Pokémon Red and Blue/Unused Move Data

This is a sub-page of Pokémon Red and Blue.

Deleted HM

There exists an unused entry between Fly (HM02) and Surf (HM03) which points to an empty string in the field move name table. It has an ID of 0xB4 (180), whereas the highest valid move ID is 0xA5 (165), though this isn't surprising given how much the move roster was reworked during development. Interestingly enough however, found in the games' leaked source code under SHINKA.SAV is a file which lists a whopping 237 move IDs, which would expand up to 0xED. The source code also specifically names this unused field move, with it being "Mega Fire", a precursor to the move "Fire Blast". Furthermore, while SHINKA.SAV does not list the names of the moves it references, 0xB4 is surrounded by signature moves, in a rather finalized order, one which places it in a sensible spot which confirms that it actually is the mystery scrapped HM, only using an earlier internal name.

We can then infer that Fire Blast was originally a fire-based field move before being downgraded to a regular move, though this doesn't give us any actual information regarding its original in-game use. Its removal may have been anything from it being redundant, to the devs not wanting to promote the use of fire as a problem-solving method.

(Source: Sawakita and Helix Chamber)

Dragon Type's Effectiveness

The Dragon type is set to deal super-effective damage to itself in Generation I, just as it does in every subsequent generation; type matchup charts in guides at the time even included this particular type matchup! However, the only Dragon-type move in Generation I is Dragon Rage, which ignores type effectiveness modifiers completely and always deals a fixed 40 HP of damage. As a result, this behavior is never seen in regular gameplay during this generation.

Struggle's PP

Struggle is a move which cannot be learned during regular gameplay. It is only used when the user's Pokémon attempts to attack but has no available PP for any move left (note that in-game Trainers cannot run out of PP in Generation I). Regardless, the default total PP data for Struggle is set to be 10, though there is a special handler for Struggle such that its remaining PP does not decrement since it is never supposed to be an actual move in a Pokémon's moveset.

The default total PP for Struggle was changed to 1 in Generation II, and remains that way in all the main-series handheld Pokémon games as of Generation V.

(Source: Pokémon Red Disassembly Project)

Kinesis

The move Kinesis is not present in any Pokémon's learnset, so the only way to see it without the use of another game (transfer from Yellow/Gold/Silver/Crystal or Stadium 2 move relearner) is to have it called through Metronome. This was fixed in Yellow, with the move being added to Kadabra and Alakazam's learnsets.

Unused Effects

There are a handful of effects in the English Red and Blue which aren't used by any valid move, although some of them are used by the TM(xx) and HM(xx) glitch moves. Note that in the Japanese versions, effect 23 (30.1% freeze chance) was used because the effect was originally assigned to Blizzard.

ID	Effect
01	Puts enemy to Sleep. Labelled as "sleep ( 1wari )" in the source code.
0C	Raises Speed by 1 stage. Labelled as "quick up (25%)" in the source code.
0E	Raises Accuracy by 1 stage. Labelled as "hit ritu up (25%)" in the source code.
15	Lowers Special by 1 stage. Labelled as "tokusyu down (25%)" in the source code.
17	Lowers Evasion by 1 stage. Labelled as "kaihi ritu down (25%)" in the source code.
1E	Attacks for 2-5 turns. Labelled as "renzoku kougeki2" in the source code.
23	30.1% chance of freezing the opponent. Labelled as "ice ( 3wari )" in the source code.
36	Raises Accuracy by 2 stages. (probability=hit chance) Labelled as "hit ritu up (50%)" in the source code.
37	Raises Evasion by 2 stages. (probability=hit chance) Labelled as "kaihi ritu up (50%)" in the source code.
3A	Lowers Attack by 2 stages. (probability=hit chance) Labelled as "attack down (50%)" in the source code.
3C	Lowers Speed by 2 stages. (probability=hit chance) Labelled as "quick down (50%)" in the source code.
3D	Lowers Special by 2 stages. (probability=hit chance) Labelled as "tokusyu down (50%)" in the source code.
3E	Lowers Accuracy by 2 stages. (probability=hit chance) Labelled as "hit ritu down (50%)" in the source code.
3F	Lowers Evasion by 2 stages. (probability=hit chance) Labelled as "kaihi ritu down (50%)" in the source code.
48	10.2% chance of lowering Accuracy by 1 stage. Labelled as "tuika hit ritu down" in the source code.
49	10.2% chance of lowering Evasion by 1 stage. Labelled as "tuika kaihi ritu down" in the source code.
4A	10.2% chance of lowering a nonexistent glitch stat by 1 stage (does nothing). Has no label in the source code, stat affected is listed as "not use".
4B	10.2% chance of lowering a nonexistent glitch stat by 1 stage (does nothing). Has no label in the source code, stat affected is listed as "not use".
4E	None. Supposed to lower both defense and speed. Labelled as "deffence & quick down" in the source code. Originally assigned to Leer.

(Source: Pokémon Red Disassembly Project)

Unused Animations

Tail Whip Code

This bit of code is referenced in the special effect pointer table at 1E:4EF5, and uses the command "AnimationIdSpecialEffects". Since Tail Whip uses no sub-animations, it goes unused.

Focus Energy

There exists an unused animation at 1E:672A which uses the command "AnimationShootManyBallsUpward" at 1E:5566. When bought in-game, this attack will slightly tint the screen while columns of three orbs rapidly move across the user's sprite. Game Genie codes 670-7E9-6E3 and 2A0-7D9-B32 will replace Pound's animation with this unused one. Originally meant to be used for Focus Energy.

(Source: Pokémon Red disassembly project, Danny-E 33 (details and video), Torchickens (Game Genie code))