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Pokemon Yellow Special Pikachu Edition Kanto Gen 1 adventure archivePokémon YellowGUIDES

Pokémon Yellow Wiki & Guide

Pokémon Yellow box art

Quick reference for Pokémon Yellow Version: Special Pikachu Edition: a walkthrough in badge order, all 51 Kanto locations with wild Pokémon, encounter rates, trainers and items from the game data, every Gym and League team, and where to find all 151 Pokémon.

Released
1998 (JP) · 1999 (NA)
System
Game Boy
Pokédex
151
Locations
51

Start the walkthrough →

Explore the wiki

WalkthroughAll 13 parts in badge orderLocations51 towns, routes and dungeonsWhere to find every PokémonAll 151, with ratesGym LeadersAll 8 teams and badgesElite FourLorelei, Bruno, Agatha, LanceChampion BlueHis three possible teamsPikachu guideFriendship and Pikachu’s BeachLegendary & gift PokémonMewtwo, birds, starters, tradesTMs & HMsWhere to find all 55Getting startedPikachu, Eevee and BrockCharactersOak, Blue, Jessie & JamesPicturesMaps and sprites

Pikachu and the three gift starters

PikachuPikachu ElectricFrom Professor Oak in Pallet TownBulbasaurBulbasaur GrassPoisonGift in Cerulean City if Pikachu is happyCharmanderCharmander FireGift from a trainer on Route 24SquirtleSquirtle WaterGift in Vermilion City after the Thunder Badge

The eight Gyms

BrockPewter CityRock Lv. 12MistyCerulean CityWater Lv. 21Lt. SurgeVermilion CityElectric Lv. 28ErikaCeladon CityGrass Lv. 32KogaFuchsia CityPoison Lv. 50SabrinaSaffron CityPsychic Lv. 50BlaineCinnabar IslandFire Lv. 54GiovanniViridian CityGround Lv. 55

Kanto on the Game Boy

Pallet Town
Pallet Town
Viridian Forest
Viridian Forest
Cerulean City
Cerulean City
Pokémon Tower
Pokémon Tower
Route 19
Route 19
Cinnabar Island
Cinnabar Island

Open the image gallery

Quick tips

  • Brock’s Geodude and Onix ignore Pikachu’s Electric attacks: catch a Mankey or Nidoran♂ on Route 22 first.
  • Keep Pikachu happy (level it up, use items on it, don’t let it faint) to get Melanie’s Bulbasaur in Cerulean City.
  • Beat your rival in Oak’s Lab and on Route 22 if you want to face Jolteon instead of Flareon or Vaporeon at the end.
  • TMs break after one use in Generation I, so save Thunderbolt, Ice Beam and the other strong ones for the right Pokémon.
  • Catch 10, 30 and 50 kinds of Pokémon to collect Flash, the Itemfinder and the Exp. All from Professor Oak’s aides.

FAQ

When did Pokémon Yellow come out?

September 12, 1998 (Japan); October 1999 (North America); September 1999 (Australia); June 2000 (Europe).

What is different in Pokémon Yellow?

Pikachu is your only starter and follows you around; Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle are gifts; the rival starts with Eevee; Jessie and James appear; several Gym teams and wild Pokémon are changed, and some Pokémon (the Weedle, Ekans, Koffing and Meowth lines, Jynx, Electabuzz, Magmar) are missing.

What is the Gym order?

Brock, Misty, Lt. Surge, Erika, Koga, Sabrina, Blaine, Giovanni.

Can Pikachu evolve in Yellow?

No: your Pikachu refuses the Thunderstone. Pikachu guide.

Sources & picture credits

Guide text is original retrogameindex writing, checked against Bulbapedia and the game data. Wild Pokémon, encounter rates, items, trainers, gifts and shops come from the pret/pokeyellow decompilation of the English game (pret/pokeyellow e89ead154b). Maps and sprites © Nintendo / Creatures / GAME FREAK, archived from the Bulbagarden Archives (listed on the image gallery).