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Trading

Trading Pokémon is not only encouraged, it is necessary to assemble a complete collection of all Pokémon in the game.

We distinguish between two different types of Pokémon Trades. Trades with human players and trades with Pokémon trainers inside the game.


Pokémon Trainer Trades

There are numerous occasions for trades with in-game trainers. All you have to do to complete a trade is talk to the trainers and offer them the Pokémon they're looking for. Here are the Pokémon that can be traded with in-game trainers:

Goldenrod City
Trade a Drowzee for a Machop

Violet City
Trade a Bellsprout for an Onix

Olivine City
Trade a Drowzee for a Machop

Blackthorn City
Trade a Krabby for a Voltorb

Pewter City
Trade a Gloom for a Rapidash

Route 14
Trade a Chansey for an Aerodactyl
 


Pokémon Player Trades

There are a total of 251 Pokémon in the game -- but you won't be able to get all of them without trading with other Pokémon players. Here is a listing of what Pokémon are not found in the three respective versions. Note that in addition to the ones listed below, all of the 100 new Pokémon in Gold/Silver are not available in Blue/Red and Yellow. While you can trade all Pokémon  from B/R/Y to GS, you can't transfer any of the 100 new Pokémon  to the original three games. Here's the list:  

Gold

Silver

Blue

Red

Yellow

Bulbasaur
Ivysaur
Venusaur
Squirtle
Wartortle
Blastoise
Charmander
Charmeleon
Charizard
Kabuto
Kabutops
Omanyte
Omastar
Vulpix
Ninetales
Meowth
Persian
Phanpy
Donphan
Ledyba
Ledian
Skarmory
Delibird
Articuno
Zapdos
Moltres
Mewtwo
Mew
Celebi
Bulbasaur
Ivysaur
Venusaur
Squirtle
Wartortle
Blastoise
Charmander
Charmeleon
Charizard
Kabuto
Kabutops
Omanyte
Omastar
Mankey
Primeape
Growlithe
Arcanine
Teddiursa
Ursaring
Spinarak
Ariados
Gligar
Mantine
Articuno
Zapdos
Moltres
Mewtwo

Mew
Celebi
Ekans
Arbok
Oddish
Gloom
Vileplume
Mankey
Primeape
Growlithe
Arcanine
Scyther
Electabuzz
Mew

Sandshrew
Sandslash
Bellsprout
Weepinbell
Victreebel
Meowth
Persian
Vulpix
Ninetales
Pinsir
Magmar
Mew
Weedle
Kakuna
Beedrill
Ekans
Arbok
Meowth
Persian
Koffing
Weezing
Raichu
Jynx
Electabuzz
Magmar
Mew


Evolution through Trading

Standard Trade Evolution

Some Pokémon evolve only when traded with another user. Of course, if you have two Game Boys and two copies of Pokémon, you can effectively trade with yourself to get your hands on these evolved forms. Unlike many other evolutions, the post-trade evolutions learn the same techniques as their predecessors. Since there are no penalties for evolving these Pokémon, you should do so whenever you can.

The following Pokémon evolve through trade:

  • Haunter, turns into Gengar
  • Machoke, turns into Machamp
  • Graveler, turns into Golem
  • Kadabra, turns into Alakazam. 


Item Trade Evolution
Pokémon   Evolution   Item Needed
Onix Steelix Metal Coat
Poliwhirl Politoed King's Rock
Porygon Porygon2 Upgrade
Seadra Kingdra Dragon Scale
Scyther Scizor Metal Coat
Slowpoke Slowking King's Rock

Pokémon Gold/Silver includes a new type of evolution that basically combines Trade Evolution with the Induced "Stone" Evolution. In order for these Pokémon to evolve, you will need to trade them while they're holding a specific item.

To the right, you can check out a list of all eligible Pokémon, their evolved form and the item used to evolve them when trading.

You may have noticed that the Pokémon Mew and Celebi are not found in either of the five Game Boy games. They are bonus Pokémon that are given away by Nintendo in contests or at Pokémon mall tours.


How to Trade

Trading is super-easy if you have the necessary equipment. There are two ways to trade:

1.) Game Boy to Game Boy
You'll need to Game Boys, two Pokémon game cartridges and a link cable.

  • Connect the two Game Boys via the link cable. Both players should go to the nearest Pokémon Center and heal their Pokémon.
  • Make sure the Pokémon you want to trade is in your party. If it is not, access the PC to add it to your party.
  • If you're trading between two copies of Pokémon Gold or Silver, both players need to talk to the receptionist of the Cable Club Trade Center at the same time.
  • If you're trading between Pokémon Gold/Silver and Pokémon Blue/Red or Yellow, you will have to talk to the Cable Club Time Capsule attendant instead. Note that this function will not be available early in the game. At the same time, the Pokémon Blue/Red or Yellow player has to talk to the Trade Club receptionist and delect the Trade Center option.
  • You are now asked to save. Once you enter the trade center, face the center of the table and press A. You can now check out your and your friend's Pokémon data.
  • Select the Pokémon you want to trade and press A.
  • You will now be asked if you want to complete the trade. Select the Trade option to seal the deal. That's it.

Gold/Silver Trade:

Time Capsule (Blue/Red/Yellow):

2.) Cartridge to Pokémon Stadium
You need a Nintendo 64 with Pokémon Stadium GS (Gold/Silver - available in March 2001) and the Transfer Pak. Note that Pokémon Gold and Silver are not compatible with the regular version of Pokémon Stadium.

  • Plug the Transfer Pak with your Game Boy cartridge into an N64 controller. If you have two Transfer Paks, you can plug one cart into controller 1 and the second one in controller 2.
  • Access the Pokémon Lab and follow the on-screen commands for trading -- or simply move one or more Pokémon from your party or PC boxes to the N64 cartridge's storage boxes.
  • If you don't have a second Transfer Pak, you should now power down your N64, remove the Game Boy cart and plug in the second Pokémon cartridge. Access the Pokémon Lab and transfer the Pokémon in question from your N64 cart boxes to the Game Boy cartridge.


Special Trades

If you are playing on a Game Boy Color, a girl in Goldenrod City will activate the game's Mystery Gift function.

Now, you can trade items with your friends via your Game Boy's IR port (you're limited to one "trade" a day) and get "Watts" from the Pokemon Pikachu 2 device through the Game Boy Color's IR-device. In case you didn't know, for every 999 Watts, you get a Rare Candy! Note that you don't actually trade away items when you do a Mystery Gift trade. Both players are on the receiving end.



Basics and Rules of the Trade

No matter which way you trade, you should remember the following rules:

  • Traded Pokémon gain EXP quicker. It's a good idea to trade as many Pokémon as possible back and forth with a friend to reach higher levels more easily. 
  • Even if you trade away the last Pokémon of a certain kind, the credit for catching it will not be erased. In other words, you don't actually need to keep all 151 Pokémon to get a complete Pokedex.
  • You don't get credit for a Pokémon's pre-evolutions when you catch its evolved form. The same holds true for trading. If you receive a Raichu in a trade, you don't automatically get credit for Pikachu if you haven't caught one yourself.
  • Make a deal with your friend that when you trade him/her Haunter, Machoke, Graveler or Kadabra, they'll return their evolved forms (Gengar, Machamp, Golem or Alakazam) right back to you. This way, both players will get credit for them.
  • Remember that certain badges are required to successfully control higher-level Pokémon.
  • You cannot trade any of the new Gold/Silver Pokémon back to Pokémon Red/Blue and Yellow.
  • Pokémon (1-151) that have learned new techniques in Gold and Silver that weren't available in Blue/Red or Yellow cannot be traded back to Blue/Red or Yellow. 


Are you into Pokémon? Why don't you share your strategies and thoughts about it with other Pokémon enthusiasts on IGNpocket's dedicated Pokémon boards! Simply click on the image to the right to check them out. Apart from Pokémon, there are also lots of other message boards dedicated to all the major gaming consoles. 

Enjoy!


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