Walkthrough

Pallet Town to the Indigo Plateau, badge by badge. Standard badge order is Boulder, Cascade, Thunder, Rainbow, Soul, Marsh, Volcano, Earth.

Badge Order and Route Overview

The path through Kanto

The standard order is Boulder, Cascade, Thunder, Rainbow, Soul, Marsh, Volcano, Earth. Rainbow, Soul and Marsh are flexible in principle, but in practice Saffron (Marsh) only opens up once you have cleared Silph Co.

#CityLeaderBadgeField move it unlocks
1PewterBrockBoulderFlash
2CeruleanMistyCascadeCut
3VermilionLt. SurgeThunderFly
4CeladonErikaRainbowStrength
5FuchsiaKogaSoulSurf
6SaffronSabrinaMarsh-
7CinnabarBlaineVolcano-
8ViridianGiovanniEarth-

Key Items Checklist

Nothing here is optional

Oak's Parcel, Pokedex, Town Map, S.S. Ticket, Bike Voucher (redeem for the Bicycle), Old Rod, Good Rod, Super Rod, Moon Stones, Helix or Dome Fossil, Old Amber, Silph Scope, Poke Flute, Coin Case, Gold Teeth, Secret Key, Card Key, Lift Key, Master Ball, Exp. All.

Two of those gate whole areas: without the Silph Scope the Pokemon Tower is impassable, and without the Poke Flute the Snorlax on Route 12 blocks the road south.