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 Red, Green, Blue, and Yellow, and makes note of some other version-specific Pokémon attributes.
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 Red, Green, Blue, and Yellow. This does not include Pokémon that evolve via trade, even though they are technically "unavailable without trading".
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 Red and international Blue, and indicates also if they are available in Yellow. Use the radio buttons at the top of the page to show Japanese Red, Green, Blue, and Yellow.
| Paired Species (Red) | Paired Species (Blue) | Yellow | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Ekans |
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Sandshrew | Sandshrew |
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Arbok |
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Sandslash | Sandslash |
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Growlithe |
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Vulpix | Growlithe, Vulpix |
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Arcanine |
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Ninetales | Arcanine, Ninetales |
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Oddish |
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Bellsprout | Oddish, Bellsprout |
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Gloom |
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Weepinbell | Gloom, Weepinbell |
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Vileplume |
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Victreebel | Vileplume, Victreebel |
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Mankey |
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Meowth | Mankey |
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Primeape |
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Persian | Primeape |
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Scyther |
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Pinsir | Scyther, Pinsir |
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Electabuzz |
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Magmar | N/A |
In addition to the above-listed version exclusives, several Pokémon are missing from Yellow altogether without trading. These Pokémon are:
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 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Pikachu | R | B | Y | Walking |
| R | B | Y | Gift | ||
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Nidoran♀ | R | B | Y | Walking, In-Game Trade |
| R | B | Y | Walking | ||
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Nidorina | R | B | Y | Walking, In-Game Trade, Purchase |
| R | B | Y | Walking, In-Game Trade | ||
| R | B | Y | Walking | ||
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Nidorino | R | B | Y | Walking |
| R | B | Y | Walking, Purchase | ||
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Clefairy | R | B | Y | Walking, Purchase |
| R | B | Y | Walking | ||
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Vulpix | R | B | Y | Walking |
| R | B | Y | Purchase | ||
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Wigglytuff | R | B | Y | Walking |
| R | B | Y | Purchase | ||
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Parasect | R | B | Y | Walking |
| R | B | Y | Walking, In-Game Trade | ||
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Dugtrio | R | B | Y | Walking |
| R | B | Y | Walking, In-Game Trade | ||
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Psyduck | R | B | Y | Walking, Fishing |
| R | B | Y | Surfing | ||
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Golduck | R | B | Y | Walking |
| R | B | Y | Surfing | ||
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Slowpoke | R | B | Y | Walking, Fishing |
| R | B | Y | Walking, Surfing | ||
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Slowbro | R | B | Y | Walking, Fishing |
| R | B | Y | Walking, Surfing | ||
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Farfetch'd | R | B | Y | In-Game Trade |
| R | B | Y | Walking | ||
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Seel | R | B | Y | Walking, In-Game Trade |
| R | B | Y | Walking | ||
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Dewgong | R | B | Y | Walking |
| R | B | Y | Walking, In-Game Trade | ||
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Muk | R | B | Y | Walking |
| R | B | Y | Walking, In-Game Trade | ||
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Shellder | R | B | Y | Walking, Fishing |
| R | B | Y | Fishing | ||
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Krabby | R | B | Y | Fishing |
| R | B | Y | Walking, Fishing | ||
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Kingler | R | B | Y | Fishing |
| R | B | Y | Walking, Fishing | ||
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Electrode | R | B | Y | Walking, Static, In-Game Trade |
| R | B | Y | Static | ||
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Lickitung | R | B | Y | In-Game Trade |
| R | B | Y | Walking | ||
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Rhydon | R | B | Y | Walking |
| R | B | Y | Walking, In-Game Trade | ||
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Tangela | R | B | Y | Walking, In-Game Trade |
| R | B | Y | Walking | ||
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Horsea | R | B | Y | Walking, Fishing |
| R | B | Y | Fishing | ||
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Seadra | R | B | Y | Walking, Fishing |
| R | B | Y | Fishing | ||
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Staryu | R | B | Y | Walking, Fishing |
| R | B | Y | Surfing, Fishing | ||
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Dratini | R | B | Y | Fishing, Purchase |
| R | B | Y | Fishing | ||
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 Yellow are not included because Yellow overhauls most encounter tables entirely.
| Pokémon | Games | Encounter Methods | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Caterpie | R | B | Walking: Route 25 (1%), Viridian Forest (5%) |
| R | B | Walking: Routes 2 (15%), 24 (20%), and 25 (20%), Viridian Forest (45%) | ||
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Metapod | R | B | Walking: Route 25 (4%), Viridian Forest (5%) |
| R | B | Walking: Routes 24 (20%) and 25 (20%), Viridian Forest (40%) | ||
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Weedle | R | B | Walking: Routes 2 (15%), 24 (20%), and 25 (20%), Viridian Forest (45%) |
| R | B | Walking: Route 25 (1%), Viridian Forest (5%) | ||
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Kakuna | R | B | Walking: Routes 24 (20%) and 25 (20%), Viridian Forest (40%) |
| R | B | Walking: Route 25 (4%), Viridian Forest (5%) | ||
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Nidoran♀ | R | B | Walking: Route 22 (5%), Safari Zone East and West (5%) |
| R | B | Walking: Route 22 (40%), Safari Zone (all areas) (20%) | ||
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Nidorina | R | B | Walking: Safari Zone Center and North (5%) |
| R | B | Walking: Safari Zone (all areas) (10%) | ||
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Nidoran♂ | R | B | Walking: Route 22 (40%), Safari Zone (all areas) (20%) |
| R | B | Walking: Route 22 (5%), Safari Zone East and West (5%) | ||
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Nidorino | R | B | Walking: Safari Zone (all areas) (10%) |
| R | B | Walking: Safari Zone Center and North (5%) | ||
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Psyduck | R | B | Walking: Seafoam Islands 1F (5%) |
| R | B | Walking: Seafoam Islands 1F (20%), B1F and B4F (15%), B2F (30%), B3F (35%) | ||
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Golduck | R | B | Walking: Seafoam Islands 1F (1%) |
| R | B | Walking: Seafoam Islands B2F (1%) and B4F (4%) | ||
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Slowpoke | R | B | Walking: Seafoam Islands 1F (20%), B1F and B4F (15%), B2F (30%), B3F (35%) |
| R | B | Walking: Seafoam Islands 1F (5%) | ||
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Slowbro | R | B | Walking: Seafoam Islands B2F (1%) and B4F (4%) |
| R | B | Walking: Seafoam Islands 1F (1%) | ||
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Grimer | R | B | Walking: Pokémon Mansion (all floors) (5%) |
| R | B | Walking: Pokémon Mansion 1F (40%), 2F (45%), 3F (35%), and B1F (50%) | ||
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Muk | R | B | Walking: Pokémon Mansion (all floors) (1%) |
| R | B | Walking: Pokémon Mansion 1F, 2F (4%), 3F (15%), and B1F (10%) | ||
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Shellder | R | B | Walking: Seafoam Islands 1F (19%), B1F and B3F (15%), B2F (5%), B4F (30%) |
| R | B | Walking: Seafoam Islands B1F (20%) and B2F (10%) | ||
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Krabby | R | B | Walking: Seafoam Islands 1F (20%), B1F (30%), B2F and B3F (15%), B4F (35%) |
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Kingler | R | B | Walking: Seafoam Islands B1F (1%) and B3F (4%) |
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Koffing | R | B | Walking: Pokémon Mansion 1F (40%), 2F (45%), 3F (35%), and B1F (50%) |
| R | B | Walking: Pokémon Mansion (all floors) (5%) | ||
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Weezing | R | B | Walking: Pokémon Mansion 1F, 2F (4%), 3F (15%), and B1F (14%) |
| R | B | Walking: Pokémon Mansion (all floors) (1%) | ||
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Horsea | R | B | Walking: Seafoam Islands 1F (20%), B1F (30%), B2F and B3F (15%), B4F (35%) |
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Seadra | R | B | Walking: Seafoam Islands B1F (1%) and B3F (4%) |
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Staryu | R | B | Walking: Seafoam Islands B1F (20%) and B2F (10%) |
| R | B | Walking: Seafoam Islands 1F (19%), B1F (15%), B2F (5%), B3F (15%), and B4F (30%) | ||
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 Red, Green, Blue, and Yellow. 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 (except for the trade evolutions).
| Pokémon | Games | Encounter Methods | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Primeape | R | B | Y | Walking: Route 23 |
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Machamp | R | B | Y | In-Game Trade: Route 5-6 Underground Path |
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Tentacruel | R | B | Y | Fishing (Super Rod): Routes 19, 20, and 21 |
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Hypno | R | B | Y | Walking: Cerulean Cave 1F |
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Gyarados | R | B | Y | Fishing (Super Rod): Fuchsia City |
