For fun, here's my thoughts of each of these in-game trades in Pokemon Yellow: Clefairy for Mr. Mime: Given this is the only way to get Mr. Mime, and Clefairy isn't too hard to find, this isn't a bad deal. Mr. Mime isn't the best, but he's decent. Cubone for Machoke: I guess this one would be the most interesting one to me since it does give you a Pokemon that you normally can't get on your own. Though I don't usually use it since Machamp isn't all that great in Gen 1. I usually use Snorlax for a physical attacker. (At least Everstone wasn't a thing yet!) Lickitung for Dugtrio: If this was reverse I'd see some point to it I guess since at least getting Dugtrio isn't that hard. But this one is possibly the most pointless trade in the game. You can only get Lickitung in Cerulean cave and by that point in the game, if you really want a Dugtrio, you likely already raised one much stronger than the one you get from this trade. Tangela for Parasect: Would have been more useful in Red and Blue than Yellow. In those games you can find Tangela easily in Route 21. In Yellow though, it's only in the Safari Zone. So is Parasect and it has a better encounter rate than Tangela. But I mean, Parasect is a better Pokemon than Tangela. (Not saying much though) Golduck for Rhydon: Rhyhorn can be a pain to evolve so this can be useful. Especially if you get lucky and find a Golduck on route 6. Still, I like this trade. Growlithe for Dewgon: Kind of pointless since you can find a Dewgon by just going to Seafoam Island, but Growlithes aren't that hard to find so it's whatever. Kangaskan for Muk: Another example of it would have been better if this was reversed. At least then you can spare yourself the trouble of finding a Kangaskan in the Safari Zone. You can easily get a Muk right in the Pokemon mansion. Maybe if this was for a Weezing it could have worked a bit better since then it would give you something you can't get in the wild but honestly, another pointless trade. Overall, it's not bad, but could have been better. Japaneses Blue version easily has the best in-game trades of Gen 1 though.
Thanks for your deep analysis! I'm agree with you in all the trades. In general, I think trades in Pokémon games should be focused on getting exclusives Pokémon that aren't in the wild (such as Mr. Mime in this game), or to get those Pokémon that can be a bit harder to get in the wild. For me, I find a little useless trades like Kangaskhan-Muk or Growlithe-Dewgong, and were some of these trades I didn't do when I was a child. And as for Japanese Blue version, only for letting us to get Gengar and Golem without trading IRL, for me it also has the best in-game trades in Gen 1.
For fun, here's my thoughts of each of these in-game trades in Pokemon Yellow:
Clefairy for Mr. Mime: Given this is the only way to get Mr. Mime, and Clefairy isn't too hard to find, this isn't a bad deal. Mr. Mime isn't the best, but he's decent.
Cubone for Machoke: I guess this one would be the most interesting one to me since it does give you a Pokemon that you normally can't get on your own. Though I don't usually use it since Machamp isn't all that great in Gen 1. I usually use Snorlax for a physical attacker. (At least Everstone wasn't a thing yet!)
Lickitung for Dugtrio: If this was reverse I'd see some point to it I guess since at least getting Dugtrio isn't that hard. But this one is possibly the most pointless trade in the game. You can only get Lickitung in Cerulean cave and by that point in the game, if you really want a Dugtrio, you likely already raised one much stronger than the one you get from this trade.
Tangela for Parasect: Would have been more useful in Red and Blue than Yellow. In those games you can find Tangela easily in Route 21. In Yellow though, it's only in the Safari Zone. So is Parasect and it has a better encounter rate than Tangela. But I mean, Parasect is a better Pokemon than Tangela. (Not saying much though)
Golduck for Rhydon: Rhyhorn can be a pain to evolve so this can be useful. Especially if you get lucky and find a Golduck on route 6. Still, I like this trade.
Growlithe for Dewgon: Kind of pointless since you can find a Dewgon by just going to Seafoam Island, but Growlithes aren't that hard to find so it's whatever.
Kangaskan for Muk: Another example of it would have been better if this was reversed. At least then you can spare yourself the trouble of finding a Kangaskan in the Safari Zone. You can easily get a Muk right in the Pokemon mansion. Maybe if this was for a Weezing it could have worked a bit better since then it would give you something you can't get in the wild but honestly, another pointless trade.
Overall, it's not bad, but could have been better. Japaneses Blue version easily has the best in-game trades of Gen 1 though.
Thanks for your deep analysis! I'm agree with you in all the trades. In general, I think trades in Pokémon games should be focused on getting exclusives Pokémon that aren't in the wild (such as Mr. Mime in this game), or to get those Pokémon that can be a bit harder to get in the wild. For me, I find a little useless trades like Kangaskhan-Muk or Growlithe-Dewgong, and were some of these trades I didn't do when I was a child. And as for Japanese Blue version, only for letting us to get Gengar and Golem without trading IRL, for me it also has the best in-game trades in Gen 1.