In Generations I, III, and VII, Route 4 is split into two sections by Mt. Moon. The western portion holds the first terminus to Mt. Moon as well as a Pokémon Center. Inside this Pokémon Center, there is a shady man who sells the player a Magikarp for $500. He is only present in Generations I, III, and VII.
The western portion of Route 4 begins by traveling north from Route 3 towards the mountain. There are several small ledges lining both sides of the route; however, there is enough clearing in the center to pass through. There are also several rocks along the sides that apparently can be mistaken for Geodude, as a little girl explains when she trips on one. Straight ahead is a Pokémon Center, one of only two Centers that can be found outside a populated area, the other being on Route 10. The western terminus to Mt. Moon can also be found to the east of the Pokémon Center, which has been built into the mountainside.
In the Pokémon Center, Trainers can heal their Pokémon after a hard journey through Route 3; however, a number of other things can be done in the Pokémon Center. In Generations I, III, and VII, a shady man, which happens to be the Magikarp salesman, can be found in the corner of the Center selling Trainers a Magikarp for $500 (but does not offer a refund). While this may seem as something of a ripoff, some players consider it very worthwhile to raise a Magikarp from such an early point in the game, allowing the player to train and evolve it into a Gyarados much earlier than if they had waited until they are given an Old RodRBYFRLG or the Partner Pokémon is taught the Secret Technique Sea Skim.PE There is also a man reading a newspaper who says that Team Rocket are attacking Cerulean citizens.
From Mt. Moon, Route 4 travels to the east, swerving to the north and the south to avoid ledges along the route. The path turns north, then east near a large clump of trees surrounding a grassy area. The route is a very strange route as the ledges form a contour down the mountainside, leading Trainers due east and then south to the end of the path and a ledge that will force Trainers to go down it into a large clump of trees surrounding a grassy area. After going down this ledge, there is no return and Trainers must go east to reach Cerulean City.
Route 4 can, in fact, be reached from Cerulean City, by using SurfRBYFRLG or Sea Skim.PE Trainers can Surf or Sea Skim along to western part of Route 24, south to Cerulean Cave. Trainers can then travel west, past a Lass on the highest hill,RBYFRLG and then jump down the remaining ledges to access this section of the route.
Due to a ledge that separates Mt. Moon from Cerulean City, Trainers in Generations I, III, and VII cannot return to the previous towns until they travel through Diglett's Cave and use CutRBYFRLG or Chop DownPE on Route 2, use FlyRBYFRLG or Sky DashPE to return to the cities west of Mt. Moon, or use SurfRBYFRLG or Sea SkimPE down from Route 24 or all the way around through Cinnabar Island. The majority of the route is fairly straight-forward as there is only one true way to proceed on the path and there are no Trainers to battle (with the exception of the Lass on the highest hill on the route in Generations I and III; however, she is reached only by way of the waterway that begins on Route 24).
Depending on the Generation, there are items, Move Tutors, or both along this path. In Generation III, two Move Tutors were added to the route. Located near the Mt. Moon entrance, these tutors will teach a Pokémon the movesMega Punch and Mega Kick, but only once. Both tutors are jealous of the other's skills and will try to get Trainers to come to them instead of the other. In Generation VII, a Coach Trainer located near the Mt. Moon entrance will give the player a TM57 (Pay Day) for defeating him.
Although the channel of water at the eastern edge of the route has no adjacent land tiles from which the player can legitimately fish, there are still fishing encounters programmed for it.
A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.
A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.
A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.
A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.
A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.
Trainers with a telephone symbol by their names will give their Pokégear number to the player, and may call or be called for a rematch with higher-level Pokémon.
Trainers with a telephone symbol by their names will give their Pokégear number to the player, and may call or be called for a rematch with higher-level Pokémon.
Route 4 endured primarily minor cosmetic changes. The ramps in the western segment were widened significantly, while the patch of tall grass near the Cerulean City entrance has grown in size covering the entire area. In the western segment, rocks and boulders had been included in Generation III and VII for visual effect. Apart from this, most aesthetic features have been enhanced. Trees have become bigger, flowers are more visible, and most other sprites have been upgraded to the standards of later generations.
In Generation III only, two Move Tutors are found in the east portion of the route. Located near the Mt. Moon entrance, these tutors will teach a Pokémon the movesMega Punch and Mega Kick. Both tutors are jealous of the other's skills and will try to get Trainers to come to them instead of the other.
Other than this, only item positions and types were changed. TM04 (Whirlwind), located on the second-highest hill was changed to TM05 (Roar) in Generation III, and five Poké Balls in Generation VII. The Great Ball hidden in the west segment was replaced by two Berries; a Razz and a Persim Berry in similar locations.
Generation II
In Generation II, the western portion of Route 4 was cut off and changed to an extension of Route 3. Due to this, Route 4 western entry starts at the eastern entrance of Mt. Moon, although most of the eastern portion remains the same. Along with this, the route was shortened significantly as the length between Mt. Moon and Cerulean City was slashed in half, as was the grassy area, however the layout and positioning of ledges and signposts remains mostly the same. There is no entrance to the Cerulean Cave from this route and the road is blocked off by barriers. The TM was replaced with an HP Up and three Trainers were added to the route.
From Mt. Moon, Route 4 travels to the east, swerving to the north and the south to avoid ledges along the route. The path turns north, then east near a large clump of trees surrounding a grassy area. The route is a very strange route as the ledges form a contour down the mountainside, leading Trainers due east and then south to the end of the path and a ledge that will force Trainers to go down it into a large clump of trees surrounding a grassy area. After going down this ledge, there is no return and Trainers must go east to reach Cerulean City.
Generation IV
Other than graphical updates, the basic layout remains the same as previous generations, but the route is no longer flat, with hills leading down from Mt. Moon to add more depth to the route. Like Generation II, the western portion of Route 4 was cut off and changed to an extension of Route 3. Due to this, Route 4's western entry starts at the eastern entrance of Mt. Moon. Items and Trainers remain the same as in Generation II. Unlike in Generation II, Cerulean Cave remains in Cerulean City, however, unlike Generations I and III, there is no return to this route from the cave, likely to prevent the player from traveling to west Kanto without restoring the Power Plant.
Ash, Misty, and Brock hiked along Route 4 at the end of Clefairy and the Moon Stone. Gary, who had been through the area before Ash, had written "Gary was here! Ash is a loser!" on a local road sign, causing Ash to lose his temper and rush forward as the episode ended. The Route reappeared in the following episode, where Ash and his friends finally reached its end and arrived at Cerulean City. Unlike in the games, Route 4 is a forested route, not a mountainous one.
After encountering Team Rocket inside the caves of Mt. Moon, Red and Misty exited the mountain on the eastern section of Route 4. Misty was frustrated for them failing to find a Moon Stone, until Red revealed that he had actually managed to find one when Pika had collapsed a part of the cave to prevent Team Rocket from following them.
