Kanto Route 3/Route description

For its western half, Route 3 is a split-level route. Heading east from Pewter City, the undefined encounters a small clearing with some natural obstacles that create a fork in the road, forcing travel north or south, of which the south path curves east and leads to a group of pits (Generation IV only) and a dead end. In order to progress, the player must turn north and then east along the northern half (which, in Generations and, is packed with s). At any point, the player can jump the ledges located here to access a middle section of the route between the two ledges. Most of this middle area contains items, as well as another Trainer waiting for battle. By hopping a ledge again, the player is able to travel west toward the pits and then north back to the clearing at the start of the route.

East of the second section of the ledges, the route curves south and then east near a large patch of tall grass containing wild Pokémon, which takes up most of the area. This patch, which contains another Trainer, follows the route until it turns north ahead of a hill. (In Generation IV, the player can go through the grass to reach a ledge running along the southern edge of the route.) From this point, the route makes a backward "S" curve, turning east past the hilly terrain, south past another ledge that leads the route to a large clearing, east again, and finally north, passing a second patch of grass near the end, which has a fence around it as well as a signpost for directions. (In Generation IV, however, the eastern half of the route only goes south-east and does not bring the player north until the second patch of grass.)

The only obstacles along the remainder of the route are a few ledges on either side, which are easily bypassed as the player proceeds north towards the mysterious Mt. Moon cave and beyond. Beside the entrance to the cave is a Pokémon Center, one of only two in Kanto that is not located in a populated area (the other one is on at the north entrance to Rock Tunnel). In Generation III, is able to return the player to this location instantly, but not in any other Generations. In the Pokémon Center, a man attempts to scam Trainers by selling them the laughably common for relatively high prices.