10 Gold10 SilverUpdated NOV 5, 2026

Pokémon Gold & Silver Version Exclusives

Gold and Silver each lock six lines, 10 Pokémon, to one version, and every one of them except Arcanine and Ninetales can be caught or evolved before the Elite Four. The clock matters for one pair: Spinarak only comes out at night in Gold, and Ledyba only in the morning in Silver. Ho-Oh and Lugia trade places too: your version’s mascot is a Lv 40 catch with the wing from the Radio Tower Director, and the other one waits at Lv 70 after the League.

WHICH VERSION ARE YOU PLAYING?
Pick the version you’re playing and the other side’s exclusives get a Trade marker.Saved on this device: Gold. Anything only Silver has is marked Trade.Saved on this device: Silver. Anything only Gold has is marked Trade.
Side by side

Every exclusive and where to catch it

Each row sets a Gold exclusive beside its usual Silver counterpart. Every stage lists where you get it, marks the ones that keep to one time of day, and shows the first badge the game needs before you can.

6 of 6 rows
Gold10 PokémonYour version
Total stats
Silver10 PokémonYour version
Before the LeagueLines that start before the League. Spinarak and Ledyba are on Routes 30 and 31 from your first errand to Mr. Pokémon, and the Route 45 and Ice Path exclusives wait for the seventh badge, when the Rage Candy Bar seller stops blocking Mahogany Town’s east exit.6 Gold6 Silver
PrimeapeFightingTrade
MankeyRoute 42Route 9CatchBadge 3
PrimeapeMankey Lv 28Route 9EvolveBadge 3
PersianNormalTrade
MeowthRoute 38Route 39Route 5Route 6Route 7Route 8CatchBadge 3
PersianMeowth Lv 28Route 7EvolveBadge 3
ArcanineFireTrade
GrowlitheRoute 36Route 37Route 7Route 8CatchBadge 2
ArcanineGrowlithe + Fire Stone (from Bill’s grandfather in the Sea Cottage, Route 25, after the League)StonePost-game
NinetalesFireTrade
VulpixRoute 36Route 37Route 7Route 8CatchBadge 2
NinetalesVulpix + Fire Stone (from Bill’s grandfather in the Sea Cottage, Route 25, after the League)StonePost-game
AriadosBugPoisonTrade
SpinarakRoute 30Route 31Route 37Route 2CatchAt nightStart
AriadosSpinarak Lv 22Route 2EvolveStart
LedianBugFlyingTrade
LedybaRoute 30Route 31Route 37Route 2CatchMorningStart
LedianLedyba Lv 18Route 2EvolveStart
GligarGroundFlyingTrade
GligarRoute 45CatchBadge 7
SkarmorySteelFlyingTrade
SkarmoryRoute 45CatchBadge 7
UrsaringNormalTrade
TeddiursaRoute 45CatchBadge 7
UrsaringTeddiursa Lv 30Victory RoadRoute 28Mt. SilverEvolveBadge 7
DonphanGroundTrade
PhanpyRoute 45CatchBadge 7
DonphanPhanpy Lv 25Victory RoadRoute 28Mt. SilverEvolveBadge 7
MantineWaterFlyingTrade
MantineRoute 41 (Surf)CatchBadge 4
DelibirdIceFlyingTrade
DelibirdIce PathCatchBadge 7
Timeline

When each version’s exclusives show up

The first badge each Pokémon needs: the badge that opens the road, gets you the Squirtbottle for the Sudowoodo, or lets Cut or Surf work outside battle. Exclusive lines before the League: Gold: 6, Silver: 6.

StartNew gameBadge 1FalknerBadge 2BugsyBadge 3WhitneyBadge 4MortyBadge 5ChuckBadge 6JasmineBadge 7PryceBadge 8ClairPost-gameAfter LanceGold6 on the timelineYour gameSpinarakGrowlitheMankeyMantineGligarTeddiursaSilver6 on the timelineYour gameLedybaVulpixMeowthDelibirdSkarmoryPhanpy
What it changes in your run

Exclusives against every boss

For each battle, these are the exclusives you can have by then that hit at least half the boss’s team super effectively with one of their own types. Level evolutions count up to the boss’s highest level, and Arcanine and Ninetales wait for the Fire Stone after the League.

6of 13 battlesGoldOnly Gold has an answer for Pryce.
8of 13 battlesSilverOnly Silver has an answer for Bugsy, Clair and Lance.
BATTLEGold exclusives that helpSilver exclusives that help
GYM 1 · FLYINGFalknerNeither helps
No exclusive helps here
GYM 2 · BUGBugsyEdge: Silver
No exclusive helps here
LedybaFlying hits 3 of 33 of 3
GYM 3 · NORMALWhitneyNeither helps
No exclusive helps here
GYM 4 · GHOSTMortyNeither helps
No exclusive helps here
GYM 5 · FIGHTINGChuckBoth help
MantineFlying hits 2 of 22 of 2
LedianFlying hits 2 of 22 of 2
GYM 6 · STEELJasmineBoth help
PrimeapeFighting hits 3 of 33 of 3GrowlitheFire hits 3 of 33 of 3
VulpixFire hits 3 of 33 of 3
GYM 7 · ICEPryceEdge: Gold
PrimeapeFighting hits 2 of 32 of 3
No exclusive helps here
GYM 8 · DRAGONClairEdge: Silver
No exclusive helps here
DelibirdIce hits 3 of 43 of 4
ELITE FOUR · PSYCHICWillBoth help
AriadosBug hits 3 of 53 of 5
LedianBug hits 3 of 53 of 5DelibirdIce hits 3 of 53 of 5
ELITE FOUR · POISONKogaBoth help
GrowlitheFire hits 3 of 53 of 5
VulpixFire hits 3 of 53 of 5
ELITE FOUR · FIGHTINGBrunoBoth help
MantineFlying hits 4 of 54 of 5GligarFlying hits 4 of 54 of 5
SkarmoryFlying hits 4 of 54 of 5LedianFlying hits 4 of 54 of 5DelibirdFlying hits 4 of 54 of 5
ELITE FOUR · DARKKarenNeither helps
No exclusive helps here
CHAMPIONLanceEdge: Silver
No exclusive helps here
DelibirdIce hits 4 of 64 of 6

Counts use each exclusive’s own types, not its full moveset. The battle pages have the movesets.

Complete your Pokédex

How to Trade Between Gold and Silver

Pick your version to see only the Pokémon you need to trade for. Until then, both lists show.

How to get Silver exclusives in Gold

How to get Gold exclusives in Silver

  • Both players need: a copy each, Gold on one side and Silver on the other
  • Where: the Cable Club, on the second floor of any Pokémon Center
  • Connect with: a Game Link Cable on Game Boy; the 3DS Virtual Console release uses local wireless

After Arcanine or Ninetales? Ask for one already evolved if you can: the only Fire Stone you can get on your own is a gift from Bill’s grandfather in Kanto, after the League.

Your trade list

Gold exclusives to trade into Silver

Trades 0 of 6Pokédex 0 of 10

Grouped by the point in a Gold run where your friend can first get each one. Ticks are saved on this device.

Available from the start

SpinarakRoute 30, Route 31, Route 37, Route 2
AriadosSpinarak Lv 22

Trade for one Spinarak and evolve the rest yourself.

Available after Badge 2 (Bugsy)

GrowlitheRoute 36, Route 37, Route 7, Route 8
ArcanineGrowlithe + Fire Stone (from Bill’s grandfather in the Sea Cottage, Route 25, after the League)

Trade for one Growlithe and evolve the rest yourself.

Available after Badge 3 (Whitney)

MankeyRoute 42, Route 9
PrimeapeMankey Lv 28

Trade for one Mankey and evolve the rest yourself.

Available after Badge 4 (Morty)

MantineRoute 41

Available after Badge 7 (Pryce)

GligarRoute 45
TeddiursaRoute 45
UrsaringTeddiursa Lv 30

Trade for one Teddiursa and evolve the rest yourself.

Silver exclusives to trade into Gold

Trades 0 of 6Pokédex 0 of 10

Grouped by the point in a Silver run where your friend can first get each one. Ticks are saved on this device.

Available from the start

LedybaRoute 30, Route 31, Route 37, Route 2
LedianLedyba Lv 18

Trade for one Ledyba and evolve the rest yourself.

Available after Badge 2 (Bugsy)

VulpixRoute 36, Route 37, Route 7, Route 8
NinetalesVulpix + Fire Stone (from Bill’s grandfather in the Sea Cottage, Route 25, after the League)

Trade for one Vulpix and evolve the rest yourself.

Available after Badge 3 (Whitney)

MeowthRoute 38, Route 39, Route 5 +3 more
PersianMeowth Lv 28

Trade for one Meowth and evolve the rest yourself.

Available after Badge 7 (Pryce)

DelibirdIce Path
SkarmoryRoute 45
PhanpyRoute 45
DonphanPhanpy Lv 25

Trade for one Phanpy and evolve the rest yourself.

Beyond the Pokémon

Every Difference Between Gold and Silver

Other ways the two versions differ, outside the wild encounters.

What changes in other games

Ho-Oh and Lugia levels

GoldYour version
SilverYour version

Goldenrod Game Corner prize Pokémon

GoldYour version
SilverYour version
Good to know

Ekans is wild only in Silver and Sandshrew only in Gold, so each prize fills the other version’s gap, and neither line counts as an exclusive.

Caterpie or Weedle line in the wild

GoldYour version
SilverYour version
Good to know

Both lines turn up in the Bug-Catching Contest in either version, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, so neither counts as an exclusive.

Title screen Pokémon

GoldYour version
SilverYour version

Quick differences

Pokédex entries251 of 251 entries differEach version writes its own Pokédex entry for every Pokémon, so a friend’s Pokédex tells you something yours doesn’t.
Pokémon sprites242 of 251 Pokémon look differentBayleef, Spinarak, Ariados, Sneasel, Swinub, Raikou, Entei, Suicune and Unown are the only ones with the same front sprite in both versions.

Same in both

  • Gym leaders in Johto and Kanto and their order, the Elite Four (Will, Koga, Bruno and Karen), Champion Lance and Red on Mt. Silver
  • The starters Chikorita, Cyndaquil and Totodile
  • Raikou, Entei and Suicune, roaming at Lv 40
  • The Bug-Catching Contest Pokémon
  • The Celadon Game Corner prizes and the Goldenrod TM prizes
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