Once you have the National Pokédex, Sinnoh fills up with Pokémon from elsewhere. Three mechanics make them appear: swarms, which change every day, the Poké Radar, which flushes out Pokémon hiding in the grass, and the DS’s Game Boy Advance slot, which brings in Pokémon from Kanto and Hoenn.
All three methods require the National Pokédex (see walkthrough step 34). Together, they give you access to over a hundred Pokémon you can’t find any other way, including several version exclusives.
The lists below are complete and take your version into account: the “Versions” column shows where each encounter is possible.
🐝Swarms
Every day, one Pokémon appears in large numbers on a route in Sinnoh. To find out which one, talk to Dawn’s or Lucas’s little sister in Sandgem Town: she’ll tell you the day’s swarm. It lasts until midnight, and a new one is picked at random the next day.
All swarms list
31 encounters
| Pokémon | Location | Levels | Versions |
|---|---|---|---|
 Pidgey | Route 229 | 51 | Diamond, Pearl |
 Magnemite | Fuego Ironworks | 28-29 | Diamond, Pearl |
 Farfetch’d | Route 221 | 28 / 28-29 | All |
 Doduo | Route 201 | 2 | All |
 Drowzee | Route 215 | 20-22 / 19-20 | All |
 Krabby | Sea Route 226 | 52 / 48-49 | All |
 Voltorb | Route 218 | 28 / 28-29 | All |
 Cubone | Route 203 | 4 | All |
 Lickitung | Lake Valor | 34-36 | Diamond, Pearl |
 Pinsir | Route 229 | 48-49 | Platinum |
 Natu | Route 224 | 53 / 50 | All |
 Dunsparce | Route 208 | 16 / 18 | All |
 Snubbull | Route 209 | 16 / 18-19 | All |
 Swinub | Route 217 | 34 | Diamond, Pearl |
 Corsola | Sea Route 230 | 50 / 48 | All |
 Delibird | Route 216 | 32 | Diamond, Pearl |
 Delibird | Route 217 | 32-33 | Platinum |
 Phanpy | Route 207 | 5-7 | All |
 Smoochum | Lake Acuity | 35 | Diamond, Pearl |
 Larvitar | Route 206 | 16 | Platinum |
 Zigzagoon | Route 202 | 3 | All |
 Surskit | Lake Verity | 2-5 | Diamond, Pearl |
 Slakoth | Eterna Forest | 10-12 / 10-11 | All |
 Makuhita | Route 225 | 48-51 / 48-49 | All |
 Nosepass | Route 206 | 14 | Diamond, Pearl |
 Skitty | Route 222 | 40 / 39-40 | All |
 Electrike | Valley Windworks | 2-7, 9-10 / 9-10 | All |
 Spoink | Route 214 | 22-23 / 21, 23 | All |
 Spinda | Route 227 | 53-55 / 53-54 | All |
 Absol | Route 213 | 20 | Diamond, Pearl |
 Beldum | Route 228 | 53 / 51-52 | All |
📡The Poké Radar
Professor Rowan gives you the Poké Radar along with the National Pokédex. Use it in an area of tall grass, after walking 50 steps to recharge it: four patches of grass will rustle around you. Step into one of them to start a battle.
- Use the Poké Radar in the middle of a large patch of grass, far from the edges.
- Step into a rustling patch, preferably the one farthest from you.
- After the battle, new patches rustle: step into one of them to continue the chain.
- The chain breaks if you run away, leave the grass, or encounter a different species.
The longer the chain, the better your chances of meeting a Shiny Pokémon: a sparkling patch of grass signals one. The whole method is detailed in our Premium guide The Poké Radar and Chains.
All Poké Radar Pokémon list
67 encounters
| Pokémon | Location | Levels | Versions |
|---|---|---|---|
 Nidoran♀ | Route 201 | 3 / 2 / 2-3 | All |
 Nidorina | Valor Lakefront | 21-22 / 27 | All |
| Nidorina | Route 221 | 29 / 30 | All |
 Nidoran♂ | Route 201 | 2 / 3 / 2-3 | All |
 Nidorino | Valor Lakefront | 22 / 27 | All |
| Nidorino | Route 221 | 30 / 29 / 31 | All |
 Venonat | Route 229 | 22 / 48 | All |
 Venomoth | Route 229 | 50 / 49 | All |
 Mankey | Sea Route 226 | 22 / 47 | All |
| Mankey | Route 225 | 22 / 47 | All |
 Primeape | Sea Route 226 | 51-52 / 49-50 | All |
| Primeape | Route 225 | 51-52 / 49-50 | All |
 Slowpoke | Route 205 (after the forest) | 11-12 / 14-15 | Pearl, Platinum |
 Grimer | Route 212 (south part) | 18-20 / 23, 25-26 | All |
 Tauros | Route 209 | 16 | Diamond, Pearl |
| Tauros | Route 210 (south route) | 19 / 20 / 19, 21 | All |
 Ditto | Route 218 | 29-30 | Diamond, Pearl |
 Sentret | Route 202 | 2-4 | All |
 Togepi | Sea Route 230 | 48-50 / 18-23 | All |
 Mareep | Valley Windworks | 7-9 / 10-12 | All |
 Flaaffy | Route 222 | 41-42 / 38-41 | All |
 Hoppip | Fuego Ironworks | 29 | Pearl |
 Hoppip | Route 205 | 10-12 | Platinum |
| Hoppip | Route 205 (after the forest) | 11 | Diamond |
| Hoppip | Route 205 (before the forest) | 9-10 | Diamond, Pearl |
 Skiploom | Fuego Ironworks | 30 | Pearl |
| Skiploom | Route 205 (after the forest) | 12 | Diamond |
 Sunkern | Route 204 (north area) | 7-8 / 9, 11 | All |
 Wobbuffet | Lake Valor | 35-36 / 38, 40-41 | All |
| Wobbuffet | Lake Acuity | 34-36 | Diamond, Pearl |
| Wobbuffet | Lake Verity | 3-4 | All |
 Piloswine | Route 217 | 34-35 | Platinum |
 Houndoom | Route 214 | 23-24 | Pearl |
| Houndoom | Route 215 | 20-22 | Pearl |
 Stantler | Route 207 | 5-7 | Pearl, Platinum |
 Smeargle | Route 208 | 18-20 | Platinum |
 Smeargle | Route 212 (north part) | 21-24 / 16 | All |
 Tyrogue | Route 208 | 17-18 | Diamond, Pearl |
| Tyrogue | Route 211 (west part) | 12, 14 / 14-16 | All |
 Miltank | Route 209 | 17 | Diamond, Pearl |
| Miltank | Route 210 (south route) | 20 / 19 / 20-21 | All |
 Larvitar | Route 207 | 6-7 | Diamond |
 Poochyena | Route 214 | 23-24 | Platinum |
 Mightyena | Route 214 | 23-24 | Diamond |
| Mightyena | Route 215 | 20-22 | Diamond |
 Swellow | Route 213 | 20-22 / 25-26 | All |
 Ralts | Route 203 | 4-6 | Diamond, Pearl |
| Ralts | Route 204 (south area) | 4-6 | Diamond, Pearl |
 Kirlia | Route 203 | 6 | Diamond, Pearl |
| Kirlia | Route 204 (south area) | 6 | Diamond, Pearl |
 Kirlia | Route 209 | 18-19 | Platinum |
 Nincada | Eterna Forest | 10-12 / 11-12, 14 | All |
 Loudred | Mt. Coronet (outside) | 39-40 | All |
 Aron | Fuego Ironworks | 29-30 / 30-31 | Diamond, Platinum |
 Torkoal | Stark Mountain (outside) | 24-55 / 51-53 | All |
| Torkoal | Route 227 | 24-55 / 51-53 | All |
 Trapinch | Route 228 | 25 | Diamond, Pearl |
 Vibrava | Route 228 | 52-54 | Diamond, Pearl |
 Swablu | Route 211 (east part) | 27-28 | Diamond, Pearl |
 Baltoy | Route 206 | 14-16 / 16-19 | All |
 Kecleon | Route 210 (north route) | 25-26 | Diamond |
 Duskull | Route 224 | 23 | Diamond, Pearl |
 Dusclops | Route 224 | 53 | Diamond, Pearl |
 Snorunt | Acuity Lakefront | 35-36 | Diamond, Pearl |
| Snorunt | Route 216 | 35-36 | Diamond, Pearl |
| Snorunt | Route 217 | 35-36 | Diamond, Pearl |
 Bagon | Route 210 (north route) | 25-26 / 28-30 | Pearl, Platinum |
🎮Inserting a GBA cartridge
The Nintendo DS and DS Lite have a second slot for Game Boy Advance games. Insert Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, FireRed or LeafGreen while you play Diamond, Pearl or Platinum: certain routes in Sinnoh then host one extra Pokémon, specific to each cartridge. The DSi and 3DS don’t have this slot.
With Pokémon Ruby list
26 encounters
| Pokémon | Location | Levels | Versions |
|---|---|---|---|
 Seedot | Eterna Forest | 12 / 13 | All |
| Seedot | Route 203 | 5 / 6 | All |
| Seedot | Route 204 (north area) | 8 / 10 | All |
| Seedot | Route 204 (south area) | 6 / 5 | All |
| Seedot | Route 210 (south route) | 18 / 21 | All |
 Nuzleaf | Route 210 (south route) | 20 / 19 | All |
| Nuzleaf | Route 229 | 20 / 48 | All |
 Mawile | Iron Island (inside) | 31-34 / 30-31 / 31-32 | All |
 Zangoose | Route 208 | 18 / 20 | All |
| Zangoose | Route 210 (north route) | 26 / 29-30 | All |
 Solrock | Turnback Cave (before the first pillar) | 44-46 / 18 | All |
| Solrock | Turnback Cave (between the second and third pillars) | 64-66 / 38 | All |
| Solrock | Turnback Cave (between the first and second pillars) | 54-56 / 28 | All |
| Solrock | Lake Valor | 35 / 40-41 | All |
| Solrock | Lake Acuity | 34-36 / 40-41 | All |
| Solrock | Lake Verity | 4 | All |
| Solrock | Mt. Coronet (1F) | 36-37 / 38 | All |
| Solrock | Mt. Coronet (2F) | 36-37 / 38 | All |
| Solrock | Mt. Coronet (3F) | 38-39 / 38 | All |
| Solrock | Mt. Coronet (4F) | 40-41 / 38-39 | All |
| Solrock | Mt. Coronet (5F) | 40-41 / 38, 40 | All |
| Solrock | Mt. Coronet (access to 4F) | 38-39 / 38 | All |
| Solrock | Mt. Coronet (access to the summit from the north side) | 39-40 / 38 | All |
| Solrock | Mt. Coronet (outside) | 39-40 / 38-39 | All |
| Solrock | Spring Path | 52 / 39-40 | All |
 Starly | Route 201 | 2 | Diamond, Pearl |
With Pokémon Sapphire list
27 encounters
| Pokémon | Location | Levels | Versions |
|---|---|---|---|
 Cleffa | Mt. Coronet (north ground floor) | 12 | Diamond, Pearl |
 Lotad | Route 203 | 5 / 6 | All |
| Lotad | Route 204 (north area) | 8 / 10 | All |
| Lotad | Route 204 (south area) | 6 / 5 | All |
| Lotad | Route 205 (after the forest) | 12 / 13-14 | All |
| Lotad | Route 212 (south part) | 18 / 26 | All |
 Lombre | Route 212 (south part) | 20 / 23 | All |
| Lombre | Route 229 | 20 / 48 | All |
 Sableye | Iron Island (inside) | 31-34 / 30-31 / 31-32 | All |
 Seviper | Route 208 | 18-20 / 20 | All |
| Seviper | Route 210 (north route) | 26 / 29-30 | All |
 Lunatone | Turnback Cave (before the first pillar) | 44-46 / 18 | All |
| Lunatone | Turnback Cave (between the second and third pillars) | 64-66 / 38 | All |
| Lunatone | Turnback Cave (between the first and second pillars) | 54-56 / 28 | All |
| Lunatone | Lake Valor | 35 / 40-41 | All |
| Lunatone | Lake Acuity | 34-36 / 40-41 | All |
| Lunatone | Lake Verity | 4 | All |
| Lunatone | Mt. Coronet (1F) | 36-37 / 38 | All |
| Lunatone | Mt. Coronet (2F) | 36-37 / 38 | All |
| Lunatone | Mt. Coronet (3F) | 38-39 / 38 | All |
| Lunatone | Mt. Coronet (4F) | 40-41 / 38-39 | All |
| Lunatone | Mt. Coronet (5F) | 40-41 / 38, 40 | All |
| Lunatone | Mt. Coronet (access to 4F) | 38-39 / 38 | All |
| Lunatone | Mt. Coronet (access to the summit from the north side) | 39-40 / 38 | All |
| Lunatone | Mt. Coronet (outside) | 39-40 / 38-39 | All |
| Lunatone | Spring Path | 52 / 39-40 | All |
| Starly | Route 201 | 2 | Diamond, Pearl |
With Pokémon Emerald list
26 encounters
| Pokémon | Location | Levels | Versions |
|---|---|---|---|
 Pineco | Eterna Forest | 12 / 13 | All |
| Pineco | Route 203 | 5 / 6 | All |
| Pineco | Route 204 (north area) | 8 / 10 | All |
| Pineco | Route 204 (south area) | 8 / 5 | All |
| Pineco | Route 210 (south route) | 18-20 / 19, 21 | All |
| Pineco | Route 229 | 20 / 48 | All |
 Gligar | Stark Mountain (outside) | 22 | Diamond, Pearl |
| Gligar | Route 206 | 15 | Diamond, Pearl |
| Gligar | Route 207 | 7 | Diamond, Pearl |
| Gligar | Route 214 | 24 | Diamond, Pearl |
| Gligar | Route 215 | 20-22 | Diamond, Pearl |
| Gligar | Route 227 | 22 | Diamond, Pearl |
 Shuckle | Route 224 | 23 / 52 | All |
 Teddiursa | Lake Acuity | 40-41 | Platinum |
 Teddiursa | Acuity Lakefront | 36 | Diamond, Pearl |
| Teddiursa | Route 211 (east part) | 27-28 | Diamond, Pearl |
| Teddiursa | Route 211 (west part) | 12, 14 / 15-16 | All |
 Ursaring | Lake Acuity | 34-36 | Diamond, Pearl |
 Ursaring | Acuity Lakefront | 35 | Platinum |
| Ursaring | Route 216 | 33-34 / 35 | All |
| Ursaring | Route 217 | 35 | All |
 Dusclops | Turnback Cave (before the first pillar) | 18 | Platinum |
| Dusclops | Turnback Cave (between the first and second pillars) | 28 | Platinum |
| Starly | Route 201 | 2 | Diamond, Pearl |
 Staravia | Lake Verity | 4 | Diamond, Pearl |
 Bibarel | Lake Verity | 4 | Diamond, Pearl |
With Pokémon FireRed list
17 encounters
| Pokémon | Location | Levels | Versions |
|---|---|---|---|
 Caterpie | Eterna Forest | 13 | Platinum |
| Caterpie | Route 204 (north area) | 10 | Platinum |
 Caterpie | Route 204 (south area) | 6 / 5 | All |
 Metapod | Eterna Forest | 12 / 13 | All |
 Ekans | Route 212 (south part) | 18-20 / 23-26 | All |
 Arbok | Great Marsh (area 5) | 20, 22 / 28 | All |
| Arbok | Great Marsh (area 6) | 20, 22 / 28 | All |
| Arbok | Great Marsh (areas 1 and 2) | 24, 26 / 30 | All |
| Arbok | Great Marsh (areas 3 and 4) | 22, 24 / 29 | All |
 Growlithe | Route 201 | 2 | All |
| Growlithe | Route 202 | 2 | All |
 Elekid | Valley Windworks | 9 | Diamond, Pearl |
| Elekid | Route 205 (before the forest) | 10 | Diamond, Pearl |
| Dusclops | Turnback Cave (before the first pillar) | 18 | Platinum |
| Dusclops | Turnback Cave (between the first and second pillars) | 28 | Platinum |
| Staravia | Lake Verity | 4 | Diamond, Pearl |
| Bibarel | Lake Verity | 4 | Diamond, Pearl |
With Pokémon LeafGreen list
17 encounters
| Pokémon | Location | Levels | Versions |
|---|---|---|---|
 Weedle | Eterna Forest | 13 | Platinum |
| Weedle | Route 204 (north area) | 10 | Platinum |
 Weedle | Route 204 (south area) | 6 / 5 | All |
 Kakuna | Eterna Forest | 12 / 13 | All |
 Sandshrew | Wayward Cave (main entrance) | 16 / 17-18 | All |
| Sandshrew | Wayward Cave (secret entrance) | 16-17 / 18, 20 | All |
 Sandslash | Route 228 | 23 / 49-50 | All |
 Vulpix | Route 209 | 16 / 17, 19 | All |
| Vulpix | Route 214 | 24 | All |
 Magby | Stark Mountain (outside) | 22 | Diamond, Pearl |
| Magby | Stark Mountain (inside) | 22 | Diamond, Pearl |
| Magby | Route 227 | 22 | Diamond, Pearl |
| Dusclops | Turnback Cave (before the first pillar) | 18 | Platinum |
| Dusclops | Turnback Cave (between the first and second pillars) | 28 | Platinum |
| Starly | Route 201 | 2 | Diamond, Pearl |
| Staravia | Lake Verity | 4 | Diamond, Pearl |
| Bibarel | Lake Verity | 4 | Diamond, Pearl |
With any cartridge list
2 encounters
GBA cartridges are also used for Pal Park, which lets you transfer your old Pokémon there: see step 34. To bring everything together, method by method, read our Premium guide Completing the Pokédex.
