PSA: Don’t Forget About Deoxys When Deciding to Buy Pokemon FireRed or LeafGreen

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Although Game Freak and The Pokemon Company haven’t announced any way to get Deoxys in Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen on Switch, it was available in the original Game Boy Advance games through special events. If Game Freak does allow players to complete the Pokedex eventually, whether you choose to play Pokemon FireRed or Pokemon LeafGreen might depend on being able to obtain Deoxys.

As a long-time Pokémon player, I always thought FireRed and LeafGreen were some of the most true-to-the-original remakes. Later pairs of games often changed things up a lot, but these two mostly just differed in which Pokémon you could catch. FireRed had Pokémon like Arcanine, Scizor, and Electabuzz that a lot of people loved, while LeafGreen had Ninetales, Slowbro/Slowking, and Starmie, to name a few. Usually, picking which version came down to what Pokémon you wanted on your team or just which one you remembered from when you were a kid. But there’s actually a little extra detail most players forget – Deoxys! It adds a bit of a twist that’s easy to miss if you weren’t a super dedicated fan.

Deoxys’ Differences in Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen

In the Generation 3 Pokémon games, Deoxys’ form depends on which game you’re playing. If you get Deoxys in FireRed, it will always be in its Attack Forme, which is strong offensively but weak defensively. In LeafGreen, it’s always in its Defense Forme, prioritizing defense over attack. You can’t change which form you get based on the game cartridge.

Currently, it’s unknown how Game Freak will handle special event Pokémon in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen. Some believe these Pokémon will simply be unavailable, while others hope the events will be added to the games or released later. If players manage to obtain the AuroraTicket – an item needed to access Birth Island – they could encounter Deoxys and solve its famous triangle puzzle. However, this would make the game version you choose matter more than just which exclusive Pokémon you prefer (Arcanine or Ninetales). FireRed players would encounter the Attack Forme of Deoxys, while LeafGreen players would find the Defense Forme. Without the ability to connect to other Generation 3 games, players would be stuck with that form forever.

Who’s That Character? Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)

As a big Pokémon fan, I’m really hoping they add the older games like Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald to the Switch! It would be amazing if we could trade Pokémon across games and finally get Deoxys to change its form again – Emerald had the Speed Forme, which was awesome. Right now, though, with just FireRed and LeafGreen available, you’re stuck with only one version of Deoxys in each game. So, if you’re a completionist like me, it’s something to think about when you choose which version to play. Honestly, we don’t even know if Deoxys will ever be fully implemented, but a fan can dream!

Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen Leave Other Pokemon in Limbo Too

Deoxys isn’t the only Pokémon that’s hard to get! The original Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen games promised all 151 Pokémon, but some were only available through special events. For example, Mew required an Old Sea Map that wasn’t released outside of Japan. To catch Lugia or Ho-Oh, players needed a special event item called the MysticTicket to access them. And, of course, Deoxys required completing a special puzzle on Birth Island.

Locked Event Pokemon in FireRed and LeafGreen

  • Mew (Requires Old Sea Map)
  • Deoxys (Requires AuroraTicket)
  • Lugia (Requires MysticTicket)
  • Ho-Oh (Requires MysticTicket)

Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen Turn the Celebration Up with Event Pokemon

Following the February 27th Pokemon Presents presentation (at 6 am PT/9 am ET), we’ll likely learn how special, event-exclusive Pokemon will be handled in the upcoming releases of Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen. There’s a chance Game Freak or The Pokemon Company will announce methods for obtaining these event Pokemon during the presentation, adding to the excitement, but fans will need to wait a few days to find out for sure.

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2026-02-25 18:12