You’re standing in the middle of Viridian Forest. It’s quiet. Then, a spark. A tiny, yellow mouse with a notched tail pops up, and suddenly you aren't just playing a game; you’re reliving 1998. But here is the thing about the Let's Go Pikachu Pokedex that most people forget: it is a weird, beautiful, and occasionally infuriating hybrid of old-school nostalgia and modern mobile mechanics.
Most players jump in thinking it’s a standard remake of Pokemon Yellow. It isn't. Not really.
The Pokedex in this game is a closed loop. You have the original 151. That’s it. Well, mostly. There are the Alolan forms and those two weird metal-nut additions, Meltan and Melmetal, but the core of your journey is restricted to Kanto. For some, that’s a relief. For others who grew up with 900+ monsters, it feels like wearing shoes that are two sizes too small.
The Grind for the Shiny Charm
If you want to "Complete" the Let's Go Pikachu Pokedex, you’re looking for the Shiny Charm. It’s the holy grail. To get it, you have to talk to the Game Freak developers in the Celadon Condominiums after catching all 150 base Pokemon. (Mew doesn't count for the charm, thank goodness, because paying 50 dollars for a Poke Ball Plus just to get one mythical is a tough pill to swallow).
Completing the dex is easier than in Sword and Shield, but the catch mechanics change the flavor of the grind. You aren't battling wild Pidgeys to weaken them. You’re playing a motion-controlled version of Pokemon GO. Honestly, it gets exhausting. Your wrist starts to ache after the 400th Magikarp.
But there’s a nuance here that experts like Joe Merrick from Serebii have pointed out for years: the Catch Combo system.
Catching the same species over and over doesn't just fill your Let's Go Pikachu Pokedex; it breaks the game’s math. Once you hit a chain of 31, your odds of seeing a Shiny skyrocket. More importantly, you start seeing high IVs. You want a 6-IV Pikachu? You better be prepared to sit in one spot for three hours tossing Great Balls at every yellow blur that moves.
📖 Related: Why Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is the Best Game You Probably Skipped
Missing Pieces and Version Exclusives
You can't do it alone. You just can't.
If you bought Let's Go, Pikachu!, your Pokedex is fundamentally broken from the start because you lack the data for Sandshrew, Oddish, Mankey, Growlithe, Grimer, and Scyther. Those are the exclusives. You need a friend with the Eevee version, or you need to be very savvy with the Pokemon HOME integration.
The Pokemon GO connection is the real "cheat code" for the Let's Go Pikachu Pokedex.
Back in the day, you had to trade via a physical link cable. Now? You just go to the GO Park in Fuchsia City. If you’ve been playing the mobile game since 2016, you probably have dozens of Kanto monsters sitting in your storage. Transferring them is the fastest way to bridge the gap between "I have 60 entries" and "I'm ready for the Elite Four."
But there’s a catch.
Once a Pokemon moves from GO to the Let's Go Pikachu Pokedex, it can never go back. It’s a one-way trip into the Switch’s hardware. I’ve seen people accidentally send over their prized 2016 Dragonite only to realize they can't use it in their mobile raids anymore. Don't be that person. Think before you sync.
👉 See also: Why Mario Odyssey for the Nintendo Switch Still Beats Every Other Platformer
The Alolan Curveball
One of the coolest, albeit strangely implemented, features of the Let's Go Pikachu Pokedex is the inclusion of Alolan forms. Kanto felt fresh again because suddenly your Golem was made of magnets and your Exeggutor was fifty feet tall.
You find these through NPC trades in Pokemon Centers.
- In Pewter City, someone wants a Geodude for an Alolan Geodude.
- In Cerulean, it's Rattata.
- In Vermilion, it's Diglett.
The weird part? These trades are infinite. You can keep swapping until you get a Nature or IV spread that doesn't suck. It adds a layer of depth to the Pokedex that the original Game Boy games lacked. It’s not just about the entry; it’s about the variant.
Meltan: The Pokedex Gatekeeper
Then there's the Meltan problem.
Meltan is #152. Melmetal is #153. They aren't required for the Shiny Charm, but for a completionist, a Let's Go Pikachu Pokedex that ends at Mewtwo feels unfinished. It’s like a book missing the final chapter.
To get Meltan, you must link Pokemon GO to your Switch. You get a Mystery Box in the mobile app. You open it, Meltans spawn for 30 minutes, and you catch them. To get Melmetal? You need 400 candies in the mobile app.
✨ Don't miss: Why BioShock Explained Matters More Than Ever in 2026
It is a slog.
There is no way to evolve Meltan inside the Switch game itself. If you want that giant metal giant in your Pokedex, you have to do the legwork on your phone. It’s a transparent ploy to keep people playing both games, but honestly, it works.
Master Trainers: The Post-Game Reality
Filling the Let's Go Pikachu Pokedex is only half the battle. Once you’re the Champion and your Pokedex is full, the Master Trainers appear. These are NPCs scattered across Kanto who specialize in exactly one species.
There is a Magikarp Master. There is a Metapod Master.
To beat them, you have to use that specific Pokemon in a 1-on-1 battle. No items. This is where the Pokedex becomes a checklist for ultimate mastery. You aren't just "catching" them all; you’re training them all. It forces you to look at the "weak" entries in your dex—the Weedles and the caterpillars—and find a way to make them viable.
Actionable Steps for Completion
If you are looking to finish your Let's Go Pikachu Pokedex this weekend, follow this specific order of operations to save yourself forty hours of aimless wandering:
- Clear the Story First: Don't obsess over catching everything in the first three routes. You need the Sea Skim (Surf) and Sky Dash (Fly) abilities to access the rare spawns like Lapras or Dratini.
- The 31-Chain Rule: Always maintain a catch combo of 31. Not 30, not 32 (though 32 is fine, it just doesn't add more benefit). This maximizes the rare spawn rate for the entire map, not just the species you're catching.
- Lures are Non-Negotiable: Unlike the main series where Repels are king, in Let's Go, you should always have a Super Lure active. It’s the only way to get the "Special Spawns" like Bulbasaur in Viridian Forest or Squirtle on Route 24.
- The Fuchsia City Transfer: If you are missing a version exclusive and don't have a friend to trade with, check Pokemon GO. Even a low-level Sandshrew from your phone counts as a Pokedex entry on the Switch.
- Nature Setting: Before you catch the Legendaries (Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Mewtwo), go to the Madam Celadon in the Celadon City Pokemon Center. Pay her 10,000 PokeDollars to set the Nature of all encountered Pokemon for the rest of the day. This ensures your Pokedex entries are actually usable in competitive play.
Completing the Let's Go Pikachu Pokedex is a different beast than the national dex of old. It's smaller, more intimate, and relies heavily on your willingness to waggle a controller. But when that Shiny Charm finally hits your bag, and you see that completed 151 (or 153) stamp, it feels just as good as it did in 1998. Maybe even better, because this time, you can actually see the Pokemon wandering around in the tall grass with you.
Get your Poke Balls ready. Kanto is waiting.