Where To Get TM09 Psych Up in Pokémon Crystal

The only way to obtain TM09 Psych Up in Pokémon Crystal is to trade over an Abra through the Time Machine. Just send an Abra from Pokémon Red, Blue, or Yellow, and it should get to Pokémon Crystal with TM09 in hand.

You’ll find a Time Machine on the second floor of any Pokémon Center after first talking to Bill about Time Machines in Ecruteak City’s Pokémon Center.

Prerequisites

Other than catching an Abra in Pokémon Red, Blue, or Yellow, you also need to unlock the Time Machine in Pokémon Crystal.

To do this, visit the Pokémon Center in Ecruteak City about halfway through the game.

Bill will tell you that he just set up the Time Machine. Then you’ll just have to wait one day.

Next time you visit any Pokémon Center, you’ll find a functional Time Machine all the way to the right of the second floor.

Getting TM09 Psych Up (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: Connect your Pokémon Crystal game to a Pokémon R/B/Y game where you have unlocked the Time Capsule and have an Abra in your party.

Here’s how that works, depending on what platform you’re playing on:

• Game Boy / GBC: Connect both handhelds with a Nintendo Game Link Cable.
• Game Boy Advance: Connect both handhelds with a GBA Link Cable.
• 3DS: Virtual Console versions of Pokémon R/B/Y and Pokémon G/S/C can link up over the 3DS’s local wireless connection.

Note: Some emulator software allows you to do this as well. Well-known GBC/GBA emulator mGBA offers a built-in multiplayer option that makes it easy.

Step 2: Go into a Pokémon Center and climb the stairs to the second floor to find the Time Capsule.

The Time Capsule is on the rightmost end of the room in Crystal.

In Pokémon R/B/Y, it’s just the regular trade area on the first floor of any Pokémon Center.

Step 3: Talk to the Time Capsule NPC simultaneously in both games.

Save your game when prompted, then choose “Trading Center” when given the option.

Note: Make sure you don’t have any Gen II Pokémon, Moves, or Items in your Pokémon Crystal party, or you’ll be turned away.

Step 4: Face the table in the middle of the room and press A (in both games) to start the trade.

Step 5: Choose the Pokémon you’ll trade in both games and watch the cutscene.

Step 6: Leave the Time Capsule and check your Pokémon party in Crystal. The Abra you just received should be holding something.

Choose the Pokémon and take its held item to retrieve TM09 Psych Up.

TM09 Psych Up Details + Uses

Psych Up is an unusual move that resets whatever stat changes you may have suffered and replaces them with your opponent’s.

So if your Defense has been lowered by Screech and your opponent becomes faster with Agility, you can use Psych Up to shed the Defense debuff and receive higher Speed.

Tip: Make sure your opponent has had some stat changes before using Psych Up, or it will fail and you will have wasted a turn.

If your opponent has been setting themselves up with buffs, Psych Up can balance the battle for you.

Despite being a Normal-type move, most Psychic-type Pokémon will learn this move by leveling up. But here are some of my favorite Pokémon that actually need the TM to learn Psych Up:

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Nelson Chitty

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Nelson Chitty is a Venezuelan expat living in Argentina. He’s a writer and translator passionate about history and foreign cultures. His ideal weekend is spent between leisurely playing games of Civilization VI and looking for the next seinen anime to marathon.

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