How to Get Bulbasaur in Pokémon Yellow: A Comprehensive Guide

Ah, Bulbasaur. The adorable Grass/Poison starter Pokémon, often overlooked in favor of the fiery charm of Charmander or the watery coolness of Squirtle. But in Pokémon Yellow, the game that lets you start your journey with the iconic Pikachu, obtaining Bulbasaur is a unique and often cherished challenge. Unlike its predecessors, Red and Blue, Bulbasaur isn’t a starter option in Yellow. However, fear not, aspiring Pokémon Master! This guide will provide you with a detailed, step-by-step walkthrough on how to add this beloved Seed Pokémon to your team.

Understanding the Unique Mechanics of Pokémon Yellow

Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of catching Bulbasaur, let’s acknowledge the slight differences that make Pokémon Yellow stand out. Unlike Red and Blue, you don’t choose a starter Pokémon at the very beginning. Instead, you receive a Pikachu who stubbornly refuses to evolve, and this is a key change to note. This difference affects the way other Pokémon are made available to you. You also have to consider that you cannot get the three original starters as easily as in Red and Blue. You have to perform specific actions to get them. The developers added this mechanic to make the game a bit more challenging, and it’s something to keep in mind when trying to obtain the starter trio.

The Path to Bulbasaur: A Step-by-Step Guide

Obtaining Bulbasaur in Pokémon Yellow requires a bit of patience and persistence. Here’s a breakdown of the steps you’ll need to follow:

Step 1: Playing through the early game

Your journey begins, as always, in Pallet Town. After the introduction and receiving Pikachu from Professor Oak, you’ll have to do the initial story beats. This includes battling your rival and going to Viridian City. Don’t worry about trying to get Bulbasaur until after these beginning stages as you won’t be able to. Your current task will be to get to Viridian and pick up some items and be able to move on. This step is very crucial because this will allow you to access the area where you can get bulbasaur.

Step 2: Head to Cerulean City

Once you’ve completed the Viridian City tasks such as picking up Professor Oak’s Parcel, your next goal will be to make your way through Viridian Forest. Then, proceed to the next town, which is Cerulean City. This city will become your main hub for getting your coveted bulbasaur. This is where we will start working towards obtaining Bulbasaur. Don’t forget to challenge Misty and get your second badge.

Step 3: The House West of the Pokémon Center

In Cerulean City, locate the house to the west of the Pokémon Center. Unlike the other houses in Cerulean City, this house is where a specific non-player character resides. Upon entering the house, you will meet a young woman with a bulbasaur. This is where you will be getting Bulbasaur!

Step 4: The Key Condition: Pikachu’s Happiness

Now, this is where it gets interesting. The young woman won’t just hand over Bulbasaur. She will only give you Bulbasaur if your Pikachu has a high enough level of happiness or friendship. This is also sometimes referred to as affinity or affection. The game has a hidden mechanic that measures how happy or how much Pikachu likes you. It doesn’t work like normal experience levels. This step is the most important one as it determines if you can receive your bulbasaur. You must raise your Pikachu’s Happiness level to obtain the bulbasaur.

Step 5: How to Increase Pikachu’s Happiness

So how do you make your Pikachu happy? Here are several actions you can take to boost Pikachu’s happiness. The more of these you do the quicker you will be able to get the bulbasaur. Keep in mind the game doesn’t give you an exact level number to show the happiness, this is hidden and you can only tell based on the character dialog you encounter, or by getting Bulbasaur:

Walking and Exploring

One of the easiest ways to raise Pikachu’s happiness is simply walking around with him. The more you travel in the game, the more happiness your Pikachu will have. This is a passive way of increasing your bond. It is an easy way to increase affinity as this does not cost any resources.

Leveling Up

Whenever Pikachu levels up, its happiness also increases. Make sure you use Pikachu in battle, and actively participate with him in the various challenges you encounter. This method can take a while though and may be tedious. Make sure to engage with other trainers often.

Using Items

Using items on Pikachu, such as potions, will increase happiness. While it is not the most cost effective method, it is a great option to further enhance your bond with your Pikachu. It can be a great option if you happen to have lots of items on hand.

Avoiding Fainting

Fainting or losing in battle with Pikachu, will decrease its happiness. Make sure to prioritize and protect Pikachu and try to avoid letting it faint or lose in battle. This will ultimately slow down your progress.

Using the PC

Try not to put Pikachu into your PC as it lowers happiness. Make sure that you don’t accidentally deposit Pikachu into the PC. The PC is mainly for storing any extra pokemon that you might get during your adventure.

Step 6: Checking Pikachu’s Happiness

There isn’t an in-game meter to show your Pikachu’s Happiness level. However, you can check Pikachu’s happiness by talking to the little sister of the woman who owns the Bulbasaur. The little sister lives in the house with her sister in Cerulean City. The girl will provide dialog which reflects your Pikachus happiness level. The dialog that the little girl provides, is key to knowing where you stand. Her dialog will change depending on Pikachu’s friendship level, and will let you know if you’re close to being able to get Bulbasaur.

Here are the dialog options with the various friendship levels:

Low Level: “It looks a bit unfriendly towards you…”

Medium Level: “It’s getting a little friendlier towards you…”

High Level: “It looks very happy! It must really like you!”

The line you are looking for is: “It looks very happy! It must really like you!”

Step 7: Claiming Bulbasaur

Once the little girl tells you that your Pikachu “It looks very happy! It must really like you!”, you can now return to the woman with Bulbasaur and speak to her. If Pikachu’s happiness is high enough, the woman will finally give you the Bulbasaur. The Bulbasaur is not shiny, so you can’t soft reset it to try and get a shiny Bulbasaur. She will say that her bulbasaur likes you and will ask if you will take care of it. If you accept you will be able to claim your bulbasaur. Congratulations, you have successfully obtained Bulbasaur in Pokémon Yellow!

Tips and Tricks for Raising Pikachu’s Happiness Quickly

Raising Pikachu’s happiness can take time, but some strategies can speed up the process:

• Avoid Fainting: Keep Pikachu healthy by using items and avoiding battles where it might faint.
• Walking: Walk around as much as possible. The game tracks the number of steps and this passively raises friendship, even while doing other tasks.
• Engage in Battles: Use Pikachu in battles frequently. Leveling up increases happiness so make sure Pikachu levels up often.
• Items: Use items on Pikachu often. Potion’s aren’t that expensive so make sure to stock up and spam them on your Pikachu.
• Don’t use the PC: Avoid putting Pikachu into the PC unless it’s absolutely necessary.
• Patience is Key: The game doesn’t provide a happiness indicator, so you have to check with the little girl each time. This may be a frustrating mechanic but the dialog is crucial for your progress.

What to do After Getting Bulbasaur

Now that you have Bulbasaur, you can use it to complete the rest of your journey, and to help your team reach new heights. Bulbasaur can grow into a powerful Venasaur. Bulbasaur starts as a strong grass type pokemon that will help greatly with your progression. Bulbasaur will be an invaluable asset to your team. You can also use this new asset to create a full roster of different pokemon in the game.

Final Thoughts

Obtaining Bulbasaur in Pokémon Yellow is a rewarding experience that deviates from the traditional starter Pokémon method. It requires patience, understanding the game’s mechanics, and dedication to raising Pikachu’s happiness. Following this detailed guide will not only add a Bulbasaur to your team but also give you a greater appreciation for the unique gameplay of Pokémon Yellow. So, go forth, Trainer, and may your journey be filled with happy Pikachu and strong Pokémon companions!