Let's be real. If you played through the Johto remakes, you probably remember the absolute headache of trying to find a Larvitar or a Beldum in the Safari Zone. It wasn't like the old days in Kanto where you just ran into a patch of grass and hoped for the best. No, the Safari Zone in Pokemon SoulSilver is a beast of its own. It's complicated. It's time-consuming. Honestly, it’s one of the most polarizing mechanics Game Freak ever programmed into a handheld game.
Baoba, that eccentric old man who finally got his dream of opening a park in Johto, didn't make things easy for us. You have to wait. And then you wait some more. It’s a test of patience that most ten-year-olds (and honestly, most twenty-somethings) just don't have.
The Problem With the Johto Safari Zone
The Johto Safari Zone, located way out past Cianwood City on Route 48, isn't just a place to catch Pokemon. It’s a management simulator. Unlike the original games, SoulSilver introduces the concept of "Areas" and "Objects." You’ve got six active zones at any given time, but there are twelve total. You have to swap them around using a computer terminal.
That sounds fine on paper, right? Customization is usually a good thing. But here’s the kicker: the best Pokemon—the ones you actually want, like Gible or Riolu—don't show up just because you put the right meadow in the right spot. You have to decorate. You have to place specific "Objects" like fountains, trees, or statues. And then, the part that makes everyone want to throw their DS across the room: you have to wait real-world days for those objects to "level up."
We aren't talking about a few hours here. To get a Bagon in the Peak area, you need to place 9 Peak objects and 19 Forest objects. That’s easy enough. But then you have to wait 110 days.
Nearly four months.
In a world where we can hatch a competitive-ready shiny in a few hours of breeding, waiting a third of a year for a dragon-type to spawn feels like an ancient relic of game design. It’s a weird mix of brilliance and masochism. You can't even cheat it by changing your DS clock—the game knows. If you touch that clock, the timer resets or freezes. It’s brutal.
Customization is the Name of the Game
Despite the frustration, there is something deeply satisfying about how the Safari Zone in Pokemon SoulSilver works once you understand the math. Each area has a default table of Pokemon. When you first step into the Meadow, you'll see Sunkern or Jigglypuff. Boring stuff.
But every object you place carries a "point value" for a specific category:
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- Peak (rocks, large boulders)
- Forest (trees, stumps)
- Plains (shrubs, flowers)
- Water (fountains, flags)
- Other (statues, benches)
When you hit a certain threshold of points, the encounter table shifts. Suddenly, that boring Meadow starts spawning Chansey or even Masquerain. The nuances are endless. You’ll find yourself looking at spreadsheets more than the actual game screen. It’s basically "Accounting: The Pokemon Edition." If you want a Bronzor, you need 7 Forest points and 18 Peak points in the Mountain area. If you want a Magneton, you need 10 Peak points in the Meadow.
It forces you to actually engage with the world. You aren't just a visitor; you’re the architect. You're building an ecosystem. It’s arguably the most "realistic" the Safari Zone has ever felt, even if the time gates are a total buzzkill.
The Six Original Areas
You start with the Meadow, Marshland, Wasteland, Forest, Peak, and Mountain. Each one has its own vibe. The Marshland is a murky mess where you’ll find stuff like Wooper and Arbok. The Wasteland feels like a desert graveyard. But the real fun starts when you unlock the "Object Arrangement" system after completing Baoba’s first two challenges (catching a Geodude and a Sandshrew).
Why Baoba is Kind of a Genius
Baoba is a recurring character in the series, but SoulSilver is where he really shines. He’s retired from the Kanto Safari Zone after it went out of business (or rather, got turned into a Pal Park). He moves to Johto and builds this massive complex into the side of a cliff.
The lore here is subtle but great. He’s trying to innovate. He realized that the old way—throwing rocks and bait—wasn't enough. He wanted to create habitats. When he asks you to help him test the "Object Arrangement," he’s basically hiring an unpaid intern to do his field research. And we do it! We do it because we want that Metang.
The Rarity Trap
Misconceptions about the Safari Zone in Pokemon SoulSilver are everywhere. A lot of people think that if they just put down 30 rocks, they’ll get a Larvitar immediately. Nope.
Larvitar is a "Peak" spawn in the Mountain area. It requires 5 Peak objects. That sounds easy. But if you want the high-level ones or the ones that appear more frequently, the "Block Leveling" system kicks in.
After 30 days, your objects double in value.
After 60 days, they triple.
After 120 days, they quadruple.
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This means a single rock that originally gave you 1 "Peak Point" will eventually give you 4 points. This is the only way to reach the requirements for the rarest Pokemon, some of which require 70 or 100 points in a single category. Since you can only place 30 objects total in an area, you literally cannot get certain Pokemon until your blocks have aged like a fine wine.
It’s an incredible piece of E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) in game design. Game Freak wanted this game to last for years. They didn't want you to finish the Pokedex in a weekend. They wanted you to check in on your Safari Zone months after you beat Red on Mt. Silver.
Common Mistakes
- Changing the DS Clock: Don't do it. Just don't. It messes with the internal calendar and can stall your block progression.
- Forgetting to talk to Baoba: You have to actually trigger his phone calls to progress through the ranks. If you aren't an "Owner," you can't use the best features.
- Overlapping Objects: Placing too many of one type can actually prevent others from spawning if you hit the 30-object cap without satisfying the point requirements for the specific Pokemon you're hunting.
Catching Mechanics: Bait vs. Mud
The actual catching part is still the same old stress-fest. You have four options: Throw Ball, Throw Bait, Throw Mud, or Run.
Honestly? Bait is usually a trap. It makes the Pokemon less likely to run, but harder to catch. Mud makes them easier to catch, but more likely to run. Most veteran players will tell you the same thing: just throw the ball. The math behind the bait and mud often cancels itself out or makes the encounter longer, giving the Pokemon more turns to flee.
If you see a shiny in the Safari Zone, my heart goes out to you. There is no feeling of helplessness quite like watching a shiny Quagsire flee after you spent ten minutes trying to lure it in. It’s the ultimate "high stakes" gambling in the Pokemon world.
The Johto Safari Zone vs. The Great Marsh
If we compare this to Sinnoh's Great Marsh, SoulSilver wins by a landslide. The Great Marsh was just a swamp with a binocular gimmick. The Safari Zone in Pokemon SoulSilver is an endgame destination. It connects the Johto and Kanto eras by giving you access to Hoenn and Sinnoh Pokemon that shouldn't even be in the game yet.
Think about it. You can get a Riolu or a Shinx in a game that came out before Gen 5. That was a huge deal back in 2009/2010. It bridged the gap between the DS generations. It made the world feel connected.
Hidden Gems and Odd Encounters
There are some weird things you can find if you’re patient.
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- Spinda: Needs 15 Plains objects in the Meadow.
- Zangoose: Needs 12 Plains objects in the Mountain (wait 70 days).
- Seviper: Needs 18 Grass objects in the Marshland (wait 10 days).
The fact that you can get version exclusives from other games just by waiting is a weirdly consumer-friendly move buried inside a very unfriendly time-gate.
How to Maximize Your Success
If you’re diving back into SoulSilver today, maybe on an original DS or a 3DS, you need a plan. You can’t just wing it.
First, decide what you actually want. Is it a Beldum? A Gagon? A Gible?
Once you decide, look up the specific area requirement.
Place your blocks.
And then—and this is the hardest part—leave it alone.
Go finish the Kanto gym leaders. Go beat Red. Go try to win some ribbons in the Battle Frontier. The Safari Zone is a slow burn. It’s the "idle game" version of Pokemon.
Actionable Steps for Your Safari Hunt
To get the most out of your experience, follow these specific steps:
- Unlock the Object Arrangement: Complete Baoba's two tests immediately. Do not wait until the post-game. The sooner you start, the sooner your "block clock" begins ticking.
- Use the Map: Keep the areas you need active. If you move an area out of the active rotation, some players report the timer for those blocks can get wonky. Keep your "project" areas in the six active slots.
- The Phone Number: Make sure you have Baoba’s number in your Pokegear. He will call you when new object types are unlocked. If you miss his calls, you might miss out on the higher-tier decorations.
- Quantity Over Quality Early On: In the beginning, just fill the area with the 30 blocks allowed. Even if they aren't "leveled up," having the maximum number of items gives you the best chance at the mid-tier rarities.
- Save Before You Enter: This is an old-school trick. Save right outside the gate. If you encounter a rare Pokemon and it runs, you can't just "reload" to find it again (the RNG resets), but it helps you manage your Safari Ball count and money if you're on a budget.
The Safari Zone in Pokemon SoulSilver remains a peak example of "love it or hate it" design. It's complex, it's frustrating, and it's quintessentially Pokemon. It rewards the players who stick around, the ones who truly want to "catch 'em all" and are willing to wait months to do it.
It might be a relic of a slower era of gaming, but there’s something special about finally seeing that Larvitar pop up after three months of waiting. It feels earned in a way that modern Raids or Wonder Trades just don't.
If you're looking to complete your Johto Dex, start placing those blocks today. Future you will thank you in four months.