Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen Beginner’s Guide | Gameplay Tips & Tricks

Getting good at Pokémon is fairly easy if you understand what you are getting yourself into, so here are some helpful tips to get ready for your trip into Gen 3's view of Kanto.

This guide will have all the important information to help your trip in Kanto go more smoothly, whether this is your first time playing Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen or it's been a while since you last went. In this order, here are ten important tips that will help you get the most out of your trip back to Kanto.

Make Sure You Are Getting  the Version You Want

Before buying any version of a Pokémon game, you should always look at the version-specific features. FireRed and LeafGreen are no different. There are some Pokémon in each form that you can't find in the other without trading. Also, you can only get all the Pokémon that came out after Gen 2 in the postgame.

This is something to keep in mind if you are picking a form based on your favorite Pokémon, because some of them might not be available until a long time later.

Your Starter Decides Which Legendary Pokémon You Will Encounter

Later in the game, your first partner Pokémon will play a big role. Entei, Raikou, or Suicune are the three legendary beasts that will roam Kanto after the game is over.

Which one shows up is completely based on the starter you picked at the start of your trip. This means you might lock yourself out of the one you want without meaning to. If you have a favorite among the three, make a smart choice.

Save Your MasterBall

When we talk about famous beasts, you should save your Master Ball just for them. It is the only Pokémon in FireRed and LeafGreen whose guaranteed catch rate is better than this one.

Entei, Raikou, and Suicune are all over the area and can run away from the fight, which makes them very hard to catch. This is the best place to use your Master Ball, so trust it.

Cross-Generation Evolutions Cannot Happen After the Game is Over

All Gen 2 Pokémon are locked behind the postgame, so Generation 1 Pokémon that evolved from other generations can't evolve until a very long time from now.

There will be some unfinished evolving lines during the main story because of this. You can't get the affected Pokémon until late in the game, so make sure you plan your team's growth properly.

Know the Different Types of Moves Your Pokémon Can Use

Before the physical-special break, FireRed and LeafGreen were already out. When playing these games, a move is put into a group based only on its type, not on how it works.

For instance, Thunder Punch is a special move here because Electric-type strikes are special, even though in later generations they were called physical. Electric, Water, Fire, Psychic, Dark, Ice, Grass, and Dragon are the only types that are truly unique. 

To remember which ones they are, just picture the Eeveelutions plus Dragon. Every other type is real. This means that special moves are Sludge Bomb and Shadow Ball, and physical moves are Crunch and Dragon Claw. It might take a while to get used to, but remembering this rule will make your battle plan a lot better.

Understanding the Difference Between Fairy Type and Normal Type

As of Gen 3, the Fairy type had not been added yet. This means that in these games, Pokémon like Jigglypuff, Clefairy, and Snubbull are only Normal-type Pokémon. This changes what makes them good and bad compared to newer games. If you're building your team or making games, keep this difference in mind.

Controlling the Level Cap of Your Team

In Pokémon games made before 2018, experience points were only given to Pokémon that fought. At the end of a fight, Pokémon in your party that didn't fight got no XP.

This method encourages you to train more than one person at a time and rotate your team. A good master usually keeps at least four Pokémon at levels that are close to each other. You can get the Versus Seeker early on, which lets you repeat trainers and quickly level up your team. For balanced development, it is very helpful.

Using Abilities Outside of Battles

Most of FireRed and LeafGreen's abilities don't work when the game isn't in a fight. The only ones that don't work are Illuminate (which raises the chance of running into wild creatures) and Pickup (which lets you find random things).

This generation, skills like Magma Armor, Flame Body, Cute Charm, and Compound Eyes don't have any overworld effects. Make sure your goals are in line with how things work at the moment.

Usage of TM’s and Hidden Machines

In these games, you can only use Technical Machines and Move Tutors once. Because you can't get another copy, be very careful when teaching strong moves like TM26 Earthquake.

Hidden Machines, on the other hand, can be used more than once and are needed to get around Kanto. To get to new places and move through the region, you need moves like Cut, Strength, and Surf.

Get Right Into The Experience

Lastly, give the first Pokémon remakes some time to really sink your teeth into them. They might feel a little out of date in some places, but they are full of excitement, charm, and well-thought-out design. Enjoy the music, look at it with respect for the Game Boy Advance style, and what many people think is the best version of Kanto.


Also, check out our Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen Review.