FireRed and LeafGreen remake Kanto's evolution system on the Gen 3 engine. The base game uses Gen 1 methods: levels, stones, and trades. After beating the Elite Four and getting the National Dex, Gen 2 and 3 cross-generation evolutions unlock. Crobat, Espeon, and Kingdra become available through friendship and held item trades.

Showing 57 of 143 evolution families
Zubat
#041Zubat
22
Level 22
Golbat
#042Golbat
Friendship
Crobat
#169Crobat
Poliwag
#060Poliwag
25
Level 25
Poliwhirl
#061Poliwhirl
Poliwrath
#062Poliwrath
Water Stone
Politoed
#186Politoed
Trade + King's Rock
Slowbro
#080Slowbro
Level 37
Slowking
#199Slowking
Trade + King's Rock
Farfetch'd
#083Farfetch'd
Does not evolve
Onix
#095Onix
Trade + Metal Coat
Trade + Metal Coat
Steelix
#208Steelix
Lickitung
#108Lickitung
Does not evolve
Tangela
#114Tangela
Does not evolve
Horsea
#116Horsea
32
Level 32
Seadra
#117Seadra
Trade + Dragon Scale
Trade + Dragon Scale
Kingdra
#230Kingdra
Scyther
#123Scyther
Trade + Metal Coat
Trade + Metal Coat
Scizor
#212Scizor
Vaporeon
Vaporeon
Water Stone
Jolteon
Jolteon
Thunder Stone
Flareon
Flareon
Fire Stone
Espeon
Espeon
Friendship (Day)
Umbreon
Umbreon
Friendship (Night)
  • After beating the Elite Four, fixing the Network Machine on One Island (requires Ruby and Sapphire gems from the Sevii Islands), and getting the National Dex from Professor Oak. Only then can Pokemon like Golbat evolve into Crobat, or Chansey evolve into Blissey. Before that, the game blocks cross-gen evolutions.

  • No. Even if your Golbat has max friendship, the game won't let it evolve into Crobat until the National Dex is unlocked postgame. Same applies to Espeon, Umbreon, and every other cross-gen evolution. It's one of FRLG's most frustrating restrictions.

  • Same as Gen 3: walk with the Pokemon, battle with it, use vitamins, don't let it faint. The Soothe Bell (from a woman in Pokemon Tower) speeds things up. Time-of-day doesn't exist in FRLG (no internal clock), so Espeon and Umbreon evolve based on the time your GBA thinks it is, which is normally set during Berry-program patching.

  • Celadon Department Store sells Fire, Water, Thunder, and Leaf Stones. Moon Stones are found in Mt. Moon and the Pokemon Mansion. The Sevii Islands postgame has additional stones in hidden locations. Pickup ability on Meowth also randomly finds them, same as other Gen 3 games.

  • Nothing mechanically, but you need a wireless adapter or link cable to trade. The same four Gen 1 trade evolutions work (Kadabra, Machoke, Graveler, Haunter). Gen 2 and 3 held-item trades (like King's Rock for Slowking) also work, but only after the National Dex unlock. You can trade locally or with Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald.