Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen are coming to Switch tomorrow, February 27, and if you’ve never played the 2004 remakes, or by some wild circumstance never got around to the original games, you’re in for a treat. These games are widely considered the “definitive” versions of the first Pokémon RPGs, and still feel pretty modern by today’s standards. But like all Pokémon games, the reason there are two versions is so you’re incentivized to trade with others, as some monsters are only catchable in one version or the other.
Sometimes your favorite Pokémon might be trapped on one version, so it’s good to know ahead of time which game has which exclusive monsters before you buy one or the other, especially if you don’t have a friend to buy the other version and trade with. Here’s the rundown:
FireRed’s exclusive Pokémon
- Ekans
- Arbok
- Oddish
- Gloom
- Vileplume
- Psyduck
- Golduck
- Growlithe
- Arcanine
- Shellder
- Cloyster
- Scyther
- Electabuzz
- Bellossom
- Wooper
- Quagsire
- Murkrow
- Qwilfish
- Scizor
- Delibird
- Skarmory
- Elekid
- Deoxys’ Attack Forme
LeafGreen’s exclusive Pokémon
- Sandshrew
- Sandslash
- Vulpix
- Ninetales
- Bellsporut
- Weepinbell
- Victreebel
- Slowpoke
- Slowbrow
- Staryu
- Starmie
- Magmar
- Pinsir
- Marill
- Azumarill
- Slowking
- Misdreavus
- Sneasel
- Remoraid
- Octillery
- Mantine
- Magby
- Azurill
- Deoxys’ Defense Forme
Both FireRed and LeafGreen will be available on the eShop tomorrow after the 30th anniversary Pokémon Presents showcase at 9 a.m. Eastern. We’re likely to hear about upcoming games, get updates on ongoing ones, and probably hear more about some of the anniversary plans Pokémon has in store for 2026. Folks are expecting that we’ll see the upcoming Generation X games, reportedly called Wind and Wave, which have been periodically leaking online over the past year or so.