I’ve been a Pokémon fan since the very beginning, playing the original Pokémon Red and Blue. But it wasn’t until Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen came to the Nintendo Switch that I decided to try and complete my Pokédex. My goal was to catch all 151 of the first-generation Pokémon – the original classics!
I started my Pokémon adventure by getting a copy of Pokémon FireRed for my wife’s Switch and transferring the starter Pokémon to my Pokémon LeafGreen game. My goal was to defeat all the gym leaders in the Kanto region, overcome the Elite Four, and become the Pokémon Champion. Once I reached the endgame and could fly anywhere in Kanto, I began completing my Pokédex, carefully catching any Pokémon I hadn’t found yet. I traded with a friend to get Pokémon that were exclusive to FireRed.
The whole playthrough took around 40 hours, which was surprisingly quick! If you’re planning to complete the Pokedex in Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen, expect to spend a similar amount of time, though there are ways to make the process faster and less challenging.
TopMob Quiz
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Exp Share and Trading Are Big Time Savers
Unlike many recent Pokemon games that give you Exp Share right away, Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen require you to unlock it first. Until you do, a common strategy for leveling up weaker Pokemon is to start battles with them, then quickly switch to your stronger Pokemon so they still get some experience points. Once you do get the Exp Share item, it’s much better because the Pokemon carrying it earns more experience, and you don’t have to bother with constant switching.
To unlock the Exp. Share, you need to catch 50 different Pokémon. Then, visit the gatehouse on Route 15, east of Fuchsia City, and speak with Professor Oak’s assistant. Once you have it, give the Exp. Share to the Pokémon you want to train, and it will gain experience even when it doesn’t battle, making leveling up much faster and easier.
Just so you know, Pokémon gain experience much quicker when traded in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen. If you need to get a Pokémon to a higher level or evolve it, trading it can help you do that faster and avoid a lot of battling.
Ditto is a Must-Have for Breeding
If you’re trying to collect every Pokémon in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, breeding is key. The easiest way to breed Pokémon is with Ditto, which can be found in several locations, like Route 15, the Pokémon Mansion on Cinnabar Island, and Cerulean Cave.
Okay, so getting a Ditto is helpful, but you also need the Pokémon you want to breed. I remember in FireRed and LeafGreen, breeding was the best way to get more Eevees, because you only find one in the wild. Then you could use Evolution Stones to get all three Eeveelutions – Flareon, Vaporeon, and Jolteon. And if you only get one Hitmonchan or Hitmonlee, breeding with a Ditto is awesome because you can hatch a Tyrogue and then evolve it into the Fighting-type Pokémon you didn’t choose originally!
Once you have a Ditto and the Pokémon you want to breed, head to the Sevii Islands – these become available after you defeat the Elite Four and become the Pokémon Champion. You’ll find the Pokémon breeder on Four Island. Leave your Pokémon there quickly, as eggs take time to develop based on how many steps you take, and then even more steps to hatch!
Save Your Money and Skip the Safari Zone Grind
The Safari Zone in Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen can be really challenging. It’s the only place to find certain rare Pokemon, but it’s hard to improve your chances of catching them. Unlike other areas, you can’t battle and weaken Pokemon before trying to catch them. You can throw rocks to try and catch them, but that might scare them away, or use bait to keep them from running, but that makes them much harder to capture.
The Safari Zone is mostly about throwing Poke Balls and hoping for the best! While some Pokemon, like Dratini, Pinsir, and Scyther (depending on your game version), can also be bought at the Celadon City Game Corner, it’s costly. Be careful not to spend all your money there before you have a chance to catch them in the Safari Zone!
There are several ways to earn more money in Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen. You can use the well-known (but time-consuming) Nugget Glitch for a large payout, or repeatedly battle high-level trainers after completing the main story while equipped with the Amulet Coin. However, to save yourself some effort, it’s often easier to simply buy Pokemon in the Safari Zone instead of trying to catch them.
Timer Balls Can Help You Catch the Legendaries
Catching legendary Pokémon like Articuno, Moltres, Zapdos, and Mewtwo in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen requires a significant amount of money. While a Master Ball can be helpful, it’s often best to save it for a shiny Pokémon or one of the legendary dogs you encounter later in the game.
To successfully catch legendary Pokémon in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, it’s best to stock up on Ultra Balls and Timer Balls. You can purchase Timer Balls from the shop on Two Island. Once you’re ready, find the legendary Pokémon you want to catch and save your game first. Then, lower its health to a critical level (red) and either put it to sleep or paralyze it. Throw around 30 Ultra Balls, and if they don’t work, switch to Timer Balls for a better chance of success.
You Can’t Actually Catch ’em All
Even though the goal in the original Pokemon games is to “catch ’em all,” it’s actually impossible to collect all 151 Pokemon in Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen. The legendary Pokemon Mew can’t be found within those games. The only way to add Mew to your FireRed or LeafGreen game is to obtain it in Pokemon Emerald through a special event and then trade it over.
As of today, Nintendo hasn’t officially said they’ll release Pokemon Emerald for the Nintendo Switch, but rumors suggest the older Game Boy Advance games might come to the system eventually. In the meantime, Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen players can get ready by trying to catch all the Pokemon available in those games.
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2026-05-02 23:05