Pokemon
¤ Red and Blue
¤ Red and Green (Japanese)
¤ Blue Version (Japanese)
¤ Yellow Version
¤ Gold and Silver
¤ Crystal Version
¤ Ruby and Sapphire
¤ Emerald Version
¤ FireRed & LeafGreen
¤ Diamond and Pearl
¤ Platinum Version

Universal Information
¤ What is this section?
¤ Breeding Pokemon
¤ Elemental Types
¤ Pokerus Infection
¤ Shiny Pokemon

Affiliates
¤ Amity Square
¤ Dark Eon Hideout
¤ Eevee's Headquarters
¤ Jenviousity
¤ Lugia's Island
¤ Perfect Absolution
¤ Pokemon Inferno
¤ Pokeshore
¤ PokeTech
¤ Pokeuniverse
¤ Pokemon Valley
¤ Sapphire Milotic
¤ The Spriting Shack

When you load a new game, a menu will be displayed explaining what the buttons do. Pay close attention if this is your first time playing a Pokemon game.

After you have read through this, Professor Oak will appear to ask you what your name is. You can enter your own or select a precreated name. You'll be prompted to name your rival next, with either a new name or a precreated name. After that, you'll start your journey in your room.

Once you have control of your character, go to the PC and select withdraw, then select and withdraw the Potion item. This will become needed later on.

Go downstairs and then leave the house, ignoring your mom (she says nothing relevant anyway). Go north and attempt to leave town; you'll soon be stopped by Professor Oak. He'll lead you to his lab where your rival is waiting. In here he will prompt you choose one of three Pokemon after a short sob story about how old he is getting.

Bulbasaur is of the Grass/Poison type combination. This means, given the right moveset, it can trump Rock, Ground, Water, Bug, and Grass type Pokemon. Given its types, it is weak to Fire, Ice, Flying, and Psychic. Bulbasaur is effective against the first two gyms, and using it becomes difficult later on as the trainers beef up and Water and Rock Pokemon become scarce. This Pokemon is perfect for beginning players who want a challenge later.

Charmander is of the Fire type. If one is given the right moveset, it can have a type advantage over Grass, Bug, Ice, and Steel. It is weak to Ground, Rock, and Water type moves. Charmander is at a disadvantage during the beginning of the game with a weakness to the Pokemon used in the first two gyms. Use of Charmander becomes rather rewarding later in the game, as it is able to learn many powerful moves.

Squirtle is of the Water type. Squirtle can easy knock out Fire, Rock and Ground Pokemon if it knowns the right moves. However, it is weak to Grass and Electric. Like Bulbasaur, Squirtle has an advantage in the beginning but will later face opposition. Unlike Bulbasaur, Squirtle will have an advantage later on. Ideally, Squirtle is the perfect starter, being able to learn moves that can easily trump both Bulbasaur and Charmander, as well as many other Pokemon later on.

You should pick your starter carefully, as you can not go back on your pick. The Pokemon you choose should be chosen depending on the level of a challenge you want; Easy? Go with Bulbasaur. Hard? Take Charmander. Moderate? Then go with Squirtle.

Once you've picked your starter and attempt to leave, your rival will want to battle you to see who got the better Pokemon. Your rival will always pick the Pokemon that has a type advantage over you. Since Professor Oak will guide you through the battle, there is really no need for an explaination or guide. When you defeat your rival, you'll get some money.

Once you've done that, leave the lab and head north into Route 1.

Encountered Pokemon:

At this point in time you can not capture Pokemon; you will be able to later. However, you can still battle wild Pokemon and gain EXP. I recommend battling until at least level 7. If your Pokemon gets low on HP, return to your home and speak with your mother as she will heal your Pokemon for you.

Along the route you'll encounter a store clerk; talk to him to receive a free potion. Keep going north through the route and you'll land in Viridian City.

This is Viridian City. At this point in the game, there is not much to do here except visit the Pokemon center to heal your Pokemon and go to the Pokemart, at which point the store clerk will ask you to deliver a parcel to Professor Oak. He won't let you purchase any items until you return from your delivery.

Go to the lab and speak with Professor Oak (turns out the parcel is a custom Pokeball; apparently, there is nothing special about this ball despite it being customly made.) In return for the delivery, he will give you and your rival a Pokedex. This little device has prerecorded data on all Pokemon (at this point, you can only obtain data for the first 151). Unlike the Pokedexes before it, this Pokedex is far more advanced.

When you see a Pokemon, you can few just a bit of data on the Pokedex, such as its cry and where it resides; when you capture it, you will be able to view its size compared top you, evolutions, weights, heights, and etc. What's different about this Pokedex is that you can search for Pokemon based on a given criteria. You can sort the Pokedex to show Pokemon numerically via their Kanto dex number, their habitats, or weights and heights. Right now you can't search through much as you've just started, but the farther you get into the game, the more you'll be able to view.

After being given the Pokedex, you'll be given 5 Pokeballs, which means you can now capture Pokemon. Before you return to Viridian City, be sure to stop by your rivals house (which is next door to your own) and his sister will give you a town map.

Now that you've made a little progress into the game, you can do more here, although you'll have to return more to do everything. Go to the Pokemart and purchase some items. I recommend $1200 to be spent on Pokeballs and the rest on potions. Once you've done that, head west and you'll land in Route 22. Just before this route, however, is a small pathway near a large chunk of trees. Follow this and you'll find a potion.

Encountered Pokemon:

Two new Pokemon in this route; Mankey will be of use later at the first gym if you chose Charmander. Spearow is excellent early on due to the high quantity of Bug-type Pokemon. Other than that, there is not much else in this route. If you head a bit farther in, your rival will appear explaining you need badges (which the gym leaders give out at gyms in various cities) to get into the Pokemon league. Of course, he wants to battle.

Somewhat of an easy battle. Pidgey knows Sand-attack, which lowers your Pokemons accuracy. This means, the lower the accuracy, there less likely your Pokemon's moves are going to hit. If it uses this move more than twice, switch Pokemon as their removes the effect. Even though you'll have a type disadvantage against his starter, your starter should fair well against it. Just simply attack and switch throughout and you should do fine.

Once you beat your rival, there is nothing left to do here until you complete most of the game and get a fishing rod. So, return to Viridian City and then head north where an old man will stop you to show you how to capture Pokemon. Beyond him is Route 2.

Encountered Pokemon:

Two new Pokemon to capture, although unless you spend time raising them to level 10 right now, they aren't of much use. Like Route 22, much of this route can't be used until later in the game. Keep heading north and you'll reach a building. Enter it, and you'll soon wind up in Viridian Forest.

Encountered Pokemon:

Viridian Forest is a natural maze littered with wild Pokemon, trainers, and dropped items. This is the perfect area for training Charmander and Spearow, and later Pidgey, since they learn moves that are super effective against bug-type Pokemon. If you're using Charmander, level 15 is a good level to stop training at. You'll know why when you get there.

One of these items, an antidote (which heals poisoning), can be found under the tree to the left of the kid near the entrance. Head west, then north, and in the dead end you'll find a Pokeball. Return to the entrance and head east, where you'll find a potion in some grass, then continue north where you'll encounter two trainers. At the end of the path is a fork, and the right will lead you around some trees and to another trainer. The left fork will lead to another fork that runs north and south; going north is just taking the right fork in reverse. Head south and you'll be on your way. You'll encounter two trainers along the way, and eventually you find the way out.

Be sure to grab the other potions and the antidote before you leave.

The first city where you can earn a gym badge.

Just north of the entrance of town is the Pokecenter, so heal if you need to. A bit northeast is the Pokemart. Stock up on potions as you'll need them. North of the Pokemart is the museum, and southwest of that is the Gym. Head there.

Upon entering, you'll find out this is a Rock-type gym, meaning Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, and Mankey knowing Vine Whip, Metal Claw, Water Gun, and Low Kick respectively will do well here. The trainer to the left, Camper Liam, is known as a Gym Trainer. These are trainers who specialize in the type of the gym and are loyal to the Gym Leader, who usually sits on a platform somewhere in the gym. These trainers can come from any class. Usually you'll have to fight most if not all gym trainers before you reach the gym leader.

Speak with Brock, the gym leader, to engage battle.

This is a rathe easy gym battle. All you need to do is to use Vine Whip, Water Gun, Metal Claw, or Low Kick continuously and you'll knock out his Pokemon with ease. Should you find yourself low on HP, use a potion. Brock will fall easily.

Brock will admit defeat and confer to you the Boulderbadge, which raises defense and allows the use of HM05 - Flash outside of battle (an item obtained later on), prize money, and TM39 - Rock Tomb. He explains the use of TM and knowledge about them before letting you get on your way.

Leave the gym and head for the Pokemart and stock up on potions and Pokeballs. Head east, and you'll encounter an aide of Professor Oak who will give you the running shoes. Press B while walking outside of buildings and you'll be able to run.