POKÉMON ULTRA VIOLET • FEATURES
What Pokémon Ultra Violet Changes & Adds
Pokémon Ultra Violet takes the familiar Pokémon FireRed adventure and expands it around a much bigger goal: building a complete Generation 1–3 Pokédex without relying on another game, a second cartridge, or trading with another player.
The main Kanto journey is still recognizable, but the way you build your team, collect Pokémon, evolve trade-dependent species, find legendary Pokémon, and work toward a complete Pokédex is different. Ultra Violet also adds new areas, additional encounters, expanded starter choices, guaranteed shiny encounters, and extra content for players who want more to do after the main story.
01 / STARTER EXPANSION
Catch Your Own Starter
One of the first major changes appears before your Kanto adventure really gets underway.
Instead of being limited to the traditional choice between Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle, Pokémon Ultra Violet gives you a much wider selection of Pokémon for your first partner.
After speaking with Professor Oak, you are taken to a special research area that works somewhat like a small Safari Zone. Pokémon are available inside the area, and you receive a limited supply of Safari Balls to make your choice.
12 Pokémon to Choose From
The available first-partner options are:
Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, Pichu, Machop, Ralts, Gastly, Trapinch, Houndour, Spheal, Larvitar, and Dratini.
That gives the opening of the game a different feel from standard Pokémon FireRed. Your first Pokémon doesn’t have to be one of the original Kanto starters, and choosing something less conventional can change how your early team develops.
Safari Rules Apply
The special area uses Safari-style mechanics, including a limited supply of Safari Balls. Because the choice is made in this dedicated area, selecting a rarer option such as Larvitar or Dratini becomes a meaningful early-game decision.
A Real Opening Decision
Your first choice can influence how your early Kanto team develops. Some options provide an immediate advantage in particular matchups, while others are better viewed as longer-term investments.
02 / COMPLETE NATIONAL DEX
Catch and Evolve All 386 Pokémon
The defining feature of Pokémon Ultra Violet is the expanded approach to completing the Pokédex.
The game is designed around making the 386 Pokémon from Generations 1–3 obtainable within a single save. The usual restrictions found in the original FireRed and LeafGreen setup are reduced or changed, giving solo players a much more practical path toward a complete collection.
No Trade Evolutions
Pokémon such as Kadabra, Machoke, Graveler, and Haunter no longer depend on the traditional link-trade process to reach their final evolutions. Ultra Violet changes the evolution system so that solo players can complete these evolution lines through revised in-game methods, including the Link Cable item referenced by the feature guide.
No Version Exclusives
Pokémon that would ordinarily be restricted between FireRed and LeafGreen are expanded into the Ultra Violet experience, making a single-save Pokédex run much more practical.
Both Fossils, Both Fighting Dojo Rewards
Players can obtain both fossils rather than permanently choosing only one. The Fighting Dojo rewards are also expanded so that both Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan can be obtained.
Eevee and Evolution Items
Eevee is available through the Game Corner, while evolution items such as Sun Stones and Up-Grade are available within the game. These changes make it easier to work toward a complete collection without depending on outside trading or another version.
03 / EXPANDED EXPLORATION
4-Point Isle: A New Island to Explore
One of the largest additions highlighted by the Pokémon Ultra Violet features guide is 4-Point Isle.
The island is not simply another location that opens immediately and then becomes irrelevant. Its areas become available progressively as you advance through the main adventure.
The result is an additional exploration path that develops alongside your Kanto journey.
S.S. Anne Completed
After the required S.S. Anne progression, 4-Point Isle begins opening up. The first accessible areas include 4-Point Isle Town, Dread Mountain Prairie, and Dread Mountain.
Silph Co. Cleared
After completing the Silph Co. portion of the story, the Catacombs become accessible.
Strength + Surf
Further areas of Dread Mountain open once the required field abilities are available.
8th Badge
Later progression opens the Haunted Forest and Meteor Site.
Elite Four Defeated
Defeating the Elite Four opens Guardian Meadows and its additional legendary encounters.
The five-stage structure means that 4-Point Isle continues to become more useful as your save progresses, rather than functioning as a single short side trip.
04 / LEGENDARY ROSTER
Legendary Pokémon You Can Actually Earn
Legendary Pokémon are another major part of the expanded content.
Rather than limiting the player to the encounters normally associated with Pokémon FireRed, Ultra Violet provides additional paths to legendary Pokémon from across the first three generations.
Mew
Mew can be encountered at level 7 through an event involving Bill and a teleporter that leads to its location.
Legendary Beasts
The legendary beasts become available after completing Celio’s Ruby/Sapphire quest. Which beast remains stationary and which one roams is affected by the starter selected earlier in the game.
Regirock, Regice and Registeel
The three Regis are found at the end of the 4-Point Isle Catacombs. The documented feature guide describes each as a one-attempt encounter, so saving before the encounter is important.
Groudon, Kyogre and Rayquaza
The Hoenn weather trio is connected with Dread Mountain.
Latios and Latias
Both become roaming encounters once Guardian Meadows opens following the Elite Four.
Jirachi
Jirachi is connected to the Meteor Site and requires a Pokémon that knows Earthquake and an available party slot.
Ho-Oh, Lugia, Deoxys and Celebi
Additional event-based legendary encounters include Ho-Oh, Lugia, Deoxys, and Celebi. The supplied feature guide describes ticket-based access for several of these encounters, while Celebi is found in Berry Forest.
05 / SHINY MECHANICS
Pokémon Ultra Violet Shiny Hunting
Shiny Pokémon are normally among the rarest encounters in the Pokémon games, but Ultra Violet adds a special mechanic that gives players a more controlled way to hunt them.
The normal shiny encounter rate remains 1 in 8,192, but the game also contains 18 special shinyizer tiles distributed around Kanto.
When you use one of these tiles correctly, your next encounter is guaranteed to be shiny.
18 Shinyizer Tiles
Each shinyizer is tied to a fixed location.
Route 1 Head Start
The first documented shinyizer is located around Route 1, allowing shiny hunting to begin very early in a new save.
Targeted Encounters
Repels and movement can be used around a shinyizer location to help control which Pokémon you encounter.
06 / GAMEPLAY REFINEMENTS
Kanto, Refined
Although Pokémon Ultra Violet keeps the familiar Kanto adventure, several smaller changes give the game its own identity.
These details do not replace the main FireRed journey, but they affect how the game feels during a normal playthrough.
Gyarados, Retyped
Ultra Violet changes Gyarados to Water/Dragon.
A Different Rival Story
During the Pokémon Tower section, the rival receives additional story context involving his Raticate.
Running Shoes Indoors
Once you receive the Running Shoes, they can also be used inside buildings.
A Reworked Presentation
Ultra Violet changes parts of the game’s presentation, including a revised title screen featuring Mew, the default names ULTRA and VIOLET, and changes to the rival’s presentation.
07 / COMPLETIONIST CONTENT
Built for the 100% Run
Pokémon Ultra Violet isn’t only focused on reaching the Pokémon League.
A large part of its appeal is what happens when you start trying to finish the collection.
The expanded Pokémon availability, additional areas, legendary encounters, shiny mechanics, and postgame locations give completion-focused players more reasons to continue playing after the main story.
Sevii Islands 8 & 9
The later-game content includes Navel Rock and Birth Island. The supplied feature guide describes these locations as reachable through tickets that can be obtained in-game.
Celebi, Twice
Celebi has an unusual repeat-encounter mechanic. After the initial encounter in Berry Forest, defeating it and progressing through the Elite Four again allows another encounter according to the supplied feature guide.
Grind-Friendly
The Vs. Seeker and expanded encounter tables also provide ways to continue training Pokémon after the main adventure.
For a living Pokédex project, this matters because collecting 386 Pokémon isn’t simply about reaching the end of the story. You need places to find, evolve, train, and organize the Pokémon that complete your collection.
READY TO PLAY
Ready to Explore Pokémon Ultra Violet?
If you want a FireRed-based adventure with more freedom for collecting and team building, Pokémon Ultra Violet expands the original experience in several important ways.
You can choose from more starting Pokémon, work toward all 386 Pokémon in one save, evolve traditionally trade-dependent Pokémon through revised methods, explore 4-Point Isle, encounter additional legendary Pokémon, hunt guaranteed shinies, and continue working on your collection after the main story.