Absent from Gold and Silver, the Safari Zone returns in HeartGold and SoulSilver in a brand-new, customizable form. You catch Pokémon found nowhere else by arranging decorative blocks. Here is how to make the most of it.
Access and rules
The Johto Safari Zone is located west of Cianwood City, on Route 48; you enter through the Safari Zone Gate. Its owner is named Baoba. For 500 Poké Dollars, you receive thirty Safari Balls; once you have thrown them all, you are taken back to the entrance.
When facing a wild Pokémon, four actions are available: throw a Safari Ball, throw mud, throw bait, or run away. Bait lowers the chance of the Pokémon fleeing but makes it harder to catch; mud makes it easier to catch but raises the chance of it fleeing.
The twelve areas
The park has twelve areas, each with its own default Pokémon, such as the Rocky Mountain or the Desert. You can rearrange their layout as you progress through the adventure.
The blocks
After a certain point in the story, the park lets you place blocks in each area: grass, forest, rock and water blocks, plus a few others. The number and type of blocks you place make new Pokémon appear. Some also require you to wait several days after placing them.
| Example (rocky area) | Blocks required |
|---|---|
| Linoone | 5 grass blocks |
| Slowbro | 5 water blocks |
| Zangoose | 12 grass blocks |
| Spheal | 18 water blocks, after 40 days |
| Lairon | 24 rock blocks |
| Vigoroth | 19 forest blocks and 10 grass blocks, after 60 days |
