FireRed & LeafGreen Pokémon that Feel Way Stronger Now

Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen have made their triumphant return, as they're available for purchase on the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. The modern versions of the game come with wireless multiplayer support and will eventually be compatible with Pokémon Home, meaning players have a reason to stick around in the remade Kanto for years to come.

A lot of old school Pokémon fans played Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen when they were kids, meaning they probably weren't up to speed with competitive mechanics, best typing matchups, strong movepools, and the effectiveness of status effects/debuff moves. They just picked the Pokémon they liked and hit the enemy with their strongest moves until they won.

Now, all these years later, Pokémon fans have the chance to play the Gen 3 Kanto remakes with a whole new level of experience with the franchise. This means their playstyles will likely be very different, as they bring more knowledge of the mechanics to the table.

There are many Pokémon in FireRed & LeafGreen that were unfairly ignored back in the '00s, who now have found a second life in the Switch port. Those who missed out are kicking themselves during their recent runthroughs, seeing as there was so much untapped potential they ignored back in the day.

10 Mankey/Primeape

Fighting

Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen come from the era when Starter Pokémon acted as difficulty settings, with the Gym Leaders acting as barriers that are easier or tougher, depending on what the player picked.

In the Gen 1/3 games, Charmander was considered the worst pick in the early game, as it struggled against both Brock and Misty. It got stronger later on, but the player had to deal with fewer grinding spots and a smaller pool of wild 'Mons to choose from.

Luckily, the Charmander players in the world had an ally near the Indigo League entrance: Mankey. If the player seeks out a Mankey early on and grinds it up to learn Low Kick, then it will blitz through Brock's team.

It also helps to have a Fighting-type later on, when the player has to weaken a Snorlax, or during the fights against Giovanni and Bruno. Fighting-types might have sucked in Pokémon Red & Blue, but they started to rise in power in the Gen 3 era, meaning Mankey & Primeape are a lot more useful here.

9 Paras/Paresect

Bug/Grass

Anyone who picked Bulbasaur as their Starter in Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen was unlikely to ever go for another Grass-type, which makes sense. However, the Charmander and Squirtle players who were looking for a Grass-type could find one in Mt. Moon, in the form of Paras.

Paras and its evolution, Parsect, have one glaring weakness: Speed. This Bug/Grass is one of the slowest Pokémon in the series, and with no Trick Room around, there's no way to turn the tables and let it hit first.

Parasect has one amazing quality, however: Spore. It's the only Pokémon players will have access to with a move that has a guaranteed 100% sleep effect. If Parasect can tank a hit, the enemy is knocked out.

A Parasect with a Quick Claw has a chance to knock out an opponent straight away, allowing it to follow up with a STAB-infused Giga Drain or a Sludge Bomb. It also has Fury Cutter and Hidden Power: Bug to strike at Psychic-type Pokémon.

8 Magnemite/Magneton

Electric/Steel

Magnemite/Magneton are one of the few Gen 1 Pokémon to receive an upgrade in Gen 3, as they changed type in Gen 2. In Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen, Magnemite/Magneton became Electric/Steel-type, and are the only Steel-type Pokémon available before the post-game.

Magnemite can be caught in the Power Plant. It's worth going off the beaten path in search of this Pokémon, as it has an incredibly high Special Attack stat, making it an ideal choice for an Electric-type heavy hitter, which is needed for the Elite Four.

More importantly, the Steel-type part of Magnemite/Magneton allows it to resist Psychic-type damage, making it incredibly useful against some of the toughest Pokémon in the game, especially the ones used by Sabrina and the Rival.

While the Magnemite line had to wait until Pokémon Diamond & Pearl for its next evolution, it's still worth using in the Kanto region, especially for those struggling to find a Pikachu in Viridian Forest.

7 Aerodactyl

Rock/Flying

The problem with the Fossil Pokémon in Gen 1/3 is that they're easy to forget. The player acquires them early on, but can't actually revive them until they reach Cinnabar Island, which is near the end of the game, at the point when they likely have their six team slots filled out.

The Gen 1 Fossil Pokémon are worth checking out, especially Aerodactyl, as it has an amazing movepool/STAB coverage, with a high Speed stat, which lets it swiftly throw out attacks.

The only problem is needing to level up Aeordactyl, as it's revived at level 5. This means taking time out to grind, especially as Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen don't have the automatic Exp. Share like the modern titles.

It's well worth seeking out Aerodactyl, especially for the Elite Four, as it's an absolute powerhouse when properly leveled. Just remember that Aerodactyl isn't immune to Electric-type moves, as it's Ground-type that provides that immunity, not Rock-type.

6 Jynx

Ice/Psychic

Many Psychic-types in Pokémon are glass cannons, with high offensive power and weak defenses. Jynx is one of the best examples of this, with a weak Defense stat that leaves it susceptible to being taken out in a single blow.

Luckily, Jynx has its additional Ice-type benefits to consider, giving it some monstrously powerful Blizzards and Ice Beams to throw at the enemy. This is especially useful when facing Lance of the Elite Four, as Jynx can obliterate his Dragon-type collection.

As Jynx is only acquired through trading a Poliwhirl in Cerulean City, it's easy to acquire early on, and it will receive the trade Experience Point boost, allowing it to speed through the levels.

Jynx can be a risky prospect, even with its high Speed stat, as it's extremely fragile. However, those who focus on its offensive capabilities can use it to decimate foes before they can act.

5 Mr. Mime

Psychic

Mr. Mime is similar to Jynx in a number of ways, as they're both Psychic-types that can only be acquired through trading. Unlike Jynx, Mr. Mime is a mono-Psychic-type, as it didn't gain Fairy-type until Gen 6.

Mr. Mime is a decent choice for the Psychic-type slot on the team, as while it's not as fast as Kadabra, it's certainly bulkier and has a better chance of surviving an enemy attack.

Along with the usual powerful Psychic-type attacks, Mr. Mime has some great utility moves, with Substitute, Barrier, Light Screen, and Reflect all in its pool. Mr. Mime also has Baton Pass, meaning it can set up defenses and then Baton Pass to an ally.

The only problem with Mr. Mime is that it's a creepy clown, meaning some players might not want to stare at its horrifying visage whenever it's summoned. This is a valid concern, meaning those with Coulrophobia should stick with Kadabra/Hypno instead.

4 Clefairy/Clefable

Normal

As Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen are Gen 3 games, the Clefairy/Clefable are pure Normal-type Pokémon, as Fairy-type wasn't introduced until Gen 6.

Pokémon fans can have a sour attitude towards Normal-type Pokémon, especially as the low-level junk 'Mons tend to have it. This couldn't be further from the truth, as Normal-types have a surprising amount of resistances, as well as some great STAB moves.

Clefairy/Clefable have decent stats, can learn a ton of moves via Tutors (including the incredibly useful Soft-Boiled healing move), and have access to some amazing status effect attacks.

Clefairy/Clefable's wide movepool lets them do it all. Not only that, but they can be acquired very early in the game, meaning they can become staunch companions as soon as the player beats Brock.

3 Nidoran/Nidorino/Nidoking

Poison/Ground

The male Nidoran line can be found as early as the path outside the Indigo League, meaning many players write it off as weak. It's worth investing in this purple rodent, as its final form can be extremely useful.

It's easy to evolve Nidorino into Nidoking, as it only requires a Moon Stone. These can be found in Mt. Moon and can be purchased once the player reaches the Celadon Department Store.

Nidoking has middling stats across the board, but it has an incredible movepool, with access to attacks like Earthquake, Megahorn, Blizzard, Thunder, Sludge Bomb, and Surf. Its amazing utility means it can fill coverage gaps.

The Ground-type also makes it immune to Electric-type attacks, making it an ideal pick for Squirtle users, as it can trash Lieutenant Surge and his Gym.

2 Nidoran/Nidorina/Nidoqueen

Poison/Ground

Nidoqueen has many of the same benefits as Nidoking: it has the same great typing, is found early in the game, has a wide movepool, and can reach its final form faster than other Pokémon.

The main difference between the two is stats. Nidoking is faster and stronger, but Nidoqueen is bulkier, allowing her to survive more hits than her royal counterpart.

The big problem with the Nidoking/queen is that they take double damage from the two biggest threats in Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen: Psychic and Water-type moves.

Nidoqueen is still a great all-rounder who can carry many teams through tricky battles. The player just needs to be ready to switch her out if a major threat enters the field, as her bulk can't protect her from everything.

1 Meowth/Persian

Normal

Team Rocket's Meowth might have turned people away from the line when Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen came out, which is a shame, as they can be some of the most useful Pokémon in the game.

Meowth has access to Pay Day, a weak move on its own, but it provides extra cash when the player wins. This will make the game a lot easier, as the player can afford all the expensive items in the Celadon Department Store, as well as help them stock up on the high-tier healing items when facing the Elite Four.

Meowth isn't exactly a powerhouse, but when it evolves into Persian, it gains a massive Speed boost, outpacing pretty much everything in the game.

A Persian can throw out powerful Returns and Hyper Beams with reliable priority over foes, making it a dependable switch-in against weakened foes. It's especially useful against Agatha, so long as it has a move that can hit Ghost-types, as it severely cuts her options in battle.