Pokémon Yellow

Pokémon Yellow is a remake of the successful Pokémon Red & Blue, with a slightly closer focus on the anime.

Details

Platform Game Boy
Director Satoshi Tajiri

Release dates

Japan 12th September 1998
America 1st October 1999
Europe 16th June 2000
Australia 3rd September 1999
Pokemon Yellow box art featuring Pikachu
Pokémon Yellow box art

Gameplay changes

Pokémon Yellow largely follows the same plot and adventure as its predecessors, Pokémon Red & Blue. You battle to make your Pokémon stronger and progress through eight gyms, foil Team Rocket's evil plans, and defeat the Elite Four.

The biggest difference is your starting Pokémon. The game is known as a Special Pikachu Edition as you receive Pikachu as your starter instead of Bulbasaur, Charmander or Squirtle. Your rival starts with Eevee.

Pikachu, the Pokémon Yellow starter

The starter Pikachu follows you around outside its Pokéball, a feature that was not used again until HeartGold/SoulSilver many years later. The starter Pikachu cannot evolve into Raichu. To obtain a Raichu, a Pikachu from another game must be traded in.

You can receive all three of the original starters later in the game from certain characters: Bulbasaur is obtained from Cerulean City if your Pikachu's friendship is high enough; Charmander is obtained from the north of Route 24; Squirtle is obtained in Vermillion City after beating the city's gym.

Unobtainable Pokémon

Several Pokémon are not available during the course of the game, though they are available from either or both of Yellow's predessors, Red & Blue, as noted below.

Weedle#0013
Weedle
Red/Blue
Bug · Poison
Kakuna#0014
Kakuna
Red/Blue
Bug · Poison
Beedrill#0015
Beedrill
Red/Blue
Bug · Poison
Ekans#0023
Ekans
Red
Poison
Arbok#0024
Arbok
Red
Poison
Raichu#0026
Raichu
Red/Blue
Electric
Meowth#0052
Meowth
Blue
Normal
Persian#0053
Persian
Blue
Normal
Koffing#0109
Koffing
Red/Blue
Poison
Weezing#0110
Weezing
Red/Blue
Poison
Jynx#0124
Jynx
Red/Blue
Ice · Psychic
Magmar#0126
Magmar
Blue
Fire