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Where to find Pikachu in FireRed & LeafGreen (Locations + Raichu Evolution Guide)

Bryson Maddock

Bryson Maddock

· 3 min read

Find Pikachu fast in Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen with exact locations, spawn rates, and how to evolve it into Raichu.

Pikachu can be found in Viridian Forest (5% spawn rate) and the Power Plant (25% spawn rate) in Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen.

Where to find Pikachu (Quick Answer):

  • Viridian Forest – Level 3–5 (≈5% spawn rate)
  • Power Plant – Level 22–26 (≈25% spawn rate)

How to evolve Pikachu:

  • Use a Thunder Stone
  • Buy at Celadon Department Store (4F) – ₽2,100
LocationLevelSpawn Rate
Viridian Forest3-55%
Power Plant22-2625%

How to catch Pikachu in Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen

Catching Pikachu is quite simple, as the Pokémon is weak when found and can be caught with just a regular Poké Ball or a Great Ball. Finding Pikachu is the real challenge.

There are two locations where Pikachu appears in FireRed and LeafGreen:

Viridian Forest (Early Game)

  • Level: 3–5
  • Spawn Rate: ~5%
  • Difficulty: Easy

Pikachu can be found in Viridian Forest. The Pokémon can be anywhere from level three to level five, making it quite easy to catch. However, Pikachu’s spawn rate is 5%, making it quite rare in Viridian Forest.

Pikachu is rare early on (~5% spawn rate), so expect multiple encounters.

Pro Tip: Use Repels strategically to speed up farming.

Power Plant (Late Game)

  • Level: 22–26
  • Spawn Rate: ~25%
  • Difficulty: Moderate

If you want to catch the Pokémon later on in the game, you can do so at the Power Plant, where Zapdos is hiding out. Pikachu has a much higher spawn rate here at 25%.

If found in the Power Plant, Pikachu will be anywhere from level 22 to level 26, making it more difficult to catch, but nothing a Great Ball (or Ultra Ball if you have any) can’t catch.

Once you’ve caught Pikachu, the next step is evolving it into Raichu.

How to evolve Pikachu into Raichu

  • Use a Thunder Stone on Pikachu
  • You can evolve it at any level
  • Buy a Thunder Stone at:
    • Celadon Department Store (4th Floor) – ₽2,100
  • You can also find 2 extra Thunder Stones in the Power Plant

To evolve Pikachu in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, you must obtain a Thunder Stone. A Thunder Stone instantly evolves Pikachu into Raichu, giving you a faster and more powerful Electric-type Pokémon.

So, where do you find a Thunder Stone in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen? The answer is simple. All you have to do is head to the fourth floor of the Celadon Department Store in Celadon City. There you can purchase a Thunder Stone $2,100 Poké Dollars.

Bought a Thunder Stone, but used it on Eevee instead? Lucky for you, you can locate two more in the Power Plant, meaning you can get three altogether in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen.

Pikachu can be tricky to find early on due to its low spawn rate in Viridian Forest, but it becomes much easier to catch later at the Power Plant. Once you have one, using a Thunder Stone will quickly evolve it into Raichu. Just make sure it has learned the moves you want first.