Starting a fresh playthrough of Pokemon X and Y brings you back to the Kalos region, the sixth generation of the franchise and the first to introduce fully 3D character models and environments. If you are booting up the game for the first time or returning after a long break, you will notice that deleting an existing save file isn't as straightforward as clicking a single button on the main menu.
Unlike many modern titles, Game Freak built a specific button combination directly into the title screen to prevent accidental deletions of long-standing progress. Once you get past that initial hurdle, your journey begins in Vaniville Town, where you pick your starter, meet your new friends, and take your first steps toward challenging the Kalos Pokemon League.
How to Delete Your Save File and Start Over
If you bought a used cartridge or simply want a clean slate, you cannot start a brand new game while an old save file exists. The game will prompt you to continue your current adventure unless you manually wipe the data.
To delete your save file, boot up Pokemon X or Pokemon Y on your Nintendo 3DS. The moment you see the title screen featuring Xerneas or Yveltal, press and hold Up on the D-Pad, the B button, and the X button simultaneously. Keep holding all three buttons down until a confirmation prompt appears on the lower screen asking if you want to overwrite your saved data. Answer yes twice, and your old file will be completely erased, allowing you to begin anew.
Choosing Your Starter Pokemon
Shortly after arriving in Aquacorde Town, your neighbor and your new friends will invite you to a cafe. Here, you will receive your very first Pokemon partner from Professor Sycamore's aides. You must choose between three distinct types, and your choice will shape the early pacing of your adventure.
- Chespin: A Grass-type Pokemon that evolves into Chesnaught, a heavy-duty Grass and Fighting-type. Chespin boasts high physical defense and attack stats, making it a reliable physical wall as you progress through the middle chapters of the game.
- Fennekin: A Fire-type Pokemon that eventually evolves into Delphox, a Fire and Psychic-type. Fennekin excels in Special Attack and Speed, giving you quick offensive momentum against the early Bug and Grass-type trainers.
- Froakie: A Water-type Pokemon that culminates in Greninja, a Water and Dark-type. Froakie is widely considered a popular pick due to its high speed and versatility, especially when utilizing its hidden ability Protean in competitive formats or later playthroughs.
Your rival will automatically choose the starter that has a type advantage over the one you pick. If you choose Chespin, your rival takes Fennekin. If you choose Fennekin, your rival takes Froakie. If you choose Froakie, your rival takes Chespin. Plan your early team captures accordingly to cover these elemental gaps.
Mastering the Kalos Early Game
The early routes of Kalos feature a wide variety of familiar and brand-new Pokemon. Building a balanced team early on saves you from frustrating bottlenecks against gym leaders like Viola and Grant.
Catching a Diverse Early Team
Do not rely solely on your starter Pokemon. Route 2 and Santalune Forest are packed with useful early encounters. Catch a Fletchling on Route 2; it evolves into Talonflame, a Fire and Flying-type powerhouse with incredible speed. In Santalune Forest, you can find Pikachu and Pansage, Pansear, or Panpour, which help shore up elemental weaknesses.
Additionally, picking up a Bunnelby gives you a solid Normal-type early attacker with the Pickup ability, which occasionally yields free items as you walk around the region.
Understanding the Experience Share
Pokemon X and Y introduced a heavily revamped Exp. Point Power item early in the game, commonly known as the Exp. Share. When turned on in your bag, it distributes experience points to every member of your party after a battle, even if they did not participate.
While this drastically speeds up leveling and eliminates tedious grinding, it can make your team overleveled relative to the gym leaders and opposing trainers. If you want a more traditional, challenging difficulty curve, simply open your bag and toggle the Exp. Share off. If you prefer a streamlined playthrough that lets you rotate a large roster of Pokemon without falling behind, leave it on.
Essential Exploration Tips for Beginners
Kalos is a visually rich region inspired by France, filled with small details that reward thorough exploration. Keep these mechanics in mind as you journey from town to town:
- Talk to Every NPC: Non-player characters in houses and Pokemon Centers frequently hand out useful items, TMs, and occasionally free Pokemon. For example, visiting the fan club in Shalour City or talking to trainers in cafes often yields valuable battle items.
- Utilize Roller Skates: You receive Roller Skates very early in the game just outside the first gym town. By using the Circle Pad instead of the D-Pad, your character moves faster across towns and routes without needing a bicycle.
- Plant Berries Early: You will find mulch and berry trees on Route 7 and beyond. Planting berries regularly ensures you always have status-healing items and ingredients for Pokemon-Amie treats.
Utilizing Pokemon-Amie and Super Training
Gen 6 introduced two major touchscreen features on the Nintendo 3DS lower screen: Pokemon-Amie and Super Training.
Pokemon-Amie lets you feed, pet, and play mini-games with your party members. Raising your affection level through Amie grants tangible battle benefits, such as a higher chance of landing critical hits, surviving fatal hits with 1 HP, and evading incoming attacks.
Super Training allows you to bypass traditional stat-training grinds by playing soccer-style minigames on the touchscreen. This distributes Effort Values (EVs) directly to specific stats like Attack, Speed, or HP, allowing you to fine-tune your team's performance without deep mathematical calculations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I transfer my Pokemon from older games into X and Y?
Yes. You can use Pokemon Bank and the accompanying Poké Transporter application on the 3DS to move compatible Pokemon from older generation games like Pokemon Black and White directly into your copy of Pokemon X or Pokemon Y.
How do Mega Evolutions work?
Mega Evolution is a temporary transformation unlocked during the middle portion of the game in Shalour City. To trigger it, your Pokemon must hold its specific Mega Stone, and you must wear the Mega Bracelet. During battle, you can select the Mega Evolution option before choosing your move.
Are X and Y connected to any online features?
Nintendo officially shut down the Nintendo 3DS online services in April 2024. As a result, features relying on the Player Search System (PSS), global trading (GTS), and online battles are no longer functional natively on original hardware without fan-made DNS servers or local wireless connections.
What is the best way to earn money early on?
Battle every trainer you encounter on the routes and in cafes. You can also rematch certain hotel staff and use O-Powers like Bargain Power or Prize Money Power once you unlock them to maximize your cash flow for pokeballs and potions.
