Pokémon Yellow Version: Special Pikachu Edition — Complete Campaign Walkthrough (Game Boy)

Take the Potion and leave your house

You begin upstairs in your house in Pallet Town. Walk to the computer in the corner, interact with it, and choose Withdraw Item to take the Potion stored there. This is your only guaranteed healing item at the start, so keep it available for the first rival battle or for an emergency on Route 1.

Go downstairs and leave through the mat along the south wall. Speaking with your mother is optional, but she can restore your party later. Walk north toward the tall grass at the edge of town. Professor Oak is not in the laboratory for the opening scene; approaching the grass triggers his appearance.

• The Potion has been withdrawn from the computer.
• You have left the house and are standing in Pallet Town.
• You have not entered the tall grass before Oak stops you.

Trigger Oak's encounter and receive Pikachu

When you try to enter the tall grass, Professor Oak stops you and explains that wild Pokémon are dangerous without a Pokémon of your own. A wild Pikachu appears, and Oak catches it before taking you to his laboratory.

Inside the laboratory, Oak has one Poké Ball on the table in the Yellow opening. When you try to take it, your rival takes it first. Oak then gives you the Pikachu he just caught outside. This is the original Game Boy version's fixed opening: you do not choose Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle from Oak, and the partner Pikachu begins at level 5.

Pikachu cannot be evolved into Raichu through normal use of a Thunder Stone in Yellow. Keep it in your party if you want the following-Pokémon feature and if you plan to qualify for the later Cerulean City Bulbasaur gift.

• Pikachu is in your party at level 5.
• The rival has taken the Poké Ball from the laboratory table.
• You have not expected to select one of the traditional three starter Pokémon.

Complete the first rival battle

Try to leave the laboratory after Oak finishes giving you Pikachu. Your rival challenges you with a level 5 Eevee. At this point the battle is straightforward: select Fight and use Pikachu's damaging move. Avoid spending turns on unnecessary setup, because Eevee can reduce Pikachu's Attack with Tail Whip.

If Pikachu's HP becomes low, choose Item and use the Potion from the computer. Winning is useful because Pikachu will normally reach level 6, but this battle is not an absolute progression lock. If Eevee wins, the game still allows the adventure to continue after the loss.

The result of this battle, together with the next early rival battle on Route 22, affects which evolution Eevee eventually receives. It does not prevent completion of the main story. After the battle, Pikachu comes out of its Poké Ball, and Oak explains that it does not like staying inside. Wait for this dialogue to finish before leaving the laboratory.

• The level 5 Eevee battle is complete.
• Pikachu has returned to your party after the battle.
• If Pikachu took heavy damage, it is healed before the Route 1 trip.
• You understand that winning is helpful but not required for progression.

Use Pikachu's partner feature and protect its happiness

When the original partner Pikachu is in your party and has not fainted, it follows you in the overworld. Turn toward Pikachu and press A to interact with it. The resulting reaction shows its current mood or happiness, a feature introduced for this Yellow partner.

Keep Pikachu in the party during the opening journey if you want to pursue the later Bulbasaur gift without extra preparation. The Cerulean City gift check depends on the partner Pikachu's happiness, so avoid repeatedly letting it faint. Heal at home or at a Pokémon Center rather than continuing with critical HP.

You can use other Pokémon for battles and later deposit Pikachu if necessary, but do not discard or release it. The partner's overworld behavior is available only while the relevant Pikachu is in the party and not fainted.

• Pikachu follows you outside battles.
• Pikachu reacts when you interact with it in the overworld.
• Pikachu is healed before leaving for Route 1.
• Pikachu has not been repeatedly allowed to faint if you intend to claim Bulbasaur later.

Travel through Route 1 and collect Oak's Parcel

Leave Pallet Town through the northern exit and follow Route 1 to Viridian City. There are no required trainer battles on this first trip. You may walk through the grass for experience, but you cannot yet build a normal captured party because you have not received Poké Balls.

Enter the Poké Mart in Viridian City. The clerk recognizes that you are from Pallet Town and hands you Oak's Parcel. In the original Game Boy inventory, simply verify that the Parcel is present; it is not handled through a separate modern Key Items pocket.

Return south through Route 1 to Pallet Town and enter Professor Oak's laboratory. Speak with Oak while the Parcel is in your inventory. He accepts it and proceeds with the Pokédex scene involving you and your rival. Continue through the dialogue instead of leaving immediately after the delivery text.

• The Viridian City Poké Mart clerk has given you Oak's Parcel.
• The Parcel is in your inventory during the return trip.
• Oak has accepted the Parcel in his laboratory.
• The Pokédex scene has begun or completed.

Receive the Pokédex and prepare for captures

After receiving the Parcel, Professor Oak gives you and your rival Pokédexes. This is the required opening progression event. Leave the laboratory only after the dialogue is complete, then return north toward Viridian City when ready.

Visit your house and speak with your mother if Pikachu needs a full recovery. You can also use the Pokémon Center in Viridian City. Once the Pokédex event is complete, purchase Poké Balls from the Viridian Poké Mart. Buy enough for several capture attempts, but keep money available for Potions and status-healing items.

Use the grass on Route 1 or Route 2 to catch an early reserve Pokémon. Pidgey provides a useful second battler and can help distribute damage during the early routes. Rattata is also serviceable as a temporary reserve. Lower a wild Pokémon's HP carefully before throwing a Poké Ball; if Pikachu's next attack might knock it out, switch to a weaker attack or another Pokémon.

You do not need a full party of six before Viridian Forest. One or two usable reserves are enough to prevent Pikachu from carrying every battle. Heal in Viridian City before continuing through Route 2 and entering the forest.

• The Pokédex has been received from Professor Oak.
• Poké Balls are available for purchase in Viridian City.
• At least one wild Pokémon has been caught after receiving the Pokédex.
• Pikachu and the rest of the party are healed before entering Route 2 or Viridian Forest.
• You have retained enough money for basic healing supplies.

Confirm the previous chapter is complete

This chapter assumes Oak’s Parcel has been delivered to Professor Oak in Pallet Town and that the Pokédex is in your Key Items pocket. If you do not have the Pokédex, return to Oak’s laboratory and finish that conversation before trying to catch Pokémon or continue north from Viridian City.

Return to Viridian City through Route 1 and heal at the Pokémon Center. Visit the Poké Mart afterward. Buy Poké Balls for the catches you plan to make, along with Potions and at least one Antidote if your money allows. Antidotes are particularly useful in Viridian Forest, while the Pokémon Center provides free healing whenever you return to town.

Do not spend all your money on medicine. You will need enough funds for Poké Balls and later supplies, and several early Potions can be collected or received without purchasing them.

• Oak’s Parcel has been delivered.
• The Pokédex is in the Key Items pocket.
• The Viridian Pokémon Center has healed the party.
• Poké Balls and basic status-healing supplies are ready.

Collect the Route 1 Potion and use the route for safe experience

Leave Viridian City by the southern exit and follow Route 1 toward Pallet Town. Speak to the Viridian Poké Mart employee standing near the route’s signpost. He gives you a free Potion; this is an NPC gift, not a ground item beside the path.

Route 1 has no mandatory trainer battles. Defeat a few wild Pokémon if Pikachu or a new party member needs experience, but do not keep battling after HP or PP becomes low. Return to Viridian City for free healing rather than using several consumable items for minor damage.

Once you have Poké Balls, Route 1 is a convenient place to catch Pidgey or Rattata. Weaken a wild Pokémon carefully, throw Poké Balls, and use the Pokémon Center between attempts if Pikachu becomes worn down.

• The free Potion has been received from the Route 1 Poké Mart employee.
• Route 1 wild battles have been used only as needed for experience.
• At least one early Pokémon can be caught after the Pokédex event.
• Pikachu is healthy before leaving the area.

Build a basic party without relying on Pikachu alone

Catch at least one additional Pokémon on Route 1 or Route 2. Pidgey is useful against ordinary early trainers and gives you a dependable Flying-type option later in the game. Rattata is another practical early attacker and can serve as an emergency switch-in while your main Pokémon recover.

Neither Pidgey nor Rattata is a direct answer to Brock. Flying-type attacks do not exploit the Rock/Ground weakness, and Normal attacks are not super effective against Geodude or Onix. Their value here is party depth, extra experience, and protection against having Pikachu carry every battle.

Keep the partner Pikachu in the party. Yellow begins with this fixed Pikachu, and there is no need to search Viridian Forest for another one. The normal Yellow encounters in that forest are Caterpie, Metapod, Pidgey, and rare Pidgeotto; the forest is not a source of a second Pikachu in this release.

• Poké Balls have been purchased after the Pokédex event.
• At least one additional usable Pokémon is in the party.
• Pikachu remains available as a battle and story partner.
• Pidgey and Rattata are being treated as general-purpose helpers, not Brock counters.

Use Route 22 for optional Brock preparation

From Viridian City, take the western exit to Route 22. This detour is optional before Pewter City, but it is the best early opportunity to find a direct answer to Brock. Search the grass for Mankey or either Nidoran.

Mankey is a practical choice because it learns Low Kick early in Yellow. Train it until Low Kick is available, then use that Fighting-type move against Brock’s Rock/Ground Pokémon. Low Kick is not perfectly reliable, so keep another Pokémon healthy in case Mankey misses or takes too much damage.

Nidoran can also be trained for Double Kick. Yellow’s early Nidoran learnsets differ from Red and Blue, so use the move when it becomes available in Yellow rather than applying a Red/Blue level reference. Double Kick provides a direct super-effective option against Geodude and Onix.

The first Route 22 rival battle is optional at this stage. If you want its experience and money, heal first and save before approaching the rival. Yellow’s early Route 22 roster is Spearow and Eevee. Skip the battle if your party is weak or if conserving HP and PP is more important than the reward.

• Route 22 has been searched for Mankey or Nidoran.
• Mankey is being trained for Low Kick or Nidoran for Double Kick.
• The optional rival battle is attempted only with a healed party.
• The party can return safely to Viridian City before Route 2.

Travel north through Route 2

Leave Viridian City through the northern exit and follow Route 2 toward Viridian Forest. The route itself is short, so use its grass for only the experience your Brock counter needs.

Keep the Pokémon you intend to use against Brock near the front of the party so it receives experience from battles. It does not need to fight every encounter, and it should not enter Viridian Forest with dangerously low HP or depleted PP.

If you did not obtain Mankey or Nidoran on Route 22, Route 2 and Viridian Forest still provide a useful fallback. Caterpie can be raised into Butterfree, which learns Confusion when it evolves and gives you a practical special-attacking option for Brock.

• Route 2 has been entered from Viridian City.
• The intended Brock counter still has sufficient HP and PP.
• Caterpie is being considered if a stronger early counter is needed.

Cross Viridian Forest efficiently

Enter Viridian Forest through the Route 2 gatehouse. The forest is the required connection between Route 2 and Pewter City. From the entrance, follow the paths northward, using the trainer positions, item balls, and Trainer Tips signs as landmarks. There is no story switch or key item that must be activated before reaching the northern exit.

Yellow’s original Game Boy encounters in Viridian Forest are Caterpie, Metapod, Pidgey, and rare Pidgeotto. Caterpie is worth catching if you want Butterfree: raise Caterpie to level 7 so it evolves into Metapod, then continue training until Metapod evolves at level 10. Butterfree’s Confusion is a useful alternative to Fighting moves against Brock. Pidgeotto is uncommon but can provide a stronger Flying-type party member than an early Pidgey.

The Yellow forest trainers use combinations of Nidoran, Caterpie, and Metapod. Caterpie and Metapod are not dangerous individually, but repeated String Shot, Tackle, and Harden battles can consume time and PP. Fight trainers that stand in your path and collect the nearby Poké Ball, Antidote, and Potion when convenient; do not make a long detour for an item if your party is poisoned or badly weakened.

If Poison is inflicted, use an Antidote or return to the Pokémon Center. In Generation I, poison continues damaging a Pokémon while you walk. Switch weakened Pokémon out of battle, and run from wild encounters once your Brock counter has gained enough experience. Conserving HP and PP is more valuable than defeating every wild Pokémon.

• The correct Yellow forest encounters are understood: Caterpie, Metapod, Pidgey, and rare Pidgeotto.
• Caterpie has been caught if Butterfree is part of the Brock plan.
• Useful item pickups have been collected when they are along the route.
• Poison has been cured before the party walks farther.
• The northern exit has been reached without exhausting the Brock counter.

Reach Pewter City and prepare for the next chapter

Leave Viridian Forest through the northern gate and enter Pewter City. Heal immediately at the Pokémon Center, then restock at the Poké Mart if the forest used your Poké Balls, Potions, or Antidotes.

Before entering Brock’s Gym, confirm that at least one healthy non-Electric attacker is ready. Brock’s Yellow team is Geodude at level 10 and Onix at level 12. Both are Rock/Ground types, so Pikachu’s Electric attacks have no effect. Mankey’s Low Kick, Nidoran’s Double Kick, and Butterfree’s Confusion are practical early options.

If your counter is undertrained, use remaining Route 2, forest, or Pewter-area battles for experience. Avoid draining all PP on wild Pokémon immediately before the Gym. Begin the next chapter with the party healed, the Brock counter ready for both battles, and at least one Potion available. Brock awards the Boulder Badge and TM34 Bide after defeat, so the Gym battle itself belongs to Chapter 03.

• Pewter City has been reached.
• The party has been healed at the Pokémon Center.
• Medicine and Poké Balls have been restocked if necessary.
• A non-Electric Brock strategy is ready.
• The party is prepared to enter the Pewter Gym in Chapter 03.

1. Heal and prepare in Pewter City

Enter Pewter City from Route 2 and use the Pokémon Center before attempting the Gym. Refill your party’s HP and PP, then visit the Poké Mart for Potions, Antidotes, and Poké Balls. You will face several trainers on Route 3 and many wild encounters in Mt. Moon, so starting with a nearly empty bag makes the next section needlessly difficult.

The Pewter Museum of Science is in the northwestern part of the city. It is optional and does not advance the Boulder Badge objective. The Gym is near the center of town. If you have not yet fought the optional rival on Route 22 west of Viridian City, Brock’s defeat prevents that battle from occurring, so complete it before challenging the Gym if you want the extra experience and money.

• Heal the whole party.
• Buy Potions, Antidotes, and Poké Balls as needed.
• Decide whether to complete the optional Route 22 rival battle before Brock.
• Save before entering the Gym.

2. Prepare a counter for Brock

Brock uses Geodude at level 10 and Onix at level 12 in the original Game Boy release of Pokémon Yellow. Both are Rock/Ground Pokémon, so Pikachu’s Electric attacks have no effect. Pikachu’s Quick Attack also performs poorly because Rock/Ground Pokémon resist Normal-type attacks and have high Defense. Keep Pikachu available as a backup, but do not make it your main attacker for this battle.

Mankey is available on Route 22 west of Viridian City and can use Low Kick. Mankey is one of the simplest Yellow-specific answers to Brock. Nidoran female or Nidoran male can learn Double Kick at level 12, giving either one a strong super-effective option. If you raised Caterpie in Viridian Forest into Butterfree, Confusion is another practical answer because Brock’s Pokémon have low Special compared with their physical Defense.

Strong Grass- or Water-type attacks also work if you already have access to a suitable Pokémon. A Pidgey or Pidgeotto is useful for ordinary battles and later travel, but Flying attacks are not super effective against Brock’s Rock/Ground Pokémon. Do not enter the Gym assuming a Flying type solves this matchup.

• Have at least one Pokémon with Low Kick, Double Kick, Confusion, or a strong Grass- or Water-type attack.
• Raise the chosen counter enough to survive more than one hit.
• Keep the counter healed before speaking to Brock.

3. Clear the Gym trainer and challenge Brock

One Jr. Trainer stands on the direct path to Brock in Yellow. This trainer uses a level 9 Diglett and a level 9 Sandshrew. Fight this trainer if you want the experience and money, then return to the Pokémon Center if your main counter has taken heavy damage. If you defeat Brock while leaving the trainer untouched, that trainer will no longer challenge you later, so battle the trainer before Brock if you want to clear the Gym fully.

Against Brock, lead with your Fighting-type attacker or Butterfree. Geodude knows Tackle and Defense Curl. Onix knows Tackle, Screech, Bind, and Bide. Use your strongest dependable attack rather than spending several turns on weak setup moves.

If Onix uses Bide, watch the battle text and avoid feeding it unnecessary damage while it stores energy. Use a Potion, switch to a healthy teammate, or use a non-damaging move if your attacker cannot finish Onix before the stored damage is released. Bind can temporarily prevent attacks, and Screech can reduce your physical Defense, so switch out if your active Pokémon has become too vulnerable.

• Defeat the Gym’s Jr. Trainer if you want its experience and money.
• Lead with a Fighting-type attacker, Butterfree, or another reliable counter.
• Do not use Pikachu’s Electric attacks against Geodude or Onix.
• Manage Onix’s Bide instead of attacking blindly.

4. Claim the Boulder Badge

Speak to Brock at the back of the Gym. Defeat his level 10 Geodude first, then his level 12 Onix. If your main counter is weakened, switch to a healthy teammate rather than gambling on a final attack. Use Potions during safe turns, especially while Bide is inactive or after switching away from an endangered Pokémon.

Brock awards the Boulder Badge after the battle and gives you TM34, Bide. The badge is required for the next route, while TM34 is optional. The Boulder Badge also permits the use of Flash outside battle later in the game, once you obtain HM05. Heal at the Pewter Pokémon Center immediately after the fight.

• Defeat Geodude and Onix.
• Receive the Boulder Badge.
• Receive TM34, Bide.
• Heal before leaving Pewter City.

5. Cross Route 3 and recover before Mt. Moon

Leave Pewter City through the eastern exit to enter Route 3. The route contains a long sequence of trainer battles. Fight enough trainers to strengthen your weaker party members, but return to Pewter if several Pokémon are low on HP or status conditions are accumulating. Do not continue with only one damaged Pokémon simply to avoid the short trip back.

Use weaker attacks against low-level wild Pokémon when you want experience, and run from encounters that are consuming important PP without helping your team. At the end of the approach, use the Pokémon Center beside the Mt. Moon entrance. This Center is the practical healing point before the cave; it is located on the approach between Route 3 and the Mt. Moon/Route 4 section, not in Pewter City.

• Reach the Mt. Moon entrance after crossing Route 3.
• Heal at the Pokémon Center beside the entrance.
• Carry Potions, status-healing items, and enough Poké Balls for the cave.

6. Cross Mt. Moon and choose a fossil

Mt. Moon is required to reach Cerulean City. Follow the connected passages and ladders, checking visible item balls as you go. Zubat encounters are common, and Clefairy is rare. Fight trainers in small groups and keep at least two usable Pokémon available. If your team becomes badly weakened, use an Escape Rope if you have one or retrace your route to the entrance and heal at the Pokémon Center.

The cave contains several items, including Potions, an HP Up, TM12 Water Gun, TM01 Mega Punch, a Rare Candy, and Moon Stones. These are optional individually, but collecting them while passing nearby can improve your supplies and team. Do not spend all of your PP on every wild encounter; the later trainers and the exit battles matter more.

Near the end of Mt. Moon, defeat the Super Nerd guarding the fossils. After winning, choose either the Dome Fossil or the Helix Fossil. The Super Nerd takes the other fossil, and your choice determines whether you can later revive Kabuto or Omanyte from this visit. When you try to leave, Jessie and James confront you in Yellow. Defeat them, then continue through the exit to Route 4.

Route 4 contains a short western section before the path continues east toward Cerulean City. Collect the visible item if desired, cross the route, and enter Cerulean City. The next required objective is the Cascade Badge, so heal at the Cerulean Pokémon Center before continuing.

• Navigate through Mt. Moon and defeat its required trainers.
• Defeat the Super Nerd and choose one fossil.
• Defeat Jessie and James near the cave exit.
• Exit onto Route 4 and reach Cerulean City.

Heal and prepare in Cerulean City

Use the Cerulean City Pokémon Center before leaving through the northern exit. You must fight the rival shortly before Nugget Bridge, then face five bridge trainers and a Team Rocket Grunt. Beginning this sequence with a damaged party or nearly empty move PP can force an unnecessary retreat.

Buy or confirm that you have Poké Balls, Potions, and status-healing items. Keep an open party slot if you intend to accept Charmander immediately. You do not need to catch every wild Pokémon on Routes 24 and 25; use the grass to add coverage or train a weaker team member when needed.

Pikachu is effective against the rival’s Spearow and suitable Water-type opponents, but it should not be your only attacker. Ground-type Pokémon are immune to Electric attacks, so maintain a neutral or super-effective alternative for opponents that Pikachu cannot handle.

• Heal at the Cerulean City Pokémon Center.
• Carry Poké Balls, Potions, and status cures.
• Leave a party slot open for the Charmander gift.
• Bring at least one Pokémon that can fight without relying on Electric attacks.

Defeat the rival on the northern Cerulean approach

Exit Cerulean City through the northern passage. The rival stops you before Nugget Bridge and uses four Pokémon in Yellow: Spearow at Level 18, Abra at Level 15, Rattata at Level 15, and Eevee at Level 17.

Lead with Pikachu or another Pokémon that can safely handle Spearow. Abra is usually the least dangerous member of the team because its only battle move is Teleport, which does not damage you. Defeat Rattata promptly because its Normal-type attacks can cause more damage than its level suggests.

Use a dependable neutral attacker against Eevee, or exploit a type advantage if your party has one. The rival’s Eevee is the final opponent in this encounter. If the battle leaves your team below safe health, return to the Pokémon Center before starting Nugget Bridge rather than treating the bridge trainers as one uninterrupted mandatory run.

• Defeat the rival’s Spearow, Abra, Rattata, and Eevee.
• Do not expect Electric attacks to solve every later matchup.
• Heal before beginning the bridge trainer sequence if the rival caused significant damage.

Cross Nugget Bridge and defeat Team Rocket

Nugget Bridge is the straight northbound crossing on Route 24. Five regular trainers stand along the bridge: a Bug Catcher, two Lass trainers separated by a Youngster, and a Jr. Trainer at the far end. Their teams range from approximately Level 14 to Level 18 and include Bug, Flying, Poison, Normal, and Fighting Pokémon.

Choose safe switches instead of leaving one weakened Pokémon in front through all five battles. Pikachu can contribute against Flying targets, while a Pokémon with strong neutral attacks is useful against the bridge’s mixed teams. If a Pokémon becomes badly poisoned, paralyzed, or too weak to continue, retreat and heal rather than risking a faint.

After the fifth trainer is defeated, speak to the man at the north end of the bridge. He gives you a Nugget and then reveals himself as a Team Rocket Grunt. Refuse his offer and battle him. In Yellow, he uses an Ekans and a Zubat, both at Level 15.

Defeat the Rocket Grunt to finish the bridge sequence. The Nugget can be sold for useful early-game money, although selling it is optional. The bridge trainers, the Nugget reward, and the Rocket battle are separate parts of the event.

• Defeat all five regular Nugget Bridge trainers.
• Receive the Nugget at the north end.
• Defeat the Team Rocket Grunt using Ekans and Zubat.
• Heal before continuing if the bridge battles consumed most of your supplies.

Search Route 24 and receive Charmander

After the bridge event, explore the grassy area on Route 24. Yellow can provide Oddish, Bellsprout, Venonat, Pidgey, and the uncommon Pidgeotto here. Oddish or Bellsprout is especially useful for the next Gym because Grass attacks are super effective against Water Pokémon. Catch one if your current party lacks a reliable answer to Misty.

Move to the northwest hill and speak to the trainer standing beside the Poké Ball. He explains that he is not good at raising Charmander and asks whether you will take care of it. Agree to receive Charmander at Level 10. This is a gift Pokémon, so there is no capture battle and no Poké Ball is needed.

The same hill contains TM45, Thunder Wave. Pick it up while you are there. If the trainer does not offer Charmander, confirm that all five Nugget Bridge trainers and the Rocket Grunt have been defeated; merely reaching the hill is not enough to complete the event.

• Check Route 24 for Oddish, Bellsprout, Venonat, Pidgey, or Pidgeotto if needed.
• Speak to the trainer on the northwest hill.
• Receive the Level 10 Charmander.
• Collect TM45, Thunder Wave.

Build around Charmander’s weaknesses

Charmander can become a useful long-term team member, but it is not a direct counter to Misty. Fire attacks are poor against Water Pokémon, and Charmander is vulnerable to Rock- and Ground-type attacks. Train it through safe switch-training or use it to finish weakened opponents rather than sending it alone against every trainer.

Keep Pikachu for suitable Water targets and add Grass coverage from Route 24 when possible. A Water-type also provides useful neutral coverage, but a party built mainly from Fire- and Electric-type attackers will have difficulty against several early opponents. Charmander’s immediate role is usually experience growth and cleanup, not leading every battle.

If Charmander is underleveled, train it against manageable wild Pokémon or trainers and return to Cerulean for healing when necessary. Do not spend all of your Potions trying to complete Route 25 in one trip.

• Keep Charmander if you intend to train it for later areas.
• Add Grass, Water, or other reliable coverage before Misty.
• Use switch-training rather than exposing Charmander to unfavorable Water, Rock, or Ground matchups.

Follow Route 25 to Bill’s Sea Cottage

From the north end of Route 24, travel east onto Route 25. The route winds through grass, ledges, and trainer areas before ending at Bill’s Sea Cottage. Fight the trainers when you need experience, but you can return to Cerulean for healing instead of clearing every encounter without a break.

Look for TM19, Seismic Toss, in the route’s maze-like area. It is optional and is not required to reach Bill. Continue east until you arrive at the cottage.

Inside the cottage, speak to the Pokémon near the computer. Bill has been transformed as the result of an experiment. Use the computer to separate him from the Pokémon form, then speak to Bill after he returns to normal. He gives you the S.S. Ticket, which is required to enter the S.S. Anne in Vermilion City.

Leave the cottage and use the shortcut below it to return toward Cerulean City. You do not need to retrace the entire Route 25 maze. Once back in town, heal and prepare for Misty with Pikachu, a Grass-type, or another Pokémon that can reliably damage Water Pokémon.

• Reach Bill’s Sea Cottage at the eastern end of Route 25.
• Use the computer to restore Bill.
• Receive the S.S. Ticket.
• Return using the shortcut below the cottage.
• Prepare dependable coverage for Misty before entering the Cerulean Gym.

Enter Cerulean City and establish the Pokémon Center as your landmark

After exiting Mt. Moon onto Route 4, follow the route east until you reach Cerulean City. Heal at the Pokémon Center before exploring. The Pokémon Center is near the middle of town and is the most useful reference point: Melanie’s Bulbasaur gift house is immediately beside it, the Gym is in the southern part of the city, and the northern exit leads to Nugget Bridge and Routes 24 and 25.

Keep the original partner Pikachu in your party if you intend to obtain Bulbasaur. This is the Pikachu received from Professor Oak at the start of Yellow, not a wild Pikachu caught later. Before moving on, buy a few Potions and status-healing items if your supplies are low. Pikachu is an excellent answer to Misty, but do not make it your only usable Pokémon; Starmie is faster and stronger than Misty’s first Pokémon.

• Heal at the Cerulean City Pokémon Center.
• Keep the original partner Pikachu available if pursuing Bulbasaur.
• Carry enough Potions to recover after the northern route battles.

Clear the rival battle and Nugget Bridge route

Leave Cerulean City through the northern exit. Your rival waits on Nugget Bridge’s approach, before the bridge trainer sequence. In Yellow, his team here is Spearow at level 18, Abra at level 15, Rattata at level 15, and Eevee at level 17. Pikachu handles Spearow well with Electric attacks, while a reliable neutral attacker is safer against Abra, Rattata, and Eevee. Do not expect the Sandshrew matchup from Red or Blue; that Pokémon is not part of this Yellow encounter.

After defeating the rival, cross Nugget Bridge and battle the trainers along the route. The battles are useful for experience, but the sequence can drain HP and PP. If Pikachu is weakened, return to the Pokémon Center before finishing the bridge rather than risking a defeat. At the far side, defeat the Team Rocket member and collect the Nugget reward. Continue north toward Route 25 if you need to meet Bill, since his S.S. Ticket is required for the next Cerulean city event.

The Charmander gift is optional. After clearing the bridge, speak with the boy on the raised area northwest of the bridge and agree to care for his level 10 Charmander. This does not replace Pikachu and is not required for Misty or the Cascade Badge.

• Defeat the Yellow-version rival before crossing Nugget Bridge.
• Use Electric attacks on Spearow, but rely on neutral or appropriate non-Electric attacks against the rest of the rival’s team.
• Defeat the bridge trainers and the Rocket member if you want the Nugget and access toward Route 25.
• Visit Bill on Route 25 before attempting the robbed-house event.
• Claim Charmander only if you want the optional gift.

Raise Pikachu’s friendship and obtain Bulbasaur

Melanie lives in the house immediately beside the Cerulean City Pokémon Center. She gives you a level 10 Bulbasaur when the original partner Pikachu’s friendship value is at least 147. Reaching Cerulean City, defeating the rival, or earning the Cascade Badge does not automatically satisfy this condition.

The dependable approach is to keep Pikachu with you, allow it to gain levels, use healing items on it when needed, avoid letting it faint, and do not deposit it in the Pokémon Storage System. Walking with Pikachu in the party also contributes over time, so continue normal exploration rather than leaving it behind. Speaking to Pikachu and checking its reaction can provide a rough indication of its mood, but the visual reaction is not a precise numerical readout of the Bulbasaur threshold.

Original Yellow also contains a useful item-use quirk: attempting to use Potions on Pikachu while it is already at full health can still raise friendship even though the game reports that the item has no effect. This is optional and easy to overlook; normal leveling, walking, and careful battles are sufficient if you do not want to use the quirk. Keep Pikachu in the party when speaking with Melanie, then accept Bulbasaur when she offers it. Bulbasaur is optional for story completion but provides valuable Grass coverage for later Water- and Ground-type opponents.

• Visit Melanie’s house beside the Cerulean Pokémon Center.
• Use the original partner Pikachu, not a replacement wild Pikachu, for the friendship requirement.
• Avoid Pikachu fainting and avoid depositing it before checking with Melanie.
• Receive the level 10 Bulbasaur if the friendship requirement has been met.

Challenge the Cerulean Gym trainers

The Cerulean Gym is in the southern part of the city. Its interior contains a pool and narrow walkways leading to Misty. The Gym Trainers use Horsea, Shellder, and Goldeen. Electric attacks are effective against all of them, but restore Pikachu’s HP and PP before speaking to Misty if the trainer battles have worn it down.

If Pikachu is underleveled or has too little remaining ThunderShock PP, use a Grass-type backup. Bulbasaur is especially useful if you received it from Melanie, while Oddish and Bellsprout can be found on the nearby routes. Grass Pokémon are not immune to Water attacks, so switch or heal if Starmie begins overwhelming them. A healthy neutral attacker is preferable to leaving a nearly defeated counter in battle.

• Defeat the required Cerulean Gym Trainers.
• Heal before starting Misty’s battle.
• Prepare Pikachu, Bulbasaur, or another reliable answer to Water-type Pokémon.

Defeat Misty and earn the Cascade Badge

Misty uses Staryu at level 18 followed by Starmie at level 21. Both are Water-type Pokémon. Lead with a healthy Pikachu and use ThunderShock, or use Grass attacks from Bulbasaur, Oddish, or Bellsprout. Defeat Staryu quickly, then reassess Pikachu’s HP before committing to the second battle. Starmie is faster and its BubbleBeam can deal heavy damage, especially to Fire-, Ground-, or Rock-type Pokémon.

If Pikachu is badly injured after Staryu, switch to a healthy backup or use a Potion when it is safe to do so. Do not leave a critical-health Pokémon in front of Starmie merely to preserve a turn. Victory awards the Cascade Badge and TM11, BubbleBeam. The badge permits the field use of Cut once you obtain HM01 and makes Pokémon up to level 30 obey you.

• Defeat Staryu and Starmie.
• Receive the Cascade Badge.
• Collect TM11, BubbleBeam.
• Heal the party before continuing the city events.

Resolve the robbed house and collect TM28

After meeting Bill and receiving the S.S. Ticket, return to Cerulean City. Officer Jenny will no longer block the entrance to the robbed house in the northeast part of town. Enter the damaged house, walk through the hole in the rear wall, and confront the Team Rocket Grunt outside. In Yellow, he uses Machop and Drowzee, both at level 17.

Defeat him to receive TM28, Dig. Dig is optional for the main story but is useful outside battle because it can return you from caves to the most recently visited Pokémon Center. This event is separate from the Bulbasaur gift and does not replace the need to raise Pikachu’s friendship.

Once these tasks are complete, heal at the Pokémon Center. The northern routes toward Bill and Route 25 are open, and the southern route toward Route 5 can be used after the Cerulean events. If Melanie has not yet offered Bulbasaur, continue using Pikachu normally and return to her later.

• Receive the S.S. Ticket from Bill before entering the robbed house.
• Defeat the Rocket Grunt behind the house.
• Collect TM28, Dig.
• Confirm the Cascade Badge is recorded and Bulbasaur has been obtained if pursuing the optional gift.

Reach Vermilion City and prepare for the S.S. Anne

After leaving Cerulean City, go south through Route 5 and enter the Underground Path connecting Routes 5 and 6. Follow Route 6 south to Vermilion City. Heal at the Pokémon Center before entering the harbor area, then check that Bill’s S.S. Ticket is in your Bag. The ticket was obtained after helping Bill on Route 25 and is required to board the ship.

The S.S. Anne has several trainers, item pickups, and separate decks, so bring Potions and status-healing items. You can return to the Pokémon Center during this section, but healing before boarding saves time. The ship’s useful story rewards are HM01 Cut from the captain and access to the Vermilion Gym.

• Have Bill’s S.S. Ticket.
• Heal before boarding.
• Carry Potions and at least a few status-healing items.

Explore the S.S. Anne and defeat the Yellow rival

At the southern dock in Vermilion, show the ticket to the sailor and enter the S.S. Anne. Explore the rooms and corridors for items and experience, but make sure your party is healthy before approaching the rival on 2F near the captain’s quarters.

The original Game Boy Pokémon Yellow rival team here is Spearow at level 19, Rattata at level 16, Sandshrew at level 18, and Eevee at level 20. This is not the Red and Blue roster of Pidgeotto, Raticate, Kadabra, and the starter evolution. Pikachu is useful against Spearow and can contribute against the Normal-type Pokémon, but its Electric attacks do nothing to Sandshrew. Switch to a Water- or Grass-type Pokémon, or use a reliable neutral physical attack. Sandshrew also has Slash in this battle, so do not leave a frail Pokémon exposed while relying on accuracy-lowering moves.

After winning, continue into the captain’s room and speak to him. Interact with him again when prompted to help with his seasickness. He gives you HM01 Cut.

• Defeat Spearow Lv. 19.
• Defeat Rattata Lv. 16.
• Defeat Sandshrew Lv. 18.
• Defeat Eevee Lv. 20.
• Speak with the captain and receive HM01 Cut.

Finish the ship before leaving

Teach Cut to a compatible Pokémon before leaving if you want to use it immediately. Because Cut is mainly a field utility move in this part of the game, a temporary team member is preferable, but use whichever Pokémon can learn it without compromising your current party.

Search the ship’s cabins and lower deck for items and battle any optional trainers you still want to defeat. In the original Game Boy games, the S.S. Anne departs after you leave once the captain sequence has been completed, so collect desired items before disembarking. Exit through the ship’s entrance and return to Vermilion City.

• Teach HM01 Cut to a suitable Pokémon.
• Collect any desired S.S. Anne items.
• Complete optional ship battles before disembarking.

Defeat Lt. Surge and earn the Thunder Badge

Use Cut on the tree blocking the Vermilion Gym entrance. The Gym’s trash-can puzzle uses two switches. The second switch is next to the first, but choosing an incorrect can resets the puzzle’s switch placement. Save before testing cans if you want to avoid repeated searches.

Lt. Surge has one Pokémon in Yellow: Raichu at level 28. Ground-type Pokémon are the most dependable answer because Electric attacks do not affect them. Diglett or Dugtrio from Diglett’s Cave can finish the battle with Ground moves, and other trained Ground-capable Pokémon can also work. Watch Raichu’s physical attacks, however: Mega Punch and Mega Kick can damage a Ground-type even though its Electric attacks fail.

Do not rely on Pikachu or another Electric attacker. Electric moves are ineffective against Raichu, so use a Ground-type or weaken Raichu with a sturdy Pokémon before making a safe switch. After the victory, receive the Thunder Badge and TM24 Thunderbolt.

• Use Cut to enter the Gym.
• Solve the trash-can switch puzzle.
• Defeat Lt. Surge’s Raichu at level 28.
• Receive the Thunder Badge and TM24 Thunderbolt.

Collect the level 10 Squirtle gift

After defeating Lt. Surge, visit the Officer Jenny standing near the police station in Vermilion City. Speak to her and she gives you a level 10 Squirtle. The required condition is earning the Thunder Badge; Squirtle is not obtained aboard the S.S. Anne and does not require a separate ship-side quest.

Squirtle provides useful Water-type coverage for the routes ahead and can serve as a temporary HM user if necessary. If you plan to keep it for battles, avoid filling its moveset with utility moves unless you have no other compatible Pokémon for Cut. Confirm that Squirtle has joined your party or has been placed in the PC before leaving Vermilion.

• Defeat Lt. Surge first.
• Speak to Officer Jenny near the Vermilion police station.
• Receive Squirtle at level 10.

Use Route 11 and Diglett’s Cave for training and Flash access

Before heading toward Rock Tunnel, leave Vermilion City through the eastern entrance to Route 11. Battle trainers or catch Pokémon there if your party needs experience, then enter Diglett’s Cave. Diglett’s Cave connects Route 11 with the Route 2 side near Pewter City.

Diglett and especially Dugtrio can be dangerous at this point. Dugtrio is fast and can use Dig, so heal before entering and do not assume the cave is a safe, effortless training area. If a Diglett or Dugtrio uses Dig, a Flying-type switch-in can avoid the underground attack, although you should still watch for other moves.

Exit on the Route 2 side and use Cut on the tree blocking the nearby house. Inside, speak to Professor Oak’s aide. If your Pokédex records at least 10 different Pokémon species as caught, he gives you HM05 Flash. Flash is not required to enter Rock Tunnel, but it illuminates the cave and makes the ladders and branching passages much easier to follow. Teach it to a compatible Pokémon before returning through Diglett’s Cave.

• Enter Diglett’s Cave from Route 11.
• Reach the Route 2 exit.
• Have at least 10 caught species registered.
• Receive HM05 Flash from Oak’s aide.

Return to Cerulean and cross Routes 9 and 10

Return through Diglett’s Cave to Route 11 and Vermilion City, then go north through Route 6 to Cerulean City. Leave Cerulean through the eastern entrance onto Route 9. Use Cut on the tree blocking the route and follow the winding path east through the trainers.

Route 9 connects to Route 10. Continue north until you reach the Pokémon Center outside Rock Tunnel. Heal there before entering, restore Power Points, and place a Pokémon that knows Flash in your active party. Repels are optional but can reduce wild encounters while you navigate the cave.

• Return to Cerulean City through Route 6.
• Use Cut to pass Route 9’s tree.
• Reach the Pokémon Center outside Rock Tunnel.
• Heal and prepare a Flash user.

Cross Rock Tunnel and reach Lavender Town

Enter Rock Tunnel from Route 10 and use Flash immediately if you taught it. Follow the passages between ladders, checking the floor layout after every ladder transition. Trainers are spread through the cave, so heal or use items when needed rather than allowing one weakened Pokémon to lead through the entire tunnel.

The southern exit places you on Route 10. Follow the route south into Lavender Town and heal at the Pokémon Center. Reaching Lavender Town completes this chapter and positions you for the Pokémon Tower sequence. You should now have HM01 Cut, the Thunder Badge, the level 10 Squirtle gift, and HM05 Flash if you met the caught-species requirement.

• Use Flash in Rock Tunnel if available.
• Exit Rock Tunnel on the southern Route 10 side.
• Enter Lavender Town and heal.
• Confirm that Cut, the Thunder Badge, Squirtle, and Flash are secured.

1. Travel west from Lavender Town to Celadon City

Leave Lavender Town by the western gate and enter Route 8. Follow the route west through the tall grass and trainer lines until you reach the small building for the Routes 7–8 Underground Path. Enter it and walk through the tunnel to the western exit on Route 7. From the exit, continue west along Route 7 to reach Celadon City. This is the intended overland connection between Lavender Town and Celadon before the later city events are resolved.

Heal at the Celadon Pokémon Center before starting the Gym or Hideout. Buy Super Potions or Potions, Antidotes, and a few Paralyze Heals or Awakenings. Team Rocket uses Poison-type Pokémon throughout the Hideout, while Erika’s team can inflict sleep and paralysis. If your party is already worn down from Route 8, heal before entering either major sequence rather than spending all your supplies immediately.

The Game Corner, Department Store, and Celadon Mansion are all accessible now, but only some activities are required. The Game Corner’s coins, slot machines, and prize Pokémon are optional. The Department Store is useful for supplies, battle items, and optional TMs. The rooftop vending machines sell Fresh Water, Soda Pop, and Lemonade; these drinks restore HP and can also be used for the Saffron gate guards later.

• Leave Lavender Town through the west gate.
• Cross Route 8 and enter the Routes 7–8 Underground Path.
• Exit on Route 7 and travel west into Celadon City.
• Heal and restock before beginning the Gym or Hideout.

2. Clear the Cut entrance and challenge Erika

Celadon Gym is in the southwest part of the city. Bring a Pokémon that knows HM01 Cut. The Gym entrance is blocked by a small tree; use Cut on that tree, then enter the flower-filled Gym. You can fight the Gym Trainers for experience and money, or avoid some of them, but you must use Cut to reach the clearing where Erika is waiting.

Erika specializes in Grass Pokémon. Fire, Flying, Psychic, Ice, Poison, Bug, and strong neutral attacks are practical choices. Avoid relying on Water-, Rock-, or Ground-type Pokémon, because Grass attacks are super effective against them. Pikachu’s Electric attacks are not a good primary plan here. Bring Antidotes for Acid and other Poison effects, plus Awakening and Paralyze Heals for Erika’s sleep and paralysis moves.

In the original Game Boy Yellow release, Erika sends out Tangela at level 30, Weepinbell at level 32, and Gloom at level 32. Tangela can use Mega Drain, Vine Whip, Bind, and Constrict. Weepinbell carries Acid, Razor Leaf, Stun Spore, and Sleep Powder. Gloom uses Acid, Petal Dance, Stun Spore, and Sleep Powder. Lead with a reliable Fire, Flying, Psychic, or Ice attacker, but switch if sleep or paralysis leaves that Pokémon unable to act.

After defeating Erika, receive the Rainbow Badge and TM21 Mega Drain. The Rainbow Badge allows field use of Strength and raises the obedience limit to level 50. Mega Drain is optional, but it can give a Grass-type Pokémon useful healing damage against Water-, Rock-, and Ground-type opponents. Erika’s battle and rewards are required for this chapter’s completion, even though the Rocket Hideout can be explored around the same point in the story.

• Bring a Pokémon that knows Cut.
• Use Cut on the tree blocking Celadon Gym.
• Defeat Tangela level 30, Weepinbell level 32, and Gloom level 32.
• Collect the Rainbow Badge.
• Collect TM21 Mega Drain.

3. Open the Rocket Hideout beneath the Game Corner

Enter the Celadon Game Corner on the eastern side of the city and walk toward the rear wall. A Team Rocket member is standing in front of a poster. Talk to him and win the battle. Afterward, examine the poster he was guarding. A hidden staircase opens to the right, leading to the four-floor Rocket Hideout beneath the Game Corner. The coins, slot machines, and prize counter are not required for this sequence.

You can leave the Hideout and return to Celadon’s Pokémon Center at any time. Before descending, carry enough healing items to survive several trainer battles, but do not spend money on optional Game Corner rewards if your supplies are low. Poison is common, so keep Antidotes available and heal before a long return through the spinner rooms.

• Defeat the Rocket member beside the Game Corner poster.
• Examine the poster after the battle.
• Enter the staircase that appears.
• Do not spend required healing money on optional Game Corner prizes.

4. Navigate the spinner rooms and obtain the Lift Key

The Hideout contains arrow-shaped spinner tiles. When you step on one, it carries you in the direction of its arrows until you reach a stopping point. Study the available paths before stepping onto a tile. If a spinner sends you to the wrong side, walk around the room and approach the next tile from another direction instead of repeatedly entering the same arrow path.

Progress through the basement floors using the stairs and spinner routes. On the first B4F visit, the western rooms are accessible. Pick up the Lift Key area item and battle the nearby Rocket Grunt. In Yellow, the Grunt does not simply leave the key on the floor after the battle: speak to him again after defeating him, and he drops the Lift Key. The key operates the elevator in the southeast part of the Hideout.

After obtaining the key, retrace your route through the spinner rooms and use the elevator. If the elevator gates remain closed, verify that you spoke to the defeated B4F Grunt after the battle. You may collect the optional item balls along the way, including useful healing items and TMs, but they are not required to obtain the Silph Scope.

• Watch each spinner tile’s arrow direction before stepping on it.
• Reach B4F and defeat the Rocket Grunt in the western section.
• Talk to that Grunt after the battle.
• Confirm that the Lift Key is in the Key Items pocket.
• Return to the elevator.

5. Defeat Jessie and James before Giovanni

Ride the elevator to the floor leading toward Giovanni’s office. Heal your party before crossing the final approach. In Pokémon Yellow, Jessie and James confront you near the office entrance. Their team is Koffing level 25, Meowth level 25, and Ekans level 25.

Ground attacks are effective against Koffing and Ekans, although Koffing’s Poison typing does not make it vulnerable to every common attack in the same way as a pure Ground-targeting strategy might suggest; use your strongest dependable moves and watch for poison. Fighting-type attacks are useful against Meowth. If your intended counter is already low on HP or afflicted by status, heal or switch before starting the battle rather than losing it to a critical hit or a lingering poison effect.

After the battle, Jessie and James leave and the route into Giovanni’s office becomes available. Walk west to the office entrance and heal again with items if necessary. There is no Pokémon Center inside the Hideout, so enter Giovanni’s room only when your main counters have usable HP and PP.

• Heal before the final Hideout approach.
• Defeat Koffing level 25, Meowth level 25, and Ekans level 25.
• Use Ground coverage against the Poison Pokémon and Fighting coverage against Meowth when available.
• Proceed into Giovanni’s office.

6. Defeat Giovanni and collect the Silph Scope

Giovanni’s original Yellow Hideout team is Onix level 25, Rhyhorn level 24, and Persian level 29. Onix and Rhyhorn are Rock/Ground and Ground/Rock Pokémon, so Water, Grass, or Ice attacks are the safest answers. Electric attacks have no effect on either of them. If Onix uses Rage, avoid giving it repeated opportunities to build power while you set up; use a strong super-effective attack or switch to a better matchup.

Persian is a Normal-type Pokémon and is faster than Giovanni’s first two Pokémon. Fighting-type moves are its main weakness. Persian can use Screech to lower Defense, so switch out if a physical attacker has taken too many Defense drops, or defeat Persian quickly with a strong attack. Keep a Water- or Grass-type Pokémon healthy for the first two targets and reserve a sturdy attacker for Persian.

After Giovanni is defeated, he disappears and leaves the Silph Scope behind. Pick it up before leaving. The Silph Scope identifies the unidentified ghosts in Pokémon Tower and allows the normal route through the Marowak and Mr. Fuji sequence. The Hideout objective is not complete until the item is in your inventory.

• Defeat Onix level 25, Rhyhorn level 24, and Persian level 29.
• Use Water, Grass, or Ice attacks against Onix and Rhyhorn.
• Use Fighting coverage or a sturdy neutral attacker against Persian.
• Collect the Silph Scope after Giovanni leaves.

7. Leave Celadon and continue toward Pokémon Tower

Take the elevator back out of the Hideout and return to the Game Corner. Heal at the Celadon Pokémon Center. Your next required destination is Lavender Town and Pokémon Tower. From Celadon, travel east through Route 7 to the Routes 7–8 Underground Path, exit onto Route 8, and continue east to Lavender Town. If you purchased an extra drink at the Department Store, you may also pass through Saffron City’s gate, but that is optional at this point.

The Silph Scope is now ready for use in Pokémon Tower. The Rainbow Badge is also secured, so the Celadon chapter’s required goals are complete. You may return later for optional Game Corner prizes, missed Department Store rewards, the Eevee gift, or other city activities, but none is needed to continue the main route.

• Exit the Rocket Hideout.
• Heal in Celadon City.
• Keep the Silph Scope in the Key Items pocket.
• Confirm that the Rainbow Badge is in your Badge case.
• Travel east through Route 7, the Underground Path, and Route 8 to Lavender Town.

Return from Celadon City to Lavender Town

Complete Team Rocket’s Hideout beneath the Celadon Game Corner first. Defeat Giovanni at the end of the hideout and collect the Silph Scope he leaves behind. Check the Key Items pocket before leaving; this item is the normal requirement for identifying the ghosts in Pokémon Tower.

From Celadon City, leave through the east gate onto Route 7. Enter the Underground Path at the far eastern end of Route 7, then continue east after emerging on Route 8. Follow Route 8 to Lavender Town and heal at the Pokémon Center before entering the tower. Bring Potions, status-healing items, and enough battle-capable Pokémon for several Channeler fights.

• Team Rocket’s Celadon Hideout is cleared
• Giovanni has been defeated
• The Silph Scope is in the Key Items pocket
• The party is healed in Lavender Town

Battle your rival on Pokémon Tower 2F

Enter Pokémon Tower and go upstairs to the second floor. Your rival is waiting near the central section of the floor and challenges you when approached. In the original Yellow release, this battle uses Fearow at level 25, Sandshrew at level 20, Vulpix at level 23, Magnemite at level 22, and Eevee at level 25.

Use Water- or Grass-type attacks against Sandshrew, Ground-type attacks against Magnemite, and Water- or Ground-type attacks against Vulpix. Fearow can punish fragile Grass- or Bug-type Pokémon with Flying attacks, so switch rather than leaving a weakened counter in place. Eevee is less specialized here but can finish damaged Pokémon with Quick Attack.

• The Pokémon Tower rival is defeated
• A dependable answer for Magnemite is available
• The party retains enough HP and PP for the upper floors

Climb the tower and use the fifth-floor healing square

Continue through the stairways on the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth floors. Channelers can be fought for experience or avoided if your team is already prepared. Wild Gastly, Haunter, and Cubone appear in the tower. With the Silph Scope in your inventory, the unidentified ghost encounters are revealed as Pokémon and can be battled normally.

The tower’s Ghost-type Pokémon also have Poison typing, making Psychic- and Ground-type attacks useful. Normal- and Fighting-type attacks cannot hit Ghost Pokémon in Generation I, so do not rely on those moves. On the fifth floor, locate the healing square surrounded by graves. Stepping onto it restores the party’s HP and status, making it the safest checkpoint before the Marowak event.

• The Silph Scope is available while exploring
• The fifth-floor healing square has been located
• The main battle Pokémon are healed before proceeding to 6F

Defeat the story Marowak on 6F

On the sixth floor, approach the ghost blocking the staircase to the upper floor. The Silph Scope identifies it as the level-30 ghost of Marowak, the mother of Cubone. This is a fixed story encounter, not a normal wild Pokémon battle, and it cannot be captured with Poké Balls.

Marowak is Ground type, so Water-, Grass-, and Ice-type attacks are effective choices. A Flying-type Pokémon is also useful defensively because Marowak’s Ground attacks cannot damage it. Keep a healthy switch-in ready because Marowak’s physical attacks can quickly defeat frailer Pokémon. Defeat it rather than running; fleeing causes the ghost to remain in place and continue blocking the staircase.

• The ghost is identified as Marowak
• The level-30 Marowak is defeated
• The staircase to the seventh floor is accessible

Rescue Mr. Fuji on 7F

Heal at the fifth-floor square before making the final climb if necessary. On the seventh floor, Jessie and James are holding Mr. Fuji. In Yellow, their team consists of Meowth, Arbok, and Weezing, each at level 27. Use reliable Ground- or Psychic-type attacks where appropriate, but watch for poison and avoid carrying a badly weakened lead through the battle.

After defeating Jessie and James, walk to Mr. Fuji and speak with him. He transports you back to his home in Lavender Town. Speak with him again there to receive the Poké Flute. Defeating Team Rocket without completing both conversations with Mr. Fuji does not finish the sequence or place the flute in your Key Items pocket.

• Jessie and James are defeated on 7F
• Mr. Fuji is spoken to at the top of the tower
• Mr. Fuji is spoken to again at his Lavender Town home
• The Poké Flute is received

Use the Poké Flute on Snorlax

The Poké Flute awakens sleeping Pokémon in the field and can also be used to wake a sleeping Pokémon during battle. Two level-30 Snorlax block important routes: one is on Route 12 south of Lavender Town, and the other is on Route 16 west of Celadon City.

Stand beside a Snorlax, open the Key Items pocket, and select the Poké Flute. The Snorlax wakes and begins a battle. Each is a limited static encounter, so save before playing the flute if you want the best chance to catch one. You only need to remove one immediately to open the route toward Fuchsia City, but both encounters are useful if you want the Pokémon or additional experience.

• The Poké Flute is visible in the Key Items pocket
• At least one Snorlax can be awakened
• A route toward Fuchsia City is open

Optional Poké Doll bypass

The original Generation I games contain an oversight involving a Poké Doll. Using a Poké Doll during the unidentified Marowak encounter can cause the battle to end as though the ghost had been cleared, allowing access to the upper floor without first obtaining the Silph Scope.

This is an optional workaround, not the recommended first-playthrough route. It does not replace the Silph Scope for revealing ordinary tower ghosts, and it does not remove the need to rescue Mr. Fuji and collect the Poké Flute. For a standard completion, obtain the Silph Scope from Giovanni, reveal and defeat Marowak, rescue Mr. Fuji, and take the flute from his home.

• The normal route uses the Silph Scope
• The Poké Doll method is treated as an optional Generation I workaround
• Mr. Fuji is still rescued and the Poké Flute is collected

Open Saffron City and prepare for Silph Co.

Before entering Saffron City, visit the roof of the Celadon Department Store and buy any drink from one of the vending machines. Carry the drink to a guard at any Saffron City gate. In the original Game Boy release of Pokémon Yellow, the guard accepts the drink and allows you through. This is the Yellow procedure; do not substitute the tea requirement used in Pokémon FireRed and Pokémon LeafGreen.

Heal at a Pokémon Center before entering Silph Co. The building contains Rocket members, Scientists, warp panels, locked electronic doors, a rival battle, a required Jessie and James battle, and Giovanni. Carry Potions or Super Potions, Antidotes or Full Heals, and enough recovery items to handle several consecutive fights. Ground, Water, Grass, Fighting, and Psychic attacks are useful, but no single type is required.

• Buy any drink from a Celadon Department Store vending machine.
• Give the drink to a Saffron City gate guard.
• Heal before entering Silph Co.
• Carry HP and status recovery items.

Take the Card Key from 5F

Enter Silph Co. and use the elevator or stairs to reach 5F. Follow the southern hallway until a Rocket member and a warp panel block the route. Step onto the warp panel beside the Rocket member, then step onto the destination panel again to return to 5F. From there, move down, defeat the Rocket member if you have not already done so, and go east to pick up the Card Key.

The Card Key opens the electronic doors on every floor. It is the only required item for the building’s locked doors, so obtain it before spending time on optional rooms. Afterward, you can collect rewards such as TM09 Take Down, Protein, and the hidden Elixir, but none of those items is necessary to finish the rescue.

• Reach 5F.
• Use the warp panel beside the blocking Rocket member and then return through it.
• Defeat the Rocket member in the southern hallway.
• Pick up the Card Key.

Reach Blue on 7F and receive Lapras

Use the Card Key to open the central room on 3F, then take the warp route that leads to the northwest section of 7F. Blue is waiting there. The correct original Yellow rival teams depend on which Eevee evolution he received earlier. Every branch includes Sandslash at level 38 and Kadabra at level 35.

If Blue has Vaporeon, his team is Sandslash level 38, Magneton level 35, Ninetales level 37, Kadabra level 35, and Vaporeon level 40. Use Water or Grass attacks against Sandslash, Ground attacks against Magneton, Water, Ground, or Rock attacks against Ninetales, a sturdy physical attacker against Kadabra, and Electric or Grass attacks against Vaporeon.

If Blue has Jolteon, his team is Sandslash level 38, Ninetales level 35, Cloyster level 37, Kadabra level 35, and Jolteon level 40. Use Water or Grass against Sandslash, Water, Ground, or Rock against Ninetales, Electric or Grass against Cloyster, physical attacks against Kadabra, and Ground attacks against Jolteon.

If Blue has Flareon, his team is Sandslash level 38, Cloyster level 35, Magneton level 37, Kadabra level 35, and Flareon level 40. Use Water or Grass against Sandslash, Electric or Grass against Cloyster, Ground attacks against Magneton, a physical attacker against Kadabra, and Water, Ground, or Rock attacks against Flareon. Keep Pikachu away from Sandslash and Magneton unless you are using a non-Electric move, because Ground-type Sandslash is immune to Electric attacks and Magneton resists them.

After Blue leaves, speak to the nearby Silph Co. employee. If you have room in your party, he gives you a level 15 Lapras. Lapras is optional, but its Water and Ice typing can provide valuable coverage for the rest of the game.

• Use the Card Key to open the central 3F room.
• Take the warp route to 7F’s northwest section.
• Identify Blue’s Eevee evolution and use the matching team list.
• Defeat Sandslash level 38 and Kadabra level 35 plus the correct branch Pokémon.
• Speak to the nearby employee and receive Lapras if wanted.

Use the 9F healing room

After obtaining the Card Key, follow the main route upward through 6F and 7F, then continue to 9F. Defeat the Rocket member at the south end of the central hallway and use the Card Key to open the break room. Speak to the woman inside to restore your entire party to full health. This free healing point is available while Team Rocket still controls the building, so use it before the final sequence.

From 9F, continue to 10F if you want TM26 Earthquake, Carbos, or the Rare Candy. These items are optional. The 9F healing room is the important landmark because the next route returns through 3F and leads to Blue, Jessie and James, and Giovanni.

• Reach 9F after obtaining the Card Key.
• Open the break room with the Card Key.
• Fully heal before continuing.
• Collect TM26 Earthquake only if it benefits your team.

Return through 3F and defeat Jessie and James on 11F

After using the 9F healing room, go to 10F and take the elevator back to 3F. Use the Card Key to open the central room, then enter the west-central room beyond it and take the warp panel. This is the route that sends you to the west side of 11F. If you reach the president’s area but cannot pass the barrier, return to 3F and use this central warp connection rather than searching the stairways.

When you step off the warp panel on 11F, Jessie and James challenge you. Their Yellow team is Weezing level 31, Arbok level 31, and Meowth level 31. Ground attacks are effective against Weezing and Arbok, while a strong neutral or Fighting attack can handle Meowth. Watch for poison moves and Arbok’s Glare. Cure paralysis or poison before Giovanni if the affected Pokémon is part of your battle plan.

After defeating them, use the Card Key to open the nearby boardroom door. Giovanni and the Silph Co. president are inside.

• Return to 3F after using the 9F healing room.
• Use the central warp route to reach 11F.
• Defeat Weezing, Arbok, and Meowth, all at level 31.
• Open the boardroom door with the Card Key.

Defeat Giovanni and receive the Master Ball

Giovanni’s Silph Co. team is Nidorino level 37, Persian level 35, Rhyhorn level 37, and Nidoqueen level 41. Ground attacks work well against Nidorino, Rhyhorn, and Nidoqueen. Rhyhorn and Nidoqueen also take super-effective damage from Water attacks. Persian is Normal-type and is most vulnerable to Fighting attacks. Do not use Pikachu’s Electric attacks against Rhyhorn or Nidoqueen: both are Ground-type and immune to Electric moves.

Lead with a healthy Pokémon that can handle Persian, then keep a Water- or Grass-type ready for Rhyhorn and Nidoqueen. Giovanni’s Pokémon can damage a weakened team through repeated physical attacks, so switch out poisoned or paralyzed Pokémon instead of allowing them to remain in battle at low HP.

After Giovanni loses, Team Rocket leaves Silph Co. and the remaining occupation-related trainers disappear. Walk north in the boardroom and speak to the Silph Co. president. He gives you the Master Ball, which catches any wild Pokémon without fail. This completes the required Silph Co. story event.

• Defeat Nidorino level 37, Persian level 35, Rhyhorn level 37, and Nidoqueen level 41.
• Speak to the Silph Co. president after the battle.
• Receive the Master Ball.
• Confirm that Team Rocket has left the building.

Continue through Saffron City

Leave Silph Co. and heal at the Pokémon Center. Team Rocket’s removal from the building confirms that the Saffron takeover has ended. The Saffron Gym is now available, allowing you to challenge Sabrina and continue the badge route. Silph Co. is required for story completion; the optional Saffron rewards can be handled before or after the Gym.

If your completion goal includes capturing Mewtwo, reserve the Master Ball for the level 70 encounter in Cerulean Cave after defeating the Elite Four and Champion. If you use the Master Ball earlier, Mewtwo remains catchable with ordinary Poké Balls. Save before the encounter, use Sleep or Paralysis if available, lower its HP carefully, and bring a large supply of Ultra Balls.

Optional Saffron activities include giving Copycat a Poké Doll to receive TM31 Mimic and defeating the Fighting Dojo leader to choose Hitmonlee or Hitmonchan. Neither reward is required to complete Silph Co., earn the remaining badges, or reach the Pokémon League.

• Exit Silph Co. and heal.
• Confirm that the Saffron Gym is accessible.
• Reserve the Master Ball for Mewtwo if desired.
• Collect Copycat’s and the Fighting Dojo’s optional rewards only if wanted.

Clear Silph Co. and open Saffron Gym

Saffron Gym remains inaccessible while Team Rocket controls the city. Complete the Silph Co. event first: enter the company headquarters, use the Card Key to open the locked doors, defeat the rival on the upper floors, reach the President’s room, and defeat Giovanni. Once Giovanni leaves and the President is safe, the Rocket occupation ends and the official Gym in Saffron’s northeast section becomes available. The Gym is next to the Fighting Dojo.

Heal at the Saffron Pokémon Center before entering. The Fighting Dojo is optional and does not unlock Sabrina. If you defeat its trainers and the Karate Master, you may choose either the level 30 Hitmonlee or level 30 Hitmonchan, but you cannot take both. Choose the one that provides more useful coverage for your current party.

• Giovanni has been defeated inside Silph Co.
• The Silph Co. President has been rescued.
• The Saffron Gym entrance is no longer blocked.
• Your party is healed before entering the Gym.

Finish useful Celadon and Saffron errands

The Celadon Department Store is a convenient preparation stop. Buy Super Potions, Antidotes or Full Heals if available to you, a few Revives, and additional Poké Balls if you still need them. On the rooftop, buy a Fresh Water, Soda Pop, and Lemonade. In Generation I, the thirsty girl trades these drinks for TM13 Ice Beam, TM48 Rock Slide, and TM49 Tri Attack, respectively. These rewards are optional, but Ice Beam and Rock Slide can provide useful coverage later. Buy an additional drink for a Saffron gatekeeper if you have not already entered the city.

In the original Game Boy Yellow release, Saffron’s guards accept a drink from the Celadon Department Store vending machines. Give a Fresh Water, Soda Pop, or Lemonade to any one of the thirsty guards at a city gate; the other guards then allow passage as well. Do not look for the Tea item from FireRed and LeafGreen, because that requirement belongs to the later Generation III remakes.

If you have a Poké Doll from Celadon’s Department Store, visit Copycat in the northwest house of Saffron and give it to her to receive TM31 Mimic. Visit Mr. Psychic in the southeast house for TM29 Psychic. Both rewards are optional. Celadon Mansion’s rear entrance leads to the gift Eevee if you have not collected it already. These errands can be completed before or after Sabrina, but checking them now avoids an unnecessary return trip.

• Healing supplies and status recovery items are stocked.
• The required Saffron gate drink has been delivered.
• The rooftop TMs have been collected if desired.
• TM29, TM31, Eevee, and the Fighting Dojo gift have been collected or deliberately skipped.

Prepare for Sabrina’s Psychic team

Sabrina uses three pure Psychic Pokémon in Yellow: Abra, Kadabra, and Alakazam, all at level 50. Abra cannot deal direct damage with its listed moves, but Kadabra and Alakazam use Psychic and can hit hard through their high Special stat. Alakazam is the main danger because it is fast and can use Recover and Reflect.

A strong physical attacker is the most dependable general answer in Generation I because Psychic Pokémon have poor Defense. Normal-, Flying-, and Rock-type attacks are physical in this generation and deal neutral damage; Bug attacks are also physical and have a type advantage, although the available Bug moves are often weak. Use the strongest physical move your party can provide rather than relying only on Pikachu’s Electric attacks or a Fire-type attacker. Electric and Fire attacks are not super effective against Psychic Pokémon.

Do not treat Haunter or another Ghost/Poison Pokémon as a safe defensive solution. In Generation I, Psychic attacks are dangerous to Poison types, and Haunter’s defenses are not reliable against Sabrina’s strongest attacks. A Ghost/Poison Pokémon can contribute with status or an occasional damaging move, but keep a sturdier backup ready. Sleep and paralysis are valuable because they can reduce the number of turns Kadabra or Alakazam receives. Heal before the fight and preserve enough PP for the full three-Pokémon battle.

• Your main physical attacker is near Sabrina’s level range.
• A second Pokémon can survive a Psychic attack and provide a safe switch.
• You have healing items and, if possible, sleep or paralysis support.
• Your main attacks have enough PP for three level 50 opponents.

Navigate the original Yellow Saffron Gym

The Saffron Gym is a network of warp panels. From the entrance room, step on the only teleporter. In the first room after that warp, use the top-right panel. In the next room, use the lower-left panel. In the following room, use the top-right panel. In the final room, use the lower-left panel. This verified sequence takes you to Sabrina: first teleporter, top-right, lower-left, top-right, lower-left.

This direct route does not clear every Gym trainer. If you want the experience, you can deliberately explore the other rooms and battle the Psychic and Channeler trainers, then return to the Pokémon Center if your party becomes weakened. Do not rely on FireRed or LeafGreen maps, because their Gym layouts and directions are not the same as the original Yellow layout. The trainers use combinations including Slowpoke, Slowbro, Mr. Mime, Kadabra, Gastly, and Haunter, so keep your physical attacker away from unnecessary status damage when possible.

Before speaking to Sabrina, check that your lead is healthy, awake, and carrying the move PP you intend to use. If you took damage from optional trainers, leave and heal rather than consuming every healing item before the leader battle.

• The first entrance teleporter has been used.
• The remaining panels were taken in this order: top-right, lower-left, top-right, lower-left.
• You have reached Sabrina’s central room.
• Your lead Pokémon is healthy and has sufficient PP.

Defeat Sabrina and claim the Marsh Badge

Sabrina opens with Abra at level 50. In Yellow, Abra’s listed moves are Teleport and Flash, so it cannot inflict direct damage. Defeat it quickly or use the free turns to improve your position with a setup move or a safe switch. Kadabra is level 50 and knows Psychic, Recover, Kinesis, and Psywave. Alakazam is level 50 and knows Psychic, Psywave, Reflect, and Recover.

Lead with the physical attacker you prepared. If Alakazam uses Reflect, its physical durability improves, so continue applying pressure rather than giving it repeated opportunities to Recover. If your attacker is badly weakened, switch to the teammate that can best survive Psychic and use a healing item when necessary. Sleep or paralysis can turn the battle around, but do not depend on status landing every time.

After the three Pokémon are defeated, Sabrina awards the Marsh Badge and TM46 Psywave. The Marsh Badge raises the obedience limit for traded Pokémon to level 70. It does not permit Strength outside battle; that field use is unlocked by the Rainbow Badge from Erika. Afterward, continue toward Fuchsia City either by taking Cycling Road west of Celadon or by following the coastal route south from Lavender Town.

• Abra, Kadabra, and Alakazam are defeated.
• The Marsh Badge is recorded on the Trainer Card.
• TM46 Psywave has been received.
• Strength has not been incorrectly assigned to the Marsh Badge.
• The route to Fuchsia City is open.

Enter Fuchsia City and prepare for the required sequence

Fuchsia City can be reached from the east through Route 15, from the north through Route 17 and Cycling Road, or from the west through Route 18. Heal at the Fuchsia City Pokémon Center before starting the Safari Zone visit. The Safari Zone is at the north end of town, Koga’s Gym is near the southern-central part of town, and the Safari Zone Warden’s house is east of the Pokémon Center.

The Safari Zone visit is not optional if you are completing the normal story route. You must enter it to obtain HM03 Surf and the Gold Teeth, then return the teeth to the Warden for HM04 Strength. You may challenge Koga before or after collecting these items, but collecting them before the Gym gives you the required late-game HMs as early as possible.

Buy Antidotes, Awakenings, and ordinary healing items before entering the Gym. Safari Zone battles do not use your party Pokémon, so your regular party only needs to be healthy for travel and for the Gym afterward.

• Heal at the Fuchsia City Pokémon Center.
• Bring Antidotes, Awakenings, and healing items for the Gym.
• Plan to collect HM03 Surf and the Gold Teeth before treating Safari captures as optional.

Enter the Safari Zone and collect HM03 Surf

Pay the entrance fee at the Safari Zone gate and accept the Safari Balls. Wild Pokémon cannot be weakened with your own Pokémon in this area. You can throw Safari Balls directly or use Bait and Rocks to alter the wild Pokémon’s behavior and capture odds. The visit is limited by a movement allowance, so collect the progression items before searching for rare encounters.

From the entrance, follow the connecting paths through the central and western sections until you reach Area 3. The Secret House is in the western part of Area 3. Enter it and speak to the attendant to receive HM03 Surf. This is the required Surf reward; it is not obtained from Koga.

Do not spend the entire visit searching for rare Pokémon before collecting Surf and the Gold Teeth. Safari Zone captures, fishing, and extra item pickups are optional collection activities. If the movement allowance expires, the game returns you to the entrance, but collected key items remain collected. Re-enter if you missed either progression item.

• Pay the Safari Zone entrance fee.
• Reach Area 3 and enter the Secret House.
• Speak to the attendant and receive HM03 Surf.
• Leave optional captures until after the required items are secured.

Find the Gold Teeth in Area 3

After obtaining Surf, remain in Area 3 and search the southern portion for the visible item ball containing the Gold Teeth. The Gold Teeth are separate from HM03 Surf, so collecting one does not automatically grant the other.

Once you have both items, leave the Safari Zone. You do not need to catch a Pokémon, fish, or collect every item for the story. If you run out of movement before finding the teeth, re-enter and make Area 3 the priority rather than attempting another full exploration trip.

The Gold Teeth are required for the Warden’s reward. HM04 Strength is not found inside the Safari Zone itself; it is given in Fuchsia after you return the teeth.

• Collect the Gold Teeth in Area 3.
• Confirm that both HM03 Surf and the Gold Teeth are in your inventory.
• Exit the Safari Zone after the progression items are secured.

Return the Gold Teeth and receive HM04 Strength

Enter the Safari Zone Warden’s house east of the Pokémon Center and speak to the Warden while the Gold Teeth are in your Bag. Returning them restores his speech and earns HM04 Strength.

Surf and Strength are separate rewards. The Secret House provides HM03 Surf, while the Warden provides HM04 Strength after receiving the Gold Teeth. Teach Strength to a Pokémon you expect to keep or to an HM carrier, because the original Game Boy release does not provide a normal in-game way to delete HM moves.

After receiving Strength, push the boulder inside the Warden’s house to reach the Rare Candy. This pickup is optional, but it confirms that the Strength event is complete. You can also visit the Fishing Guru’s brother in Fuchsia to receive the Good Rod. The rod is optional and is useful for fishing and Pokédex work, not badge progression.

• Give the Gold Teeth to the Warden.
• Receive HM04 Strength.
• Use Strength on the nearby boulder for the optional Rare Candy.
• Obtain the Good Rod if you want additional fishing encounters.

Navigate the Fuchsia Gym’s invisible walls

Koga’s Gym uses invisible walls to create its maze. The apparent open floor is interrupted by unseen barriers, so move through the open lanes and change direction when a hidden wall blocks you. The Gym trainers are optional for reaching Koga, but they provide useful experience if your party is below the surrounding level range.

The Gym trainers use a mixture of Poison-, Ground-, and Psychic-type Pokémon. Bring Antidotes for Poison and Awakenings for sleep. Keep your main attacker healthy while navigating the maze, and switch out a badly statused Pokémon rather than allowing poison damage to accumulate through several battles.

Ground, Fire, Flying, and Rock attacks are practical against Koga’s Bug/Poison Pokémon. Psychic attacks can also help, but Bug typing reduces the usual Psychic advantage against Venonat and Venomoth. A strong Psychic Pokémon is useful, but do not assume every Psychic attack will be super effective.

• Place a healthy Ground-, Fire-, Flying-, Rock-, or Psychic-capable Pokémon near the front.
• Carry Antidotes and Awakenings.
• Use the invisible-wall maze to reach Koga without exhausting your best counter.

Defeat Koga and earn the Soul Badge

In Pokémon Yellow, Koga uses three Venonat followed by a Venomoth: Venonat level 44, Venonat level 46, Venonat level 48, and Venomoth level 50. This is not the Red and Blue lineup of Koffing and Weezing.

Koga’s team can inflict serious status trouble with moves such as Toxic and Sleep Powder, while Psychic attacks can damage poorly prepared Poison counters. Ground attacks are reliable because they target the Poison typing without depending on Psychic’s reduced effectiveness against the Bug/Poison combination. Fire, Flying, and Rock attacks are also useful. Preserve your strongest dependable attacker for the level 50 Venomoth.

Defeating Koga awards the Soul Badge and TM06 Toxic. The Soul Badge allows a compatible Pokémon to use Surf outside battle. HM03 must still be taught to a compatible Pokémon, and Surf cannot be used for overworld travel until Koga has been defeated. Toxic is optional; save it for a Pokémon with a deliberate status-based moveset.

• Defeat Venonat level 44.
• Defeat Venonat level 46.
• Defeat Venonat level 48.
• Defeat Venomoth level 50.
• Receive the Soul Badge and TM06 Toxic.
• Teach HM03 Surf to a compatible Pokémon if you intend to travel by water.

Leave Fuchsia and continue toward the late game

After Koga is defeated, heal and reorganize the party. The west exit leads overland to Route 18. The south exit leads to Route 19 and the Seafoam Islands, but that route requires Surf after the Soul Badge has been earned. Surf also opens the normal water route toward Cinnabar Island and later optional return trips.

Strength is needed for later boulder puzzles, including the route through Victory Road, so verify that HM04 is in your Bag and that a compatible Pokémon can learn it. Safari captures remain optional unless you are building a particular team or pursuing Pokédex completion. Rare targets such as Tauros, Kangaskhan, Scyther, Pinsir, Exeggcute, Chansey, Rhyhorn, and Dratini can require repeated visits, so do not delay the story solely for one encounter.

If you missed Surf or the Gold Teeth, return to the Safari Zone and repeat the item-focused route. If you collected both but have not beaten Koga, Surf can be taught but cannot yet be used outside battle. Once the Soul Badge is recorded, you are ready to travel south toward Seafoam Islands and Cinnabar or west through Route 18.

• The Soul Badge is recorded among your badges.
• HM03 Surf and HM04 Strength are obtained.
• The Gold Teeth are no longer in your inventory.
• A compatible Pokémon knows Surf if you intend to travel south.
• Your party is healed before leaving Fuchsia.

1. Reach Cinnabar Island and prepare

From Pallet Town, use Surf on the water south of town and follow Route 21 until you reach Cinnabar Island. You can also arrive from Fuchsia City by Surfing west across Route 19 and Route 20, passing through or around the Seafoam Islands. Heal at the Cinnabar Pokémon Center before entering the Mansion or Gym.

Cinnabar contains the Pokémon Center, Poké Mart, Pokémon Lab, Pokémon Mansion, and the locked Gym. Buy healing items before entering the Mansion. Super Potions, Revives, Antidotes, and an Escape Rope are practical supplies. Burn Heals are useful for Blaine’s Fire-type battles, although his team’s listed moves do not guarantee a burn.

Keep a Pokémon that knows Surf in the party. Surf is required for the island routes and is also one of the most dependable attacks against Blaine. Water, Ground, and Rock attacks are effective against his Fire-type team.

• Reach Cinnabar Island by Route 21 or Routes 19 and 20.
• Heal at the Cinnabar Pokémon Center.
• Carry Surf, healing items, and preferably an Escape Rope.

2. Handle the Pokémon Lab if desired

The Pokémon Lab is west of the Pokémon Center. In its Research-and-Development room, speak to the scientist at the back to receive TM35 Metronome. The Lab also contains optional in-game trades and the fossil revival room.

If you have a fossil, give it to the scientist operating the revival machine, leave the building, and return later to collect the revived level 30 Pokémon. In Yellow, the Helix Fossil produces Omanyte, the Dome Fossil produces Kabuto, and the Old Amber produces Aerodactyl. Fossil revival is optional and has no effect on opening the Gym.

The Lab’s trade options are also optional. Do not delay the story route for them unless you specifically want the traded Pokémon. Remember that the original Game Boy games do not use held items; the useful Cinnabar resources are TMs, medicine, fossils, and stat-boosting items.

• Collect TM35 Metronome if wanted.
• Submit and later collect a fossil revival if desired.
• Treat the Lab trades and fossil work as optional.

3. Work through Pokémon Mansion

Enter the ruined Pokémon Mansion on the northwest side of the island. The building’s statues operate hidden switches that open and close doors. Inspect the statue in the northwest room on 1F, then backtrack and climb the nearby stairs.

On 2F, inspect the nearest statue and travel northeast to the journal and Calcium. Continue to the northwest stairs. On 3F, move east to the northeast room, collect the Iron, and inspect the statue there. Use the opened southern route and jump from the smaller balcony on the right to return to 2F.

Go west on 2F to the journal in the southwest room, then climb the stairs near the statue to reach the isolated southwest section of 3F. This area contains a Burglar, a journal, and a Max Potion. Approach the Burglar from the left side of the table. If you start the battle from the wrong side, you can become trapped in the corner; Dig or an Escape Rope can get you out.

Return to 2F, inspect the statue again, and climb through the northwest room to 3F. Approach the Scientist again, but this time jump from the larger balcony on the left. You will land in the southern section of 1F. Defeat the Scientist, collect the Carbos among the plants, and take the stairs to B1F.

• Operate the statue switches to change the Mansion’s doors.
• Collect Calcium, Iron, Max Potion, and Carbos if useful.
• Approach the isolated Burglar from the left side of the table.
• Enter B1F from the southern section of 1F.

4. Take the Secret Key from B1F

On B1F, go to the southern room and defeat the Burglar. Collect TM14 Blizzard and read the final journal entry if you want the Mansion’s research clue. Move west to collect the Full Restore, then inspect the nearby statue to change the doors.

Follow the opened route through the narrow northeastern corridor and defeat the final Scientist. On the way west, collect TM22 SolarBeam and the Rare Candy items if you want them. The Secret Key is in the final room of B1F.

Use an Escape Rope after taking the key, or retrace your route through the basement and Mansion. The key remains in the Bag even if you leave by walking. Return to the Pokémon Center before entering the Gym.

• Collect TM14 Blizzard and the Full Restore if desired.
• Take the Secret Key from the final B1F room.
• Leave the Mansion and restore the party before the Gym.

5. Open Cinnabar Gym and answer the quiz

The Cinnabar Gym is northeast of the island. Walk to the locked entrance with the Secret Key in the Bag to open it. Each room has a quiz machine. A correct answer opens the next door and lets you bypass that room’s trainer. A wrong answer starts the trainer battle, but defeating the trainer still opens the door, so a mistake cannot permanently block progress.

The correct Yellow answers, in order, are Yes, No, No, No, Yes, No. The questions concern Caterpie evolving into Butterfree, the number of certified Pokémon League Badges, Poliwag’s evolution count, Thunder moves against Ground Pokémon, whether Pokémon of the same kind and level are identical, and whether TM28 contains Tombstoner.

The fifth answer is Yes because the machine’s wording asks whether Pokémon of the same kind and level are not identical. If you want experience and money, deliberately battle the Gym Trainers instead of using every correct answer. If the party is already weakened, use the quiz sequence to reach Blaine quickly, then heal at the Pokémon Center before speaking to him.

• Use the Secret Key to enter the Gym.
• Answer Yes, No, No, No, Yes, No to bypass the trainer battles.
• Battle the Gym Trainers instead if you need experience or money.
• Heal before challenging Blaine.

6. Defeat Blaine for the Volcano Badge

Blaine uses Ninetales at level 48, Rapidash at level 50, and Arcanine at level 54. A strong Surf user can handle the team, while Ground- or Rock-type attacks provide useful alternatives. Keep at least one reliable Water, Ground, or Rock attacker healthy rather than spending it on every Gym Trainer.

Ninetales knows Confuse Ray, Quick Attack, Tail Whip, and Flamethrower. If confusion causes repeated self-hits, switch to another Pokémon or use an item when appropriate. Rapidash knows Take Down, Stomp, Growl, and Fire Spin. Fire Spin can trap the active Pokémon, so avoid sending in a fragile counter if Rapidash is still healthy.

Arcanine knows Reflect, Flamethrower, Take Down, and Fire Blast. Save your strongest Water or Ground attacker for it, and heal rather than sacrificing that Pokémon to a critical hit or Fire Blast. Grass-, Bug-, and Ice-type Pokémon are poor primary choices because Blaine’s Fire attacks are super effective against them.

After the battle, Blaine awards the Volcano Badge and TM38 Fire Blast. This is the seventh Gym Badge. When ready to continue, Surf north from Cinnabar along Route 21 to Pallet Town, then travel east through Viridian City toward the final Gym.

The Power Plant is an optional detour, not part of the Cinnabar Gym objective. From the mainland, reach Route 10 north of Lavender Town and Surf along the water beside the route to enter it. You may postpone that visit until after the final Gym if you only need to continue toward the Pokémon League.

• Defeat Ninetales, Rapidash, and Arcanine.
• Receive the Volcano Badge and TM38 Fire Blast.
• Confirm that seven badges are recorded.
• Leave Cinnabar by Surfing north on Route 21 when ready.
• Treat the Power Plant as optional late-game exploration.

Return to Viridian City and enter the final Gym

After earning the Volcano Badge on Cinnabar Island, return to Viridian City. The Gym in the northern part of town is now open. Giovanni has resumed his position as Gym Leader after Team Rocket’s defeat in Saffron City, so this is the eighth and final Gym challenge of the main story.

Heal at the Viridian City Pokémon Center before entering. The Gym contains several trainers, and Giovanni’s team is considerably stronger than the earlier Gym lineups. Ground-type Pokémon dominate the Gym, making Water, Grass, and Ice attacks the most useful forms of damage. Flying Pokémon are immune to Ground attacks, but they are not protected from Giovanni’s Normal-, Rock-, or other non-Ground moves.

A Pokémon with Surf is especially useful here. It can strike Giovanni’s Ground types super effectively and remains important for the route to the Pokémon League. A Grass attacker is also valuable, although relying on a single Grass Pokémon is risky because Giovanni’s Nidoqueen and Nidoking can use Thunder in Yellow.

• The Boulder, Cascade, Thunder, Rainbow, Soul, Marsh, and Volcano Badges are already recorded.
• Your party includes a dependable Water, Grass, or Ice attacker.
• Your team is healed before entering Viridian Gym.

Cross the spinner-tile maze

From the entrance, walk north past the first three Gym Trainers. Continue to the northern section and collect the Revive if you want the item. Then battle the next trainers so that the trainer near the north wall moves out of the way.

Return toward the entrance and use the spinning floor tiles to reach Giovanni. These arrow tiles carry you automatically in the direction they point. Start from ordinary flooring, step onto the tile that sends you toward the next open section, and use the normal floor to reposition whenever a spinner sends you into the wrong loop.

You may battle every trainer for experience before challenging Giovanni, or leave the Gym and return to the Pokémon Center if your main attackers have lost too much HP or important PP. The trainers use Fighting-, Poison-, and Ground-related Pokémon, so Psychic, Water, and strong neutral attacks are useful while clearing the room.

Save before speaking to Giovanni. If the battle goes badly, reset and change your lead Pokémon or healing plan rather than spending the rest of your League supplies inside the Gym.

• The optional Revive has been collected if desired.
• The spinner tiles have been navigated to Giovanni’s platform.
• Your primary attackers have sufficient HP and PP.
• You saved immediately before the leader battle.

Defeat Giovanni’s original Yellow team

In the original Game Boy Pokémon Yellow release, Giovanni’s final team is Dugtrio at level 50, Persian at level 53, Nidoqueen at level 53, Nidoking at level 55, and Rhydon at level 55. This five-Pokémon lineup is specific to Yellow and should not be replaced with the shorter team used in some other Pokémon versions or later remakes.

Lead with a Pokémon that can use a reliable Water, Grass, or Ice attack. Do not use Pikachu’s Electric attacks against Dugtrio, Nidoqueen, Nidoking, or Rhydon: all four are Ground-type Pokémon and are immune to Electric attacks. Persian is the only member of this lineup that Electric attacks can affect normally, but Pikachu is not required for the battle.

Dugtrio is fast and knows Sand-Attack, Dig, Fissure, and Earthquake. Attack immediately instead of spending several turns setting up. If Sand-Attack lowers your accuracy, switch to a fresh attacker when practical. Fissure is inaccurate and can only affect a target that is not faster than Dugtrio, but a successful hit causes an instant knockout.

Persian is a Normal-type Pokémon with Screech, Slash, Fury Swipes, and Double Team. Use a physically durable Pokémon or a reliable special attacker against it. A Flying Pokémon avoids Ground attacks but is still vulnerable to Persian’s Normal-type attacks, so do not switch into Persian solely because the Pokémon can fly.

Nidoqueen and Nidoking are Poison/Ground Pokémon. Water, Grass, and Ice attacks are effective, but both can use Thunder in Yellow. A Water Pokémon remains useful, but it should not be left in front of either Pokémon if it is already weakened. Defeat them quickly with a strong super-effective attack or switch to a safer answer after checking your active Pokémon’s HP.

Rhydon is Ground/Rock and knows Rock Slide, Fury Attack, Earthquake, and Horn Drill. It is slow and takes heavy damage from Water and Grass attacks. Attack directly rather than giving it several turns. Horn Drill is inaccurate and only works against a faster target, but it can instantly knock out a weakened Pokémon if it connects. Keep one healthy attacker in reserve for Rhydon.

• You do not waste Electric attacks on Giovanni’s Ground types.
• You use Water, Grass, or Ice attacks against the Ground-heavy lineup.
• You account for Thunder on both Nidoqueen and Nidoking.
• You keep a healthy Pokémon available for Rhydon and Horn Drill.
• You remember that Giovanni uses five Pokémon in the original Yellow release.

Claim the Earth Badge and finish Giovanni’s scene

After the battle, Giovanni awards the Earth Badge and TM27, Fissure. The Earth Badge is the eighth and final Kanto Gym Badge. It also raises the obedience limit for traded Pokémon. Teaching Fissure is optional; the move is powerful but inaccurate, so keep the TM if none of your Pokémon benefits from it.

Giovanni then disbands Team Rocket and leaves the Gym. Allow the dialogue to finish before leaving. The story does not send you directly to the Pokémon League, so you must still travel west from Viridian City and pass through the League route.

• The Earth Badge is displayed with the other seven badges.
• TM27 is in your inventory if you intend to keep it.
• Giovanni’s final Gym dialogue has finished and he has left.

Confirm the League-route requirements

Open the badge screen and verify that all eight badges are present: Boulder, Cascade, Thunder, Rainbow, Soul, Marsh, Volcano, and Earth. The guards on Route 23 check these badges before allowing you to continue toward Indigo Plateau.

Before leaving Viridian City, make sure you have access to Surf and Strength. Surf is needed to cross the water section on Route 23. Strength is required to move the boulders inside Victory Road. Both HMs must be taught to Pokémon in your current party; having the HMs in the PC is not enough for field use.

If you still need Strength, return the Safari Zone Warden’s Gold Teeth in Fuchsia City. If you still need Surf, obtain it from the Secret House in the Safari Zone. You do not need to clear the Power Plant, catch the legendary birds, complete the Pokédex, or finish every optional area before attempting the League.

• All eight Gym Badges are visible.
• A current party member can use Surf.
• A current party member can use Strength.
• You are not relying on a Pokémon left in the PC to perform either field action.

Prepare for Route 22, Victory Road, and the Elite Four

Heal at the Viridian City Pokémon Center and make a final shopping trip. Carry strong healing items, several Revives, and remedies for paralysis, sleep, poison, and other status effects. Full Restores are useful if available, but do not spend all your money before the League. The Elite Four is a continuous sequence of battles, and there is no Pokémon Center or Poké Mart between members.

A balanced party in roughly the mid-to-upper 50s makes the League much more manageable. Several Pokémon around the upper 50s or low 60s provide a larger safety margin, but levels alone are not enough. Bring varied coverage for Water, Ice, Fighting, Rock, Psychic, Ghost, Dragon, and Flying opponents. Surf is valuable for both travel and battle, Ice attacks help against Lance’s Dragon Pokémon, and Psychic attacks are useful against Bruno’s Fighting Pokémon and Agatha’s Poison-heavy roster.

Restore PP at the Pokémon Center immediately before departing. Arrange the party so the lead Pokémon has a safe opening matchup for Route 22 and the rival battle there. Keep at least two reliable attackers healthy rather than allowing one overleveled Pokémon to absorb every trainer battle.

Save after healing and shopping, then leave Viridian City through the western exit to Route 22. You will face the rival on Route 22 before continuing through Route 23 and Victory Road. The League route is the next required section of the story, so avoid entering it with a team that is missing key moves or has important attacks nearly out of PP.

• All eight badges are confirmed.
• The party has broad offensive coverage.
• Surf and Strength are available from Pokémon currently in the party.
• Healing items, Revives, and status recovery are stocked.
• Important moves have full or nearly full PP.
• You saved at the Viridian City Pokémon Center before departing.

1. Heal in Viridian City and defeat Blue on Route 22

Heal at the Viridian City Pokémon Center before leaving through the western exit. Follow Route 22 toward the Pokémon League Reception Gate. Blue interrupts the approach after you have earned all eight Badges, so place a dependable Pokémon first and carry remedies for paralysis, sleep, confusion, and poison.

In the original Game Boy release of Pokémon Yellow, Blue's fixed opening group is Sandslash level 47, Exeggcute level 45, and Kadabra level 50. Exeggcute is Grass/Psychic, not Exeggutor. The final three depend on the Eevee evolution determined by your earlier rival battles. The Vaporeon route adds Magneton level 45, Ninetales level 47, and Vaporeon level 53. The Jolteon route adds Ninetales level 45, Cloyster level 47, and Jolteon level 53. The Flareon route adds Cloyster level 45, Magneton level 47, and Flareon level 53.

Use Water, Grass, or Ice attacks against Sandslash, but remember that its Ground typing makes Electric attacks ineffective. Exeggcute is vulnerable to Fire, Ice, Flying, Bug, and other suitable super-effective attacks; remove it before Leech Seed, Stun Spore, or PoisonPowder creates a longer fight. Kadabra is fast and has high Special, but its physical Defense is poor, so a strong physical attack is a practical answer.

Use Ground attacks against Magneton and Jolteon. Water or Ground attacks work well against Ninetales and Flareon. Electric or Grass attacks are useful against Cloyster and Vaporeon. If Blue has Jolteon, preserve a Ground-type move rather than relying entirely on Pikachu. After winning, continue west to the Reception Gate.

• Blue's Route 22 team has been defeated.
• The party is healed before entering the League gate.
• All eight Gym Badges are in the Trainer Card.
• A party Pokémon knows Strength before entering Victory Road.

2. Pass Route 23's eight badge checks

Enter Route 23 from the Reception Gate and follow the long tiled path north. The guards check the Boulder, Cascade, Thunder, Rainbow, Soul, Marsh, Volcano, and Earth Badges in that order. Speak to each guard and wait for the passage to open before moving to the next section.

Route 23 is mostly linear. When the path reaches water, select a Pokémon that knows Surf and cross to the next land section. Wild Pokémon, fishing, and items are optional, so skip them if the party is already prepared for Victory Road and you want to conserve HP, PP, or Repels.

After the Earth Badge checkpoint, the route leads directly to Victory Road. If several party members are weakened, return to Viridian City before passing the final checkpoint. There is no Pokémon Center on Route 23.

• All eight guards have verified the Badges.
• The Surf section has been crossed.
• The party has usable HP, PP, and healing supplies before Victory Road.

3. Solve the first Victory Road barriers

At the Victory Road entrance, find the boulder on the western side of 1F and use Strength. Push it around the passage until it rests on the pressure switch to the east. The switch removes the barrier across the rocky ridge. Two item spaces are nearby, but the narrow layout means one item blocks the other; collect whichever you want, then leave and reenter if you need to reset the boulder puzzle for the second item.

Go west past the two Cooltrainers and climb the ladder in the northwest section to reach 2F. Find the boulder in the southern area and push it southwest onto its pressure switch. Follow the opened ridge and climb the northeastern ladder to 3F. Optional items include useful TMs and healing supplies, but they are not required for League access.

Victory Road contains strong wild Pokémon and trainers. Battle enough to gain experience if needed, but use Repels when your team is already at a workable level. Keep an Escape Rope for emergencies, remembering that using it returns you to the cave entrance rather than advancing the route.

• The entrance boulder is on the 1F switch.
• The southern 2F boulder is on its switch.
• The northeastern ladder to 3F has been reached.

4. Reach the Moltres room and decide whether to capture it

On 3F, travel northeast and then toward the northwest section. Activate the next switch and climb down the ladder there to reach the separate western section of 2F. A PokéManiac stands near the level 50 Moltres encounter.

Moltres is optional and is not required to enter the Pokémon League. If you want it, save before interacting with it. Weaken it carefully, then use Sleep or Paralysis and throw Poké Balls. Avoid strong critical-hit-prone attacks or moves that may knock it out accidentally. If you skip Moltres, return to 3F using the same ladder.

After the Moltres area, the remaining boulder sequence is still required. Do not assume that reaching the bird's room means Victory Road is finished.

• The northwest 3F switch has been activated.
• Moltres has been captured or deliberately skipped.
• You have returned to the main 3F route.

5. Finish Victory Road and exit to Route 23

From 3F, return to the boulder in the northeastern area and push it westward and around the ridge until it reaches the next switch. This opens the southern section. Cross the ridge, travel south through the trainer area, and push the next boulder through the floor opening.

Follow the boulder to the lower 2F section and push it west onto its switch. The barrier near the landing area opens. Climb back onto the ridge, return to 3F, and use the next ladder down to the eastern 2F section.

Follow the eastern passage to the exit. You return to the northern end of Route 23, where the tiled statue-lined path leads north to Indigo Plateau. If the team is too weak after Victory Road, use the Pokémon Center before entering the League room.

• The northeastern 3F boulder is on its switch.
• The boulder dropped through the floor has been pushed onto the lower switch.
• The eastern Victory Road exit has been reached.
• Indigo Plateau is accessible from Route 23.

6. Heal and prepare at Indigo Plateau

Use the Indigo Plateau Pokémon Center immediately. The nearby Poké Mart is the last shop available during the challenge. Once you begin the Elite Four sequence, you cannot return to the Center or Mart until the League run ends, although you can use items and save between battles.

Restore every Pokémon's HP and PP, cure all status conditions, and arrange the party so that your best answers are easy to select. Buy Full Restores, Revives, and other healing items that your money allows. A balanced team in the high 40s or low 50s can succeed with good type coverage and item use, but Champion Blue's highest-level Pokémon is level 65.

Water Pokémon with Ice coverage are valuable against Lance. Electric attacks help against Lorelei, Lance's Gyarados, and Blue's Water Pokémon. Psychic attacks are effective against Bruno's Fighting Pokémon and most of Agatha's Poison Pokémon. Ground attacks answer Magneton and Jolteon. Save before entering if you want a recovery point for another attempt.

• All party members are healed.
• Important move PP is restored.
• Revives, Full Restores, and status cures are stocked.
• The party has practical answers for Water, Ice, Fighting, Poison, Psychic, Dragon, Flying, Electric, Fire, and Ground threats.

7. Defeat Lorelei, Bruno, Agatha, and Lance

Lorelei uses Dewgong level 54, Cloyster level 53, Slowbro level 54, Jynx level 56, and Lapras level 56. Electric attacks are useful against the Water types, although Slowbro can become harder to defeat if it uses Amnesia. Cloyster has very high Defense, so special attacks are preferable. Jynx can use Lovely Kiss, so keep a Fire-capable or strong physical answer ready. Heal and restore PP immediately after the battle.

Bruno uses Onix level 53, Hitmonchan level 55, Hitmonlee level 55, Onix level 56, and Machamp level 58. Use Water, Grass, or Ice attacks against both Onix. Do not use Electric attacks against them because Ground Pokémon are immune to Electric moves. Psychic or Flying attacks are practical against Hitmonchan, Hitmonlee, and Machamp. Heal the Pokémon carrying Psychic attacks before facing Agatha.

Agatha uses Gengar level 56, Golbat level 56, Haunter level 55, Arbok level 58, and Gengar level 60. Psychic attacks are strong against her Poison Pokémon, but Ground attacks do not affect Golbat because it is also Flying-type. In the original Generation I battle system, Normal and Fighting attacks cannot damage Gengar or Haunter. Cure confusion, sleep, and paralysis promptly, especially before the final Gengar.

Lance uses Gyarados level 58, Dragonair level 56, Dragonair level 56, Aerodactyl level 60, and Dragonite level 62. Electric attacks are effective against Gyarados. Ice attacks are the most reliable answer to the Dragonair and Dragonite, while Water, Electric, Ice, or Rock attacks can handle Aerodactyl. Dragonite's moves include Blizzard, Fire Blast, Thunder, and Hyper Beam, so a Water Pokémon is not automatically safe. After Lance falls, heal, cure status, restore PP where possible, and select the lead you want for Blue.

• Lorelei has been defeated.
• Bruno has been defeated.
• Agatha has been defeated.
• Lance has been defeated.
• The party is healed before the Champion battle.

8. Defeat Champion Blue and complete the Hall of Fame sequence

Blue always uses Sandslash level 61, Alakazam level 59, and Exeggutor level 61. Exeggutor here is correct; it is separate from the Exeggcute used in the Route 22 battle. His final three depend on the earlier Eevee evolution. The Vaporeon lineup adds Ninetales level 61, Magneton level 63, and Vaporeon level 65. The Jolteon lineup adds Cloyster level 61, Ninetales level 63, and Jolteon level 65. The Flareon lineup adds Magneton level 61, Cloyster level 63, and Flareon level 65.

Use Water or Grass attacks against Sandslash. Alakazam is fast and can use Recover, but its physical Defense is poor; a strong physical attack can defeat it before it heals repeatedly. Exeggutor can use Hypnosis and Leech Seed, so switch or cure sleep when necessary. Use Ground attacks against Magneton or Jolteon, Electric attacks against Cloyster or Vaporeon, and Water, Ground, or Rock attacks against Ninetales or Flareon.

You may use healing items and save between League battles, but you cannot visit the Pokémon Center or Poké Mart. When Blue's final Pokémon faints, Professor Oak registers your party in the Hall of Fame. Allow the registration, save, and credits sequence to finish. The game returns to the title screen afterward; load the completed save to continue in the post-League world.

• Blue's six Pokémon have been defeated.
• Professor Oak has registered the party in the Hall of Fame.
• The save and credits sequence has finished.
• The completed save loads successfully after returning to the title screen.
• The file is ready for the post-League Cerulean Cave objective.

1. Confirm access and prepare before entering

Cerulean Cave opens only after you have defeated the Elite Four and Champion Blue and completed the Hall of Fame sequence. Having eight Gym Badges or reaching the Indigo Plateau is not enough by itself. If the guard still refuses entry, return to the Pokémon League and finish the championship sequence.

Fly to Cerulean City, heal at the Pokémon Center, and place a Pokémon that knows Surf in your party. From Cerulean City, cross Nugget Bridge, Surf west onto the narrow water strip, then follow the water south and west before disembarking by the cave entrance. This entrance route is the same in Yellow, but the internal cave layout is not the same as Red and Blue.

Buy Ultra Balls and healing items before entering. An Escape Rope is useful for leaving after the capture. If you reserved the Master Ball from Silph Co., carry it for the safest possible capture. Otherwise, bring a Pokémon that can inflict Sleep, Freeze, or Paralysis and carry as many Ultra Balls as practical. Save before entering if you want to restore your supplies and party condition, then save again immediately before interacting with Mewtwo.

• Elite Four defeated
• Champion Blue defeated
• Hall of Fame sequence completed
• Surf available
• Ultra Balls and healing items stocked
• Master Ball carried if intended for Mewtwo
• Escape Rope carried if desired

2. Cross 1F and reach the first 2F section

Enter Cerulean Cave and use Surf westward through the southern water. Watch for the one-tile-wide path leading north. Disembark there and follow the narrow path to the Max Elixir. This item is optional, so you can skip the side path if you are conserving time.

Return to the water and continue west until you can disembark on dry land. Take the ladder upward to the southern section of 2F. Random encounters in the cave are high level, but there are no ordinary Trainer battles inside. Use Repels if you want to reduce interruptions, and avoid spending large amounts of PP fighting wild Pokémon unless you are deliberately training.

• Entered through the Route 24 water approach
• Max Elixir collected or skipped
• First ladder to 2F reached

3. Follow the Yellow 2F and eastern 1F route

On 2F, follow the path northeast, then take the eastern branch at the intersection to reach an Ultra Ball in a dead end. The Ultra Ball is optional. Backtrack to the intersection, head south, continue south at the next junction, then go east and north through the connected passages.

When you reach the next intersection, examine the lone rock immediately to the east to collect the hidden PP Up. From there, take the southeast route around toward the Max Revive. Collecting both items is optional, but the Max Revive can be useful if the cave’s wild encounters weaken your party.

Return to the area near the hidden PP Up and take either northern path. Follow the route as it loops east and then south. At the next junction, take the southern path and follow it northward until you reach the ladder down to 1F.

• 2F Ultra Ball collected or skipped
• Hidden 2F PP Up checked or skipped
• 2F Max Revive collected or skipped
• Ladder to eastern 1F reached

4. Cross eastern 1F and the northeast 2F section

On eastern 1F, Surf into the water to the southeast and follow the short passage to the Rare Candy. Return to dry land and examine the lone rock directly west of the ladder area for a hidden PP Up. Then climb the nearby steps onto the northern rocky plateau and collect the Ultra Ball.

Leave the plateau and continue west along the path to the next plateau and ladder. Climb to the northeast section of 2F. Follow the eastern route to the Full Restore. After collecting or skipping it, return to the intersection and take the southern route. Follow this path through the southeast portion of the floor, then turn north toward the ladder in the far northeast corner.

Descend to northeast 1F. Take the steps off the plateau and go southeast to the Max Revive in the corner. Return past the plateau and follow the linear path to the next ladder.

• Rare Candy collected or skipped
• Hidden 1F PP Up checked or skipped
• Northern plateau Ultra Ball collected or skipped
• Full Restore collected or skipped
• Northeast 1F Max Revive collected or skipped
• Next ladder reached

5. Reach B1F and follow the final route

The next 2F section has a connected path leading to an intersection. Follow the route west to hug the western side of the floor. The Rare Candy is to the south, while the next ladder is slightly north. Collect the Rare Candy if wanted, then descend through the northern ladder to northwest 1F and take the following ladder down to B1F.

On B1F, follow the tunnel to the fork. Take the eastern branch first if you want the northern Max Elixir, then return to the fork and head south toward the water. Before Surfing, examine the lone rubble near the southwest waterway to collect the hidden PP Up.

Surf west a short distance and disembark on the southwestern rocky ridge. The ridge contains an Ultra Ball and a Max Revive. Return to the water, then follow it east and north until you reach dry land again. Continue up onto the large rocky ridge and back down to the next intersection. Take the eastern branch for the second B1F Ultra Ball.

Return to the intersection and take the southern route. Follow the winding passage through the water until it ends at the final plateau. Mewtwo is standing alone there. Save immediately before interacting with it.

• B1F reached
• Northern Max Elixir collected or skipped
• Hidden B1F PP Up checked or skipped
• Southwestern Ultra Ball and Max Revive collected or skipped
• Northeastern Ultra Ball collected or skipped
• Mewtwo’s final plateau reached
• Game saved before the battle

6. Battle and capture Mewtwo

Mewtwo is a one-time static encounter at level 70. In the original Yellow release, it knows Swift, Psychic, Barrier, and Recover. Psychic can heavily damage most Pokémon, Swift cannot miss, Barrier reduces damage from physical attacks, and Recover restores HP.

If you saved the Master Ball, use it at the beginning of the battle for a guaranteed capture. If you are using Ultra Balls, inflict Sleep or Freeze when possible. Paralysis is also useful, although it provides less capture assistance than Sleep or Freeze. Weaken Mewtwo carefully, but avoid Poison and Burn because residual damage can defeat it between turns.

Mewtwo may use Recover after you damage it. Reapply status when necessary and continue throwing Ultra Balls. Physical attacks become less effective after Barrier, so do not waste turns repeatedly attacking with a weakened physical move. If Mewtwo faints or defeats the party, reset to the save made before the encounter. Do not save after an unsuccessful battle, because the static encounter will not automatically return.

• Mewtwo captured
• Mewtwo registered in the Pokédex
• Mewtwo placed in the party or a PC box
• Game saved after the successful capture

7. Leave the cave and confirm completion

Use an Escape Rope after capturing Mewtwo if you brought one. Otherwise, Surf south from Mewtwo’s plateau and follow the water back to dry land. Continue north through the winding B1F passage, climb the plateau, descend its western side, and follow the route to the next waterway. Take the narrow path north, continue to the western intersection, and follow the winding route back to the B1F ladder.

From there, use the Yellow ladder sequence in reverse: climb to northwest 1F, take the ladder to 2F, follow the eastern route to the next ladder, descend to northeast 1F, climb the next ladder to 2F, cross south and north through the connected path, then use the ladder to eastern 1F. Follow the lower route to the next ladder, cross the southern water on 1F, and Surf east to the cave exit.

Capturing Mewtwo completes the central post-League story objective. Pokémon Yellow does not begin a new story campaign afterward. Remaining activities include Pokédex completion, link trades, optional captures, repeated Pokémon League attempts, and the in-game diploma goal.

• Cerulean Cave exited or Escape Rope used
• Mewtwo secured and saved
• Eight Gym Badges confirmed
• Elite Four and Champion victory confirmed
• Mewtwo’s Pokédex entry registered
• Optional post-game objectives treated as separate goals

1. Confirm the League, Hall of Fame, and Mewtwo

Make sure all eight badges are displayed on the Trainer Card and that Champion Blue has been defeated. The Hall of Fame record confirms the main story is complete. Silph Co. is not a post-game task; it must already have been cleared before the final Gym and League route can be completed.

Return to Cerulean City and leave through the north side onto Route 24. At the cave entrance, Surf south across the water to reach Cerulean Cave. The guard permits entry after the Pokémon League victory. This is the original Game Boy Yellow route, not the different requirement used in FireRed and LeafGreen.

Use the cave’s ladders and upper-floor passages to reach B1F. On B1F, Surf across the water and follow the rear passage to the isolated platform. Mewtwo is waiting there at level 70. Save before speaking to it.

The Master Ball is the safest capture method if you saved it from Silph Co. Otherwise, inflict Sleep or Paralysis, lower Mewtwo’s HP cautiously, and throw Ultra Balls. Do not treat defeating Mewtwo as completion. If it is knocked out or all available balls are used, reload the save made before the encounter; it is a one-time stationary battle on a normal save.

• All eight badges are displayed.
• The Hall of Fame records victory over Champion Blue.
• Mewtwo is registered as caught in the Pokédex.

2. Collect the three Kanto starter gifts

Yellow gives you all three Kanto starter Pokémon through separate NPC events. In Cerulean City, speak to the girl caring for Bulbasaur. She gives it only when the original partner Pikachu passes the required friendship check. Keep Pikachu in the party, avoid repeated knockouts, heal it regularly, and return to the girl after continuing to use Pikachu normally. This is a one-time gift.

Charmander is obtained from the trainer on the raised ground at the northwest end of Route 24, after the Nugget Bridge sequence. Speak to him once you have reached that area and he will hand over the level 10 Charmander. It is a gift, not a wild encounter.

Squirtle is obtained from Officer Jenny in Vermilion City after Lt. Surge has been defeated and the Thunder Badge has been awarded. Speak to Jenny again after the Gym battle to receive the level 10 Squirtle.

Register each gift and evolve the three lines normally if you are completing the Pokédex. Do not release or trade away a gift unless you have another reliable source for that species.

• Bulbasaur is received from the Cerulean City girl.
• Charmander is received on Route 24.
• Squirtle is received from Officer Jenny after earning the Thunder Badge.

3. Finish the legendary, fossil, and museum entries

Catch any legendary birds you skipped during the story. Articuno is in the Seafoam Islands, Zapdos is in the Power Plant, and Moltres is in Victory Road. Each is a stationary encounter. Save before each battle, use status when practical, and weaken the target carefully.

If one of the birds is defeated, reload a prior save rather than expecting it to return normally. The same cautious approach applies to Mewtwo.

At Mt. Moon, one save file allows you to select either the Helix Fossil or the Dome Fossil. Take the selected fossil to the Pokémon Lab on Cinnabar Island and have it revived into Omanyte or Kabuto. The unchosen fossil is not normally recoverable on that same save, so the opposite fossil Pokémon must come from a compatible trade if you want every entry.

Use Cut to reach the rear area of the Pewter Museum and obtain Old Amber. Take Old Amber to the Cinnabar Lab for revival into Aerodactyl. Old Amber is separate from the Helix and Dome choice and does not prevent you from reviving the selected fossil.

• Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres are caught.
• The selected fossil is revived into Omanyte or Kabuto.
• Old Amber is revived into Aerodactyl.
• The opposite fossil Pokémon is recorded as trade-dependent.

4. Complete Yellow’s seven NPC trades

Yellow has seven accessible in-game trades. Prepare the requested Pokémon before visiting each trader, and check the Pokédex after every exchange. These trades are separate from link trades with another cartridge.

On Route 2, south of the Diglett’s Cave entrance, trade Clefairy for Mr. Mime. At the Route 5 gate to the Underground Path, trade Cubone for Machoke. Machoke evolves into Machamp as part of this completed NPC exchange, making Machamp obtainable without a real-world link trade.

In the Route 11 gatehouse, trade Lickitung for Dugtrio. In the upstairs area of the Route 18 gatehouse, trade Tangela for Parasect.

The remaining three trades are in the Pokémon Lab on Cinnabar Island. Trade Golduck for Rhydon, Growlithe for Dewgong, and Kangaskhan for Muk. These are the complete usable NPC trades for the original Yellow release.

Record each result before moving on. The requested Pokémon is permanently exchanged during the transaction, so capture an extra one first if you want to retain a separate member of that species.

• Clefairy is traded for Mr. Mime on Route 2.
• Cubone is traded for Machoke at the Route 5 Underground Path gate.
• Lickitung is traded for Dugtrio on Route 11.
• Tangela is traded for Parasect on Route 18.
• Golduck is traded for Rhydon in the Cinnabar Lab.
• Growlithe is traded for Dewgong in the Cinnabar Lab.
• Kangaskhan is traded for Muk in the Cinnabar Lab.
• Machamp is registered after the Cubone-for-Machoke exchange.

5. Separate link trades and one-time choices

Kadabra, Graveler, and Haunter require a link trade to evolve into Alakazam, Golem, and Gengar. Machamp is the exception because Yellow’s Cubone-for-Machoke NPC trade causes the received Machoke to evolve during the exchange.

The Fighting Dojo gives only one of Hitmonlee or Hitmonchan. Choose the one you need for your team, then record the other as a mutually exclusive entry. The unchosen species requires an outside trade for a complete Pokédex.

Celadon Mansion provides only one Eevee. It can become Vaporeon, Jolteon, or Flareon, but one cartridge cannot produce all three from that single gift. Choose one evolution and obtain additional Eevee or the missing evolutions through outside trading.

The 13 species unavailable through normal local Yellow gameplay are Weedle, Kakuna, Beedrill, Ekans, Arbok, Raichu, Meowth, Persian, Koffing, Weezing, Jynx, Electabuzz, and Magmar. They must be traded from a compatible Generation I game or, within Generation II Time Capsule restrictions, from a compatible Generation II game.

Raichu needs special attention. Yellow has no wild Pikachu encounter, including Viridian Forest, and the partner Pikachu refuses to evolve with a Thunder Stone. To register Raichu, trade in an outsider Pikachu and use a Thunder Stone on that Pokémon, or trade in Raichu directly. Do not count the partner Pikachu as a possible Raichu source.

• Alakazam, Golem, and Gengar are obtained through link trades if pursuing all 151 entries.
• The unchosen Hitmonlee or Hitmonchan is recorded as trade-dependent.
• Two Eevee evolutions are recorded as requiring additional traded Eevee lines.
• All 13 Yellow-absent species are listed as external-trade targets.
• Raichu is correctly recorded as trade-dependent.

6. Sweep local areas and complete ordinary evolutions

Use the Pokédex location display to build a target list for every missing local species. Work area by area through routes, caves, fishing locations, and the Safari Zone instead of wandering without a plan. Mark an entry when it is caught, received, or evolved.

Give the Safari Zone a dedicated sweep for targets such as Tauros, Kangaskhan, Scyther, Pinsir, and Chansey. Safari encounters can require repeated visits, so enter with a short list and record what you obtain before leaving. Treat rare encounters as optional until you have confirmed which Pokédex entries are still missing.

Check Cerulean Cave separately for late-game encounters, including species such as Rhydon, Chansey, Ditto, and Lickitung, then capture Mewtwo at the deepest chamber. Some species can be easier to obtain through the Yellow NPC trades than through ordinary wild searching, so compare your target list with the seven-trade checklist before spending time hunting.

Classify every remaining missing entry as a local encounter, gift, level evolution, stone evolution, NPC trade, link trade, fossil choice, Fighting Dojo choice, Eevee choice, Yellow-absent species, or event/trade-only species. Never search Viridian Forest for Pikachu in Yellow: there is no wild Pikachu encounter in this edition.

• Routes, caves, fishing areas, and Safari Zone targets are checked.
• Cerulean Cave species are included in the local sweep.
• Every remaining evolution is classified by method.
• The Eevee and Fighting Dojo choices are documented.
• Raichu is not treated as a local Yellow encounter.

7. Resolve Mew and perform the final completion check

Mew is not a normal wild encounter in original Pokémon Yellow. Treat legitimate period event distributions and a compatible traded Mew as separate acquisition methods. Unofficial glitches are outside a standard completion route. If no legitimate Mew is available, record it as the remaining event-exclusive gap rather than searching Kanto routes.

For a complete single-cartridge Yellow project without outside trading, confirm the eight badges, Hall of Fame, captured Mewtwo, all three starter gifts, all three legendary birds, Aerodactyl, the selected fossil Pokémon, all seven NPC trades, and every local species and evolution not blocked by a one-time choice or link requirement.

For a full 151-entry Pokédex, divide the remaining work into local encounters and gifts; Yellow’s seven NPC trades; link-trade evolutions; the opposite fossil; the unchosen Fighting Dojo Pokémon; the two Eevee evolutions not produced by the single gift; the 13 species absent from Yellow; and Mew’s event or trade status.

Original Game Boy Yellow can link with compatible Generation I games and can use the Generation II Time Capsule subject to its restrictions. It does not directly transfer Pokémon to Game Boy Advance or Nintendo DS games. Later transfer routes require different software and hardware.

• The Hall of Fame, eight badges, and captured Mewtwo are confirmed.
• Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle are registered.
• Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Aerodactyl, and the selected fossil Pokémon are secured.
• All seven Yellow NPC trades are checked.
• The unchosen fossil, unchosen Fighting Dojo Pokémon, and two unselected Eevee evolutions are documented.
• Weedle, Kakuna, Beedrill, Ekans, Arbok, Raichu, Meowth, Persian, Koffing, Weezing, Jynx, Electabuzz, and Magmar are identified as Yellow-absent species.
• Raichu is recorded as requiring an outsider Pikachu or an external Raichu trade.
• Alakazam, Golem, and Gengar are obtained through link trades if pursuing all 151 entries.
• Mew is recorded as legitimately obtained or as the remaining event-exclusive gap.
• Every other missing entry has a documented category: local, gift, NPC trade, link trade, opposite fossil, mutually exclusive choice, Yellow-absent, or event-exclusive.