Pokemon FRLG Switch 2 Guide: How to Unlock the Sevii Islands & National Dex

Saturday, February 28, 2026

The Kanto Elite Four Was Just the Warm-up

So, you’ve dethroned Blue, entered the Hall of Fame, and the credits have rolled. On the original GBA, this is where many players stopped—but on the 2026 Switch 2 re-release, the real game is just beginning.

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Capcom and Nintendo have kept the core of FireRed & LeafGreen intact, which means the massive Sevii Islands questline is your gateway to Gen 2 and Gen 3 Pokémon. If you’re staring at a "locked" Cerulean Cave or wondering why your Golbat won't evolve into Crobat, you’re missing the National Dex. Here is the exact path to post-game mastery.

Step 1: The National Dex "60 Catch" Rule

Before you can set foot on the later islands or evolve Johto favorites, you must satisfy Professor Oak’s academic hunger.

  • The Requirement: You must have 60 unique Pokémon species registered as "Caught" in your Kanto Dex.

  • The Trigger: Once you have 60 catches, return to Pallet Town and speak to Oak. He will upgrade your Pokédex to the National Mode.

  • The Reward: This unlocks the ability to evolve Pokémon like Golbat (Crobat), Chansey (Blissey), and Scyther (Scizor).

Step 2: The Ruby & Sapphire Quest (Connecting the Network)

To enable trading and encounter Hoenn species, you must help Celio on One Island repair the Network Machine. This requires finding two lost gems.

Finding the Ruby (Mt. Ember)

  1. Travel to One Island and head north to Mt. Ember.

  2. You’ll find two Team Rocket Grunts whispering by a new cave opening on the right.

  3. Defeat them, enter the cave, and navigate to the bottom floor to find the Ruby.

  4. Return it to Celio to receive the Rainbow Pass, granting access to Islands 4, 5, 6, and 7.

Finding the Sapphire (Dotted Hole)

  1. Go to Six Island and head south to Ruin Valley.

  2. Use Cut on the door of the Dotted Hole.

  3. The Puzzle: To reach the bottom, fall through the holes in this order: Up, Left, Right, Down.

  4. A scientist named Gideon will steal the Sapphire. Chase him to the Rocket Warehouse on Five Island.

  5. Defeat Gideon to reclaim the Sapphire and finish the Network Machine.

Expert Insight: The 2026 "Event Ticket" Bonus

In the original 2004 release, getting to Navel Rock (Lugia/Ho-Oh) or Birth Island (Deoxys) required physical Nintendo events that are now impossible to attend.

Exclusive 2026 Tip: In the Switch 2 version, Nintendo has integrated these "Mythical" events into the base game. Once you deliver the Sapphire to Celio and enter the Hall of Fame for a second time (with higher-level Elite Four teams), check your "Key Items" pocket. The Mystic Ticket and Aurora Ticket are now automatically granted as a reward for completion, allowing you to take the Seagallop Ferry from Vermilion City to catch the rarest legendaries in the game.

Switch 2 Performance: Docked vs. Handheld

While these are GBA ports, the Switch 2 hardware adds a "Pixel Perfect" scaling mode.

  • Pro Tip: Go to the System Settings and toggle "Integer Scaling" to ON. This prevents the "shimmering" effect when moving through tall grass on a 4K TV.

  • Save States: Use the ZL+ZR shortcut to create a Restore Point before facing the legendary birds. The "Roar" glitch (where Entei/Raikou can delete themselves from the game) is still present in this port—save often!

Complete the Legend

With the National Dex in hand and the Network Machine online, Kanto is no longer a solitary bubble. You are now ready to hunt the roaming beasts and prepare your team for the final challenge: the Trainer Tower on Seven Island.