Pokémon Go Tour: Kanto guide

As we get closer to the 25th Anniversay of Pokémon, Pokémon Go has laid down the biggest challenge yet. For one day only, Trainers have the chance to catch, hatch, battle, and trade for every single Gen I Pokémon. Although all of these Pokémon have been available at some point before, this is the first opportunity to encounter some of their Shiny variants, as well as the first chance to catch them all in a single day. This event is unlike anything else Niantic has done and we here at iMore have everything you need to know to win it! Also, be sure to check out our best Pokémon Go accessories, so you can be fully equipped to take on this massive challenge.

Pokémon Go Tour: Kanto event

On Saturday, February 20, 2021 from 9 AM to 9 PM local time, the Pokémon Go Tour: Kanto event challenges Trainers to catch every single Gen I Pokémon, from Bulbasaur to Mewtwo in a single day. If you can catch 'em all, you'll earn yourself a chance at a Shiny Mew. Every single Gen I Pokémon now has its Shiny variant available as well, some for the first time in Pokémon Go. This event features two versions, requiring players to work together to reach the goal of 150 Pokémon in one day. There are special Raids, Special Research, and more.

The day is divided up into blocks themed around five locations in the Kanto region. During these blocks, Pokémon from those specific areas appear more often and, at the end of the day, there will be a two hour block featuring all five:

• 9 AM Pallet Town Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, Caterpie, Weedle, Pidgey, Ratatta, Spearow, Pikachu, and Zubat.
• 10 AM Pewter City Nidoran♀, Nidoran♂, Clefairy, Paras, Diglett, Geodude, Magnemite, Onix, Voltorb, and Rhyhorn.
• 11 AM Cerulean City Jigglypuff, Psyduck, Poliwag, Tentacool, Shellder, Krabby, Horsea, Goldeen, Staryu, and Magikarp.
• 12 PM Fuchsia City Venonat, Abra, Ponyta, Grimer, Gastly, Drowzee, Exeggcute, Koffing, Omanyte, and Kabuto.
• 1 PM Pokémon League Machop, Slowpoke, Doduo, Seel, Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, Jynx, Eevee, Porygon, and Dratini.
• 2 PM Pallet Town
• 3 PM Pewter City
• 4 PM Cerulean City
• 5 PM Fuchsia City
• 6 PM Pokémon League
• 7 PM Pokémon from all previous hours

In addition to different Pokémon appearing in each block, there is music inspired by the game curated by Junichi Masuda, the composer for Pokémon Red, Pokémon Green, and Pokémon Blue, and a director, designer, and programmer for several Pokémon games since.

The following Pokémon will have increased spawns all day:

• Lickitung
• Chansey
• Tangela
• Lapras
• Aerodactyl
• Snorlax

Source: Niantic

In unlocking the Shiny versions of all Gen I Pokémon, there are some previously unavailble Shiny Pokémon for this event. These include:

• Spearow
• Fearow
• Paras
• Parasect
• Hitmonchan
• Hitmonlee
• Ditto
• Snorlax
• Mew

Although all 151 of the Pokémon found in Gen I will be available as Shiny, only certain species will see increased Shiny rates and which Shiny Pokémon you'll encounter are partially determined by which version of the ticket you choose.

New to this event, players are required to select one of two versions when purchasing a ticket. Based on the original Pokémon games, there is a Red version and a Green version for the Pokémon Go Tour: Kanto. While your experience will be largely the same, there are a few version specific Pokémon, as well as different Pokémon which have increased Shiny rates. Both versions have an increased chance of encountering Shiny starters, Pikachu, Eevee, Dratini, and Pidgey.

Red Version

As with the original Pokémon Red game, if you select the Red version for your Pokémon Go Tour: Kanto ticket, you can attract the following exclusive Pokémon with incense:

• Ekans
• Oddish
• Mankey
• Growlithe
• Scyther
• Electabuzz

Red version has increased chances of encountering the following Shiny Pokémon:

• Bulbasaur
• Charmander
• Squirtle
• Pidgey
• Ekans
• Pikachu
• Nidoran ♀
• Oddish
• Diglett
• Mankey
• Growlithe
• Ponyta
• Shellder
• Drowzee
• Krabby
• Hitmonlee
• Lickitung
• Scyther
• Electabuzz
• Eevee
• Kabuto
• Dratini

Green Version

As with the original Pokémon Green, if you select the Green version for your Pokémon Go Tour: Kanto ticket, you can attract the following exclusive Pokémon with incense:

• Sandshrew
• Vulpix
• Meowth
• Bellsprout
• Magmar
• Pinsir

Green version has increased chances of encountering the following Shiny Pokémon:

• Bulbasaur
• Charmander
• Squirtle
• Pidgey
• Pikachu
• Sandshrew
• Nidoran ♂
• Vulpix
• Meowth
• Psyduck
• Bellsprout
• Geodude
• Exeggcute
• Hitmonchan
• Koffing
• Tangela
• Horsea
• Magmar
• Pinsir
• Eevee
• Omanyte
• Dratini

All four Legendary Pokémon from Gen I (Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, and Mewtwo are back Raids with the following exclusive moves:

• Articuno caught during the event will know Hurricane.
• Zapdos caught during the event will know Thunder Shock.
• Moltres caught during the event will know Sky Attack.
• Mewtwo caught during the event will know Psystrike.

The following Pokémon are also appearing in Raids during the event:

• Farfetch'd
• Kangaskhan
• Mr. Mime
• Tauros
• Snorlax

The Pokémon Go Tour: Kanto event features an event exclusive Special Research storyline. The GO Tour: Kanto Research is an eight step Special Research that rewards players with an encounter with a Shiny Ditto, among other great prizes.

Step One

• Autocompleted for ten PokéBalls.
• Autocompleted for three Razz Berries.
• Autocompleted for three Potions.

Completion Reward: Charmander encounter, 150 XP, three Incence.

Step Two

• Use an Incense for 50 PokéBalls.
• Catch 30 Pokémon for a Tangela encounter.
• Take a Snapshot of Charmander for a Poffin.

Completion Reward: Chansey encounter, 25 Charmander Candy, 50 PokéBalls.

Step Three

• Earn three Hearts with your Buddy Pokémon for 300 Stardust.
• Catch 30 Pokémon for 500 XP.
• Evolve a Charmander for 25 Charmander Candy.

Completion Reward: Cubone encounter, two Incense, 25 Ultra Balls.

Step Four

• Use an Incense for an Incubator.
• Send three Gifts to Friends for five Pinap Berries.
• Trade three Pokémon with a Friend for 25 Charmander Candy.

Completion Reward: Lickitung encounter, 500 stardust, 25 Cubone Candy.

Step Five

• Make three Nice Throws in a row for an Aerodactyl encounter.
• Catch ten different species of Pokémon for a Star Piece.
• Use 20 Berries to help catch Pokémon for 25 Charmander Candy.

Completetion Reward: Snorlax encounter, Premium Battle Pass, 25 Cubone Candy.

Step Six

• Make three Nice Throws in a row for 25 Charmander Candy.
• Battle in three Raids for 20 Mewtwo Candy.
• Evolve one Pokémon for a Tour Cap.

Completion Reward: Lapras encounter, Fast TM, Charged TM

Step Seven

• Catch 30 Pokémon for 3,000 XP.
• Catch 15 different species of Pokémon for three Rare Candy.
• Transfer 20 Pokémon for 3,000 XP.

Completion Reward: Shiny Ditto encounter, Lure Module, Lucky Egg.

Step Eight

• Autocompleted for 3,000 XP.
• Autocompleted for 3,000 Stardust.
• Autocompleted for 3,000 XP.

Completion Reward: 20 Ditto Candy, 20 Mew Candy, 10 Ditto Stickers.

Once unlocked, there is a second Special Research called Masterwork Research. This Masterwork Research is designed to take a long time to complete and will reward Trainers with an encounter with a Shiny Mew! This is one of the most intensive Research lines players will ever have faced.

While all of the specific steps remain to be seen, we do know Trainers will have to earn the platinum Kanto medal, reach level 40, catch 30 Pokémon of each type, spin 151 unique PokéStops, and walk 151KM.

Step One

• Earn a Platinum Kanto Medal for 51 Ultra Balls.
• Send 151 Gifts to Friends for a Poffin.
• Make 151 Great Throws for 1,510 Stardust.

Completion Reward: Premium Battle Pass, 5,100 XP, 1,510 Stardust.

Step Two

• Unknown
• Unknown
• Unknown

Completion Reward: Unknown

Step Three

• Unknown
• Unknown
• Unknown

Completion Reward: Unknown

Step Four

• Unknown
• Unknown
• Unknown

Completion Reward: Unknown

There is also an event exclusive Timed Research Line, the Pokémon Go Tour Kanto: Defeat All Challengers line. This Timed Research line is available to all players, even if you didn't buy a ticket, and there are four steps.

Step One

• Catch 20 Pokémon for 500 Stardust.
• Power up a Pokémon three times for 15 Great Balls.
• Battle two Go Tour Challengers for an Eevee encounter.

Completion Reward: 20 Eevee Candy, 5 Super Potions, 5 Revives.

Step Two

• Evolve three Pokémon for 500 XP.
• Power up Pokémon three times for 500 Stardust.
• Battle two Go Tour Challengers for 500 XP.

Completion Reward: Sinnoh Stone, three Max Potion, three Max Revive.

Step Three

• Battle in a Raid for 3,000 XP.
• Win a Raid for a Lapras encounter.
• Defeat three Go Tour Challengers for a Star Piece.

Completion Reward: 20 Lapras Candy, 1,000 XP, 1,000 Stardust.

Step Four

• Power up Pokémon five times for a Snorlax encounter.
• Defeat three Go Tour Challengers with your Buddy Pokémon for 20 Snorlax Candy.
• Defeat five Go Tour Challengers for a Premium Battle Pass.

Completion Reward: Lucky Egg, Fast TM, Charged TM.

The Pokémon Go Tour: Kanto event also features ten Collection Challenges. The first two will vary depending upon your version of the event. The Pokémon lured by Incense in one version will be the Pokémon you need to trade for in the other. The Collection Challenges are also available to complete through Sunday, February 28, giving players extra time to coordinate Trades, Evolve Pokémon, and complete Raids and Research.

The themes, Pokémon, and rewards for each Collection Challenge are:

• Go Tour Kanto - Red Ekans, Oddish, Mankey, Growlithe, Scyther, and Electabuzz for an Incense, 20 Ultra Ball, and 1,510 stardust.
• Go Tour Kanto - Green Sandshrew, Vulpix, Meowth, Bellsprout, Magmar, and Pinsir for a Lucky Egg, a Silver Pinap, and 1,510 Stardust.
• Go Tour Kanto - Raid Farfetch'd, Kangaskhan, Mr. Mime, Tauros, Snorlax, Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, and Mewtwo for a Snorlax encounter, a Fast TM, and a Charged TM.
• Go Tour Kanto - Research Cubone, Lickitung, Chansey, Tangela, Lapras, Ditto, Aerodactyl, and Snorlax for a Ditto encounter, three Silver Pinap, and 1,510 Stardust.
• Go Tour Kanto - Evolve Get every Evolved Pokémon for three Rare Candy, three Star Piece, and 15,100 Stardust.
• Go Tour Kanto - Pallet Town Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, Caterpie, Weedle, Pidgey, Ratatta, Spearow, Pikachu, and Zubat for a Spearow encounter, 30 PokéBalls, and 151 Stardust.
• Go Tour Kanto - Pewter City Nidoran♀, Nidoran♂, Clefairy, Paras, Diglett, Geodude, Magnemite, Onix, Voltorb, and Rhyhorn for a Paras encounter, 20 Great Balls, and 151 Stardust.
• Go Tour Kanto - Cerulean City Jigglypuff, Psyduck, Poliwag, Tentacool, Shellder, Krabby, Horsea, Goldeen, Staryu, and Magikarp for a Goldeen encounter, 20 Great Balls, and 151 Stardust.
• Go Tour Kanto - Fuchsia City Venonat, Abra, Ponyta, Grimer, Gastly, Drowzee, Exeggcute, Koffing, Omanyte, and Kabuto for a Venonat encounter, 20 Great Balls, and 151 Stardust.
• Go Tour Kanto - Pokémon League Machop, Slowpoke, Doduo, Seel, Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, Jynx, Eevee, Porygon, and Dratini for a Dratini encounter, 20 Great Balls, and 151 Stardust.

Note: Pokémon hatched from Eggs and Shadow Pokémon rescued from Team GO Rocket will not count towards Collection Challenges.

There are several event exclusive Field Research tasks available for spinning PokéStops as well:

• Go Tour: Catch Bellsprout for 20 Oddish Candy.
• Go Tour: Catch Meowth for 20 Mankey Candy.
• Go Tour: Catch Sandshrew for 20 Ekans Candy.
• Go Tour: Catch Vulpix for 20 Growlithe Candy.
• Go Tour: Catch Ekans for 20 Sandshrew Candy.
• Go Tour: Catch Growlithe for 20 Vulpix Candy.
• Go Tour: Catch Mankey for 20 Meowth Candy.
• Go Tour: Catch Oddish for 20 Bellsprout Candy.
• Go Tour: Hatch three Eggs for a Snorlax encounter.
• Go Tour: Defeat a Go Tour Challenger for 500 Stardust/1,000 XP.
• Go Tour: Catch ten Pokémon for a Tangela encounter.

There will be additional bonuses for the Pokémon Go Tour: Kanto event. Trainers who ordered in advance were granted Special Research tickets for both January and February Community Days.

Even if you don't purchase a ticket, you will still be able to enjoy the following:

• Pokémon originally discovered in Kanto appearing in the wild and in raids
• Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, and Mewtwo in Legendary raids with featured exclusive attacks
• Any Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise evolved during the event will know Frenzy Plant, Blast Burn, and Hydro Cannon respectively
• Event exclusive Timed Research
• Event exclusive Field Research
• Event exclusive NPC battles
• Trade range increased to 40KM
• New jackets and masks in the PokéShop
• New Stickers in Friend Gifts.

Pokémon Go Kanto Celebration

Following the conclusion of the Pokémon Go Tour: Kanto event, another event will pick up and run until Pokémon Day, Sunday, February 28, 2021. The Pokémon Go Kanto Celebration will give Trainers a bit of extra time to finish certain Kanto Tour challenges.

The following Pokémon will be appearing more often in the wild:

• Bulbasaur
• Charmander
• Squirtle
• Weedle
• Pikachu
• Geodude
• Clefairy
• Psyduck
• Slowpoke
• Gastly
• Voltorb
• Magikarp

The following Pokémon will be hatching from 5KM Eggs:

• Oddish
• Bellsprout
• Tangela
• Dratini
• Pichu
• Elekid
• Magby

The following Pokémon will be attracted to Incense:

• Caterpie
• Pidgey
• Spearow
• Poliwag
• Abra
• Seel
• Machop
• Krabby
• Exeggcute
• Horsea
• Goldeen

There will be event exclusive Field Research rewarding Trainers with encounters with the following Pokémon:

• Doduo
• Magnemite
• Diglett
• Omanyte
• Kabuto
• Snorlax
• Jigglypuff
• Clefairy

The following Pokémon will be appearing in Raids:

• Bulbasaur
• Charmander
• Squirtle
• Pikachu
• Magikarp
• Dratini
• Scyther
• Pinsir
• Machoke
• Kadabra
• Haunter
• Graveler
• Lapras
• Articuno
• Zapdos
• Moltres
• Mewtwo

If you evolve the following Pokémon during the event, their Evolution will know their Community Day exclusive attacks:

• Evolve Ivysaur to get a Venusaur that knows Frenzy Plant.
• Evolve Charmeleon to get a Charizard that knows Blast Burn.
• Evolve Wartortle to get a Blastoise that knows Hydro Cannon.
• Evolve Pichu to get a Pikachu that knows Surf.
• Evolve Eevee* to get an evolved form that knows Last Resort
• Evolve Dragonair to get a Dragonite that knows Draco Meteor.

If you need help figuring out how to get each of the Eevee-lutions, check out our Eevee Evolutions guide.

Last, but certainly not least, the Kanto Celebration, as well as the Season of Celebration will finish off with a Kanto Themed Raid Day and a Team GO Rocket Takeover. On Sunday, February 28, from 11 AM til 2 PM local time, Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres will be appearing in even more Raids and have increased Shiny Rates. To help Trainers tackle these Raids, there will be a free bundle of three Remote Raid passes in the PokéShop and Trainers will be able to obtain up to five free Raid Passes from spinning PokéStops during the event window.

Additionally, Team GO Rocket will be back with new Special Research, more Team GO Rocket grunts, and a brand new Legendary Shadow Pokémon to rescue from Giovanni! During the Team GO Rocket Invasion, Trainers will be able to use Charged TMs on Shadow Pokémon to replace the move, Frustration, so make sure you've stocked up on Charged TMs and have your best Shadow Pokémon ready to learn new moves!

Questions?

Do you have any questions about the Pokémon Go Tour: Kanto event? Which version will you be playing? Let us know in the comments below and while you patiently wait for the Pokémon Go Tour: Kanto event to begin, be sure to check out our Pokémon 25 year retrospective to look back on the last 25 years of Pokémon games, shows, and more!