Where To Get Oval Stones in Pokémon HGSS

Standing on Route 15 where you can get an Oval Stone gift (HGSS)

The soonest you can get an Oval Stone is from the Bug-Catching Contest, or as a phone call gift from NPC Twins Kay & Tia after you defeat them in battle on Route 15. But there are 4 total ways to get Oval Stones in HeartGold/SoulSilver.

And we’ve listed every method below in order of distance through the game:

All Oval Stone Locations
Method How Often?
1 A prize for winning the Bug-Catching Contest in Johto’s National Park, after unlocking the National Pokédex Repeatable
2 A phone call gift from Twins Kay & Tia on Route 15 Repeatable
3 Taken as a held item from wild Chansey (50% chance) Repeatable
4 On the ground in Rock Tunnel Once-only

Tip: The Oval Stone causes Happiny to evolve into Chansey. To make the stone work, you’ll need to level up your Happiny during the day time while it’s holding the Oval Stone. You’ll need a new Oval Stone for each Happiny you want to evolve this way.

In the sections below, we’ll run you through each method you can use for acquiring the elusive Oval Stone.

Method 1: Winning The Bug-Catching Contest After Unlocking The National Pokédex

The easiest way to farm Oval Stones becomes available immediately after beating the Elite Four for the first time and picking up your National Pokédex from Professor Oak in Olivine City.

Once your Pokédex has been upgraded, the Bug-Catching Contest will award a random evolution stone to the highest-scoring contestant. Oval Stones are among the possible prizes.

To compete, head to the National Park at the top of Route 35 on a Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday.

The entrance to the National Park on Route 35 / Pokemon HGSS
The entrance to the National Park on Route 35

Once inside, speak to the attendant to the left of the door.

The Bug-Catching Contest attendant / Pokemon HGSS
The Bug-Catching Contest attendant

Accept his invitation to join the contest. You now have 20 minutes to catch the most impressive Bug-type Pokémon and earn the most points to win.

Tip: If you want more details on this contest then check out our complete guide to HGSS’ Bug-Catching Contest, with full rules plus tips to win.

Points are calculated by looking at:

  • The rarity of the Pokémon
  • The Pokémon’s level
  • The percentage of HP the Pokémon has left when caught (the higher, the better)
  • The Pokémon’s hidden IV stats

Scyther and Pinsir are the rarest Pokémon, worth the most points. To stand the best chance of winning, aim to catch one of the two at Level 28 while dealing the lowest possible amount of damage to it first.

Bring a Pokémon that can inflict a non-damaging status condition (Paralysis or Sleep) to make things easier.

A wild Pinsir in the Bug-Catching Contest / Pokemon HGSS
A wild Pinsir in the Bug-Catching Contest

Once you’ve caught an impressive specimen, talk to the attendant again. The judging will now begin.

The Bug-Catching Contest contestants gathered for the judging ceremony / Pokemon HGSS
The Bug-Catching Contest contestants gathered for the judging ceremony

If you succeeded in coming 1st, you’ll receive a random evolution stone as your reward.

The possible rewards include:

  • Oval Stones
  • Dawn Stones
  • Thunderstones
  • Leaf Stones
  • Water Stones
  • Fire Stones
  • Sun Stones
  • Moon Stones
  • Shiny Stones
  • Dusk Stones

So you may have to win a few contests before getting the prize you seek.

Luckily, you can play three times each week.

Method 2: Stealing Oval Stones from Wild Chansey

Another way to get as many Oval Stones as you like is to steal them from wild Chansey.

Unfortunately, Chansey are some of the rarer Pokémon in HeartGold & SoulSilver, only appearing as 1% of the wild encounters on Routes 13, 14, 15, and the Meadow Area of the Safari Zone.

Route 14, one of the places where you can find a wild Chansey holding an Oval Stone / Pokemon HGSS
Route 14, one of the places where you can find a wild Chansey holding an Oval Stone

Thankfully, half of all wild Chansey hold an Oval Stone, so you shouldn’t have to find too many before you get hold of this item as well.

You can either catch Chansey to get the Oval Stone, or use Thief to steal their held items. The TM46 for Thief is found deep within Mahogany Town’s Team Rocket HQ.

If you want to make sure you get an Oval Stone when you find your first Chansey, there’s a little-known tip to make the job easier. This will also increase your chances of finding the prized Lucky Egg, which Chansey also hold 5% of the time.

Pokémon with the ability Compoundeyes double the chances of a wild Pokémon holding an item, if they’re in the front slot of your party. That takes the odds of an Oval Stone up 90% and a Lucky Egg up to 10%.

Venonat, Yanma, and Butterfree all get this ability.

A Yanma with the ability Compoundeyes / Pokemon HGSS
A Yanma with the ability Compoundeyes

Method 3: As a Gift from Twins Kay & Tia

Your next opportunity to snag an Oval Stone comes when you reach Fuchsia City. However, it may take quite a lot waiting/good fortune.

First, you need to find Twins Kay & Tia, defeat them in battle, and register their number in your Pokégear.

You’ll also need to bring a Pokémon with Cut along with you.

Once you’re at Fuchsia City, take the east exit onto Route 15.

The start of Route 15, as seen after leaving Fuchsia City's east gate / Pokemon HGSS
The start of Route 15, as seen after leaving Fuchsia City’s east gate

Now, follow the path further east until you see a Cut-able tree to your north. Chop it down.

The Cut-able tree on Route 15 / Pokemon HGSS
The Cut-able tree on Route 15

Now walk up, then turn left and follow this path going to the west.

Before long, you should come across Twins Kay & Tia. Defeat them in battle and register their number in your Pokégear.

Twins Kay & Tia offering their number after being defeated in battle / Pokemon HGSS
Twins Kay & Tia offering their number after being defeated in battle

Now it’s just a matter of waiting.

Keep an eye on your Pokégear and accept whenever they call you. Sometimes they’ll just call to shoot the breeze – but eventually they’ll summon you to pick up an Oval Stone they’ve found.

You can receive multiple Oval Stones this way, so keep an eye on that Pokégear!

Method 4: The Oval Stone on the Ground in Rock Tunnel

The final Oval Stone location is just a short way inside Rock Tunnel.

However, you’ll need to have collected all 16 Gym Badges and be able to use Rock Climb to reach it. You’ll also need to bring a Pokémon with Flash along, if you want to see inside the cave.

Once you’ve got them, Fly to Lavender Town and take the north exit onto Route 10.

The north exit of Lavender Town onto Route 10 / Pokemon HGSS
The north exit of Lavender Town onto Route 10

On Route 10, climb the stairs directly in front of you and follow the path round to the north west.

Before long, you’ll see a cave entrance to Rock Tunnel. Head inside.

The entrance to Rock Tunnel on Route 10 / Pokemon HGSS
The entrance to Rock Tunnel on Route 10

Once you’re inside, light up the cave with Flash and take the first left turn.

The first left turn inside Rock Tunnel / Pokemon HGSS
The first left turn inside Rock Tunnel

Follow this passageway for a short while, then climb down the ladder.

On the floor below, head to the east until you see a long Rock Climb spot heading downward.

The Rock Climb spot one floor below ground in Rock Tunnel / Pokemon HGSS
The Rock Climb spot one floor below ground in Rock Tunnel

At the bottom, you’ll see a Pokéball to your left. It contains your Oval Stone.

The location of the Oval Stone inside Rock Tunnel / Pokemon HGSS
The location of the Oval Stone inside Rock Tunnel

Louie Neale

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Full-time freelance copywriter and long-time Pokémon trainer, currently rediscovering my childhood love for the classic games by bringing you all the info you need.

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