Your Pokemon Let’s Go partner is among the most versatile Pokemon in the game, with a powerful moveset and great stats. Given a bit of time, your Eevee or Pikachu will become an invaluable ally to have on your path towards the Elite Four. However, veteran players who grew up playing Pokemon Red and Pokemon Blue might miss the original three starters gifted to you by Professor Oak. The good news is you can catch and evolve the original three starters – Bulbasaur, Squirtle and Charmander – as soon as you leave Palette town on your quest for glory.
And in better news, there is absolutely no trading involved just like the fan-favourite Pokemon Yellow which Let’s Go is a soft reboot of.
Read on below to find out where you can catch each of the starters and how you can evolve them.
How to catch Bulbasaur in Pokemon Let’s Go
Bulbasaur is the very first Kanto Pokemon in the Pokedex and is the first of the three starters which you can catch.
As soon as you make your way past Viridian City and enter Viridian Forest you should start looking for the bulb Pokemon.
The odds of Bulbasaur spawning are pretty slim but if you start chaining some of the local creatures, for example, Weedle or Caterpie, Bulbasaur should start spawning.
A catch combo of up to 11 Pokemon should be enough for Bulbasaur to appear in tall grass.
Pokemon Let’s Go lets you catch all three original starters in the wild (Image: POKEMON LET’S GO)
Alternatively, you can avoid catching Bulbasaur altogether, and receive it as a gift later on in the game.
Once you work your way through Mt Moon and reach Cerulean City, head over to the first house to the left of the Pokecentre.
Inside, the resident will give you a Bulbasaur for free.
Bulbasaur will evolve into an Ivysaur at level 16 and then a Venusaur at level 32.
After you beat all eight Pokemon Gyms, Professor Oak will give you a Key Stone and Venusaurite to trigger the Mega Venusaur evolution during battles.
How to catch Charmander in Pokemon Let’s Go
Charmander is the second starter which you can encounter in the wild as you progress through the world map.
Much like Bulbasaur, the odds of Charmander spawning are low, but you can work around this by combo chaining Pokemon.
You can find a Charmander on Route 4, on the road connecting Pewter City and Cerulean City and inside of Mt Moon.
Another spawn location is inside of Rock Tunnel on the way towards Lavender town, Route 21, Route 22 and Route 23.
Pokemon Let’s Go: Catch Bulbasaur in Viridian Forest (Image: POKEMON LET’S GO)
If you are lucky, you might find one just south of Palette Town and in-between Indigo Plateau and Viridian City.
Or you can avoid the hassle and talk to the man in the blue t-shirt just north of Nugget Bridge in Cerulean City to get a free Charmander.
Charmander evolves into Charmeleon at level 16 and then Charizard at level 36.
After you beat all eight Gyms, Professor Oak will give you a Key Stone and a Charizardite X and a Charizardite Y to evolve a Mega Y or Mega X version of Charizard.
Pokemon Let’s Go: Charmander spawns outside and inside Mt Moon (Image: POKEMON LET’S GO)
How to catch Squirtle in Pokemon Let’s Go
The water-type Squirtle is the third and last the original starter and the last one you encounter in the wild.
There are only two locations where Squirtle spawns, the first of which is to the left of Nugget Bridge in the patch of grass along the river.
Squirtle’s second spawn area is much farther into the game, in Seafoam Islands – the same spot where you encounter the legendary bird Articuno.
As with the other two starters, you will need to chain a Pokemon combo for Squirtle to spawn.
Pokemon Let’s GO: Squirtle spawns next to Nugget Bridge, north of Cerulean City (Image: POKEMON LET’S GO)
Your other option is to receive a free Squirtle from a police officer as soon as you enter Vermillion city.
Before this happens, however, you will have to catch at least 60 Pokemon in total.
Squirtle evolves into Wartortle at level 16 and then Blastoise at level 36.
Then after you defeat all eight Gym leaders, Professor Oak will give you a Key Stone and a Blastoisinite to Mega Evolve your Blastoise in battle.