Catch Your First Pokémon

Finding Wild Pokémon

Wild Pokémon appear in tall grass scattered across routes between towns. Head out from Pallet Town onto Route 1 and look for areas where the grass is visibly taller than regular vegetation.

Starting a Battle

Walk through tall grass until you encounter a wild Pokémon. A battle screen will appear automatically. Your starter Pokémon will be ready to fight.

Catching Mechanics

Reduce the wild Pokémon's health using attacks—lower health increases catch chance. Once weakened, throw a Poké Ball by selecting it from your bag during battle. The ball will shake; if it closes three times, the catch succeeds.

Building Your Team

Repeat this process on different routes to find varied Pokémon types. Early routes have weaker creatures, so you can safely catch multiple team members. Check different areas and times to encounter different species. Keep several Poké Balls in your inventory before heading out, as you'll need multiple attempts to build a full team.

Tip: Grass-type and Water-type Pokémon are common on early routes and make reliable starter team members.