Pokémon List & Locations
Welcome, aspiring Pokémon Master! This comprehensive guide will detail where to find every catchable Pokémon in Pokémon Yellow, along with crucial tips for capturing them. Remember, some Pokémon are rarer than others, so patience is key!
Early Game Encounters (Pallet Town to Pewter City)
Your journey begins in Pallet Town, but wild Pokémon won't appear until you venture onto the routes. Here's what you can expect in the initial areas:
Route 1
- Pidgey: Common. A good Flying-type to start with. Look for it in the tall grass.
- Rattata: Very common. Another early-game staple. Found in the tall grass.
Strategy: Both Pidgey and Rattata are relatively weak. Use your starter Pikachu's Thundershock to weaken them, then throw a Poké Ball. You'll receive 5 free Poké Balls from Professor Oak after delivering his parcel in Viridian City, so don't worry about running out immediately.
Route 2
This route connects Viridian City to Viridian Forest. You'll find a few new faces here.
- Caterpie: Common. Found in the tall grass. Evolves into Metapod, then Butterfree.
- Weedle: Common. Found in the tall grass. Evolves into Kakuna, then Beedrill.
- Pikachu: Rare! While your starter is a Pikachu, you can catch another one here. It's a low encounter rate, so be persistent.
- Nidoran♀: Uncommon. Found in the tall grass.
- Nidoran♂: Uncommon. Found in the tall grass.
Strategy: For Caterpie and Weedle, a single Thundershock from Pikachu should weaken them sufficiently for a Poké Ball. For the wild Pikachu, be careful not to knock it out! Weaken it with a weaker attack like Quick Attack, or use Growl to lower its attack before throwing a Poké Ball. Nidoran♀ and Nidoran♂ are also good early catches, offering different evolutionary paths.
Viridian Forest
This dense forest is home to many Bug-type Pokémon and a few surprises.
- Caterpie: Very common.
- Metapod: Common. Already evolved, saving you some training time.
- Weedle: Very common.
- Kakuna: Common. Similar to Metapod, a pre-evolved form.
- Pikachu: Uncommon. While still not super common, the encounter rate for Pikachu is slightly higher here than on Route 2. This is your best early chance to catch a second Pikachu!
Strategy: The Bug-types here are easy to catch. Focus on finding Pikachu. Walk around in the tall grass patches. If you encounter a Pokémon you don't want, simply run away. Remember to save your game periodically, especially if you're hunting for a specific rare Pokémon like Pikachu. Having a few extra Poké Balls (purchased from the Viridian City Poké Mart) is always a good idea before entering the forest.
Beyond Pewter City
As you progress past Pewter City, new routes and areas will open up, bringing a wider variety of Pokémon to discover.
Route 3
This route leads to Mt. Moon and introduces several new Flying and Normal-type Pokémon.
- Jigglypuff: Uncommon. A Normal/Fairy type with a unique movepool.
- Spearow: Common. A faster Flying-type alternative to Pidgey.
- Mankey: Uncommon. A feisty Fighting-type.
- Sandshrew: Uncommon. A Ground-type, useful against Electric-types.
- Ekans: Uncommon. A Poison-type snake.
Strategy: For Jigglypuff, be aware of its "Sing" move, which can put your Pokémon to sleep. Consider using a Pokémon with a status-healing item like an Awakening if you plan to catch one. Spearow, Mankey, Sandshrew, and Ekans are straightforward catches; weaken them with a neutral attack and throw a Poké Ball. Mankey can be particularly aggressive, so watch your Pokémon's HP.
Mt. Moon
This cave is a crucial part of your journey, offering unique Rock and Ground-type Pokémon, as well as the choice between two fossils.
- Zubat: Very common. A Flying/Poison type that can be annoying with Supersonic.
- Geodude: Common. A Rock/Ground type, very defensive.
- Paras: Uncommon. A Bug/Grass type, often found in the deeper parts.
- Clefairy: Rare! A pure Fairy-type, highly sought after.
Strategy: Zubat and Geodude are plentiful. For Geodude, avoid using Electric or Grass attacks, as they will be ineffective. Water or Ground attacks are super effective. Clefairy is the prize here. You'll need to search diligently, often on the lower floors near the Super Nerd who offers the fossils. Having a Pokémon that can inflict sleep or paralysis will greatly aid in capturing Clefairy, as it can be tough to keep in a Poké Ball.