Pokémon Red and Blue/Cerulean City

'After you enter Cerulean City for the first time, you will be trapped until you defeat Misty in the local Pokémon Gym and your rival Gary at the entrance to Route 24. If you need to build up your Pokémon before taking them on, fight wild Pokémon in the patch west of the city and rejuvenate them at the Pokémon Center. Then earn your Cascade Badge at the gym and head up Route 24.'



Trouble afoot
Some mysterious crimes are afoot in Cerulean, but you can't enter this house when you first see it. A member of the police is guarding the front door. Team Rocket has robbed it. After you visit the Sea Cottage up north, you'll be able to enter this building and exit through a back way that leads to several routes out of Cerulean City.

You can check out the Bike Shop (lower left building), but their bikes seem a tad pricey (a million bucks for a bike? But your money counter stops at 999,999!). You can get a better deal in the building above, although the deal you'll get varies based on which version you're playing: If you're playing Red or Blue, you can trade a not-very-hard-to-get for a very rare.

If you're playing Yellow, you can't get the Jynx, but the girl will give you a if you can prove that you've taken good care of your Pikachu. So check out your Pikachu: If he's in a good mood, with the ears wagging or the little hearts, the Bulbasaur is yours. If not, you'll need to use Pikachu and level him up a few times.

If you try to leave town, you'll have to confront your rival, but you may want to fight him and the Rocket Team members on the bridge (in Route #24) to build some EXP before you fight Misty.



Trainer Battle 2: MISTY


This gym consists of two Jr. Trainers, along with the leader, Misty. If you feel you can do without the EXP, you can walk wide around the first one. You probably should just partake in the extra battle, as you won't be able to do it later.

All of the Pokémon are Water creatures. The two grunts aren't too tough, but Misty's and  are dangerous. , unfortunately, can't really handle them. Thundershock just doesn't have the oomph to silence them fast enough before their water attacks take the yellow rat out. The exception to this is the Pokémon Yellow Pikachu, which should have Thunderbolt by now (level 25). This should be sufficient to KO them quickly enough.

, which should be by now, won't even break a sweat taking them down. Neither should a /, who can take Water damage easily and attack with Bite. If your starter was /, forget about it. Instead, go north of Cerulean to capture a Grass Pokémon like or. Get it to at least level 15.

The Cascade Badge and TM 11 (teaching Bubblebeam) are your prizes when you win. Bubblebeam is a 65 power Water move. It's a step up from Water Gun, to be sure, and you don't have to worry about wasting it if you don't plan on making a competitive - the much more powerful Surf supersedes it later on for most Water applicants. The Cascade Badge will make traded Pokémon up to level 30 obey, as well as permit the out-of-battle effect of Cut to be used.