Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen are finally on Switch, bringing a taste of the series’ retro roots to a modern platform for Pokémon‘s 30th anniversary. Millions of fans and newcomers are downloading the game to start a brand new adventure in the Kanto region. They’ll all be faced with the same timelessly perplexing choice: Which starter Pokémon is the best to pick?
Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle—who should lead your team to catch ’em all and defeat the Elite Four? The answer is whichever one you personally like best. The point of playing Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen is to have fun, not to Excel-spreadsheet the hell out of decade-old Game Boy Advance games. But even so, there may be a little gnawing voice of doubt in the back of your head convincing you listen to something other than your heart. If that’s the case, here’s my advice for which starter to pick. Let’s quickly go through the three choices.
Bulbasaur
The poison grass-type is tough as nails and not easily downed. Bulbasaur evolves into Ivysaur at level 16 and Venusaur at level 32. That’s four levels earlier than the other starters for the final transformation. Bulbasaur is also great against the first two gym leaders, Brock and Misty, both of whom field teams weak to grass-types. What Ivysaur and Venusaur lack in speed and raw attack power, they make up for with high HP and tons of status ailment attacks that can win almost any war of attrition.
Sleep Powder is boring but effective in a wide array of match-ups, especially when combined with Leech Seed and Solar Beam. Paired with Giga Drain and Sludge Bomb, it’s a great choice for the master tactician.
Charmander
The fire-type has always been a favorite due to the fact that it’s the most badass. Charmander evolves into Charmeleon at level 16 and Charizard at level 36, the last of which is also a flying-type. That extra versatility also brings with it some added vulnerability, but Charizard is great in the late game for quickly sweeping most opponents from the field. Charmander, on the other hand, struggles in the early game, especially against the first couple of Gyms. It does have Metal Claw, however, which can get it past Brock’s rock-types.
Flame Thrower and Slash are great meat-and-potatoes attacks. Later on you can teach it Earthquake to add another devastating move to its arsenal. Fire Spin and Toxic also pair nicely for cutting off oxygen, even against opponents with a match-up edge.
Squirtle
The water-type is the cutest and has a lot of versatility early on and in the later stages of the game. Squirtle evolves into Wartortle at level 16 and Blastoise at level 36. It’s decently easy to train and has no problem against Brock. Plus Squirtle has the best defense throughout the game, though it struggles around Gyms three and four. It can learn Bubble Beam from Misty though which gives it an early go to special attack for the first half of the game.
Hydro Pump and Skull Bash are powerful late-game attacks, and Blastoise also benefits from being able to learn moves like Ice Beam and Blizzard to make short work of dragon-types. It’s a nice compromise between the glass cannon offense of Charizard and the slow, situational effectiveness of Venusaur.
Okay but for real: Which starter should I choose in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen?
My final answer is: Bulbasaur. It has great survivability and provides lots of options to go with any team you want to build. The early game, up through Surge, is super easy and you have plenty of time to train up the rest of your squad by the time you get to a grass-type showdown in Celadon City. Another thing Bulbasaur has going for it is that there’s really not any other great grass types. Starmie is a great water-type substitute for Blastoise, and Arcanine is a great fire-type substitute for Charizard. Plus, Sleep Powder is a big boon when it comes to capturing other Pokémon on your journey.
