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Gold, Silver, and Crystal Version Exclusives

Every paired game release in Pokémon history has had version-exclusive Pokémon. Version-exclusive Pokémon cannot be found in every game in a 'set' of games, requiring the player to trade with players with other games in the set to complete their Pokédex. This page lists the version-exclusive Pokémon in Gold, Silver, and Crystal, and makes note of some other version-specific Pokémon attributes.

Species

Several species of Pokémon are altogether unavailable without trading with other games. This list shows which Pokémon are only available in some (but not all) of Gold, Silver, and Crystal. This does not include Pokémon that evolve via trade, even though they are technically "unavailable without trading".

Paired version exclusives

With the initial paired versions of a set of Pokémon games, it is usually the case that there are 'paired Pokémon' that are available in the same areas between the two games, but one Pokémon in the pair is exclusive to one game and the other is exclusive to the other game. The table below shows the paired Pokémon in Gold and Silver, and indicates also if they are available in Crystal.

Teddiursa and Phanpy are switched in the Japanese and Korean releases of these games: Teddiursa is instead available in Silver and Crystal, while Phanpy is in Gold and Crystal.

Paired Species (Gold)		Paired Species (Silver)		Crystal
	Growlithe		Vulpix	Growlithe
	Arcanine		Ninetales	Arcanine
	Mankey		Meowth	Meowth
	Primeape		Persian	Persian
	Spinarak		Ledyba	Spinarak, Ledyba
	Ariados		Ledian	Ariados, Ledian
	Gligar		Skarmory	Gligar, Skarmory
	Teddiursa		Phanpy	Teddiursa, Phanpy
	Ursaring		Donphan	Ursaring, Donphan
	Mantine		Delibird	Mantine, Delibird

Missing Pokémon in Gold and Silver

Celebi can only be obtained through a wild encounter in Crystal, where it can be obtained if the player has the GS Ball item. In the original releases of the games, the GS Ball is only available in the Japanese version of Crystal, and only by connecting with the Mobile System GB (discontinued in 2002). In the 3DS rereleases of Crystal, the GS Ball is received naturally in all versions, giving permanent access to Celebi.

Missing Pokémon in Crystal

In addition to the above-listed version exclusives, several Pokémon are missing from Crystal altogether without trading. These Pokémon are:

• Mareep, Flaaffy, and Ampharos
• Girafarig
• Remoraid and Octillery

Encounter Methods

Several Pokémon may be available in all games, but have different encounter methods depending on the game. The full list is shown below.

Pokémon		Games			Encounter Methods
	Hoothoot	G	S	C	Walking
		G	S	C	Walking, Headbutt
	Noctowl	G	S	C	Walking
		G	S	C	Walking, Headbutt
	Pichu	G	S	C	Breed Pikachu or Raichu
		G	S	C	Breed Pikachu or Raichu, Gift (Odd Egg)
	Pikachu	G	S	C	Walking
		G	S	C	Walking, Purchase
	Caterpie	G	S	C	Walking, Bug-Catching Contest, Headbutt
		G	S	C	Bug-Catching Contest
	Metapod	G	S	C	Walking, Bug-Catching Contest, Headbutt
		G	S	C	Bug-Catching Contest
	Butterfree	G	S	C	Walking, Bug-Catching Contest, Headbutt
		G	S	C	Bug-Catching Contest
	Weedle	G	S	C	Bug-Catching Contest
		G	S	C	Walking, Bug-Catching Contest, Headbutt
	Kakuna	G	S	C	Bug-Catching Contest
		G	S	C	Walking, Bug-Catching Contest, Headbutt
	Beedrill	G	S	C	Bug-Catching Contest
		G	S	C	Walking, Bug-Catching Contest, Headbutt
	Ledyba	G	S	C	Walking
		G	S	C	Walking, Headbutt
	Spinarak	G	S	C	Walking
		G	S	C	Walking, Headbutt
	Cleffa	G	S	C	Breed Clefairy or Clefable
		G	S	C	Breed Clefairy or Clefable, Gift (Odd Egg)
	Igglybuff	G	S	C	Breed Jigglypuff or Wigglytuff
		G	S	C	Breed Jigglypuff or Wigglytuff, Gift (Odd Egg)
	Sandshrew	G	S	C	Walking
		G	S	C	Purchase
	Ekans	G	S	C	Purchase
		G	S	C	Walking
		G	S	C	Walking, Headbutt
	Poliwag	G	S	C	Surfing, Fishing
		G	S	C	Walking, Surfing, Fishing
	Poliwhirl	G	S	C	Surfing
		G	S	C	Walking, Surfing
	Wobbuffet	G	S	C	Walking
		G	S	C	Walking, Purchase
	Venonat	G	S	C	Walking
		G	S	C	Walking, Headbutt
	Psyduck	G	S	C	Surfing
		G	S	C	Walking, Surfing
	Magby	G	S	C	Breed Magmar
		G	S	C	Breed Magmar, Gift (Odd Egg)
	Smoochum	G	S	C	Breed Jynx
		G	S	C	Breed Jynx, Gift (Odd Egg)
	Elekid	G	S	C	Breed Electabuzz
		G	S	C	Breed Electabuzz, Gift (Odd Egg)
	Mr. Mime	G	S	C	Walking, Purchase
		G	S	C	Walking
	Eevee	G	S	C	Gift, Purchase
		G	S	C	Gift
	Dodrio	G	S	C	Walking
		G	S	C	Walking, In-Game Trade
	Rapidash	G	S	C	Walking, In-Game Trade
		G	S	C	Walking
	Cubone	G	S	C	Walking
		G	S	C	Walking, Purchase
	Rhydon	G	S	C	In-Game Trade
		G	S	C	Walking
	Suicune	G	S	C	Walking (Roaming Legend)
		G	S	C	Static
	Dratini	G	S	C	Surfing, Purchase, Fishing
		G	S	C	Surfing, Gift, Fishing
	Larvitar	G	S	C	Walking
		G	S	C	Walking, Purchase

Version-Preferred Species

Several Pokémon may be available in both paired versions, but have different encounter rates or locations that cause them to become more common in one game than another. Those Pokémon are listed here, though only with the wild locations that are subject to this preferential treatment. Their locations in Crystal are not included because Crystal overhauls most encounter tables entirely.

Pokémon		Games		Encounter Methods
	Caterpie	G	S	Walking: Routes 30, 31, and 2, Ilex Forest, National Park, Bug-Catching Contest Headbutt (any tree): Azalea Town, Routes 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 26, and 27, Ilex Forest, Lake of Rage
		G	S	Walking: Bug-Catching Contest
	Metapod	G	S	Walking: Routes 30, 31, and 2, Ilex Forest, National Park, Bug-Catching Contest Headbutt (Common): Azalea Town, Routes 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 26, and 27, Ilex Forest, Lake of Rage
		G	S	Walking: Bug-Catching Contest
	Butterfree	G	S	Walking: Route 2, Bug-Catching Contest Headbutt (any tree): Azalea Town, Routes 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 26, and 27, Ilex Forest, Lake of Rage
		G	S	Walking: Bug-Catching Contest
	Weedle	G	S	Walking: Bug-Catching Contest
		G	S	Walking: Routes 30, 31, and 2, Ilex Forest, National Park, Bug-Catching Contest Headbutt (Common): Azalea Town, Routes 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 26, and 27, Ilex Forest, Lake of Rage
	Kakuna	G	S	Walking: Bug-Catching Contest
		G	S	Walking: Routes 30, 31, and 2, Ilex Forest, National Park, Bug-Catching Contest Headbutt (Common): Azalea Town, Routes 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 26, and 27, Ilex Forest, Lake of Rage
	Beedrill	G	S	Walking: Bug-Catching Contest
		G	S	Walking: Route 2, Bug-Catching Contest Headbutt (any Tree): Azalea Town, Routes 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 26, and 27, Ilex Forest, Lake of Rage
	Sandshrew	G	S	Walking: Union Cave 1F and B1F, Mt. Moon
		G	S	Purchase: Goldenrod Game Corner
	Ekans	G	S	Purchase: Goldenrod Game Corner
		G	S	Walking: Routes 32, 33, 3, and 4

Ho-Oh and Lugia

Although Ho-Oh and Lugia can both be found at the same places in all of Gold, Silver, and Crystal, the player can only get to them if they have the Rainbow Wing (Ho-Oh) or the Silver Wing (Lugia). In Gold and Silver, one of these items is obtained after saving the Director at the Goldenrod Radio Tower and the other requires the player to defeat the Elite Four to receive it in Pewter City. In Gold, the player gets the Rainbow Wing from the Director, and in Silver, the player gets the Silver Wing. The result is that the player can get Ho-Oh earlier than Lugia in Gold and Lugia earlier than Ho-Oh in Silver, giving these Pokémon a preferred version.

Evolutions

Some evolutions of Pokémon can only be obtained in the wild, in an in-game trade, via purchase, or via static encounter in some of Gold, Silver, or Crystal. This list shows which Pokémon are limited. The player can of course always evolve their pre-evolved form, so these Pokémon are not completely inaccessible.

Pokémon		Games			Encounter Methods
	Sandslash	G	S	C	Walking: Routes 26 and 27, Mt. Moon
		G	S	C	Walking: Route 26, Victory Road (all floors)
	Arbok	G	S	C	Walking: Routes 26, 27, 3, and 4
		G	S	C	Walking: Routes 42, 26, 27, 3, 4, and 28, Mt. Silver Outside
	Parasect	G	S	C	Walking: Mt. Silver 2F and item rooms
	Weezing	G	S	C	Walking: Burned Tower B1F
	Magneton	G	S	C	In-Game Trade: Power Plant
	Granbull	G	S	C	Walking: Route 6
	Xatu	G	S	C	In-Game Trade: Pewter City
	Pupitar	G	S	C	Walking: Mt. Silver Summit