Doing Gyms Out of Order

[Palamon]

In the older Pokemon games, well, the first four gens only, I believe, you can do some of the gyms out of order. For example, you can skip Brawley's Gym in Hoenn if you really wanted to until you have to face Norman, and you can skip Winona for awhile, as well. This was obviously changed in the remakes to not being able to leave to the next route if you haven't beaten her gym.

In Johto, you can do Chuck and Jasmine out of order, and I believe Pryce if you wanted to. You can also do all the Kanto Gyms in any order you want, with the exception of Blue/Green (whichever you people prefer to address him as). This can also be seen as true in the original Kanto games as well. You can do most of the gyms after Brock and Misty and Giovanni in any order. I think. Feel free to correct me if you need. In generation IV, but not Platinum, you can do some of they gyms out of order as well.

This was completely removed in Generation V. All gyms have to be done in order, as the story makes you. I also don't remember whether you can or can't do the Kalos Gyms out of order.

Did you do gyms "out of order"? What did you think of this? I actually liked that the older games had some small freedom to skip gyms if you wanted to and come back to them later. Since the older games aren't as linear & story locked, there isn't anything stopping me. Especially in Kanto, since once you get the HM Cut, and the Bike, you can pretty much do whatever gym you want that isn't Giovanni. I like that, and wish Pokemon games would still do this today.

 

[ShyRayq]

I pretty much always do the gyms in badge order.
Although, sometimes when a pokemon I want is in a specific part of the game requiring a later badge, I may skip gyms. I think I only really do this in the Kanto games though.
For example, in the Kanto games, sometimes I go straight from Surge to Koga so that I can get Surf to access, say, the Power Plant early.

 

[_pheebee]

I know you can do Hoenn out of order.

Brawley, and Winona can be skipped causing Wallace, or Juan to have extra dialogue, telling you to do those gyms before attempting Victory Road~

 

[Janp]

I usually swap Koga and Sabrina in Kanto. I don't really like backtracting and it always made sense to beat her first. I also remember skipping Brawly once or twice just because I forgot to beat him.

It's a shame newer games don't have this possibility.

 

[Venonat in Space]

I used to mix up Koga and Sabrina all the time in Kanto, and I was like....who was the 5th badge and who was the 6th badge? Super confusing when I first played my super old Blue cartridge.

 

[Nah]

I think the only time I don't do them in order is the Kanto gyms in the Johto games

While you can do some of the other gyms out of order, there's still an intended order for all the other ones via levels and stuff, so I figure it's better to stick with that

 

[Mab]

fwiw you can do this in LGPE too! it's not just an old gen thing and it's a legit speedrunning tactic
...but no i've never done it

 

[Topaz Light]

I always thought this was a fun little detail!

I can't recall doing it intentionally too many times, though I distinctly remember forgetting Brawly once until I was otherwise ready to face Norman, and heading south from Hearthome to face Crasher Wake before Maylene in Pokemon Pearl.

In regards to Kanto, you can battle Lt. Surge through Blaine in any order you like, with the sole stipulation that Koga has to be defeated before Blaine becomes accessible, but that's it.

 

[bobandbill]

I liked having the freedom to take on Gyms in a different order. I often went east rather than west from Morty's Gym in the Johto games, for instance. Kanto is more open, and it is fun in gsc/hgss to go and take them on in nigh whichever order you like too.

 

[Bellsprout]

I remember skipping when I could all the time. I rather explore than just follow the story in a linear pattern.