Pokemon: 15 Best In-Game Trades That Are Actually Worth It

Trading Pokemon with other players is one of the core features of the Pokémon series that has stuck around since Red & Blue, with it being the sole reason why the games are released in two different versions. Unfortunately for some players, they won't always have a friend to trade with or have access to Nintendo's online function to trade with strangers, though that doesn't mean they aren't allowed to trade at all.

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Since the first Pokemon games, there have been certain NPC trainers in the world that will trade with the player, usually for a Pokemon that is usually not obtainable at that point in the game or for a Pokemon that is entirely unobtainable in the game. Not all of these trades are worth losing a prized Pokemon for, however, though there are several that are definitely worth it.

Updated on April 28th, 2021 by Callum Archer: Between the eight generations of Pokemon titles, as well as their respective remakes, there are a huge number of in-game trades for players to choose from. With the full release of the Expansion Pass for Sword & Shield, this number has gone up even more, though there are still some from previous generations that shouldn't be ignored, either.

15 Jigglypuff/Clefairy for Mr. Mime (Red & Blue/Yellow)

While Mr. Mime is largely overshadowed by just about every other Psychic-type Pokemon in the series, as well as every other Fairy-type Pokemon once it gained the secondary type in Pokemon X & Y, it was a powerhouse Pokemon in the original games.

While its Special and Speed stats weren't as high as Alakazam or Mewtwo, it was much easier to obtain than either of those two Pokemon thanks to an in-game trade, which was also the only way to obtain one in Gen I. In Red & Blue, players can trade a Jigglypuff for one near where you can find the HM for Flash, while Pokemon Yellow players will have to trade a Clefairy instead, though the trainer is in the same location.

14 Poliwhirl for Jynx (FireRed & LeafGreen)

The Red & Blue remakes, FireRed & LeafGreen, added a large number of new mechanics and trainers to the game, including several new in-game trades for players to take advantage of. One such trade, found in Cerulean City, will grant the player an all-powerful Jynx in exchange for a simple Poliwhirl, since Poliwag can be found fairly easily with a Good Rod around Route 6, just north of Vermillion City.

However, the Good Rod can't be obtained until players reach Fuscia City. But, this makes Jynx available right before tackling Koga where its Psychic-typing will come in handy.

13 Jigglypuff for Bisharp (X & Y)

Apparently, the trainers in Pokemon really want a Jigglypuff, as there is another trainer in Pokemon X & Y that is looking for one to add to their collection. In Snowbelle City, in the house found in the most northwest location, players can obtain a Bisharp with the Defiant ability and a perfect Attack IV and all they need is a Jigglypuff to get it.

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This Pokemon is incredibly powerful and will be very useful for the Ice-type gym leader, Wulfric, as all three of his Pokemon are weak to Steel-type attacks and none of them have a Fire-, Ground-, or Fighting-type move to deal with them.

12 Bewear for Talonflame (Sun & Moon)

Talonflame was a fairly common sight in online battles in the sixth generation, in no small part thanks to its hidden ability, Gale Wings, being downright ridiculous at the time. While Gale Wings has since been altered so that its priority status only activates when Talonflame is at full health, this doesn't make it any less useful.

In Pokemon Sun & Moon, players can obtain a Talonflame with the Gale Wings Ability in the Poni Island Gauntlet in exchange for a Bewear, which is fairly easy to obtain by that point in the game.

11 Kantonian Marowak for Alolan Marowak (Isle of Armor)

The base game of Sword & Shield has some decent in-game trades, but with the addition of the Isle of Armor DLC, players are able to get their hands on some of the better regional variants in the series. One such variant, which is easily one of the best alterations to come out of Alola, is Marowak, which has the potential to have the Lightning Rod ability when traded.

In order to obtain this Marowak, however, players not only need to have a Kantonian Marowak, which can be easily caught in the Isle of Armor region, but they also have to track down the roaming trader who appears in multiple locations in the region. Unfortunately, this trade takes some trial and error as not only is her location randomized, but the Pokemon she puts up for trade is also random.

10 Drowzee For Machop (Gold & Silver)

This trade is the sole reason why some people don't find Whitney's Miltank battle as hard as others. Found on one of the upper floors of the Goldenrod City shopping complex, there is a trainer who wants a Drowzee in return for a Machop holding a Macho Brace.

Drowzee are very easy to find in the area surrounding the Pokemon Daycare, making this trade worth the trouble even if players have no intention of using it against Whitney. The Macho Brace is also a very useful item, as it doubles all EV gains from Pokemon battles and can help immensely in both Whitney and Morty's gym battles, as well as more difficult late-game battles, such as Clair's.

9 Bellsprout For Onix (Gold & Silver)

Another in-game trade from Generation Two, this one can be found in a house just south of the Pokemon Center in Violet City. In exchange for a Bellsprout, which can be found on every route surrounding the city, the player will receive an Onix that is very useful against Falkner and his Flying-type Pokemon.

This trade is particularly useful if players took Cyndaquil as a starter, as both the Pidgey and Pidgeotto know Mud-Slap, a super effective move that also lowers accuracy and can seriously hamper any attempts to defeat Falkner, even at higher levels.

8 Cubone For Machoke (Yellow)

There are some decent in-game trades in the first generation games, such as the Mr. Mime trade, as Mr. Mime is actually a half-decent Pokemon in Gen I. Easily the best in-game trade, and one that every player should take advantage of, is the Machoke trade in Pokemon Yellow.

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For most players, this trade can't be completed until after the Silph Scope has been obtained, since it can only be found in Pokemon Tower and the Safari Zone, but it is worth the wait as it means players can obtain a Machamp without having to trade with a friend.

7 Spearow For Hawlucha (Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon)

The Alola games have some odd choices when it comes to in-game trades, as many just aren't worth the hassle, but the first available trade is so one-sided toward the player that you have to feel sorry for the NPC trainer.

For a Spearow, which can be found easily on Route 2 and 3 of Melemele Island, players can obtain a seriously strong Hawlucha whose stats easily outmatch anything else obtainable this early in the game, unless players are looking for that 1% Salamence encounter. As it is both Fighting- and Flying-type, it is a great counter to Kahuna Hala's Fighting-type Pokemon and worth getting, if only for this one battle.

6 Grimer For Alolan Grimer (Let's Go Pikachu)

As the Let's Go games are remakes of the original Pokemon Yellow, there aren't any Dark-type Pokemon native to the region, which can make trainers like Sabrina quite difficult for players to overcome. To compensate for this, players are able to trade Kantonian forms of Ratatta, Meowth, and Grimer for their Alolan forms, all of which are Dark-type.

Some of these trades are version-exclusive though, with this one being exclusive to Let's Go Pikachu. The best of these Kantonian-for-Alolan trades, unfortunately for Let's Go Eevee players, is Alolan Grimer, as its Dark- and Poison-typing is one of the best defensive combinations in the game as it is only weak to Ground-type moves.