Pokémon Fire Red And LeafGreen have been out for a few weeks now on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, and I love these re-released classics. I’ve been busy filling out the Pokédex, chasing shinies, and even battling with my friends in person.
But whether you’ve completed the game like me, or you’re just starting out, I’m sure you’ll agree that there’s one moment that sticks in the memory above all else. Of course, I’m talking about selecting your entry. Bulbasaur, Charmander or Squirtle… who will it be?
Your decision is important. Bulbasaur offers the easiest route with its incredible early game performance, which is a big plus. Squirtle is a great all-rounder and offers plenty of volume. And Charmander, while needing a little support at first, becomes one of the most iconic Pokémon of all time. It’s a difficult decision.
Article continues below
But the entry you choose has even more consequences that you might have imagined at the beginning. Indeed, your selection will have an impact on the legendary Pokémon available after the match. Until recently, I had no idea this existed, so I’m here to share some information with you all. Interested? I’ll reveal everything below.
A beastly encounter
Although most of the ‘mons you meet Pokémon Fire Red And LeafGreen are defined – and do not depend on any choice of the player – there are some exceptions.
Of course, there are some exclusive versions, like the fact that Growlithe is only available in Fire Red and Vulpix is only seen in LeafGreen – but there’s more. For example, the mythical Pokémon Deoxys will take a different form depending on the version of the game you own – something I talked about very recently.
But a legendary matchup will come down to the biggest player choice: your starter selection. And that’s because your choice will decide which of the legendary beasts of the Johto region you can encounter.
Essentially, the starting Pokémon you choose will have a type weakness compared to the legendary that is available to you. For example, those who choose Bulbasaur can catch Entei, those who accompany Charmander can catch Suicune, and the enlightened among you who selected Squirtle can get Raikou.
There is no way to catch the other legendaries on your save, so to fill your dex you will need to trade locally with players who have made different starting selections. For example, my colleague Nikita chose Charmander, meaning I could save her Suicune, while she could save my Raikou.
But how do you get these legendary beasts? Well, it can actually be slightly frustrating.
Legendary Beasts are wandering Pokémon, meaning they move from one route to another as they please. When you encounter them, they are level 50 and will flee on the first turn. My recommendation is to have a level 40-49 Pokémon and run through the grass on route 1 and route 2 with repellent active.
Eventually the legendary beast will reveal itself and you can catch it. If you haven’t used your Master Ball yet, I strongly I recommend using it here, to avoid chasing Raikou, Entei or Suicune in the Kanto region.
And that’s all there is to it. Have you ever caught one of the legendary beasts? Did you like to play Fire Red Or LeafGreen on your Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch 2? I’d love to hear from you, so be sure to leave a comment.
Follow TechRadar on Google News And add us as your favorite source to get our news, reviews and expert opinions in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!
And of course you can also follow TechRadar on YouTube And TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form and receive regular updates from us on WhatsApp Also.
