Trainer Fly Glitch in Pokémon Games – A Way to Get Mew!

The Trainer Fly Glitch, also known as the Mew Glitch, is one of the most groundbreaking bugs discovered in the first generation of games (Red, Blue, and Yellow). It is a complex exploit that allows players to encounter and capture any Pokémon from the Kanto Pokédex, including the legendary Mew, and also access hidden game content.

How it works

The basic mechanics of the Trainer Fly Glitch are based on several key steps:

• The player must approach the Trainer with a long-range view (known as a long-range trainer).
• Just before the Trainer spots the player, press the Start button to open the game menu.
• From the menu, use the Fly or Teleport move to travel to another area.
• After landing, the player must battle a wild Pokémon or another Trainer.
• After the battle ends, the player returns to the location where the glitch was initiated.
• Upon returning, a wild Pokémon will automatically appear, its species determined by the Special stat of the last Pokémon defeated.

The glitch works because the game remembers that the Trainer was supposed to spot the player, but it can’t complete this action once the player flies away. When the player returns, the game attempts to continue the interrupted process, but instead of initiating a battle with the Trainer, it triggers an encounter with a wild Pokémon.

History of the Discovery

Detailed documentation of the Trainer Fly Glitch was posted on February 24, 2004, by user Imakuni on the GameFAQs forum. Imakuni claimed to have discovered the glitch himself on December 13, 2003, and spent considerable time analyzing it. His 26-page document included a detailed explanation of the glitch’s mechanics, a list of compatible Trainers, the Special stat values ​​for each Pokémon, and various methods for exploiting the glitch.

Fly Trainer Glitch Features and Applications

Fly Trainer Glitch offers players a number of options:

1. Catching Any Pokémon

The main use of the glitch is the ability to encounter and catch any Pokémon from the Kanto Pokédex, including those that are normally unavailable or very rare:

• Mew – a legendary Pokémon that is normally unavailable in the game without special events.
• Rare Pokémon – such as Chansey, which are difficult to find in normal gameplay.
• Starter Pokémon – all three starter Pokémon can be caught without having to trade.

2. Ditto Method

An advanced technique is the so-called “Ditto Method,” which gives even more control over which Pokémon can be encountered:

• The player must have a Pokémon with a specific Special stat value.
• Then, encounter a wild Ditto and allow it to use its Transform move.
• After defeating Ditto, its copied Special value will be used to determine the next Pokémon in the glitch.

For example, if the player’s Pokémon has a Special stat of 40 and Ditto copies that stat, a Chansey (whose internal code is 40) will appear after performing the Trainer Fly Glitch.

3. Controlling a Pokémon’s Level

The level that appears as a result of the glitch can be controlled by modifying the Attack stat of the last Pokémon defeated:

• Using the move Growl six times lowers the Attack stat modifier to -6, resulting in the Pokémon appearing at level 1.
• Different Attack modifier values ​​(from -6 to +6, internally represented as numbers 1 to 13) correspond to different levels.

4. Accessing Hidden Content

The glitch also allows access to hidden or deleted game content:

• Professor Oak Battle – By manipulating stat values, you can trigger a battle with Professor Oak, who is programmed into the game but normally unavailable.
• Other Deleted Battles – Access to other Trainers who were removed from the final version of the game.

5. Safari Zone Glitch

• An additional technique is to use the Safari Zone glitch in conjunction with the Trainer Fly Glitch:
• The player can initiate a battle with a member of the Elite Four.
• After the battle, the Safari Zone step counter will be active outside the Safari Zone.
• After taking 500 steps, the player will be transported back to the Safari Zone.
• From there, the player can return to the location where the Trainer Fly Glitch was initiated to encounter the desired Pokémon.

Cultural Significance

The Trainer Fly Glitch is considered one of the most groundbreaking glitches in Pokémon game history. Its discovery and documentation by Imakuni changed the way players approached exploring glitches in games. This glitch became a fundamental element of speedruns, challenges, and exploration of the boundaries of first-generation Pokémon games.

Imakuni’s 2004 paper is considered a milestone in the study of Pokémon glitches, and its detailed analysis helped the gaming community better understand the inner workings of Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow.