You're standing in Pallet Town. Your rival just picked up a Pikachu, and you're stuck with this brown, fluffy fox thing that refuses to stay in its Poké Ball. Honestly? It's the best mistake you'll ever make in a Kanto game. Pokemon Let's Go Eevee isn't just a remake of Yellow; it's a weird, beautiful hybrid of Pokémon GO and the classic RPGs we grew up playing on the Game Boy Color. But if you think you can just breeze through this like it's 1998, you're going to hit a wall—probably a wall made of Brock’s Onix or a high-level Ace Trainer on Route 17.
Getting a solid let's go eevee walkthrough in your head before you leave Mom’s house is vital because the leveling system is totally different now. You don't just grind wild Pidgeys for XP. You catch them. Over and over. It's a rhythm thing.
The Weird Reality of Starting Your Journey
Most people forget that your Partner Eevee is basically a god. Seriously. It has perfect IVs right out of the gate. While you’re wandering through the Viridian Forest, don’t stress about finding a "better" Eevee. You won't. Yours is the chosen one.
The first real hurdle is Brock. If you chose Eevee, you don't have the luxury of a Bulbasaur or Squirtle to carry you through the Pewter City Gym. You’ve gotta get creative. I usually suggest catching a Mankey on Route 22, just west of Viridian City. Low Kick is your best friend here. If you skip this, Brock’s Geodude will basically laugh at your Quick Attack. It’s embarrassing. Nobody wants to lose to the guy who doesn't even wear a shirt in a gym.
Catching is the New Battling
Here is where the game trips up veterans. You see a Pokémon on the screen? Run into it. Don't wait. In this game, your primary source of Experience Points (XP) comes from the "Catch Combo" mechanic. If you catch ten Nidorans in a row, your XP multiplier starts skyrocketing.
This is the secret sauce.
If you're following a let's go eevee walkthrough and you're underleveled for Misty, it’s because you aren't catching enough trash. Load up on Poké Balls. Spend every cent you have on them. You get money back from defeating trainers anyway, so don't hoard your cash like a Dragonite sitting on a pile of gold.
Misty and the Bridge of Eternal Frustration
Cerulean City is where the game actually starts. You've got the Nugget Bridge, you’ve got Bill (who is currently a Pokémon, which is still nightmare fuel if you think about it too hard), and you’ve got Misty.
📖 Related: Getting a Leafeon in Pokemon GO: What Most People Get Wrong
Misty’s Starmie is a menace. It’s fast. It hits hard with Scald. If you haven't taught your Eevee a Move Tutor move yet, head to the Pokémon Center in Cerulean. There’s a guy in a circus outfit. Talk to him. He teaches Eevee "Bouncy Bubble" or "Buzzy Buzz." For Misty, Buzzy Buzz is a literal lifesaver. It’s an Electric-type move that has 65 power and always paralyzes the target.
- Pro Tip: Paralyzing that Starmie is the only way to ensure your team doesn't get swept.
- The Route 5 Secret: Before you head to the S.S. Anne, make sure you drop a Pokémon off at the Day Care. It's free passive XP while you're busy fighting sailors.
The Mid-Game Slump and How to Break It
Once you get through the S.S. Anne and get the Secret Technique "Chop Down" (which replaced HMs, thank goodness), the map opens up. You’ll head to Lavender Town. It’s spooky. The music still creeps me out. But you can't do anything in the Pokémon Tower yet because you don't have the Silph Scope.
You have to go to Celadon City. This is the hub of the game.
In Celadon, you’ll find the Department Store. Buy some stones. Evolution stones are no longer super rare items you find in trash cans; you can just buy them. Want a Flareon? Buy a Fire Stone. But wait—don't evolve your caught Pokémon too early. They miss out on moves.
Wait, what about Team Rocket?
The Rocket Hideout under the Game Corner is a maze. It’s annoying. You’ll be stepping on directional tiles for twenty minutes. My advice? Follow the walls. If you keep your hand on the right-side wall, you'll eventually find the elevator key. Giovanni isn't actually that tough if you have a Water or Grass type, but his Persian can be surprisingly quick with Slash.
Why You Shouldn't Ignore the Go Park
Around the time you reach Fuchsia City, you’ll encounter the GO Park. This replaced the Safari Zone. If you’ve been playing Pokémon GO on your phone for the last few years, this is your legal "cheat code."
🔗 Read more: Mega Evolution Ascended Heroes: What Most People Get Wrong
You can transfer your high-level Kanto Pokémon from your phone into the game.
Need a Charizard but don't want to level up a Charmander? Just send one over from your phone. It feels a bit like cheating, honestly. But the game allows it, so why not? It makes the late-game grind for the Pokédex significantly easier. Plus, this is the only way to get Meltan and Melmetal, which are absolute tanks in battle.
The Koga Wall
Koga’s Gym in Fuchsia City is invisible walls. You'll see little puffs of smoke that reveal the path. Koga loves status effects. Toxic, Protect, Minimize—it’s a stall fest. This is where your Eevee’s "Sizzly Slide" (the Fire-type Move Tutor move) comes in handy. It always burns the target. A burned Pokémon has its Attack stat halved.
It’s basically a win button for any physical attacker Koga throws at you.
Navigating the Silph Co. Nightmare
Saffron City is occupied. Team Rocket is everywhere. The Silph Co. building is 11 floors of pure chaos. If you're looking for a let's go eevee walkthrough that saves you time, here is the shortcut:
Go to the 5th floor.
Fight the Rocket Grunt near the bottom left.
Get the Card Key.
Once you have the Card Key, you can open every door in the building. Don't bother fighting every single grunt unless you're desperate for XP. Head straight to the 3rd floor, use the teleporter in the central room, and it’ll take you right to your rival and eventually Giovanni.
Sabrina’s Gym is right next door. Psychic types are broken in the original games, but in Let's Go, they're manageable. Eevee’s Dark-type move "Baddy Bad" (I know, the names are ridiculous) sets up a Reflect-like barrier and hits for heavy damage. It’s the hard counter to Alakazam.
The Home Stretch: Victory Road and the Elite Four
After you get your eighth badge from Blue (who stepped in for Giovanni), it’s time for the Pokémon League. Victory Road is the final test. It’s full of high-level trainers and the legendary bird Moltres.
Bring plenty of Max Repels. The encounter rate in Victory Road is aggressive. If you're trying to save your team's HP for the actual battles, you don't want to be fighting a Level 45 Machoke every three steps.
The Elite Four Strategy
- Lorelei: Ice and Water. Use "Buzzy Buzz" (Electric) or "Sparkly Swirl" (Fairy).
- Bruno: Fighting and Rock. Psychic moves or Flying moves. Easy.
- Agatha: Ghost and Poison. She’s tricky because her Pokémon are fast. Use Ground or Psychic moves. Don't use Normal moves; they won't hit.
- Lance: Dragons. This is what you saved those Ice-type moves for. If you have a Lapras or a Cloyster, now is their time to shine.
Then, there’s your rival. He’s the Champion. His team is balanced, but by now, your Partner Eevee should be around Level 60-65 with a diverse moveset. Use the "Veevee Volley" special move whenever the icon shakes on your screen. It’s a friendship-based move that deals massive damage.
Post-Game: What Now?
The credits roll. You're the Champion. But the game isn't over.
👉 See also: Final Fantasy Type 0 Walkthrough: How to Actually Survive the Bloodiest Entry in the Series
This is where the "Master Trainers" appear. These are NPCs scattered across Kanto who specialize in one specific Pokémon. To beat the Magikarp Master Trainer, you have to use a Magikarp. It’s grueling. It requires deep knowledge of stats and candy.
Speaking of candy, start using the Stat Candies you’ve been collecting. They aren't like Rare Candies. They boost specific stats like Attack or Speed. If you want to take down the Master Trainers or the secret boss (Red), you need to max out your Pokémon's "Awakened" values using these candies.
Finding Mewtwo
Go back to Cerulean City. Swim into the cave. Mewtwo is waiting at the bottom. This isn't a normal catch; you have to defeat him in battle first. He’s Level 70 and uses Recover. Bring a Pokémon that can inflict Sleep or Paralysis. Once he’s down, use your Master Ball. Don't save it "just in case." This is the case. This is what the Master Ball was made for.
Actionable Next Steps for Your Journey
If you're sitting there with your Switch in hand, here’s exactly what you should do right now to make the most of your adventure:
- Check your Eevee’s Nature: If you really want to be optimal, talk to the Fortune Teller in the Celadon City Pokémon Center. For a fee, she can force all wild Pokémon (and your starters) to have a specific Nature for the rest of the day. "Jolly" or "Adamant" are great for physical attackers.
- Start a Catch Combo: Go to Route 1 and catch 31 Pidgeys in a row. This maximizes your shiny odds and ensures that any Pokémon you catch after that has at least 4 perfect IVs.
- Talk to everyone: NPCs in this game give you some of the best items. The man in Vermilion City gives you a literal Arcanine (or Persian) just for catching some Pokémon.
- Manage your storage: Send your duplicate Pokémon to Professor Oak. He gives you candies in return, which are the only way to make your team strong enough for the post-game Master Trainers.
The Kanto region feels smaller than it used to, but with the new mechanics, there’s a lot more nuance to how you build your team. Don't just rush to the end. Take the time to pet your Eevee, dress it up in a ridiculous outfit, and actually enjoy the scenery. It’s a fun ride.