Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver/New Bark Town

Your hometown of New Bark Town may be small, but it's packed with places, people and items that are extremely important to you. Your adventure begins with an errand that your neighbor, Professor Elm, asks you to run for him. He gives you a wonderful gift for helping him!

Your first Pokémon.

Setting up the Menu

You'll begin in your room. Head down the stairs and talk with your mother. She'll say that your friend Ethan, if you're a girl, or Lyra, if you're a boy, was playing hide-and-seek with her Marill, and to visit Professor Elm, who is looking for you. You then receive the menus for saving, settings, your pack and your trainer card.

Professor Elm's Lab

Visiting your neighbor.

Once you enter, walk forward to talk to Elm, who will ask you to help him with one of his studies. He wants you to raise a Pokémon outside of it's Poké ball to compare the effects against those who are raised in Poké balls. Right before he gives you your first Pokémon, he receives an email from Mr. Pokémon saying that he has an egg he would like Professor Elm to research. Professor Elm asks you to go in his place to pick up the egg since his lab is too busy, then allows you to take your choice of the three Johto starters; the grass-type, Chikorita; the fire-type, Cyndiquil; and the water-type, Totodile. Along with your first Pokémon, you receive the menu to view your current party, also titled, Pokémon. After you choose, he informs you that you can use the PC behind him to heal your Pokémon and sends you on your way. Before you exit, Elm's assistant stops you and gives you five potions to aid you on your task.

Before You Leave

Obtaining your Pokégear

After you exit the lab, your friend will be waiting for you outside to offer you advice and tell you to visit your mother. Stop by your house and tell your mother you're leaving, and she'll inform you that your Pokégear is back from the shop. Pokégear allows you to do numerous things depending on what cards you have for it. You start with the background and phone cards, but will acquire more as you progress through your journey. Your mother will give you a tutorial on how to use the phone if you so desire. It's time to leave your home city and complete Elm's task. As you go to leave the city, Elm will stop you and give you his number, in case something comes up. Now it's time to go to Mr. Pokémon's house.

#152 Chikorita	#155 Cyndaquil
Like Bulbasaur before it, Chikorita is a Grass-type that is strong against Rock, Ground, and Water-types, and is weak against Fire, Bug, Poison, and Flying types. Chikorita learns the powerful Razor Leaf attack at level 8, making it a very strong Pokémon in the early game. But Chikorita doesn't learn any other powerful moves until very high levels, and being Grass-type, it will have big trouble with the first gym.	Charmander's successor is also a Fire-type, and it is strong when fighting against Ice, Grass, or Bug-types and is weak when fighting against Water, Rock, or Ground types. While Chikorita excels in Defense, Cyndaquil is the quickest and has the best Special Attack score. It's Fire moves are a little weak in the early game, though, so it's hard to take advantage of its strengths at the beginning of the game.
#158 Totodile
Totodile is a Water-type like Squirtle, and it is strong against Fire, Ground, and Rock-types. It is weak when it faces Grass or Electric-type Pokémon and sometimes other Water-types. Totodile learns a variety of strong attacks, but only a few Water ones. That's just as well, since its Attack is higher than its Special Attack. Totodile is probably the strongest starter, but Water-type Pokémon are much more common than Grass or Fire Pokémon.