Pokémon video game series

This article is about the video games. See Pokémon for an overview of the franchise.

The Pokémon video game series is a role-playing game franchise from Nintendo. The series as a whole has sold millions of games and ranks as the second best-selling video game franchise of all-time. The series is unusual in that games are commonly released in pairs, each with slight variations. First released in 1996 in Japan for the Game Boy, the franchise has continued with at least two new games for each Game Boy generation. Nintendo recently stated that the Pokémon franchise has sold over 169 million units.^[1]

Generations

The original Pokémon games were Japanese RPGs with an element of strategy, and were created by Satoshi Tajiri for the Game Boy. These role-playing games, and their sequels, remakes, and English language translations, are still considered the "main" Pokémon games, and the games which most fans of the series are familiar with. All of the licensed Pokémon properties overseen by The Pokémon Company are divided roughly by generation. These generations are roughly chronological divisions by release; every several years, when an official sequel in the main RPG series is released that features new Pokémon, characters, and gameplay concepts, that sequel is considered the start of a new generation of the franchise. The main games and their spin-offs, the anime, the manga, and the trading card game are all updated with the new Pokémon properties each time a new generation begins. The franchise is currently in its fourth generation.

A level 5 Bulbasaur involved in a battle with a level 5 Charmander in Pokémon Red and Blue.^[2]

The Pokémon franchise started off in its first generation with its initial release of Pocket Monsters Aka and Midori for the Game Boy in Japan. When these games proved extremely popular, an enhanced Ao version was released sometime after, and the Ao version was reprogrammed as Pokémon Red and Blue for international release. The games launched in the United States on September 30, 1998. The original Red and Green versions were never released outside of Japan.^[3] Afterwards, a further enhanced remake titled Pokémon Yellow was released to partially take advantage of the color palette of the Game Boy Color, as well as to feature more of a stylistic resemblance to the popular Pokémon anime. This first generation of games introduced the original 151 species of Pokémon (in National Pokédex order, encompassing all Pokémon from Bulbasaur to Mew), as well as the basic game concepts of capturing, training, battling, and trading Pokémon with both computer and human players. These versions of the games take place within the fictional Kanto region, though the name "Kanto" was not used until the second generation. Spin-off first-generation titles include Pokémon Pinball, an adaption of the Pokémon Trading Card Game for Game Boy Color, an on-rails photography simulator for Nintendo 64 titled Pokémon Snap, a Nintendo 64 Pokémon-themed adaption of Tetris Attack named Pokémon Puzzle League, a 3D Nintendo 64 incarnation of the handheld RPGs' battle system named Pokémon Stadium, and a co-starring role for several species in the Nintendo 64 fighting game Super Smash Bros.^[4]

Screenshot of Pokémon Crystal, portraying a player's Level 18 Croconaw battling a Level 13 Snubbull.

The second generation of Pokémon began in 2000 with the release of Pokémon Gold and Silver for Game Boy Color. Like the previous generation, an enhanced remake titled Pokémon Crystal was later released. It introduced 100 new species of Pokémon (starting with Chikorita and ending with Celebi), for a total of 251 Pokémon to collect, train, and battle. New gameplay features include a day-and-night system (reflecting the time of the day in the real world) which influences events in the game; full utilization of the Game Boy Color's color palette; an improved interface and upgraded inventory system; better balance in the collection of Pokémon and their moves, statistics, and equippable items (a new addition); Pokémon breeding;, a new region named Johto and the new version difference, which gender the starter Pokemon would be. Unique to the second generation games is the fact that, after exploring Johto, the player can enter and explore the original Kanto region, which lies to the east of Johto. Spin-off second-generation titles include the Game Boy Color adaption of Pokémon Puzzle League named Pokémon Puzzle Challenge, a Nintendo 64 pet simulator named Hey you, Pikachu!, the Pokémon Stadium sequel Pokémon Stadium 2 for Nintendo 64, several Pokémon mini-games for the e-Reader, and a co-starring role for many species in the Super Smash Bros. sequel Super Smash Bros. Melee for Nintendo Gamecube.^[5] The Pokémon mini was a handheld game console released in December 2001 in Japan and then later in 2002 in Europe and North America.

A Pokémon Emerald screenshot featuring an enemy Pupitar and Solrock fighting in a double battle against a player's Aggron and Smeargle.

Pokémon entered its third generation with the 2003 release of Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire for Game Boy Advance and continued with the Game Boy Advance remakes of Pokémon Red and Blue, Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, and an enhanced remake of Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire titled Pokémon Emerald. The third generation introduced 135 new Pokémon (starting with Treecko and ending with Deoxys) for a total of 386 species. It also features a much more visually detailed environment compared to previous games, a new 2-on-2 Pokémon battling mechanic, a special ability system applying to each Pokémon in battle, the Pokémon Contest sub-game, and the new region of Hoenn. However, this generation also garnered some criticism for leaving out several gameplay features, including the day-and-night system introduced in the previous generation, and it was also the first installment that encouraged the player to collect merely a selected assortment of the total number of Pokémon rather than every existing species (202 out of 386 species are catchable in the Ruby and Sapphire versions). Third-generation spin-off titles include Pokémon Pinball: Ruby and Sapphire for Game Boy Advance; Pokémon Mystery Dungeon for Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS; Pokémon Dash, Pokémon Trozei! and Pokémon Ranger for Nintendo DS; Pokémon Channel and Pokémon Box for Nintendo GameCube; and a separate RPG series for Nintendo GameCube, consisting of the games Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness. In 2006, Japan began the fourth generation of the franchise with the release of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl for Nintendo DS. The games were subsequently released in North America on April 22, 2007 and in Australia on June 21, 2007. The game was then later released in the UK and Europe on July 27, 2007^[6] The fourth generation introduces another 107 new species of Pokémon (starting with Turtwig and ending with Arceus), bringing the current total of Pokémon species to 493. New gameplay concepts include a restructured move-classification system, online multiplayer trading and battling via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, the return (and expansion) of the second generation's day-and-night system, the expansion of the third generation's Pokémon Contests into "Super Contests," and the new region of Sinnoh, which has an underground component for multiplayer gameplay in addition to the main overworld. Currently, spin-off titles in the fourth generation include the Pokémon Stadium follow-up Pokémon Battle Revolution for Wii (which will have Wi-Fi connectivity as well^[7]) and a confirmed co-starring role for Pikachu and a Pokémon Trainer (who uses several Pokémon for fighting) in the 2008 Wii fighter Super Smash Bros. Brawl.^[8]

Game mechanics

Main article: Pokémon game mechanics

Starter Pokémon

One of the consistent aspects of most Pokémon games – spanning from Pokémon Red and Blue on the Nintendo Game Boy to the Nintendo DS game, Pokémon Diamond and Pearl – is the choice of one of three different Pokémon at the start of the player's adventures; these three are often labeled "starter Pokémon." Players can choose a Grass-type, a Fire-type, or a Water-type, Pokémon indigenous to that particular region.^[9] For example, in Pokémon Red and Blue, the player has the choice of starting with Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle. The exception to this rule is Pokémon Yellow, where players are given a Pikachu, an Electric-type mouse Pokémon, famous for being the mascot of the Pokémon media franchise; in this game, however, the three starter Pokémon from Red and Blue can be obtained during the quest by a single player, something that is not possible in any other installment of the franchise.^[10] Another consistent aspect is that the player's rival will always choose as his or her starter Pokémon the one that has a type advantage over the player's Pokémon. For instance, if the player picks grass-type Bulbasaur, the rival will always pick fire-type Charmander. Of course, the exception to this is again Pokémon Yellow, in which the rival picks an Eevee, but whether this Eevee evolves into Jolteon, Vaporeon, or Flareon is decided by when the player wins and loses to the rival.

List of Pokémon games

Main article: List of Pokémon video games

Handheld game consoles

1st Generation (Game Boy)

• Pokémon Red, Pokémon Blue, and Pokémon Green (^JPN 1996)
• Pokémon Yellow (^JPN 1998)

2nd Generation (Game Boy Color)

• Pokémon Gold and Pokémon Silver (^JPN 1999)
• Pokémon Crystal (^JPN 2000)

3rd Generation (Game Boy Advance)

• Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Sapphire (^JPN 2002)
• Pokémon FireRed and Pokémon LeafGreen (^JPN 2004)
• Pokémon Emerald (^JPN 2004)

4th Generation (Nintendo DS)

• Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl (^JPN 2006)

Video game consoles

1st & 2nd Generations (Nintendo 64)

• Pokémon Stadium (^JPN 1999)
• Pokémon Stadium 2 (^JPN 2000)

3rd Generation (Nintendo GameCube)

• Pokémon Colosseum (^JPN 2003)
• Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness (^JPN 2005)

4th Generation (Wii)

• Pokémon Battle Revolution (^JPN 2006)

"Unobtainable" Pokémon

Mew, one of the unobtainable Pokémon

Four Pokémon, Mew, Celebi, Jirachi, and Deoxys, are extremely rare and were nearly impossible to get in the Game Boy Advance era. Pokémon Diamond and Pearl added three new extremely rare Pokémon, Darkrai, Shaymin, and Arceus. They are obtained by using the Mystery Gift function; in some cases, exploiting a glitch in the game itself; or directly from Nintendo at promotional events. These Pokémon can be illegitimately obtained by using a GameShark or similar cheating device like Action Replay. Players are not required to own these Pokémon, among others, in order to have a complete Pokédex.

• Mew can be found in the Red, Blue, and Yellow versions using the "Mew glitch". In addition, it is possible to get an Old Sea Chart in Pokémon Emerald at one of Nintendo's promotional events and use this to travel to Faraway Island (known as World's Edge Island in Japan), where Mew can be caught. On September 30, 2006, Mew was also given out at Toys "R" Us stores throughout the United States^[11] in recognition of the release of the new movie, Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew. A similar event at Toys "R" Us stores across Britain is also taking place this summer. Other than those four methods, there are no ways to obtain Mew without using a cheating device or obtaining it directly from Nintendo at promotional events (which are no longer ongoing in Japan). Several of these promotional events also took place in major shopping malls in Australia and the United States.
• Celebi can be found through the use of the GS ball (only obtainable in the Japanese version of Pokémon Crystal through a cell phone network service), which can be placed in a shrine in Ilex Forest to summon it, or by using a cheating device. It is also available in the Japanese Pokémon Colosseum bonus disc, which was available with pre-orders. For the Gold, Silver, and Crystal games, Celebi has been provided as a promotional Pokémon at special events, but it was not obtainable outside of Japan for the Game Boy Advance generation with the exception of a promotional 10th Pokémon Journey Across America.

Celebi sitting on the Ilex Forest Shrine

• Jirachi can only be obtained legitimately with the Pokémon Colosseum bonus disc (which was available with pre-orders) in North America, which allows a player to trade this Pokémon to the Ruby and Sapphire games. PAL region gamers can get it by finishing Pokémon Channel, after which Jirachi can be downloaded to the GBA games.
• Deoxys can be caught on Birth Island to the south of Kanto in the FireRed, LeafGreen, and Emerald versions, provided the player has an Aurora Ticket, which was a bonus for pre-ordering a ticket to see the 7th movie in Japan. In America, the ticket was given at Pokémon Rocks America 2004 and on Halloween 2004 at the former Pokémon Center. Europeans were able to find it by a promotion called "The Hunt for Deoxys." Nintendo of Europe gave out tickets to those who mailed their games in. Due to the universal encoding of a Game Boy Advance, American cartridges can receive Deoxys too. An event took place at the Houston Space Center that gave out Deoxys on March 10 through 19 of 2006. Deoxys was also given away to owners of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl as a bonus for pre-ordering a ticket to see the 10th Pokémon movie. This Deoxys came in the exclusive Cherish Ball and had a unique moveset.
• Ho-Oh and Lugia are also relatively unobtainable in FireRed, LeafGreen, and Emerald. The Pokémon can be caught on Navel Rock to the south of Kanto if the player has a Mystic Ticket, which can obtained by using Mystery Gift near a Joyspot. Mystic Tickets were also made available to US players at the Nintendo World grand opening in New York City on May 14, 2005. When Pokémon Colosseum was released, players could also catch Ho-Oh by Snagging and purifying all 48 Shadow Pokémon and then beating Mt. Battle with an in-game team. In Colosseum's sequel, Pokémon XD, Lugia is prominently featured and can be caught within the game, then can be traded to a GBA game after purification. Ho-Oh and Lugia were also among the top ten Pokémon given out in the European Pokémon 10th anniversary tour, held in 2006.

Other promotions

On Saturday, September 29, 2007, Toys 'R' Us around the United States were downloading Manaphy, probably to promote the newly released movie Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea. The Manaphy is carrying a Red Scarf, just like the one in the anime. Also, Manaphy is caught in a Cherish Ball and has an irregular moveset. Also in 2007, select Toys 'R' Us gave out Mew to anyone with FireRed, LeafGreen, or Emerald (if the player had received the National Pokédex). It is now popular on Diamond and Pearl Wi-Fi trades, due to the combination of transfers and the Emerald cloning glitch. Nintendo also produced modified versions of other, not so rare Pokémon to serve as promotional icons. One of these was a surfing Pikachu, which was originally available only through a Nintendo Power contest. However, it was later provided as an unlockable secret in Pokémon Stadium, Pokémon Box and Pokémon Battle Revolution. Similarly, for a short time in Japan, there was a giveaway providing flying Pikachu. Flying Pikachu were also given away at Journey Across America's New York City stop.

Codes and glitches

Glitch City, one of the most noted glitches in Pokemon Red and Blue

There are many different glitches that can be triggered in the Pokémon games, especially in the older Red, Blue, and Yellow versions^[12]. These glitches allow players to duplicate Pokémon or items, catch unobtainable Pokémon, and accomplish otherwise impossible feats. Additionally, a vast number of fake glitches and codes for the Pokémon games (again, especially for Red and Blue) exist. The creation of such codes is often used to trick credulous players into deleting their save file, releasing their Pokémon, or performing other supposed requirements. Many of these glitches involve the catching of unobtainable (entirely fake) Pokémon; in many cases, the credibility of such codes was increased by falsified screenshots from the in-game Pokédex. Essentially all of these codes have been proven false, and since then numbers of false glitches for later games have dropped significantly. This is probably a result of the relative stability of the later games' code, which is less susceptible to the glitches that were rampant in previous versions. One of the most popular glitches found in the early Pokémon games is Missingno, a strange Pokémon found on the coast of Cinnabar Island. The glitch is acsessable by talking to a man in Viridian City and then flying to Cinnabar Island. Then surf the coasts to find a Missingno.* It is apparently a missing variable in the percentile odds of catching certain Pokémon. If the player "catches" this glitch, it will distort many of the game's functions, although it will most likely not harm the save file. The Hall of Fame data, however, will be permanently glitched.

Cloning glitches have been uncovered in several games. These allow the player to duplicate Pokémon by following a series of steps. By some players, however, this is considered cheating. There is also the possibility of erasing the game file, with no way to recover it.

• -Only in Pokemon R/B/G/Y

Impact

A subculture exists which is devoted to the study of Pokémon battling and strategy, usually on research centers around Internet bulletin boards. As well, multiple methods of online Pokémon battling exist, such as linkable Game Boy emulators, an IRC channel based programs: GSBot and RSBot, as well as the independent program Pokémon Netbattle, and another program called Shoddy Battle.

References