How to Catch Any Pokémon

Now that you know how the trick works, you can use it to catch other Pokémon.  Fighting the Youngster will always result in a Mew encounter because his Slowpoke has a Special of 21 (15 in hex).  But if you fight something else before returning to Route 8, it will change which Pokémon you encounter.

Let's say you foolishly choose a starting Pokémon other than Bulbasaur and want to make up for it.  Bulbasaur's hex number is 99, which converts to 153 in decimal.  Now, you could fight a wild Pokémon with a Special of 153, but the only place to find that is on a Level 64 Chansey in the Unknown Dungeon, and those Chansey are quite rare.  Worse, they only have a one-in-sixteen chance of having the right Special.  Fortunately, there is a solution: Ditto's Transform, which copies the stats of the opponent.

This means that you can catch any Pokémon in the game by following these steps:

Catch/raise a Pokémon with the proper Special stat (153 for Bulbasaur).  You can find a complete list of which decimal value is needed for each Pokémon here.

Fly away from the Gambler battle.

Fight any trainer that can see you from a distance and walk up to you.  (This is necessary to both unlock your Start button and trigger the Route 8 battle.)

Find a wild Ditto and let it Transform into your Pokémon with the proper Special.

Beat the Ditto (or just run away) and immediately fly to Lavender Town without fighting anything else.

Enter Route 8, and Bulbasaur (or whatever) will appear.

Note that since only the least significant of the two Special bytes is used for this, you can also add 256 to the values listed above and use that Special to get the same Pokémon.  This is important because there are a few Pokémon, such as Kangaskhan, whose identifying value is lower than the minimum Special that any Pokémon can have.  In Kangaskhan's case, you can find her by using a Special of 258 (2 + 256).

Also note that when you perform this trick, any trainers you fight after the Gambler will be "used up."  Make sure you have enough unused trainers to catch all the Pokémon you want!  Fortunately, the Gambler can be used to initiate the trick an unlimited number of times.

There are two alternative ways to enter Route 8 and trigger Mew after beating the Youngster.  If you have access to Saffron City, you can fly there and go through the eastern city gate.  Also, you can fly to Celadon City, head east to Route 7, enter the Underground Path, and emerge back in front of the Gambler.

Finally, the Route 8 Gambler isn't the only trainer that can initiate the trick.  The Super Nerd just west of him can also do it, as can the second Fisherman you meet when heading south from Lavender on Route 12.  There are numerous others; basically, any trainer who is scrolled onto the screen by the same step that puts you in their vision range will work.  However, remember that the final battle with Mew will only be triggered by returning to whatever route that trainer is in, which is not necessarily Route 8.Bulbasaur 99 153

Ivysaur 09 9

Venusaur 9A 154

Charmander B0 176

Charmeleon B2 178

Charizard B4 180

Squirtle B1 177

Wartortle BC 188

Blastoise 1C 28

Caterpie 7B 123

Metapod 7C 124

Butterfree 7D 125

Weedle 70 112

Kakuna 71 113

Beedrill 72 114

Pidgey 24 36

Pidgeotto 96 150

Pidgeot 97 151

Rattata A5 165

Raticate A6 166

Spearow 05 5

Fearow 23 35

Ekans 6C 108

Arbok 2D 45

Pikachu 54 84

Raichu 55 85

Sandshrew 60 96

Sandslash 61 97

Nidoran(F) 0F 15

Nidorina A8 168

Nidoqueen 10 16

Nidoran(M) 03 3

Nidorino A7 167

Nidoking 07 7

Clefairy 04 4

Clefable 8E 142

Vulpix 52 82

Ninetales 53 83

Jigglypuff 64 100

Wigglytuff 65 101

Zubat 6B 107

Golbat 82 130

Oddish B9 185

Gloom BA 186

Vileplume BB 187

Paras 6D 109

Parasect 2E 46

Venonat 41 65

Venomoth 77 119

Diglett 3B 59

Dugtrio 76 118

Meowth 4D 77

Persian 90 144

Psyduck 2F 47

Golduck 80 128

Mankey 39 57

Primeape 75 117

Growlithe 21 33

Arcanine 14 20

Poliwag 47 71

Poliwhirl 6E 110

Poliwrath 6F 111

Abra 94 148

Kadabra 26 38

Alakazam 95 149

Machop 6A 106

Machoke 29 41

Machamp 7E 126

Bellsprout BC 188

Weepinbell BD 189

Victreebell BE 190

Tentacool 18 24

Tentacruel 9B 155

Geodude A9 169

Graveler 27 39

Golem 31 49

Ponyta A3 163

Rapidash A4 164

Slowpoke 25 37

Slowbro 08 8

Magnemite AD 173

Magneton 36 54

Farfetch'd 40 64

Doduo 46 70

Dodrio 74 116

Seel 3A 58

Dewgong 78 120

Grimer 0D 13

Muk 88 136

Shellder 17 23

Cloyster 8B 139

Gastly 19 25

Haunter 93 147

Gengar 0E 14

Onix 22 34

Drowzee 30 48

Hypno 81 129

Krabby 4E 78

Kingler 8A 138

Voltorb 06 6

Electrode 8D 141

Exeggcute 0C 12

Exeggutor 0A 10

Cubone 11 17

Marowak 91 145

Hitmonlee 2B 43

Hitmonchan 2C 44

Lickitung 0B 11

Koffing 37 55

Weezing 8F 143

Rhyhorn 12 18

Rhydon 01 1

Chansey 28 40

Tangela 1E 30

Kangaskhan 02 2

Horsea 5C 92

Seadra 5D 93

Goldeen 9D 157

Seaking 9E 158

Staryu 1B 27

Starmie 98 152

Mr. Mime 2A 42

Scyther 1A 26

Jynx 48 72

Electabuzz 35 53

Magmar 33 51

Pinsir 1D 29

Tauros 3C 60

Magikarp 85 133

Gyarados 16 22

Lapras 13 19

Ditto 4C 76

Eevee 66 102

Vaporeon 69 105

Jolteon 68 104

Flareon 67 103

Porygon AA 170

Omanyte 62 98

Omastar 63 99

Kabuto 5A 90

Kabutops 5B 91

Aerodactyl AB 171

Snorlax 84 132

Articuno 4A 74

Zapdos 4B 75

Moltres 49 73

Dratini 58 88

Dragonair 59 89

Dragonite 42 66

Mewtwo 83 131

Mew 15 21