If you are excited about the imminent release of Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, or if you are among the lucky ones who accidentally got early access, there is something that you should know about the Pokedex. While Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen on Switch are basically ports of the original GBA titles, those games were not mere Kanto remakes, as they added the exclusive Sevii Islands, made changes to the core gameplay, and included a National Pokedex with every species up until Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire. That’s a lot of Pokemon, but the main game is still very much a Kanto experience, as the National Dex is only post-game.
However, the main problem is that Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen have many unobtainable Pokemon, many of which are in the National Pokedex. Technically, Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen‘s Home support should be activated at some point, but this was listed on the Nintendo eShop and later removed, so it’s still unclear. However, with no online communication and only local co-op, these games very much need Pokemon Home compatibility if you want to complete the Pokedex. And I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but to do so, you need to play through the worst games in the series.
Say Goodbye to These 46 Pokemon in FireRed and LeafGreen on Switch
Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen on Switch and Switch 2 will force you to say goodbye to 46 Pokemon that you won’t be able to get.
Why You Need to Play Gen 8, Gen 9, and Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl to Beat FireRed and LeafGreen
Unless you already have a Living Dex in Pokemon Home, in which case I’m happy for you, you will need to play through three different games (or at least two) in order to get almost every unobtainable Pokemon in FireRed and LeafGreen. These are:
- Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (with The Teal Mask DLC and The Indigo Disk DLC)
- Pokemon Sword and Shield (with Isle of Armour DLC and Crown Tundra DLC)
- Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl
Who’s That Character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)
Now, if you ask me, Gen 8 and Gen 9 are some of the best Pokemon games ever made, despite their issues and despite Pokemon Scarlet and Violet‘s low score on Metacritic. But I really loathe Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, and I’m sure I’m not the only one. Unfortunately, it’s “mandatory” to play through it if you want to complete the National Dex.
Pokemon You Can Get For FireRed and LeafGreen’s National Dex in Scarlet and Violet
Several Pokemon on this list will also be available in Pokemon Sword and Shield or in BDSP, but I still recommend collecting them in Gen 9 if you have access to it. This is because you can easily make Sandwiches in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet that also boost the rate at which you find certain types, so if you aim to collect all the critters you need to transfer to Home and then to FireRed and LeafGreen, Gen 9 is the best way to do it. These are the mons you can get easily in Gen 9 for the National Dex:
- Chinchou
- Lanturn
- Mareep
- Flaaffy
- Ampharos
- Sudowoodo
- Sunkern
- Sunflora
- Espeon
- Umbreon
- Girafarig
- Pineko
- Forretress
- Teddiursa
- Ursaring
- Houndour
- Houndoom
- Wingull
- Pelipper
- Ralts
- Kirlia
- Gardevoir
- Surskit
- Masquerain
- Shroomish
- Breloom
- Slakoth
- Vigoroth
- Slaking
- Makuhita
- Hariyama
- Sableye
- Meditite
- Medicham
- Plusle
- Minun
- Gulpin
- Swalot
- Numel
- Camerupt
- Torkoal
- Spoink
- Grumpig
- Cacnea
- Cacturne
- Swablu
- Altaria
- Zangoose
- Seviper
- Barboach
- Whiscash
- Tropius
- Luvdisc
- Bagon
- Shelgon
- Salemence
- Beldum
- Metang
- Metagross
Pokemon You Can Get For FireRed and LeafGreen’s National Dex in The Teal Mask
- Hoothoot
- Noctowl
- Gligar
- Poochyena
- Mightyena
- Lotad
- Lombre
- Ludicolo
- Seedot
- Nuzleaf
- Shiftry
- Nosepass
- Volbeat
- Illumise
- Corphish
- Crawdaunt
- Feebas
- Milotic
- Duskull
- Dusclops
- Chimecho
Pokemon You Can Get For FireRed and LeafGreen’s National Dex in The Indigo Disk
- Chikorita
- Bayleef
- Meganium
- Cyndaquil
- Quilava
- Typhlosion
- Totodile
- Croconow
- Feraligatr
- Snubbull
- Granbull
- Treecko
- Grovyle
- Sceptile
- Torchic
- Combusken
- Blaziken
- Mudkip
- Marshtomp
- Swampert
- Trapinch
- Vibrava
- Flygon
Pokemon You Can Get For FireRed and LeafGreen’s National Dex in Sword and Shield, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl
Most of the remaining Pokemon can be found in Pokemon Sword and Shield, but there are several that you can only get in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. If you want to optimize your time, then the best option is to beat Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl and get to the post-game in order to unlock most species in the Grand Underground or some Legendary Pokemon in Ramanas Park. The list is as follows:
- Corsola
- Miltank
- Zigzagoon
- Linoone
- Nincada
- Ninjask
- Shedinja
- Whismur
- Loudred
- Exploud
- Mawile
- Aaron
- Lairon
- Aggron
- Electrike
- Manectric
- Roselia
- Carvanha
- Sharpedo
- Wailmer
- Wailord
- Lunatone
- Solrock
- Baltoy
- Claydol
- Lileep
- Cradily
- Anorith
- Arnaldo
- Absol
- Spheal
- Sealeo
- Walrein
- Relicanth
- Regirok
- Regice
- Registeel
Pokemon You Can Get For FireRed and LeafGreen’s National Dex Only in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl
Finally, there are some critters that you can only get in BDSP. Many of these are a bit painful to get because you can only find them in BDSP‘s Grand Underground and Ramanas Park, which in turn requires the Grand Underground anyway, as well as post-game access. As such, if you don’t have a save file that’s already in the post-game, you need to get there beforehand. The list is as follows:
- Mew (You need a Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee save file to get Mew in Floaroma Town)
- Wurmple
- Silcoon
- Beautifly
- Cascoon
- Dustox
- Taillow
- Swellow
- Skitty
- Delcatty
- Spinda
- Castform
- Kecleon
- Clamperl
- Huntail
- Gorebyss
- Latias
- Latios
- Kyogre
- Groudon
- Rayquaza
- Jirachi (You need a Pokemon Sword and Shield save file to get Jirachi in Floaroma Town)
Celebi is the only unobtainable Pokemon as of now, but events may be added to FireRed and LeafGreen in the future.
- Released
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September 7, 2004
- ESRB
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e
- Publisher(s)
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Nintendo
