How to Get Bulbasaur in Pokémon Yellow

Reviewed by Ishrak

Last Updated: May 19, 2025 Fact Checked

In Pokémon Red and Blue, the player has the opportunity to choose Bulbasaur as their starter Pokémon, but in Pokémon Yellow, Pikachu is your only option. Luckily, the character, Melanie, in Cerulean city will give you a Bulbasaur for free as long as your Pikachu is happy enough and you have the space in your party. You can manage Pikachu’s happiness with items and proper care. Don’t forget, you can always trade for Bulbasaur if you find a willing friend.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Making Pikachu Happy

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1
Understand Pikachu’s happiness rating. Pikachu’s happiness is measured by an invisible scale depending on how you treat him. The number is invisible but is rated from 0 to 255. Keeping your Pikachu with you and safe will increase the number, while stowing it away and losing it in battle will lower the number.
- You can hit the “A” button when facing Pikachu and his response will help reveal how happy it is.
2
Use items on Pikachu. This is the fastest way to increase happiness (though perhaps also the most tedious). Health potions can be purchased from the store and used repeatedly on Pikachu to increase happiness.
- Potions will increase happiness even when Pikachu is at full health.
- Different items will increase happiness by the same amount.
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Pikachu will become happier anytime it levels up. This can be from combat out in the world or from using rare candies.
Pikachu much have at least 1 heart hovering above its head (a happiness rating above 145) when you interact with it. This indicates high happiness and will be enough to get Bulbasaur.^{[1]
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Use Pikachu in battle against gym leaders. Using Pikachu during these battle is enough to get a happiness bonus. However, gym leaders are finite and it’s difficult to find enough to consistently increase happiness.^{[2]
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- You can put Pikachu and the head of your party then immediately swap it out at the start of the fight and still receive the bonus happiness.
- The happiness increase from this method is slightly lower than using items or leveling up.
Pikachu’s happiness rating will be lowered if it faints in battle or is stored at a Pokémon center in town. Leave it in your party and keep it safe to prevent lowering his happiness.

Part 2

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Getting Bulbasaur

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Ensure that you have space in your party. You cannot carry more than 6 Pokémon with you at once, but you will need at least one free space to get Bulbasaur. You can go to a Pokémon center in any city and deposit one of your Pokémon if you need to make room.^{[3]
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- You must also make sure Pikachu is in your party when you speak with Melanie.
This is the first town you reach after travelling through Mt. Moon, and the gym-leader is Misty.^{[4]
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Her house is located next to the Pokémon Center. You will see Melanie and a Bulbasaur standing by the back wall.^{[5]
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She will notice that you look after Pikachu well and will ask if you would look after Bulbasaur. Say yes and she will add Bulbasaur to your empty party slot.^{[6]
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Community Q&A

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Why is a heart appearing above Pikachu's head, and is there a faster way to achieve this?

Community Answer

To raise Pikachu's happiness, you can use potions on him even when he is at full health. The potion won't be consumed, but it will increase his happiness level.

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Why can't I receive Bulbasaur in Pokémon Yellow even though my Pikachu appears happy?

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To get Bulbasaur, ensure you have an open slot in your party when speaking with Melanie. Also, confirm that your Pikachu's happiness level is high enough; you should see hearts above its head when you interact with it.

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What level will Bulbasaur be when I obtain it?

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You will receive your Bulbasaur at level 10 from Professor Oak's aide.

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All methods for increasing Pikachu’s happiness have diminishing returns. That is, once it has reached a certain level of happiness, using items, leveling, and battling gym leaders will all increase Pikachu’s happiness by a lower amount than before.

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Another way to get a Bulbasaur is to trade with a friend who has it from Pokémon Red, Blue or Yellow.

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Potions can be bought at a Poké Mart.

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