- Pokemon LeafGreen walkthrough: ten stages from Pallet Town to the Hall of Fame, then the Sevii Islands postgame
- Story order: earn seven badges, take the first Sevii Islands trip, then clear the Viridian Gym and Victory Road
- HM gates: Cut, Surf, and Strength unlock mandatory routes and caves
- Level targets: Lv. 12-16 for Brock, Lv. 58+ for the Champion
- Postgame: the Ruby and Sapphire quest unlocks Four to Seven Island and Mewtwo
Walkthrough Part 1: Pallet Town to Cerulean City
This Pokemon LeafGreen walkthrough splits the Kanto adventure into location-based stages, so you always know the next destination, the required objectives, and the items that gate progression. The journey is mostly linear, but HM moves and story events can hide the next step. The original 2004 Game Boy Advance release returned to the Nintendo Switch eShop on February 27, 2026, and this route applies to both versions (Nintendo store page).
| Stage | Route | Key Objectives | Major Battle | Key Items |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pallet Town to Pewter City | Choose a starter, deliver Oak's Parcel, cross Viridian Forest | Brock | Pokedex, Town Map, Boulder Badge |
| 2 | Pewter City to Cerulean City | Mt. Moon fossil choice, Nugget Bridge, visit Bill at Sea Cottage | Misty, Rival | Dome or Helix Fossil, S.S. Ticket, Cascade Badge |
| 3 | Cerulean City to Vermilion City | Travel Routes 5-6, board the S.S. Anne, earn Cut | Rival, Lt. Surge | HM01 Cut, Thunder Badge |
Your starter defines the opening difficulty, so compare the three options before leaving Professor Oak's lab:
Bulbasaur (S Tier)
- Easiest opening: beats Brock and Misty
- Useful status and Grass options
- Best pick for smooth progression
Squirtle (A Tier)
- Balanced pick: handles Brock well
- Solid defenses and later Surf
- Misty and Lt. Surge need support
Charmander (A Tier)
- Hardest start: Brock and Misty are rough
- Charizard becomes a top attacker
- Catch support Pokemon early
Charmander players should catch a Mankey on Route 22 or raise a Butterfree with Confusion before the Pewter Gym. Bulbasaur and Squirtle win this matchup directly with Vine Whip or Bubble.
Walkthrough Part 2: Vermilion to Fuchsia City
The middle stretch chains Team Rocket story beats between Gyms. Three items gate everything here: HM01 Cut opens the Vermilion Gym, the Silph Scope reveals the ghost inside Pokemon Tower, and Tea from Celadon Mansion convinces the guards to admit you into Saffron City.
| Stage | Route | Key Objectives | Major Battle | Key Items |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Rock Tunnel to Celadon | Cross Route 9 and Rock Tunnel, raid the Game Corner hideout | Erika, Giovanni | Rainbow Badge, Silph Scope |
| 5 | Lavender to Saffron | Clear Pokemon Tower, wake Snorlax, liberate Silph Co. | Giovanni, Sabrina | Poke Flute, Master Ball, Marsh Badge |
| 6 | Fuchsia City | Safari Zone Gold Teeth run, then the Gym | Koga | HM03 Surf, HM04 Strength, Soul Badge |
This stretch also hands out two guaranteed team boosts: one Eevee in Celadon Mansion and one Lapras from a Silph Co. employee in Saffron City. Grab both, because Jolteon from Eevee answers Water and Flying threats, while Lapras brings the Water and Ice coverage that dominates the Pokemon League.
Flash requires 10 caught Pokemon for Oak's aide on Route 2, Cut comes from the S.S. Anne captain, and both Surf and Strength come from the Fuchsia Safari Zone area. Skipping any of these blocks later routes, caves, and the path to Cinnabar Island.
Walkthrough Part 3: Cinnabar, Sevii Islands, and the Pokemon League
The final story act introduces the Sevii Islands, the eighth badge, and the Champion gauntlet. Follow these five steps in order:
Cinnabar Island
Surf south from Pallet Town, find the Secret Key in the Pokemon Mansion basement, and defeat Blaine for the Volcano Badge.
First Sevii Islands Trip
Accept Bill's invitation to One Island. Deliver the Meteorite on Two Island, then rescue Lostelle from the Hypno in Berry Forest on Three Island before returning to Kanto.
Viridian Gym
With seven badges, challenge the reopened Viridian Gym and defeat Giovanni's Ground team for the Earth Badge.
Victory Road
Head west from Viridian across Route 22, pass the badge checkpoints, and push boulders with Strength to cross Victory Road and reach Indigo Plateau.
Pokemon League
Beat Lorelei, Bruno, Agatha, and Lance back to back, then defeat the Champion to enter the Hall of Fame.
| Trainer | Specialty | Roster Highlights | Level Target | Useful Types |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lorelei | Ice / Water | Dewgong, Cloyster, Slowbro, Jynx, Lapras | Lv. 50-55+ | Electric, Fighting, Rock |
| Bruno | Fighting / Rock | Onix x2, Hitmonchan, Hitmonlee, Machamp | Lv. 52-56+ | Psychic, Flying, Water |
| Agatha | Ghost / Poison | Gengar x2, Golbat, Haunter, Arbok | Lv. 54-58+ | Psychic, Ground, Dark moves |
| Lance | Dragon | Gyarados, Dragonair x2, Aerodactyl, Dragonite | Lv. 56-60+ | Ice, Electric, Rock |
| Champion | Mixed | Pidgeot, Alakazam, Rhydon, rival's starter | Lv. 58-63+ | Broad coverage |
Stock Full Restores, Revives, and status cures before entering. Ice coverage matters most against Lance, and the Champion's team adapts to your rival's starter, so keep answers ready for Psychic, Ground, Water, Fire, and Grass threats.
Post-Game Walkthrough: Network Machine and Mewtwo
After the credits, the walkthrough shifts to Celio's Network Machine quest on the Sevii Islands. Completing it unlocks trading with other regions and opens Cerulean Cave, where Mewtwo waits at Lv. 70.
Post-Game Milestones:
- Enter the Hall of Fame by defeating the Champion
- Unlock the National Pokedex with Professor Oak
- Recover the Ruby on Mt. Ember and receive the Rainbow Pass
- Retrieve the Sapphire from Dotted Hole and the Rocket Warehouse
- Catch Mewtwo in Cerulean Cave
The Ruby sits on One Island's Mt. Ember, while the Sapphire is stolen at Dotted Hole on Six Island and recovered after you raid the Rocket Warehouse on Five Island using both passwords. Helping Lorelei inside Icefall Cave on Four Island along the way also earns HM07 Waterfall. Optional endgame stops include Trainer Tower, Sevault Canyon, and the Tanoby Ruins puzzle on Seven Island for extra battles and encounters.
Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres are one-time fixed encounters, so save first and bring Ultra Balls plus Sleep or Paralysis support. The Master Ball is the safest answer for Mewtwo, and a roaming Raikou, Entei, or Suicune appears based on your starter, so keep trapping moves like Mean Look ready.
Gym Leader and Elite Four Battle Reference
Use this table to check every badge battle in progression order, including recommended levels and the types that break each leader's team.
| Badge | Leader | City | Specialty | Level Target | Useful Types |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder | Brock | Pewter | Rock | Lv. 12-16 | Water, Grass |
| Cascade | Misty | Cerulean | Water | Lv. 18-23 | Electric, Grass |
| Thunder | Lt. Surge | Vermilion | Electric | Lv. 22-26 | Ground |
| Rainbow | Erika | Celadon | Grass | Lv. 27-31 | Fire, Flying, Ice |
| Marsh | Sabrina | Saffron | Psychic | Lv. 39-44 | Bug, Ghost, Dark moves |
| Soul | Koga | Fuchsia | Poison | Lv. 38-43 | Psychic, Ground |
| Volcano | Blaine | Cinnabar | Fire | Lv. 42-48 | Water, Ground, Rock |
| Earth | Giovanni | Viridian | Ground | Lv. 45-51 | Water, Ice, Grass |
Stay several levels above nearby wild Pokemon and roughly at each leader's top roster level. Diglett's Cave provides Diglett and Dugtrio, who shut down Lt. Surge thanks to their immunity to Electric attacks.
Pokemon LeafGreen Walkthrough FAQ
Q: Which starter is best for a Pokemon LeafGreen walkthrough?
Bulbasaur gives the smoothest run because it beats Brock and Misty back to back. Squirtle is a close second with balanced stats and reliable Surf, while Charmander struggles early but grows into the powerful Fire and Flying attacker Charizard.
Q: When do I first visit the Sevii Islands?
Bill invites you to One Island right after you defeat Blaine at the Cinnabar Gym. The first trip covers One, Two, and Three Island, including the Lostelle rescue in Berry Forest, before you return to Kanto for the Viridian Gym.
Q: What level should my team be for the Elite Four?
Aim for at least Lv. 50-55 when you enter, with Lv. 58 or higher for the Champion. Ice coverage is critical against Lance's Dragonair and Dragonite, and Electric moves handle Lorelei's Water team and Lance's Gyarados.
Q: Can I catch Mewtwo before beating the Pokemon League?
No. Cerulean Cave only opens after you become Champion, obtain the National Pokedex, and finish Celio's Ruby and Sapphire Network Machine quest on the Sevii Islands.
This walkthrough pairs with our Pokedex locations, best team builds, Sevii Islands guide, and items, TMs, and HMs reference. Official game details are also available on the Pokemon.com game page.