Best Pokémon In-Game Trades to Make!

Here we have the best Pokemon trades in game, ranked for your enjoyment! These trades are like great Pokemon game hacks and workarounds you can use to storm battles and defeat gym leaders and opponents that are super op (Whitney we're looking at you). These trades can be very useful to help you get ahead at certain points of each game, and can even offer you a previously-unobtainable Pokémon, which is always a plus. Definitely make use of them to enhance your gameplay! Here are some of the best trades throughout the generations of Pokémon games, how to unlock special Pokemon and get the most out of each game! Side effect: you may want to go back and play the classics all over again!

10. Medicham for Haunter (DPPt)

Perhaps considered the ultimate Pokémon troll, although this trade may be effectively useless, it really has to have a place on our list for sheer popularity! Weirdly it is the only way to obtain an everstone in the generation four games, as the woman in Snowpoint City tricks you in to trading a Medicham in return for a Haunter - a deal that looks sweet on paper but there is of course a catch as, once the trade is done, you’ll be mocked by this girl, having fallen for her ruse hook, line and sinker. The Haunter that should now be an almighty Gengar is still a Haunter, since she made it hold an everstone prior to the trade. Despite this trade being downright useless and sucking big time, it holds its place as an iconic moment among Pokémon fans and probably should be talked about somewhere! And this place is here. Let's just say this trade is acclaimed. There’s even a subreddit dedicated to her, with more than 10k subscribers.

9. Another Kalos Starter for Any Pokémon (X & Y) Trading for another started X/Y

This trades gives you the opportunity to receive a second Kalos starter, for any Pokemon you have, for the first time ever in a Pokémon game. The only catch is that the starter itself will be the type that was weaker to the starter you originally chose. If you opted for Fennekin first time around, you would get Froakie the second time. This trade comes after beating the Elite Four for the first time in the Kalos games, when you’ll be greeted by the friendly Shauna. This trade may not have many in-game benefits, but is a nice opportunity to receive not one but two starters in one save file. And we love a second scoop of Pokemon. Double up!

8. Luvdisc for Steelix (X & Y) Luvdisc traded for Steelix

Although Luvdisc is uber cute, you can trade to receive a very strong and full evolved Steelix early on in the game in Pokemon X and Y. Specifically in Cyllage City through a trade with someone inside the Pokémon Center. With Steelix only able to evolve through trade, this is a great leg up for many first-time players and provides a unique opportunity to own a Steelix. However, it remains kind of low on this list due to X&Y’s difficulty, and lack of needing an actual pick-me-up like Steelix while going through the main game. But still a pretty nice in-game trade that can be of great benefit to players looking to sacrifice a weak Pokémon for a strong one.

7. Petilil/Cottonee for Cottonee/Petilil (Black & White)

A handy trade early on in the game that allows you to obtain a Pokémon that normally wouldn’t be obtainable in each version, it's a great way to obtain popular grass type Pokemon like Whimsicott and/or Lilligant. All that is required is the player to trade a Petilil or a Cottonee (depending on your game version) to obtain the opposite, which takes place in Nacrene City. One of the best early game trades in Pokemon? It's pretty handy!

6. Ralts for Any Pokémon (X & Y) Trading for a Ralts Pokemon X/Y

It's worth noting that this trade remains the only way to obtain a mega-Gardevoir in Pokémon X & Y. Only possible once you have defeated the Elite Four in Pokémon X & Y, you can then find Diantha in a café in Southern Boulevard of Lumiose City, to begin the trade. After conversing with the former Champion for a while you will be given the opportunity to pick any Pokémon of your choice to trade for a Ralts. But not just any old Ralts as this one happens to be holding the Gardevoirite! Definitely one to go for. Also check out these Best Nicknames for Gardevoir, all the best name ideas for your green Pokemon!

5. Poliwhirl for Jynx (FireRed & LeafGreen)

The beloved psychic-type Jynx can be yours in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, in return for a Polywhirl should you have one. It's a trade well worth embarking on, not least because there are so few strong psychic types throughout Kanto. In Cerulean City just bring a Polywhirl and get ready to rumble. This trade can also be seen as a very decent alternative when playing through these Kanto remakes today, since it’s tough to trade for an Alakazam without cheats nowadays. Jynx is a strong and worthy prize that you get fully-formed and can learn Psychic moves, as well as some of the powerful elemental punches, and some ice moves.

4. Bellsprout for Onix (Gold & Silver/HG/SS)

A trade that will really get your game moving, especially if you chose the adorable Chikorita earlier in the game. We're talking the whole Falker’s first Pokémon situation, which for many can be a breeze, but can get considerably tricker when he sends out his Pidgeotto with mud-slap to reduce your accuracy. You can go and grind to level up, but the easier option is to make use of the brilliant trade to get an Onix, located in a house in Violet City near the Poké Center. In order to receive the Onix, you will need to trade a Bellsprout. A really helpful trade and one definitely worth making use of!

3. Cubone for Machoke/Machamp (Pokémon Yellow)

The best workaround to get the strong Pokémon you want without having to trade with others, this in-game trade means players of Pokémon Yellow could go to the Underground Path and trade a Cubone for Ricky's Machoke, which would then evolve into Machamp after trading. It also holds a bitter berry, ironically sweetening the deal. In terms of strength, Machamp beats out Cubone in many ways, having greater strength and a great final evolution. Machamp will absolutely give trainers an edge at the Viridian Gym, punching out all of Giovanni's Pokémon. Gen 1 games are notoriously unforgiving when it comes to move variety. However, a trade for one of Kanto’s move powerful fighting-type Pokémon in exchange for a Cubone is certainly a good deal as Machamp is a fighting type powerhouse and is a creature that’s absolutely worth having on your team in a compact game like Pokémon Yellow. This trade is even still available in some of the ROM hacks for gen 1 too!

2. Drowzee for Machop (Gold/Silver/HGSS)

Let's talk Whitney, one of the most iconic Gym Leaders in the Pokémon world, due to her surprisingly overpowered Miltank. Well cows are always way, way bigger and tankier in real life than they seem at a distance, and for some reason this one can heal itself too with its own restorative Milk Drink! With Miltank’s ‘rollout’ you can quickly find yourself on the back end of multiple losses. Especially with not many Pokémon learning fighting moves up to this battle, and the most popular starter being weak to rock-type moves like rollout. Whitney also has Pokémon that wield the Attract ability. But this trade is a great workaround and will make it far easier to clear Whitney without even too much grinding. In the Goldenrod Department Store you can get yourself a Machop, in return for a Drowzee, which usually isn’t available until later in the game. The real value of this Machop is wiping the gym’s floor with Normal-type tears, but with this Machop being female, it’s immune to the effects of Attract. For this reason, even though Machop is the weakest form of the Machamp line, this trade ranks higher than the Machamp on this listing.

1. Clefairy for Mr. Mime (Red/Blue/Yellow/FRLG)

This trade ranks number one for the fact that it lands you an incredibly rare psychic-type in the gen one games! The significance of having a psychic Pokémon so early in the game cannot go understated. They lack any true weaknesses, are immune to ghost moves, and their only real weakness would be bug-type moves, and almost none do any real damage in the Generation 1 titles. Plus, in Pokemon Red and Blue, Psychic type Pokemon are hugely overpowered and are almost invincible in the original games. Here you can trade a Clefairy in order to receive a Mr. Mime, a generally unobtainable Pokemon in the wild or through any other means. You are able to make the trade once you make your way completely through Diglett’s Cave. As well as pretty much having zero weaknesses, Mr. Mime can also learn some nice moves, Psychic especially will give you the upper hand in almost every battle. Make sure to grab yourself a Clefairy before heading to Cerulean, despite how cute Clefairy is, it is definitely worth the trade!

If you enjoyed this, definitely check out Best Hidden Abilities in Pokemon Sword and Shield, Best Pokemon Rom Hacks and Fan Games, Best Minecraft Pokemon Mods and Best Pokemon GBA Rom Hacks and Fan Games from Generation 3 - let me know your favourite Pokemon trade in the comments below!