A Promise Turned Into a Challenge
When Pokémon FireRed and Pokémon LeafGreen were announced for the Nintendo Switch, I was in disbelief. Not even a week before the announcement, I made a promise that I would complete a Shiny Badge Quest if they were ever ported. With their release on Switch, I decided to follow through and take on that challenge in these Gen 3 ports.
This isn’t a new concept for my channel. I’ve attempted Shiny Badge Quests in multiple Pokémon games, including a Pokémon Violet run I completed in 2025. If you want to see the shiny Pokémon I caught for that run, you can check out my shinydex here.
On Pokémon Day, February 27, 2026, I officially began the Shiny Badge Quest.
An Unexpected Start
I polled my community to decide which starter I should pick: Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle.
Overwhelmingly, the vote came back for Bulbasaur.
I’m no stranger to FireRed and LeafGreen starter resets, and I fully expected this hunt to take weeks, if not months. With shiny odds sitting at 1 in 8192, these hunts are rarely quick. So imagine my surprise when Bulbasaur decided to shine after just 384 encounters.
Starting a Shiny Badge Quest with an under-odds hunt is huge. Any hunt can easily go over odds, but there’s a certain kind of dread when your very first target drags on longer than expected.
Finding Deku Baba, our shiny Bulbasaur, gives this entire run a completely different kind of momentum. It feels like the quest might actually cooperate… at least for now.
The Journey Begins
With Deku Baba locked in, the journey toward the first badge officially begins. I already have plans for the next hunt, and I’m excited to get started. I’d love for the luck to continue, but realistically, I’m not counting on it.
Start your own hunt
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This is just the beginning of the Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen Shiny Badge Quest, and every phase adds something new to the story.
About the Author
Scott (Scotty) Greenhalgh is the founder and owner of Input Lag, an independent Nintendo-focused publication. Scotty brings a player-first perspective informed by years of hands-on experience with Nintendo games to his reviews, rankings, and editorial coverage. His writing focuses on how games feel to play, their long-term value, and the impact Nintendo’s creative and business decisions have on players.
Outside of Input Lag, he also creates Pokémon-focused content online under the name Gr3atScotty.
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