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Pokémon Gold
Open the Pokémon Gold PokédexBuy a repro of this gameTested by us
Game Boy / Game Boy ColorGen 2251 PokémonReal-time clock

Pokémon Gold

Region
Johto (and Kanto)
Main story
30-35 hours
Completionist
70-90 hours

Version siblings: Pokémon Silver, Pokémon Crystal

Overview

Generation 2 adds 100 new Pokémon, two new types (Dark and Steel), held items, breeding, and a day-and-night cycle driven by a real-time clock in the cartridge.

You earn eight Johto badges and beat the Elite Four, then, in a famous twist, travel back to Kanto to take on its eight gyms a second time and finally face Red at the summit of Mt. Silver.

Gold's exclusives include Growlithe, Mantine and Gligar, and its box legendary is Ho-Oh, caught in the Tin Tower. Trade with Silver or Crystal to complete the 251-entry dex.

Gyms & Elite Four

Gym Leaders

Gym Leaders with types and tips
LeaderTypeTip
FalknerFlyingRock and Electric clip his wings. An early Geodude walks straight through this gym.
BugsyBugFire, Flying or Rock. His Scyther hits hard, so lead with a flyer or a Fire type.
WhitneyNormalHer Miltank is Gen 2's famous wall. Rollout grows each hit and Attract locks down opposite-gender attackers, so bring a female or genderless hitter with a Fighting move and paralyse the Miltank to break Rollout's rhythm.
MortyGhostBring Dark moves (Bite or Crunch). His Gengar leans on Hypnosis and Dream Eater, so pack Awakenings.
ChuckFightingPsychic and Flying beat Fighting. A Psychic type or a flyer with Wing Attack wins easily.
JasmineSteelFire, Fighting or Ground. Her Steelix melts to Surf or Earthquake.
PryceIceFire, Fighting, Rock or Steel. His Piloswine is weak to almost everything you'd bring; just avoid getting frozen.
ClairDragonIce is king. Her Kingdra only fears Dragon moves in Gen 2, so over-level and spam strong special attacks.

Elite Four & Champion

Elite Four & Champion with types and tips
LeaderTypeTip
WillPsychicDark moves and strong physical hits; his Xatu is frail.
KogaPoisonPsychic and Ground. Watch for Toxic stalling and carry antidotes or just hit hard.
BrunoFightingPsychic and Flying. His Onix and Steelix fear Water and Grass.
KarenDarkFighting and Bug. Her Houndoom fears Water and Rock; her Umbreon stalls, so bring real punch.
Lance (Champion)DragonIce and Electric. His three Dragonite spam Hyper Beam and Blizzard; Ice Beam and a strong Electric for the Gyarados and Aerodactyl win it.

Recommended team

  • Your starter

    Feraligatr and Typhlosion carry hardest; Meganium struggles against Johto's early gyms.

  • The red Gyarados

    A free, strong, story Pokémon from the Lake of Rage. Don't knock it out, it's a one-time catch.

  • Ampharos

    A Mareep is available very early on Route 32; Ampharos answers Water and Flying all game.

  • Crobat

    Evolve a Zubat at high friendship into one of the best Flying types; it also carries Fly.

  • Espeon

    Evolve an Eevee at high friendship during the day for a superb special attacker.

  • Lapras

    Appears in Union Cave on Friday nights. Ice Beam and Surf cover Dragons, Flyers and more.

Capture tips

  • Status first: sleep or paralysis raises catch rate a lot and stops Pokémon fleeing.
  • The red Gyarados at the Lake of Rage is a fixed, unusually coloured catch. Save before the encounter so you don't lose it.
  • The roaming legendary beasts (in Gold, Raikou and Entei) flee each turn. A Pokémon with Mean Look plus a sleep move pins them down.
  • For Ho-Oh in the Tin Tower and Lugia in the Whirl Islands: save, bring sleep or paralysis, and a stack of Ultra Balls.
  • Drop HP into the red and use Great or Ultra Balls on anything tough.

Time and day

This cartridge has a real-time clock, so the in-game world follows morning, day and night. Some Pokémon only appear at certain times, specific trainers and events run on set weekdays, and friendship evolutions split by time, an Eevee levelled up with high friendship becomes Espeon during the day and Umbreon at night. Set the clock accurately when you start, and keep the RTC battery healthy to avoid event glitches.

Save & hardware notes

  • Gen 2 cartridges have two batteries: one for the save file and a separate one for the real-time clock.
  • When the RTC battery dies you'll see the 'time events have stopped' glitch. It can be swapped independently of the save battery.
  • Check a save the usual way: new game, save, power off, power back on. Back up with a GBxCart RW before any battery work.

Tips

  • Set the in-game clock accurately at the start; many events and evolutions depend on the time of day.
  • Breed for strong natures and egg moves at the Day Care once you have a compatible pair.
  • Grind in Kanto after the Elite Four; the level jump to the Kanto gyms and Red is steep.

Trivia

  • Gold and Silver nearly didn't include Kanto; fitting both regions on one cartridge was a major technical feat.
  • The RTC battery is separate from the save battery, so the clock and your save can fail independently.