Kanto is a mess. If you grew up playing the original 1998 releases, you remember the glitchy sprites, the psychic-type dominance, and that weird, lime-green tint of the Game Boy Color. But honestly? Most modern guides treat the game like a linear checklist. They tell you to pick Bulbasaur for an easy start or Squirtle for a balanced run, and then they just point you toward Brock. That's not how a real Pokemon walkthrough Red Blue should feel. The magic of these games wasn't just finishing them; it was navigating a world that felt legitimately broken and experimental.
You've probably heard that Fire types are "bad" in Kanto. It's a common sentiment because the first two gyms—Rock and Water—absolutely demolish Charmander. But if you're looking for the most efficient path through the game, you have to look at the internal math of the 90s. Critical hit ratios were tied to a Pokemon's base Speed stat. This meant a fast Pokemon like Persian or Jolteon wasn't just "quick"—they were essentially walking nukes.
The Early Game Trap and the Brock Hurdle
Most players get stuck on the idea that they need to grind Pidgey or Rattata in Route 1. Don't do that. It’s a waste of time. If you chose Charmander and you’re staring down Brock’s Onix, your best bet isn't even a Pokemon. It's understanding that Onix has a Special stat so low it might as well be zero. Even a non-STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus) move can chip away at him if you're patient.
But if you want to be smart, you head to the patch of grass to the left of Viridian City. Capture a Nidoran (male or female, though Nidoking is arguably the king of speedruns). At level 12, Nidoran learns Double Kick. This turns the first gym into a joke. Brock's "impenetrable" rock defense is basically made of paper when faced with a fighting-type move.
The pacing of the game shifts dramatically once you enter Mt. Moon. This is where the Pokemon walkthrough Red Blue experience gets weird. You’ll find the Moon Stone. Use it immediately. There is no reason to wait. Evolution in Gen 1 doesn't always work like modern games; Nidoking doesn't learn many moves by leveling up after evolution, but you’re going to teach him TMs anyway. The sheer stat boost you get from having a fully evolved Pokemon before the second gym makes the rest of the game a breeze.
Breaking the Mid-Game with the Psychic Monopoly
Let’s talk about the Elephant in the room: Psychic types. In the original Red and Blue, Psychic Pokemon had no actual weaknesses. Bug moves were weak and rare. Ghost moves? Due to a literal coding error, Ghost-type moves had zero effect on Psychic Pokemon instead of being super effective. If you manage to snag an Abra early on—which requires a Great Ball or a lucky Poke Ball throw before it uses Teleport—you've basically won.
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Alakazam is a glass cannon that never actually breaks because nothing can hit it hard enough before dying. Even if you can't trade to evolve Kadabra, a level 30 Kadabra is more powerful than almost any other fully evolved Pokemon in the game.
Why Misty is the Real Gatekeeper
Everyone remembers Brock, but Misty is the one who actually ends runs. Her Starmie is a nightmare. It knows BubbleBeam, which has a high chance of lowering your speed, and its Special stat is massive for that point in the game. If you didn’t pick Bulbasaur or catch a Pikachu in the literal 5% encounter rate zone of Viridian Forest, you’re going to struggle.
Here is a tip most guides skip: go north of Cerulean City first. Fight the trainers on the bridge. Get the Nugget. Battle the trainers leading up to Bill's house. The experience you gain here will level your team up enough to survive Starmie’s onslaught. Plus, you get the S.S. Ticket, which triggers the next phase of the world.
The Secret of the "Trash" Pokemon
We need to talk about the Pokemon people ignore. Everyone wants a Charizard or a Dragonite. But in a Pokemon walkthrough Red Blue context, the "utility" Pokemon are the real MVPs. Take Tentacruel. You can find Tentacool everywhere once you get the Super Rod or Surf. It has a massive Special stat. In Gen 1, "Special" was one single stat for both offense and defense. This meant Tentacruel could tank a hit from a Psychic type and hit back just as hard with Blizzard or Surf.
Speaking of Blizzard: it had 90% accuracy in the Japanese versions and stayed incredibly high in the US release. It is arguably the best move in the game. You get the TM for it in the Cinnabar Mansion. Put it on anything that can learn it.
The Lavender Town Mythos
Going through Pokemon Tower isn't just about the spoopy music or the Marowak ghost. It’s about the Silph Scope. But did you know you can bypass the Marowak ghost entirely with a Poke Doll? It's a glitch that speedrunners use, but even in a casual playthrough, it saves a lot of backtracking. If you use a Poke Doll on the Ghost Marowak, the game treats it as if you defeated it. You head straight to Mr. Fuji and get the Poke Flute.
Navigating the Safari Zone Without Losing Your Mind
The Safari Zone is the most stressful part of any Pokemon walkthrough Red Blue attempt. You have a step limit. You have a time limit. You’re looking for the Gold Teeth and the Secret House for Surf.
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- Don't throw rocks. It makes them run.
- Don't throw bait. It makes them harder to catch.
- Just throw balls. It’s a pure numbers game.
If you're looking for Tauros or Chansey, you're looking at a 1% to 4% encounter rate. Honestly? Unless you're completing the Pokedex, skip them. They are fantastic in competitive play, but for a journey to the Elite Four, a Jolteon or a Lapras (which you get for free at Silph Co.) will serve you much better.
The Final Push: Cinnabar to the Elite Four
By the time you reach Blaine, you should have a team that averages level 45. If you don't, the game provides a "catch-up" mechanic in the form of the legendary birds. Articuno is in the Seafoam Islands, and Zapdos is in the Power Plant. Zapdos is arguably the most powerful legendary for the endgame because it destroys the internal "Water" bias of the late-game trainers.
The Victory Road is a puzzle of boulders and high-encounter rates. Bring Repels. Lots of them. Max Repels are your best friend here because the constant Machoke and Golbat encounters will drain your PP before you even reach the Indigo Plateau.
The Elite Four Strategy
The Elite Four is a test of types, but mostly, it's a test of whether you bought enough Full Restores.
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- Lorelei: She uses Ice types, but they are mostly part-Water. Use Electric moves. Do not use Grass; her Jynx and Dewgong will freeze you.
- Bruno: The easiest of the four. His Fighting types have abysmal Special stats. Any Psychic or Flying move will one-shot them.
- Agatha: She claims to be a Ghost trainer, but she’s actually a Poison trainer. Most of her team consists of Gengar, Haunter, and Arbok. Use Ground or Psychic moves. Dig is surprisingly effective here.
- Lance: The Dragon Master. Except dragons are rare, so he uses two Dragonair and a Dragonite, plus an Aerodactyl and Gyarados. This is where your Ice Beam or Blizzard TM pays off. One 4x effective hit on Dragonite and it's over.
The Rival Fight: The Final Wall
Your rival's team is designed to counter yours. If you took Charmander, he has Blastoise. But the AI in Red and Blue is... well, it's not great. The AI will often prioritize using a "super effective" move type even if that move does no damage. For example, if you have a Poison-type Pokemon out, Agathas AI might spam Dream Eater even if you aren't asleep, just because it's a Psychic move.
Exploiting these quirks is the hallmark of a veteran player. When you face your rival for the title of Champion, don't play fair. Use X-Accuracy and X-Speed if you have to. Use the fact that Hyper Beam doesn't require a recharge turn if it knocks the opponent out. That’s a specific Gen 1 quirk that was changed in later games—take advantage of it while you can.
Actionable Next Steps for Your Kanto Journey
If you're booting up an original cartridge or an emulator today, skip the traditional grinding. Focus on these three things to dominate:
- Prioritize Speed and Special: These are the two most important stats in the game. Fast Pokemon crit more often, and high Special Pokemon both deal and take more magical damage.
- The "Nidoking Strategy": Catch a Nidoran early, evolve it to Nidoking before Cerulean City, and use the TMs for Thrash, Earthquake, and Rock Slide. He can solo almost the entire game.
- The Psychic Cheat Code: Get an Alakazam or Kadabra. There is no legitimate counter to them in the base game code.
The original Red and Blue weren't perfect games. They were buggy, imbalanced, and often confusing. But that’s why we still play them. Every Pokemon walkthrough Red Blue is a chance to exploit those glitches and remember why we fell in love with these 151 monsters in the first place. Go get your badges. Avoid the tall grass unless you’re looking for a fight. And for the love of Arceus, don't use your Master Ball on anything other than Mewtwo in Cerulean Cave.