies in Fuchsia City

Before leaving Fuchsia City, make sure you collected HM03 Surf from the Secret House in the Safari Zone. Teach Surf to a compatible Pokémon and keep that Pokémon in your party. In the original Game Boy release, Surf is the field move needed to travel from Fuchsia across Routes 19 and 20 to Cinnabar Island.

Heal at the Fuchsia Pokémon Center and restock at the Poké Mart. Bring several Potions or stronger healing items, a few status-healing items, and Poké Balls if you intend to catch Pokémon during the trip. The sea routes contain wild encounters and Swimmer battles, so a weakened party can arrive on Cinnabar in poor condition if you leave without supplies.

You do not need to complete the Seafoam Islands puzzle before reaching Cinnabar. If you plan to explore the islands or pursue their optional encounters, save first and bring enough supplies for repeated wild encounters and trainer battles.

• HM03 Surf has been obtained from the Safari Zone Secret House.
• A compatible party Pokémon has learned Surf.
• The party is healed and the bag contains suitable healing items.

Cross Routes 19 and 20 to Cinnabar Island

Leave Fuchsia City through the southern exit and use Surf on Route 19. Travel south through the narrow water route, fighting or avoiding encounters as your party allows. Keep your strongest Water-route battler healthy, but switch between party members so that one Pokémon does not take all the experience and damage.

Continue west onto Route 20. This route contains Swimmer battles and wild Water-type encounters. Follow the open water west until Cinnabar Island comes into view. The Seafoam Islands are positioned along this route and can be entered, but they are not required merely to reach Cinnabar.

If you enter Seafoam Islands, the internal boulder-and-current puzzle is relevant to navigating through the cave, but it is separate from the basic Cinnabar objective. You can leave the islands and continue west along Route 20 without treating every item, trainer, or encounter there as mandatory. If your goal is the main campaign, continue toward Cinnabar rather than spending resources on optional exploration.

• Route 19 has been crossed from Fuchsia’s southern side.
• Route 20 has been followed westward.
• Seafoam Islands have been treated as optional unless their encounters or items are specifically wanted.
• Cinnabar Island has been reached.

Heal on Cinnabar Island and identify the required objectives

Use the Pokémon Center as soon as you arrive. Cinnabar Island also has a Poké Mart, so restore HP and PP and buy anything needed before entering the Mansion or Gym. The water journey can leave several Pokémon weakened even if no individual battle was difficult.

The Pokémon Lab is optional for the main campaign. It provides fossil restoration and other NPC interactions, but none of those activities is required to earn the Volcano Badge. The Pokémon Mansion, located on the island’s northwestern side, is required because Blaine’s Gym is locked until you obtain the Secret Key.

Save before entering the Mansion if you have not saved recently. A defeat inside the Mansion returns you to the last Pokémon Center and forces you to repeat the trip and dungeon.

• The party has been healed at Cinnabar Island’s Pokémon Center.
• The Poké Mart has been used if additional supplies are needed.
• The Pokémon Mansion has been identified as the required destination.
• Optional Lab activities have not been confused with required progression.

Explore the Pokémon Mansion and recover the Secret Key

Enter the Pokémon Mansion and work through its ruined rooms, stairways, wild encounters, and trainers. The Mansion is a multi-floor maze controlled by statues. Examine a statue to change the nearby shutter or passage state, then use the newly opened route to reach another part of the building.

Search the upper floors and descend through the available stairways until you reach the basement. Continue examining statues when a corridor appears blocked. The Secret Key is an item on the basement floor. Pick it up before leaving; defeating every trainer and collecting every item is not necessary for the Gym objective.

The Mansion’s encounters can wear down a party over time. A Pokémon with dependable Water-, Ground-, or other strong neutral attacks can handle many of the local opponents, but do not rely on a single team member if it is becoming low on HP or PP. Use the Escape Rope if you brought one, or retrace the route to the exit after collecting the key.

• The basement has been reached.
• The Secret Key has been collected from the basement floor.
• The party has exited the Mansion and returned to Cinnabar’s safer town area.

Open the Cinnabar Gym and clear its quiz doors

Return to the Cinnabar Gym after collecting the Secret Key. The key opens the locked entrance. Inside, Fire-type Gym trainers are positioned near quiz machines. Answering a question correctly opens the next shutter without a battle; an incorrect answer leads to a trainer fight instead.

The questions test basic Pokémon facts, including evolution, types, and move properties. If you do not know an answer, choosing an answer and battling the trainer is a valid route through the Gym. Trainer battles provide experience, but they also consume HP and PP, so use the quiz route when you are confident and fight only when needed.

After each door opens, continue through the newly available passage and repeat the process until Blaine is accessible. Heal before entering the Gym if necessary and save before speaking to Blaine. The Gym can be completed without clearing every optional trainer if the shutters are opened through correct answers.

• The Secret Key has unlocked the Gym entrance.
• The quiz shutters have been opened through answers, battles, or both.
• The party is healed and saved before Blaine’s battle.

Defeat Blaine and earn the Volcano Badge

In the original Pokémon Red release, Blaine uses Growlithe at level 42, Ponyta at level 40, Rapidash at level 42, and Arcanine at level 47. All four are Fire-type Pokémon. Water- and Ground-type attacks are the most dependable choices, while Rock-type attacks can also be useful if they are accurate and strong enough for your team.

Surf is an especially practical attack for a trained Water-type Pokémon, but do not depend on one fragile counter. Arcanine is Blaine’s highest-level Pokémon and can defeat a weakened Water- or Ground-type with repeated attacks. Switch when a counter is badly damaged, and use healing items during the battle when preserving that Pokémon is more valuable than taking another risky attack.

Electric attacks are not a primary counter to Blaine’s team, and Grass-type Pokémon should generally avoid direct exposure to Fire attacks. A fast attacker with strong neutral damage can still contribute if your team lacks Water, Ground, or Rock coverage. If a Pokémon is burned, use a Burn Heal or another appropriate status item when the condition is interfering with your plan.

After the victory, Blaine awards the Volcano Badge and TM38 Fire Blast. The badge is the seventh required Gym Badge and also applies its Generation I battle effect to the Special stat of Pokémon under your control. Save after the battle, then heal before beginning the return journey.

• Growlithe, Ponyta, Rapidash, and Arcanine have been defeated.
• The Volcano Badge is visible on the Trainer Card.
• TM38 Fire Blast has been received.
• The victory has been saved.

Leave Cinnabar and prepare for the final Gym

For the next major objective, return to the mainland and travel toward Viridian City for the eighth Gym. The direct return route is Route 21, which runs north from Cinnabar toward Pallet Town. Use Surf and continue north, then travel through Pallet Town and north to Viridian City.

Heal in Pallet Town or Viridian City before taking on the remaining story sequence. You do not need to return through Seafoam Islands unless you want to explore them. Route 21 contains more wild Water-type encounters, so keep healing items available and avoid allowing the entire party to become weakened before reaching land.

The Volcano Badge does not itself complete the main campaign. The required next milestone is the Earth Badge from Viridian Gym, followed by the route to Victory Road and the Pokémon League.

• The party has been healed after defeating Blaine.
• Route 21 has been selected as the practical return route toward Pallet Town and Viridian City.
• The player understands that Viridian Gym and the Pokémon League remain required.

Return to Viridian City and check your prerequisites

Return to Viridian City after the Viridian Gym has reopened. If you taught HM02 Fly to a compatible Pokémon, use it to reach the city quickly. Otherwise, travel north from Pallet Town through Route 1 or south from Pewter City through Viridian Forest and Route 2.

Before entering the Gym, heal at the Viridian City Pokémon Center and confirm that you have the Boulder, Cascade, Thunder, Rainbow, Soul, Marsh, and Volcano Badges. Giovanni is the final Gym Leader, so you should have seven Badges before starting this section. Save before entering the Gym.

You do not need to complete another Team Rocket mission after defeating Giovanni here. The earlier Rocket objectives, including the Silph Co. sequence, must already be complete because they are what allow Giovanni to resume his Viridian Gym position.

• Heal at the Viridian City Pokémon Center.
• Confirm that seven Badges are displayed on your Trainer Card.
• Save before entering the Gym.

Navigate the Viridian Gym

Viridian Gym uses the same directional spinner tiles seen in Giovanni’s Rocket Hideout. A spinner tile carries you in the direction shown until an obstacle or ordinary floor stops you, so do not step onto one without checking where it will send you. Gym Trainers include Fighting-, Poison-, Normal-, and Ground-oriented teams, not only Ground Pokémon.

For a reliable route, walk north past the first group of Gym Trainers and collect the Revive if you want the optional item. Continue farther and battle the next two Trainers. After the second Trainer has moved away from the north wall, return toward the entrance. From there, use the spinner tiles to travel north and then west through the opened path to Giovanni.

You can leave the Gym to heal and return later; defeated Gym Trainers stay defeated. If you fight every Trainer, heal before Giovanni rather than spending your last healing item during the puzzle. The Revive is optional and does not replace a proper supply of battle items.

• Use ordinary floor spaces to reposition before taking another spinner tile.
• Collect the Revive only if you can do so without entering the battle at low health.
• Leave and heal if your party is weakened before reaching Giovanni.

Prepare Water and Grass counters for Giovanni

In Pokémon Red, Giovanni’s team is Rhyhorn at level 45, Dugtrio at level 42, Nidoqueen at level 44, Nidoking at level 45, and Rhydon at level 50. Rhyhorn and Rhydon are Ground/Rock; Dugtrio is Ground; Nidoqueen and Nidoking are Poison/Ground.

Water-type attacks are the best all-purpose answer because they are super effective against the Ground typing on every member of the team. A strong Water Pokémon using Surf can handle the entire battle if it has enough HP and PP. Grass-type attacks are also excellent against Rhyhorn, Dugtrio, and Rhydon. Against Nidoqueen and Nidoking, their Poison typing reduces Grass damage, so Grass is not as efficient there as Water. Ice-type attacks are another valid option against the Ground Pokémon.

Do not use Electric attacks against Giovanni’s team: Ground-type Pokémon are immune to Electric moves in this game. Keep a second Water- or Grass-capable Pokémon ready in case Dugtrio’s high Speed, Sand-Attack, or a critical hit disrupts your first counter. A Psychic-type move can also help against the Poison/Ground members, but Water remains the simplest plan.

• Lead with a healthy Pokémon that knows a reliable Water or Grass attack.
• Keep a second counter ready in case your first attacker is disabled or knocked out.
• Avoid Electric attacks against all five of Giovanni’s Pokémon.
• Bring Full Heals or other status recovery if your party is vulnerable to Body Slam or Poison Sting.

Defeat Giovanni and receive the Earth Badge

Giovanni opens with Rhyhorn, followed by Dugtrio, Nidoqueen, Nidoking, and Rhydon. Use reliable damage rather than spending several turns on setup. Heal if a counter falls into dangerous HP range, especially before Rhydon appears.

Rhydon is level 50 and carries Fissure and Horn Drill, both one-hit knockout moves. They are inaccurate and Rhydon is slow, but do not leave a badly weakened Pokémon in front of it hoping the moves will miss. Send out a healthy counter and attack immediately. Water attacks are particularly effective because Rhydon is both Ground- and Rock-type.

After the battle, Giovanni gives you the Earth Badge and TM27, Fissure. The Earth Badge makes all Pokémon obey you regardless of level, including traded Pokémon. Giovanni then abandons Team Rocket, ending his role in the main story. TM27 is optional; Fissure is inaccurate and is not needed to reach the Pokémon League, so preserve it if you do not have a clear use for it.

Heal at the Viridian Pokémon Center and save again before beginning the League route.

• Defeat Rhyhorn, Dugtrio, Nidoqueen, Nidoking, and Rhydon.
• Receive the Earth Badge.
• Receive TM27, Fissure.
• Heal and save after the battle.

Verify Surf, Strength, and League supplies

Before leaving Viridian City, check that one party member knows HM03 Surf and another knows HM04 Strength. Surf is obtained from the Secret House in the Safari Zone. Strength is obtained from the Safari Zone Warden after returning his missing Gold Teeth. One compatible Pokémon may carry both moves, but two carriers can make party management easier.

Surf is needed to cross the water portions of Route 23. Strength is needed to move boulders inside Victory Road. Without these field moves, you cannot complete the route to Indigo Plateau even though all eight Badges are present.

Visit a Poké Mart and buy enough healing items for a long sequence of trainer battles and wild encounters. Super Potions, Hyper Potions, Full Heals, and Revives are useful; buy according to your funds. You do not need to spend money on Poké Balls for the main-campaign objective unless you also plan to catch Pokémon on the way.

• All eight Badges are displayed on your Trainer Card.
• A party member knows Surf.
• A party member knows Strength.
• Your party is healed and your bag contains sufficient healing items.
• The Safari Zone errands are complete if Surf or Strength is still missing.

Travel through Route 22 and Route 23

From Viridian City, go west onto Route 22. A rival battle can occur in the grassy area near the route’s northwestern side. This battle is optional for reaching the Pokémon League, but it provides experience and is the last rival battle before the Elite Four if you choose to fight it. Heal afterward if the battle costs significant HP or PP.

Continue west to the gatehouse and enter Route 23. Route 23 is a long northbound path containing Badge checkpoints. Officers stop you one at a time and verify your Badges. If all eight Badges are present, the checkpoints open; if one is missing, you must return to complete that Gym.

Follow the path north, using Surf whenever the route crosses water. Keep your party healthy because Route 23 contains wild encounters and additional trainer battles. At the far end, enter Victory Road.

• Decide whether to fight the optional Route 22 rival battle.
• Pass every Route 23 Badge checkpoint.
• Use Surf across the required water sections.
• Enter Victory Road at the northern end of Route 23.

Cross Victory Road and reach Indigo Plateau

Inside Victory Road, use Strength to push boulders onto the floor switches. The switches remove barriers that block the cave’s passages. Move one boulder at a time and check the surrounding paths before pushing it into a corner. If a boulder blocks the route, leave the room and re-enter if necessary, then approach it from another direction.

Fight or avoid wild Pokémon according to your remaining resources, but do not let the party become too weak to handle the cave Trainers. Escape Ropes are optional and can shorten a retreat; they are not required for completion. Continue through the cave until you reach the exit leading to Indigo Plateau.

At Indigo Plateau, heal at the Pokémon Center before attempting the Elite Four. The local Poké Mart sells the supplies needed for the four consecutive Elite Four battles and the Champion fight. If your team is underprepared, this Center is the safe point from which to return to Kanto for training and resupply.

• Use Strength to clear Victory Road’s boulder obstacles.
• Reach the Victory Road exit without exhausting your entire supply of healing items.
• Enter the Indigo Plateau Pokémon Center.
• Heal and resupply before challenging the Elite Four.

Make the Indigo Plateau Pokémon Center your final checkpoint

Use the Pokémon Center as soon as you arrive at Indigo Plateau. This is the most useful recovery point for repeated attempts: after a loss, restore the party here, reorganize your team and return to the League entrance without having to repeat the earlier approach. Save after healing and again after making any final changes that you do not want to lose.

Open the party screen and choose the six Pokémon that will enter the League. A practical team should contain more than one dependable attacker and should not rely on a single Pokémon to defeat every opponent. Give each selected Pokémon a clear job: a strong special attacker, a physical attacker, a Water user, an Electric or Ice user where available, a Psychic or Ground user, and a durable backup or status specialist.

Generation I combines special attack and special defense into one Special stat. This makes a Pokémon with good Special performance valuable both offensively and defensively against many League attacks. Physical bulk still matters against moves such as Submission, Take Down and Hyper Beam, but do not assume that a Pokémon with high Defense is safe from special moves.

A status user can help create safe turns for switching or healing, especially through sleep, paralysis or confusion support. Do not build the whole team around status, however. The League contains five consecutive battles, so every important team member needs at least one dependable damaging move with enough remaining PP.

• The final six Pokémon are chosen.
• At least two Pokémon can deal reliable damage without depending on the same move type.
• The team includes both physical and special damage where possible.
• Each Pokémon has a defined role against at least one Elite Four member or Blue.

Check moves, PP and Generation I battle limitations

Review the moves of every League member before leaving the Pokémon Center. Replace weak temporary attacks only if the replacement improves the final team and does not leave the Pokémon without a reliable move. Single-use TMs should be assigned with the entire League in mind rather than spent on a Pokémon that will be removed from the party after training.

Keep accurate, reliable attacks for routine turns and reserve low-accuracy high-power moves for situations where their damage is necessary. Blizzard, Thunder, Fire Blast and similar attacks can swing a battle, but repeated misses can waste turns and PP. A move with lower power but better accuracy is often the safer choice during the first battles, when you need to preserve resources for Lance and Blue.

Check the PP of every move after training. If Surf, Thunderbolt, Ice Beam, Psychic, Earthquake or another core attack has been depleted, heal at the Pokémon Center before saving. Use any PP-restoring items you have deliberately; ethers, elixirs and related items are limited in the original game and cannot be replenished through the Indigo Plateau shop.

Remember that Dark types and Dark-type moves do not exist in this release. Do not prepare a Dark-based answer for Agatha. Ghost and Psychic interactions also contain Generation I problems, so Psychic attacks against Agatha’s Poison-heavy team are generally more dependable than trying to exploit Ghost-type matchups. Normal- and Fighting-type moves cannot damage her Ghost Pokémon.

• Every chosen Pokémon has a reliable damaging move with usable PP.
• Core attacks are not nearly empty before the League begins.
• No plan depends on Dark-type Pokémon or moves.
• The team has a way to damage Agatha’s Ghost Pokémon.

Prepare specifically for Lorelei and Bruno

Lorelei leads with Dewgong at level 54, followed by Cloyster at level 53, Slowbro at level 54, Jynx at level 56 and Lapras at level 56. Four of the five are Water type, so Electric attacks are especially useful. Do not rely on Fire alone: Fire is useful against Ice typing, but Lorelei’s Water Pokémon resist Fire in the original type chart.

Use your strongest reliable Electric attack against Dewgong, Cloyster, Slowbro and Lapras when the matchup is safe. Slowbro deserves priority because Amnesia sharply raises its Special in Generation I. Lapras can use Confuse Ray and Blizzard, so avoid letting your main answer become confused and weakened before the later fights. Rock or Fighting coverage can help against Jynx, but do not expose a Rock or Ground Pokémon carelessly to Ice attacks.

Bruno uses Onix at level 53, Hitmonchan at level 55, Hitmonlee at level 55, a second Onix at level 56 and Machamp at level 58. Water or Grass attacks handle the Onix. Psychic or Flying attacks are effective against the Fighting Pokémon. Hitmonchan has elemental punches, so a Flying or Psychic answer should still have enough HP to survive an unexpected hit.

Treat Machamp as Bruno’s final threat. It knows Fissure in this original release, although the move is inaccurate. A Ghost Pokémon can avoid Bruno’s Normal- and Fighting-type attacks, but do not depend on a Ghost-only plan because other moves and switching errors can still cost the battle. If you use a Psychic attacker, preserve it rather than allowing it to take unnecessary damage from the Onix.

• A dependable Electric answer is ready for Lorelei’s Water Pokémon.
• Water or Grass coverage is ready for Bruno’s Onix.
• Psychic or Flying coverage is available for Bruno’s Fighting Pokémon.
• The party has a safe response to Lorelei’s Slowbro and Lapras.
• The team is not relying on one attacker to handle both battles alone.

Prepare for Agatha, Lance and the immediate Champion transition

Agatha’s original Red team is Gengar level 56, Golbat level 56, Haunter level 55, Arbok level 58 and Gengar level 60. All five are Poison type, making Psychic and Ground attacks the most practical answers. Her Ghost Pokémon use Confuse Ray, Hypnosis, Night Shade, Toxic and Dream Eater, so a Full Restore or Full Heal can prevent one status condition from disrupting the next several turns.

Normal and Fighting attacks do not affect Agatha’s Ghost Pokémon in this battle. Use Psychic or Ground damage instead, and do not leave a sleeping Pokémon active while Agatha has a chance to use Dream Eater. If a key attacker becomes confused or poisoned, cure it before the condition costs multiple turns or carries into Lance’s battle.

Lance uses Gyarados level 58, two Dragonair at level 56, Aerodactyl level 60 and Dragonite level 62. Use Electric attacks against Gyarados. Ice attacks are the most useful coverage for both Dragonair and Dragonite, while Ice and Water attacks are effective against Aerodactyl. Dragon Rage always deals 40 damage in this generation, so weakened Pokémon can be knocked out unexpectedly even when their level appears adequate.

After Lance falls, the door to Blue’s room opens. There is no free healing period, but you can use items and change the active Pokémon before entering. Do not walk into the Champion’s room immediately. Heal the party, cure important status conditions, restore the Pokémon that will lead against Blue and confirm that the next matchup is favorable.

• Psychic or Ground coverage is ready for Agatha.
• The team has status recovery available for confusion, sleep, poison or paralysis.
• Ice coverage is available for Lance’s Dragonair and Dragonite.
• Electric coverage is available for Lance’s Gyarados.
• The party can heal and reorganize before the Champion battle.

Write down the correct Champion Blue branch

Blue always begins with Pidgeot level 61, Alakazam level 59 and Rhydon level 61. Electric attacks are useful against Pidgeot, Water or Grass attacks are effective against Rhydon, and a strong physical attack is valuable against Alakazam because its Defense is much lower than its Special. Alakazam knows Recover, so use decisive physical damage rather than allowing it repeated chances to heal.

If you chose Bulbasaur, Blue’s final three are Exeggutor level 61, Gyarados level 63 and Charizard level 65. Use Fire or Ice coverage against Exeggutor, Electric attacks against Gyarados and Water or Rock coverage against Charizard. Do not let your only Electric attacker enter this battle heavily damaged after fighting Lorelei and Lance.

If you chose Charmander, Blue’s final three are Arcanine level 61, Exeggutor level 63 and Blastoise level 65. Water attacks are useful against Arcanine, Fire or Ice attacks work well against Exeggutor, and Electric or Grass attacks are suitable for Blastoise. Keep a second answer for Blastoise if your primary Electric Pokémon is weak or out of PP.

If you chose Squirtle, Blue’s final three are Gyarados level 61, Arcanine level 63 and Venusaur level 65. Electric attacks handle Gyarados, Water attacks handle Arcanine and Fire, Ice or Flying attacks are useful against Venusaur. Blue’s level 65 starter evolution is the final major threat, so enter the Champion battle with a specific answer rather than hoping neutral damage will be enough.

• The Champion branch for your chosen starter is written down.
• A strong physical move is ready for Alakazam.
• Water or Grass coverage is ready for Rhydon.
• The team has a planned answer to Blue’s level 65 Pokémon.
• The party can handle Blue even if its first-choice counter is weakened.

Buy League supplies and choose the optional training method

The Indigo Plateau Poké Mart sells Ultra Balls, Great Balls, Full Restores, Max Potions, Full Heals, Revives and Max Repels. For the League, prioritize Max Potions, Full Restores and Revives. Full Restores heal all HP and remove status conditions. Use Max Potions when only HP needs to be restored, and reserve Full Restores for a damaged Pokémon that is also affected by sleep, paralysis, poison, burn or freeze.

A Revive does not restore a fainted Pokémon to full HP. After using one, follow it with a Max Potion or Full Restore before sending that Pokémon into another difficult matchup. Keep a reserve of healing items for Lance and Blue instead of spending everything during Lorelei or Bruno.

If the party is close to ready, train only in the accessible parts of Victory Road or on nearby wild encounters that your lead can defeat safely. Return to the Indigo Plateau Pokémon Center whenever HP or PP becomes inconvenient. Do not use valuable recovery items for ordinary training if healing at the Center is practical.

If several Pokémon are substantially underleveled and you are willing to make a longer optional trip, Pokémon Mansion on Cinnabar Island is a stronger wild-training location in original Red. Its third floor provides higher average experience than the late-game route encounters, but returning there means leaving the immediate League area. Choose this option only when the extra training is worth the travel and the party clearly needs it.

A reasonable first-attempt target is to have the main battlers around the low-to-mid 50s, with the Pokémon intended to answer Lance and Blue toward the upper end. This is guidance, not a mandatory level requirement. Type advantages, usable moves, switching and item discipline can overcome a level gap, while a poorly covered team can still fail at a higher level.

• The inventory contains Max Potions, Full Restores and Revives.
• Status-only problems will not consume all of the Full Restores.
• Training is finished or a deliberate training location has been chosen.
• No important League move is depleted from optional battles.
• The party is fully healed, the lead is selected and the game is saved.

Prepare at the Indigo Plateau Pokémon Center

The Indigo Plateau entrance hall contains both a Pokémon Center and a Poké Mart. Heal the entire party and restore the PP of every move you expect to use. The Poké Mart sells Full Restores, Max Potions, Full Heals, Revives, and Max Repels, along with Poké Balls. Prioritize healing items and Revives for this chapter; Max Repels are optional because the League battles themselves are trainer battles.

Once you enter the first battle room, you cannot return to the Pokémon Center or purchase more supplies during the attempt. You can open the party and Bag menus after every victory, so heal, cure status conditions, revive fainted Pokémon, and change your lead between opponents. However, the game does not automatically restore HP or PP between battles.

A balanced party is safer than a single overpowered Pokémon. Electric coverage is valuable against Lorelei’s Water Pokémon, Lance’s Gyarados, and parts of Blue’s team. Ice coverage is valuable against Lance’s Dragonair and Dragonite and can help against Exeggutor or Venusaur. Water or Grass coverage handles Bruno’s Onix and Blue’s Rhydon, while Psychic or Ground attacks are useful against Bruno’s Fighting Pokémon and Agatha’s Poison-heavy team. Entering with several Pokémon around the upper 40s to mid-50s can work, but a more evenly trained team near the opponents’ levels gives you more room for mistakes.

Save after healing and restocking, before entering the first battle room. If the attempt fails, return to the last Pokémon Center, reorganize the party and Bag, restore move PP, and change your plan before trying again.

• The whole party is healed.
• Important moves have full or nearly full PP.
• The Bag contains healing items, Full Heals or Full Restores, and Revives.
• The party includes reliable answers to Water, Fighting, Poison, Flying, Ground, and Dragon threats.
• The game is saved before entering the first battle room.

Defeat Lorelei with Electric coverage

Lorelei’s Red Version team is Dewgong Lv. 54, Cloyster Lv. 53, Slowbro Lv. 54, Jynx Lv. 56, and Lapras Lv. 56. Her team is introduced as an Ice-focused lineup, but Dewgong, Cloyster, Slowbro, and Lapras are also Water type. Electric attacks are therefore the broadest answer. Grass attacks are also effective against the Water Pokémon, but Grass Pokémon must still respect Lorelei’s Ice attacks.

Use special Electric or Grass attacks against Cloyster when possible because Cloyster’s Defense is very high. Slowbro can use Amnesia, which raises its Special in Generation I, so try to defeat it before repeated boosts make it difficult to damage. Dewgong can use Rest, and Lapras can use Confuse Ray and Blizzard, making a confused or weakened lead a liability.

Do not spend several Revives merely to preserve a Pokémon that has no useful matchup left in this run. Use a Full Restore on an important attacker when its HP is dangerously low or it has a disabling status condition. After the battle, restore the HP and PP of the Electric or Grass Pokémon you still need for later fights.

• Dewgong Lv. 54 is defeated.
• Cloyster Lv. 53 is defeated.
• Slowbro Lv. 54 is defeated.
• Jynx Lv. 56 is defeated.
• Lapras Lv. 56 is defeated.
• Your remaining Electric, Grass, or Ice coverage still has usable PP.

Defeat Bruno by alternating Water or Grass and Psychic or Flying attacks

Bruno uses Onix Lv. 53, Hitmonchan Lv. 55, Hitmonlee Lv. 55, Onix Lv. 56, and Machamp Lv. 58. Use Water or Grass attacks against both Onix. Their Defense is high, so special attacks are preferable when available. If your best Water or Grass move has limited PP, use another reliable attack when it will finish the Onix safely.

Use Psychic or Flying attacks against Hitmonchan, Hitmonlee, and Machamp. Hitmonchan carries Ice Punch and ThunderPunch in the original Red Version, so do not assume every Flying or Psychic counter is safe from its coverage. Machamp is the most dangerous member of the team because it is Bruno’s highest-level Pokémon and carries Fissure and Submission. Keep a healthy answer for it rather than allowing your only Psychic or Flying attacker to be worn down earlier.

A Ghost Pokémon is immune to Fighting-type moves in Generation I, but Bruno’s team can still use non-Fighting attacks. Do not leave a fragile Ghost on the field simply because it blocks Fighting attacks. Heal or switch after the Fighting Pokémon are defeated, then restore the party before entering Agatha’s room.

• Both Onix are defeated with Water or Grass coverage still available if possible.
• Hitmonchan, Hitmonlee, and Machamp are defeated.
• A Psychic or Flying attacker remains available for later emergencies.
• The party is cured of avoidable sleep, paralysis, poison, and confusion before Agatha.

Defeat Agatha with Psychic or Ground attacks and manage disruption

Agatha’s team is Gengar Lv. 56, Golbat Lv. 56, Haunter Lv. 55, Arbok Lv. 58, and Gengar Lv. 60. Her Ghost Pokémon are also Poison type. In the original Generation I type chart, Psychic attacks are super effective against them through their Poison typing, so a strong Psychic attacker is a dependable answer to Gengar and Haunter. Ground attacks are also effective against Agatha’s Poison Pokémon and can handle the Ghost members because Generation I has no Levitate ability.

Ghost-type attacks are unreliable advice in this battle because of the original Generation I type-effectiveness bug. Do not build your plan around using Ghost attacks against Agatha’s Ghost Pokémon. Normal- and Fighting-type moves do not affect her Ghost Pokémon, so avoid wasting turns with those attacks. Psychic attacks are also super effective against Golbat and Arbok because both are Poison type.

Agatha’s main threat is disruption. Gengar and Haunter can use Confuse Ray and Hypnosis, while the final Gengar can use Confuse Ray, Toxic, and Dream Eater. Golbat can cause confusion, and Arbok can use Glare and Screech. Use accurate damaging moves rather than relying on a long setup. If your attacker becomes confused or paralyzed, switch when the matchup permits instead of repeatedly losing turns. The Poké Flute can wake a sleeping Pokémon without consuming a Full Heal.

Before finishing Agatha, ensure that an Electric attacker is healthy enough for Lance’s Gyarados and that an Ice attacker still has enough PP for Lance’s Dragonair and Dragonite.

• Gengar Lv. 56, Golbat Lv. 56, Haunter Lv. 55, Arbok Lv. 58, and Gengar Lv. 60 are defeated.
• Psychic or Ground coverage remains available for emergency use.
• A reliable Electric attacker is ready for Lance’s Gyarados.
• An Ice move is available for Lance’s Dragonair and Dragonite.
• Confusion, sleep, and paralysis have been treated where practical.

Defeat Lance with Electric and Ice coverage

Lance uses Gyarados Lv. 58, Dragonair Lv. 56, a second Dragonair Lv. 56, Aerodactyl Lv. 60, and Dragonite Lv. 62. Start with an Electric attack against Gyarados. Its Water/Flying typing makes Electric attacks especially effective. Use Ice attacks against both Dragonair and Dragonite. Aerodactyl is Rock/Flying, so Water or Ice attacks are useful against it as well.

Lance’s Dragonair can use Dragon Rage, which always deals 40 HP of damage, and his Dragonite can use Agility and Barrier before attacking with Hyper Beam. Do not let Dragonite accumulate defensive boosts while your Ice attacker is being weakened. Use your strongest dependable Ice attack and heal before the attacker enters knockout range.

If one Pokémon carries both your Electric and Ice coverage, monitor its PP carefully. Defeating Gyarados may leave that Pokémon unable to handle Dragonite. Switch to another attacker when the matchup is safe and use items between opponents instead of waiting until a key Pokémon is nearly fainted.

After Lance is defeated, the door to Blue’s room opens. Use the interval to heal, cure status conditions, restore PP where possible, reorder the party, and choose the lead you want. The Champion battle begins immediately after entering the room.

• Gyarados Lv. 58 is defeated.
• Both Dragonair Lv. 56 are defeated.
• Aerodactyl Lv. 60 is defeated.
• Dragonite Lv. 62 is defeated.
• A healthy attacker remains for Blue’s Alakazam and level 65 Pokémon.
• The party is healed and reordered before entering Blue’s room.

Defeat Champion Blue’s correct team for your starter choice

Blue always begins with Pidgeot Lv. 61, Alakazam Lv. 59, and Rhydon Lv. 61. Use Electric attacks against Pidgeot, Water or Grass attacks against Rhydon, and a strong physical attack or powerful neutral special attack against Alakazam. Alakazam knows Recover, so do not rely on slow chip damage or status alone. Its Defense is comparatively low, making a strong physical attack a useful answer.

If you chose Bulbasaur, Blue’s full team is Pidgeot Lv. 61, Alakazam Lv. 59, Rhydon Lv. 61, Exeggutor Lv. 61, Gyarados Lv. 63, and Charizard Lv. 65. Use Fire or Ice attacks against Exeggutor. Use Electric attacks against Gyarados. Use Water, Rock, or another reliable super-effective option against Charizard, while remembering that its Fire/Flying typing makes Electric attacks effective as well.

If you chose Charmander, Blue’s full team is Pidgeot Lv. 61, Alakazam Lv. 59, Rhydon Lv. 61, Arcanine Lv. 61, Exeggutor Lv. 63, and Blastoise Lv. 65. Water attacks handle Rhydon and Arcanine. Fire or Ice attacks are useful against Exeggutor, and Electric or Grass attacks are strong choices against Blastoise.

If you chose Squirtle, Blue’s full team is Pidgeot Lv. 61, Alakazam Lv. 59, Rhydon Lv. 61, Gyarados Lv. 61, Arcanine Lv. 63, and Venusaur Lv. 65. Use Electric attacks against Pidgeot and Gyarados, Water or Grass attacks against Rhydon, Water or Ground coverage against Arcanine, and Fire, Ice, Flying, or Psychic coverage against Venusaur.

Blue has one Full Restore available for each Pokémon and may use one when a Pokémon’s HP becomes very low. Avoid reducing a Pokémon to a small amount of HP unless your next attack can finish it, because Blue may heal it immediately. Use items between opponents, switch deliberately, and preserve enough healing and Revives for the final level 65 Pokémon.

• Pidgeot Lv. 61 is defeated.
• Alakazam Lv. 59 is defeated.
• Rhydon Lv. 61 is defeated.
• The correct three Pokémon for your starter branch are defeated.
• Blue’s final level 65 Pokémon is defeated.
• The Hall of Fame sequence begins.

Complete Hall of Fame registration and save

After Blue loses, Professor Oak appears and leads you to the Hall of Fame. The game records your victorious party there, saves the result, and begins the credits. Do not power off during the registration and save sequence. The Hall of Fame record is the game’s direct confirmation that the eight Gym Leaders, the Elite Four, and Champion Blue have all been defeated.

After the credits, normal play resumes in Pallet Town. The winning save retains the League victory and allows you to continue exploring Kanto. Optional post-champion content is separate from the main campaign. In the original Game Boy release, do not expect the upgraded Elite Four rematches found in FireRed and LeafGreen.

• Lorelei, Bruno, Agatha, and Lance were defeated in order.
• Champion Blue was defeated immediately afterward.
• The victorious party was registered in the Hall of Fame.
• The game completed its save and credits sequence.
• The winning save loads and returns you to normal play in Kanto.

1. Finish the Hall of Fame sequence and save in Pallet Town

After you defeat Blue, Professor Oak takes you to the Hall of Fame. Your party is recorded, the ending sequence plays, and control eventually returns in Pallet Town. The game saves as part of the Hall of Fame process, but save again once you regain control so you have a clear post-champion file before attempting optional encounters.

The original Pokémon Red Version does not begin a new story chapter after the Champion battle. There is no second rival battle, no stronger Gym Leader circuit, no Sevii Islands region, and no FireRed and LeafGreen-style postgame quest. Becoming Champion is the required campaign completion point; everything that follows is optional collection, training, or trading content.

• The Hall of Fame sequence and credits have finished.
• You can control the player again in Pallet Town.
• You saved after returning to normal play.

2. Reach Cerulean City and open the cave entrance

Use Fly to reach Cerulean City if you have a Pokémon that knows the move. If not, travel there through the connected routes. From Cerulean City, leave through the north exit and cross Nugget Bridge into Route 24. At the northern end of Route 24, stand beside the water and use Surf southward. Follow the water to the cave entrance on the northwest edge of Cerulean City.

The guard allows entry only after you have entered the Hall of Fame. Having eight Badges without completing the Pokémon League is not enough. If the guard still blocks the entrance, return to Indigo Plateau and confirm that the Champion battle and Hall of Fame registration were completed. Cerulean Cave is called Cerulean Cave in the English release, although older references may call the location the Unknown Dungeon.

• You reached Cerulean City.
• You used Surf south from Route 24 to reach the entrance.
• The entrance guard has moved aside after your Hall of Fame registration.

3. Prepare before exploring Cerulean Cave

Heal at the Cerulean City Pokémon Center before entering. Cerulean Cave contains wild Pokémon at substantially higher levels than ordinary Kanto routes. In Red, its walking encounters range from the mid-40s to the high 60s depending on the floor, with Pokémon such as Golbat, Magneton, Dodrio, Kadabra, Rhydon, Raichu, and Chansey appearing in different sections. These encounters can drain HP and move PP before you reach Mewtwo.

Bring your strongest practical party, healing items, status-healing items, and a large supply of Poké Balls. Ultra Balls are the normal choice for a capture attempt. An Escape Rope is useful for leaving after the battle, although you can also walk back through the cave. If your party is already damaged or several important moves have low PP, leave and heal before continuing. Save immediately before interacting with Mewtwo.

• The party is fully healed.
• Important moves have adequate PP.
• You bought healing items and enough capture supplies.
• You saved before starting the final approach to Mewtwo.

4. Follow the cave route to Mewtwo

Cerulean Cave uses a sequence of floors and ladders. On the first floor, walk onto the rocky ridge and take the ladder to the second floor. On the second floor, loop around toward the east, then use the ladder in the northeast corner to return to the first floor.

Back on the first floor, go down to the water and Surf west. Take the nearby Max Elixir if desired, then climb onto the northwest rocky ridge, collect the Nugget if desired, and use the ladder there. On the second floor, travel east through the rock maze, passing the Full Restore, and continue to the next ladder.

The next ladder returns you to the first floor. Go west and Surf across the water to the Full Restore, then return to the central rocky ridge and follow the southern tunnel to the ladder on the western ridge. On the second floor, collect the Ultra Ball if desired and follow the winding route to the ladder in the northwest corner. Take that ladder down to the basement floor.

On B1F, move northeast to the Max Revive, then turn around and follow the tunnel southwest. Climb onto the central ridge to reach another Ultra Ball. Surf across the water, cut across the rocky ridge in the northeast, and Surf south to the small island where Mewtwo is waiting.

• You reached B1F.
• You are standing near the island encounter.
• You saved immediately before speaking to Mewtwo.

5. Capture Mewtwo or postpone the attempt

Mewtwo is a level 70 Psychic-type Pokémon and appears only once in the normal game. Its battle moves are Barrier, Psychic, Swift, and Recover. Recover can undo careful damage, so a status condition such as sleep, paralysis, or freeze makes the capture attempt more manageable. Lower its HP gradually rather than using your strongest attack immediately, because a critical hit or unexpectedly strong strike can knock it out.

The Master Ball is the simplest guaranteed option if you still possess it, but using Ultra Balls is also legitimate. Be prepared for a lengthy attempt and keep throwing balls after Mewtwo is weakened and affected by status. If Mewtwo is knocked out or you run out of supplies, reset to the save made before the encounter and try again. Do not save after an accidental knockout if you intend to capture it on that file.

Mewtwo is optional. Leaving the cave without capturing it does not remove your Champion status or prevent any other main-game objective. You can return later, heal, restock, and attempt the encounter again from a pre-encounter save.

• Mewtwo was captured, or you intentionally postponed the attempt.
• You saved after a successful capture.
• You did not confuse catching Mewtwo with a required campaign objective.

6. Use Cerulean Cave for optional training

Cerulean Cave is the strongest ordinary wild-training location in the original Kanto adventure. Its encounters can provide useful experience for raising reserve Pokémon, preparing a team for link battles, or developing a new party after the League. Because several wild Pokémon are fast or powerful, do not treat the cave as a safe automatic training loop. Lead with a Pokémon that can defeat common encounters reliably, switch when the matchup is poor, and return to Cerulean City whenever the team becomes worn down.

There are no new Gym Leaders, Team Rocket missions, or Elite Four members after the Champion in original Red. Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres are also not post-champion unlocks; they are optional legendary encounters available during the main adventure. If you missed one, you can still pursue it after becoming Champion, but the Pokémon itself was not gated by the Hall of Fame.

• You have a reliable lead Pokémon for cave encounters.
• You are healing before the party reaches critical condition.
• You are treating training and legendary hunting as optional goals.

7. Organize Pokédex and trading goals

Open the Pokédex and list the entries you still need. Separate them into ordinary Red encounters, evolutions, in-game trades, Pokémon that require a link trade, Pokémon exclusive to Blue, and species that were distributed through special events. A complete Pokédex cannot be assumed from one untouched Pokémon Red cartridge because version exclusives and trade evolutions require another compatible game or a special distribution method.

Catch available Red encounters before making trades, and keep Pokémon intended for trading in the PC rather than risking them in the active party. On original Game Boy hardware, Red and Blue trades require a compatible link cable and another compatible cartridge. Mew should not be treated as a normal postgame encounter: it was distributed through special events, while glitch-based methods are outside a standard legitimate completion route.

For a safe long-term plan, keep the post-champion save after capturing Mewtwo, record which species are caught rather than merely seen, and make a separate written list of trade targets. This prevents a version-exclusive or trade-evolution requirement from being mistaken for an unfinished local route.

• Remaining Pokédex entries are categorized by acquisition method.
• You know which targets require Pokémon Blue or a trade evolution.
• You have saved before making important trades.
• You have distinguished standard completion from special-event or glitch-based acquisition.

1. Separate campaign completion from Pokédex completion

Defeating Champion Blue completes the main campaign, but it does not complete the Pokédex. In the original international Red and Blue releases, the first 150 species can be obtained through ordinary gameplay, NPC trades, evolution, and link trading across compatible games. Mew is the exception: it was an event-distributed species and is not required for a normal 150-species completion route.

Use the Pokédex screen to track caught and seen entries, then keep a separate written list of species you still need to own. Seeing a Pokémon in battle is not the same as obtaining it. For a collection goal, mark each entry only after the species is caught, received from an NPC, received through a link trade, or evolved on your save.

You do not need to catch every species in Red before arranging trades. It is more efficient to identify species that cannot appear in your version, then request those Pokémon directly. Keep a spare party or PC slot available when performing a long series of trades so that an incoming Pokémon does not force you to release anything.

• Use the in-game Pokédex rather than a modern National Pokédex feature; Generation I simply has its original Pokédex.
• Treat 150 normally obtainable species as the standard completion target.
• Keep Mew separate as an event-only or special-distribution case.
• Record missing species by name and number before beginning a trade session.

2. Collect the Red and Blue version exclusives

The international Red-exclusive group is Ekans, Arbok, Oddish, Gloom, Vileplume, Mankey, Primeape, Growlithe, Arcanine, Scyther, and Electabuzz. These correspond to the Blue-exclusive group Sandshrew, Sandslash, Vulpix, Ninetales, Bellsprout, Weepinbell, Victreebel, Meowth, Persian, Pinsir, and Magmar. A Red player should not waste time searching Red for those Blue-exclusive wild encounters; arrange a trade instead.

Your starter choice also matters. Choosing Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle leaves the other two starter families unavailable through ordinary encounters on that save. Trade for the missing starters and evolve them as needed. Because Generation I has no breeding, you cannot produce another starter later from a single starter gift.

The Mt. Moon fossil is another one-save choice. Choosing the Helix Fossil gives Omanyte and Omastar; choosing the Dome Fossil gives Kabuto and Kabutops. The other fossil line must come from another compatible save. The Eevee gift in Celadon City also provides only one Eevee. To register all three Eeveelutions, use the gift Eevee for one evolution and obtain additional Eevee through trades, or trade an evolved Eevee away and arrange for it to be returned after registering the missing entries.

Version-exclusive Pokémon are not the only reason to trade. The four trade-evolution families are also required for a complete collection: Kadabra becomes Alakazam, Machoke becomes Machamp, Graveler becomes Golem, and Haunter becomes Gengar when traded.

• Trade for the eleven Blue-exclusive species you cannot find in Red.
• Obtain the two starter families you did not choose.
• Trade for the fossil line you did not select in Mt. Moon.
• Plan for three Eevee if you want Vaporeon, Jolteon, and Flareon on one collection.
• Mark the four trade-evolution families for a separate link-trade session.

3. Use the original Red and Blue NPC trades

The original international Red and Blue release includes several useful NPC trades. These are optional for the story, but some are the only ordinary way to obtain a species on that particular save. On Route 2, in the house just south of the Diglett's Cave entrance, trade Abra for Mr. Mime. Mr. Mime is otherwise unavailable as a normal wild encounter in Red and Blue.

In Cerulean City, enter the house west of the Pokémon Center and trade Poliwhirl for Jynx. In Vermilion City, enter the house north of the Gym and trade Spearow for Farfetch'd. Farfetch'd is otherwise unavailable as a normal wild encounter in Red and Blue.

At the Route 5 Underground Path entrance, the NPC trade is Nidoran♂ for Nidoran♀ in Red and Blue. At the Route 11 gate station, trade Nidorino for Nidorina. These trades are not mandatory because the species can be found elsewhere, but they can fill entries without waiting for a particular encounter table.

At the Route 18 gate station, trade Slowbro for Lickitung. Do not use the FireRed requirement here: Golduck is the Route 18 requirement in FireRed, while the original Red and Blue Game Boy release requires Slowbro. In the Pokémon Lab on Cinnabar Island, trade Raichu for Electrode and Venonat for Tangela. In the laboratory's experimental area, trade Ponyta for Seel.

NPC-traded Pokémon have a different Original Trainer and receive the increased experience associated with traded Pokémon. They also arrive with fixed nicknames. If you want to keep the Pokémon you offer, catch or raise a spare before completing the trade. These NPC trades cannot substitute for link trading because they do not provide the opposing starter families, version exclusives, fossil choice, or all four trade evolutions.

• Route 2: Abra for Mr. Mime.
• Route 5 Underground Path entrance: Nidoran♂ for Nidoran♀.
• Cerulean City: Poliwhirl for Jynx.
• Vermilion City: Spearow for Farfetch'd.
• Route 11 gate station: Nidorino for Nidorina.
• Route 18 gate station: Slowbro for Lickitung.
• Cinnabar Pokémon Lab: Raichu for Electrode.
• Cinnabar Pokémon Lab: Venonat for Tangela.
• Cinnabar Pokémon Lab experimental area: Ponyta for Seel.
• Save after each important NPC trade and confirm the received species in your party or PC.

4. Complete the four trade evolutions

Prepare Kadabra, Machoke, Graveler, and Haunter, then take them to a Pokémon Center with a partner who can trade them back. Enter the Trade Center on the second floor, select one Pokémon, confirm the exchange, and wait for the evolution animation to finish. Arrange the return trade before starting so the evolved Pokémon is not stranded on the other cartridge.

Generation I does not use held items for these evolutions. Do not attach an item or search for a special evolution stone. Poliwhirl is not a trade evolution in Generation I; use a Water Stone to evolve it into Poliwrath. The same distinction applies to other stone evolutions, which remain stone-based rather than trade-based.

A traded Pokémon may disobey if its level exceeds the obedience limit provided by your current Badges. This matters if you intend to use an externally traded Pokémon during the campaign. For collection purposes, the evolution still counts once the evolved species is registered, but save both games after the return trade and verify that the correct Pokémon came back.

• Trade Kadabra to obtain Alakazam.
• Trade Machoke to obtain Machamp.
• Trade Graveler to obtain Golem.
• Trade Haunter to obtain Gengar.
• Arrange return trades before sending away anything valuable.
• Do not look for held-item requirements in this Generation I release.
• Use a Water Stone, not a trade, for Poliwhirl to Poliwrath.

5. Trade safely on original Game Boy hardware

For the physical Game Boy release, use two compatible systems, two compatible cartridges, and a compatible Game Boy Game Link Cable. Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow can trade and battle with one another. Red, Blue, and Yellow can also connect with the Western-language Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal releases through the Time Capsule, although the practical purpose is importing or exchanging species that are valid for Generation I data.

Both players should save before entering the Trade Center. Go to a Pokémon Center, use the upstairs counter, and enter the Trade Center on both systems. Select the intended Pokémon only after checking its name, level, and species. Allow the transfer sequence to finish completely before moving the cable or turning off either system. Save again after the trade and inspect the party or PC box.

Original Red and Blue do not directly trade with Generation III games such as Ruby, Sapphire, FireRed, or LeafGreen. Those games use different data and connection systems. A FireRed or LeafGreen cartridge is therefore not a direct replacement for a compatible Generation I trading partner when playing the 1998 Game Boy release.

• Use two compatible cartridges and two compatible systems.
• Use the proper Game Boy link-cable setup for the systems in use.
• Save both cartridges before and after every important trade.
• Confirm the species on both sides before accepting.
• Never interrupt power or disconnect the cable during the transfer.
• Do not expect direct trading between original Red and Blue and Generation III games.

6. Understand modern re-release limits and Generation I mechanics

A 3DS Virtual Console version of Pokémon Red is a separate digital edition, not a physical-cartridge adapter. That edition used wireless trading features and was supported by Poké Transporter, while the original Game Boy cartridge requires physical compatible hardware. If you already own the Virtual Console edition, follow that edition's available transfer path; do not assume its services can read an original cartridge directly.

Nintendo's current support information lists the Virtual Console versions of Red, Blue, and Yellow among the games supported by Poké Transporter, but Nintendo also states that Pokémon Bank is no longer available for download and is scheduled to end service on February 25, 2027. Treat modern transfer support as a separate platform-specific option rather than part of the original Game Boy route.

Generation I has no held items, abilities, breeding, natures, or egg moves. Those mechanics cannot be used to produce extra starters, duplicate Eevee, prepare competitive offspring, or trigger trade evolutions in the 1998 release. Single-use TMs are also not tradeable objects: decide which Pokémon should receive each one before teaching it. If you need another copy of a one-time TM, use another compatible save or another legitimate release that supplies it rather than expecting the item to transfer through a Pokémon trade.

• Identify whether your copy is the physical Game Boy release or a separate Virtual Console edition.
• Use physical link trading for original cartridges.
• Do not plan around Pokémon HOME, Poké Transporter, or wireless trading reading the original cartridge directly.
• Do not search for breeding, held items, abilities, natures, or egg moves in Generation I.
• Reserve rare one-time TMs until your final team and collection plan is settled.

Recover after a defeat or accidental full-party faint

When every Pokémon in your party faints, Pokémon Red sends you back to the last Pokémon Center you used, restores the party and removes part of the money you were carrying. The trainers, wild encounters and route progress in the area where you lost remain unchanged. Heal immediately, then use the PC to inspect your stored Pokémon before going back.

Deposit Pokémon that are badly underleveled or poorly matched for the next objective, and withdraw healthy reserves with useful types or moves. Check the order of your active party before leaving: lead with the Pokémon that has the safest opening matchup, not automatically with your starter. If the problem was running out of PP rather than fainting, replace a low-PP attacker or carry a spare Pokémon that can handle ordinary wild battles.

Save once the party is reorganized. If you are returning to a cave or route, make the Pokémon Center your recovery point before attempting the difficult section again. This prevents a second failure from sending you across the region to recover.

• Heal at the last Pokémon Center.
• Review and reorganize the party through the PC.
• Lead with a safe matchup and verify important move PP.
• Save before returning to the danger area.

Turn a repeated Gym loss into a specific plan

Do not immediately challenge the Gym again with the same party. First identify whether you lost because the leader’s attacks were super effective, because your own attacks dealt poor damage, or because status effects and critical hits disrupted the battle. Replace the most vulnerable lead or add one reliable counter instead of trying to strengthen all six Pokémon equally.

Train on nearby wild Pokémon and on any regular trainers you have not yet defeated. Stop when the intended counter can win ordinary encounters without constant item use. Heal at the Pokémon Center between loops so your money is preserved. Carry enough Potions or Super Potions for the return trip, but enter the Gym with the main counter at full HP and enough PP for the leader’s entire team.

Bring a second Pokémon that can finish weakened targets, absorb a resisted attack or apply a useful status condition. Against a leader with a strong final Pokémon, do not spend all of your healing items on earlier Pokémon unless doing so preserves the counter you need for the last matchup. Avoid using a rare, single-use TM on a temporary replacement when a type-appropriate Pokémon or a small amount of training will solve the problem.

• Name the attack, type matchup or status effect that caused the loss.
• Choose one primary counter and one backup.
• Restore HP and PP before entering.
• Save immediately before the Gym battle.

Use the right training loop for the point in the story

Before Brock, Viridian Forest is the most convenient training area because it contains wild Pokémon and Bug Catchers while Pewter City’s Pokémon Center is close. Before Misty, Routes 24 and 25 north of Cerulean City provide battles and wild encounters. After Lt. Surge, Diglett’s Cave can provide substantial experience, but Diglett and Dugtrio use Ground-type attacks; do not send an Electric-type or another Ground-weak Pokémon into the cave as your default lead. The cave connects Route 11 with Route 2 and is also useful for reaching the Route 2 trade and Flash errands.

During the middle game, clear remaining trainer battles on Routes 9 and 10, Rock Tunnel, the routes around Lavender Town and Cycling Road before relying on long wild-grinding sessions. Pokémon Tower is another convenient training detour because it is near Lavender Town’s Pokémon Center, but leave to heal if repeated Ghost or status encounters are consuming too many items.

For the final Gym stretch, use safe encounters in Pokémon Mansion, Seafoam Islands or another late-game area your party can handle consistently. Power Plant is optional and should not be treated as a universal training recommendation because its Electric-type encounters can punish Water- or Flying-heavy parties. After earning all eight Badges, Victory Road offers strong pre-League encounters. Train near the entrance or exit so you can retreat to the Indigo Plateau Pokémon Center rather than consuming your League supplies while grinding.

• Choose a training area close to a Pokémon Center.
• Use a Pokémon that can defeat the local encounters safely.
• Switch out or leave if one species repeatedly defeats your lead.
• Prefer uncleared trainers and short wild-battle loops over aimless grinding.

Recover when money is low

Pokémon Centers restore your party for free, so use them between route battles instead of spending Potions after every encounter. If a blackout or optional shopping spree leaves you short on cash, stop buying unnecessary TMs, Game Corner prizes and large item stacks. Battle remaining trainers on accessible routes for more money, and use wild encounters only when you also need experience.

Sell ordinary surplus items only after reading their descriptions and checking whether they are needed for the next objective. Do not sell Key Items, fossils, unique field items or a rare TM simply to finance a temporary supply of Potions. Keep a modest reserve of healing items, a few relevant status cures and Poké Balls if you still intend to catch Pokémon. Money management is especially important before long caves and the Elite Four, where replacing a depleted supply is not possible until you leave the area.

• Use Pokémon Centers instead of items whenever possible.
• Postpone optional Game Corner and Department Store purchases.
• Sell only ordinary surplus items after checking them.
• Keep enough money for the next required route or Gym.

Use NPC trades to cover a genuine party gap

NPC trades are optional, one-time exchanges that can provide Pokémon unavailable in the wild or help fill a type gap. In the house on Route 2 reached after passing through Diglett’s Cave, trade an Abra for Mr. Mime. At the Route 5 Underground Path entrance between Cerulean City and Saffron City, the international Red and Blue trade exchanges your Nidoran♂ for the NPC’s Nidoran♀. This is separate from the Route 11 exchange near Vermilion City, where the NPC requests Nidorino and gives you Nidorina. Keep the requested species and evolution stage in mind before visiting either trader.

In Vermilion City, trade Spearow for Farfetch’d. In the Cerulean City house west of the Pokémon Center, trade Poliwhirl for Jynx. On Route 18, the gatehouse exchange trades Slowbro for Lickitung. These trades are not required to defeat the Gym Leaders or the Elite Four. They are useful when you specifically want Mr. Mime, Jynx, Farfetch’d or Lickitung, or when a traded Pokémon gives your team a role it otherwise lacks.

Obtain the requested Pokémon before visiting the trader, and check your party before confirming the exchange. Do not trade away the only Pokémon you are relying on for an upcoming battle merely because the exchange is available. A traded Pokémon has a different Original Trainer. In the original Generation I games, obedience depends on your Badge progress, so do not assume a newly traded Pokémon will always follow orders if your current Badge total is low. Save before a one-time trade if you want a recovery point before committing.

• For Route 5, bring Nidoran♂ and receive Nidoran♀.
• For Route 11, bring Nidorino and receive Nidorina.
• Catch or evolve the requested Pokémon before visiting each trader.
• Confirm the location and direction of the trade before accepting.
• Check whether the exchange removes an important battle role.
• Save before a one-time NPC trade.

Confirm all eight Gym Badges

Open the Trainer Card and verify that all eight Badges are displayed: Boulder from Brock, Cascade from Misty, Thunder from Lt. Surge, Rainbow from Erika, Soul from Koga, Marsh from Sabrina, Volcano from Blaine, and Earth from Giovanni.

The Gym order is not completely fixed after the early game, but every Badge must be present before the League route can be completed. If a Badge is missing, return to that Gym and defeat its Leader. Giovanni's Earth Badge is normally the final Badge because the Viridian City Gym remains closed until the later Team Rocket story events have been resolved.

Do not treat access to Indigo Plateau as proof that the campaign is finished. Route 23 checks the Badges individually, and the Pokémon League still requires four Elite Four victories followed by the Champion battle.

• Boulder Badge obtained from Brock
• Cascade Badge obtained from Misty
• Thunder Badge obtained from Lt. Surge
• Rainbow Badge obtained from Erika
• Soul Badge obtained from Koga
• Marsh Badge obtained from Sabrina
• Volcano Badge obtained from Blaine
• Earth Badge obtained from Giovanni

Verify the required Team Rocket story

The Celadon City Team Rocket Hideout must be cleared far enough to defeat Giovanni and obtain the Silph Scope. The Silph Scope is required to identify the ghost blocking the upper part of Pokémon Tower.

In Lavender Town, use the Silph Scope in Pokémon Tower, defeat the required Team Rocket members, rescue Mr. Fuji, and receive the Poké Flute. This sequence is necessary because the Poké Flute removes the Snorlax blockages on later routes.

Next, clear Team Rocket from Silph Co. in Saffron City. Obtain the Card Key, reach the president's office, defeat Giovanni, and complete the rescue sequence. The president gives you the Master Ball afterward. The Master Ball is useful but is not itself required to defeat the Champion.

If Mr. Fuji has not been rescued, Silph Co. is still occupied, or the related Giovanni encounters remain incomplete, finish those events before treating the story as ready for its final checklist.

• Celadon City Rocket Hideout cleared
• Silph Scope obtained
• Pokémon Tower completed
• Mr. Fuji rescued
• Silph Co. cleared
• Silph Co. president rescued
• Required Giovanni encounters defeated

Reach Indigo Plateau through Route 23 and Victory Road

From Viridian City, go west onto Route 22 and then north through Route 23. The guards on Route 23 check the Boulder, Cascade, Thunder, Rainbow, Soul, Marsh, Volcano, and Earth Badges in sequence. If a guard stops you, check the Trainer Card for the missing Badge rather than searching for an alternate route.

After the final checkpoint, enter Victory Road. You need a Pokémon that knows Strength to move the boulders blocking the passages. Push each required boulder onto its floor switch, then follow the opened routes through the cave until you reach the eastern exit. Optional items and wild Pokémon can be ignored if your supplies or party are already prepared.

At Indigo Plateau, heal at the Pokémon Center and buy the healing items and Revives you intend to use. Arrange your party before speaking to the League attendant. Save before beginning the challenge so a failed attempt can be retried without repeating Victory Road.

• All eight Route 23 Badge gates allow passage
• Victory Road completed
• Indigo Plateau Pokémon Center reached
• Indigo Plateau Poké Mart used if necessary
• Party and items prepared before the League

Complete the Elite Four and Champion sequence

The final challenge is a continuous sequence of five battles: Lorelei, Bruno, Agatha, Lance, and then the rival who was named at the beginning of your game. Blue is the commonly used name for this character, but the name displayed in your file is the one you selected during the opening sequence.

There is no normal Pokémon Center visit between these battles. Use healing items and restore PP during the sequence rather than expecting a break. Preserve your strongest answers for the later fights, and avoid spending every Revive or Full Restore against Lorelei if the party can continue without them.

After defeating the rival, follow Professor Oak into the Hall of Fame and allow the registration and ending sequence to finish. Do not reset immediately after the final battle. The campaign endpoint is the completed Hall of Fame sequence followed by the return to ordinary gameplay, not merely the victory message after the Champion fight.

Once the game has returned to normal play, choose Continue and confirm that your completed file loads. Make a deliberate manual save before beginning optional exploration or starting another game. This gives you a clear preserved point from which to continue.

• Lorelei defeated
• Bruno defeated
• Agatha defeated
• Lance defeated
• Final rival battle won
• Hall of Fame registration completed
• Ending sequence allowed to finish
• Completed file loaded through Continue
• Manual save made after returning to normal gameplay

Use Cerulean Cave only as optional postgame confirmation

After the Hall of Fame sequence, return to Cerulean City and travel north to Route 24. The entrance to Cerulean Cave is across the water near the northwestern side of the city, so Surf is required to reach it. In the original Red and Blue Game Boy games, the cave is opened after the player has entered the Hall of Fame and has all eight Badges.

An accessible Cerulean Cave is a useful practical confirmation that both major completion conditions are recorded, but entering the cave is not required for the main campaign. You do not need to explore its floors, catch Mewtwo, or defeat every wild Pokémon to count the game as completed.

If you choose to enter, heal first and bring Poké Balls or other capture supplies. The cave contains substantially stronger wild Pokémon than ordinary Kanto routes, and Mewtwo is a one-time optional encounter. Save before attempting to catch it so an accidental defeat does not remove that opportunity from the current file.

• Eight Badges remain on the Trainer Card
• Hall of Fame has been entered
• Cerulean Cave entrance is open
• Mewtwo treated as optional
• Capture supplies prepared if entering the cave

Keep Pokédex completion separate from campaign completion

Defeating the Champion does not require catching every Pokémon. A file with incomplete Pokédex entries is still a completed main campaign once the Hall of Fame sequence has been completed.

Pokémon Red cannot legitimately provide every species by itself. Some Pokémon are version exclusives, the unchosen starter families require another source, and Kadabra, Machoke, Graveler, and Haunter evolve into Alakazam, Machamp, Golem, and Gengar only through trading. Fossil choices and other one-time acquisitions also affect which species are available in a single file.

For a Pokédex project, write down the missing species, identify whether each is obtainable in Red, and arrange trades with another compatible Generation I game. Original-cartridge trading requires compatible hardware, cartridges, and a Game Boy Link Cable. These collection requirements are separate from the Badge, Team Rocket, and Pokémon League requirements.

• Missing Pokédex entries recorded
• Red and Blue exclusives identified
• Unchosen starter lines accounted for
• Trade evolutions identified
• Fossil and one-time choices reviewed
• Compatible Generation I trade setup arranged
• Pokédex goals kept separate from the campaign endpoint

Preserve the winning file and choose a next objective

Keep the winning save before beginning a new game. If your hardware or platform provides a reliable save-copy method, use it only if you understand the risks. On an original cartridge, avoid opening the case or experimenting with unofficial backup equipment unless you are prepared for possible save-data damage.

For the existing file, optional goals include exploring Cerulean Cave, catching Mewtwo, collecting additional species, training a stronger party, and arranging trades. The original Game Boy Red Version does not contain the Sevii Islands storyline or the remake-specific postgame requirements from FireRed and LeafGreen.

For another playthrough, choose a different starter, use a restricted party, avoid your usual types, or set an item or level challenge. Those choices affect a new run only; they do not change the Champion status recorded on the completed file.

• Winning save retained
• Completed file loaded successfully
• Optional postgame objective selected
• Pokédex trade plan prepared if wanted
• New-run rules chosen before overwriting anything