Pokémon (video game series)

Pokémon (video game series)

Pokémon is a series of video games developed by Game Freak and Creatures Inc. and published by Nintendo as part of the Pokémon media franchise. First released in 1996 in Japan for the Game Boy, the main series of role-playing video games (RPGs) has continued on each generation of Nintendo's handhelds. Games are commonly released in pairs—each with slight variations—and then an enhanced remake of the games is released a few years after the original releases. While the main series consists of role-playing games, spinoffs encompass other genres, such as action role-playing, puzzle, anddigital pet games. As of February 2016, more than 279 million units have been sold worldwide, more than 200 million of which from the main series, making it the second best-selling video game franchise, behind only Nintendo's own Mariofranchise. The franchise's mascot is Pikachu.

List of Pokémon video games

Title	Details
Pokémon Red, Green, and Blue Original release dates: JP: February 27, 1996 NA: September 28, 1998 EU: October 5, 1999 AUS: October 23, 1998	Release years by system: 1996 – Game Boy 2016 – 3DS Virtual Console
	Notes: Known in Japan as Poketto Monsutā Aka (ポケットモンスター 赤, lit. "Pocket Monsters Red") and Poketto Monsutā Ao(ポケットモンスター 青, lit. "Pocket Monsters Blue") respectively. The first titles in the Pokémon series. Red and Green were sold first in Japan, with Blue released a few months later with updated graphics and dialogue. The American releases were Blue and Red, featuring the Pokémon distribution of Japanese Red and Green, and the updates from the Japanese Blue. The three games combined have sold more than any other Game Boy game. Enhanced remakes of Red and Green, called Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, were released in 2004 for Game Boy Advance. Red and Blue were re-released on Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console in 2016.
Pokémon Yellow: Special Pikachu Edition Original release dates: JP: September 12, 1998 NA: October 18, 1999 AUS: September 3, 1999 EU: June 16, 2000	Release years by system: 1998 – Game Boy Color 2016 – 3DS Virtual Console
	Notes: Known in Japan as Poketto Monsutā Pikachū (ポケットモンスターピカチュウ?, lit. "Pocket Monsters Pikachu"). Unique because your main Pokémon (Pikachu) follows behind you, becoming the first Pokémon game to do so. Director's cut version of Pokémon Red and Blue. Packaged as a Game Boy title outside Japan, but is actually a Game Boy Color title in those regions. Yellow was re-released on Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console in 2016.
Pokémon Gold and Silver Original release dates: JP: November 21, 1999 AUS: October 13, 2000 NA: October 15, 2000 EU: April 6, 2001	Release years by system: 1999 – Game Boy Color
	Notes: Known in Japan as Poketto Monsutā Kin and Gin (ポケットモンスター 金・銀, lit. "Pocket Monsters Gold and Silver"). Introduced the second generation of Pokémon to video gaming. Used Game Boy cartridges but was packaged as Game Boy Color games. Enhanced remakes of Gold and Silver, called Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, were released in 2010 for Nintendo DS. The first Pokémon games released in South Korea, in 2002.
Pokémon Crystal Original release dates: JP: December 14, 2000 NA: July 29, 2001 AUS: September 30, 2001 EU: November 2, 2001	Release years by system: 2000 – Game Boy Color
	Notes: Known in Japan as Poketto Monsutā Kurisutaru (ポケットモンスター クリスタル, lit. "Pocket Monsters Crystal"). Director's cut version of Pokémon Gold and Silver. The first to introduce a female playable character.
Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire Original release dates: JP: November 21, 2002 NA: March 19, 2003 AUS: April 3, 2003 EU: July 25, 2003	Release years by system: 2002 – Game Boy Advance
	Notes: Known in Japan as Poketto Monsutā Rubī and Safaia (ポケットモンスター ルビー・サファイア, lit. "Pocket Monsters Ruby and Sapphire"). Two titles combined have sold more than any other Game Boy Advance game. Introduced the third generation of Pokémon. Enhanced remakes of Ruby and Sapphire, called Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, were released in 2014 for Nintendo 3DS.
Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen Original release dates: JP: January 29, 2004 NA: September 9, 2004 AUS: September 23, 2004 EU: October 1, 2004	Release years by system: 2004 – Game Boy Advance
	Notes: Known in Japan as Poketto Monsutā Faiareddo and Rīfugurīn (ポケットモンスター ファイアレッド・リーフグリーン. lit. "Pocket Monsters Firered and Leafgreen"). Enhanced remakes of Pokémon Red and Green.
Pokémon Emerald Original release dates: JP: September 16, 2004 NA: May 1, 2005 EU: October 21, 2005 AUS: June 9, 2005	Release years by system: 2004 – Game Boy Advance
	Notes: Director's cut version of Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire
Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Original release dates: JP: September 28, 2006 NA: April 22, 2007 EU: July 27, 2007 AUS: June 21, 2007	Release years by system: 2006 – Nintendo DS
	Notes: Known in Japan as Poketto Monsutā Daiamondo and Pāru (ポケットモンスター　ダイアモンド・パール , lit. "Pocket Monsters Diamond and Pearl"). Introduced the fourth generation of Pokémon.
Pokémon Platinum Original release dates: JP: September 13, 2008 NA: March 22, 2009 EU: May 22, 2009 AUS: May 14, 2009	Release years by system: 2008 – Nintendo DS
	Notes: Director's cut version of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl.
Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver Original release dates: JP: September 12, 2009 NA: March 14, 2010 EU: March 26, 2010 AUS: March 25, 2010	Release years by system: 2009 – Nintendo DS
	Notes: Known in Japan as Poketto Monsutā Hātogōrudo and Sōrushirubā (ポケットモンスター ハートゴールド・ソウルシルバー, lit. "Pocket Monsters Heartgold and Soulsilver"). Enhanced remakes of Pokémon Gold and Silver.
Pokémon Black and White Original release dates: JP: September 18, 2010 NA: March 6, 2011 EU: March 4, 2011 AUS: March 10, 2011	Release years by system: 2010 – Nintendo DS
	Notes: Known in Japan as Poketto Monsutā Burakku and Howaito (ポケットモンスターブラック・ホワイト, lit. "Pocket Monsters: Black and White") Introduced the fifth generation of Pokémon.
Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 Original release dates: JP: June 23, 2012 NA: October 7, 2012 EU: October 12, 2012 AUS: October 11, 2012	Release years by system: 2012 – Nintendo DS
	Notes: Sequels of Pokémon Black and White using the same world map with added locations and various changes two years later.
Pokémon X and Y Original release date: WW: October 12, 2013	Release years by system: 2013 – Nintendo 3DS
	Notes: Introduced the sixth generation of Pokémon. The first Pokémon games to have a worldwide simultaneous release. First games in the main RPG series to completely feature polygonal 3D graphics.
Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire Original release date: JP: November 21, 2014 NA: November 21, 2014 EU: November 28, 2014 AUS: November 21, 2014	Release years by system: 2014 – Nintendo 3DS
	Notes: Enhanced remakes of Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire.
Pokémon Sun and Moon Original release date: JP: November 18, 2016 NA: November 18, 2016 EU: November 23, 2016 AUS: November 18, 2016	Release years by system: 2016 – Nintendo 3DS
	Notes: Known in Japan as Poketto Monsutā San and Mūn (ポケットモンスターサン・ムーン, lit. "Pocket Monsters: Sun and Moon") Introduced the seventh generation of Pokémon.

One of the consistent aspects of most "Pokémon" games—spanning from Pokémon Red and Blue on the Game Boy to the Nintendo 3DS games Pokémon Sun and Moon—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. 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; unique to Pokémon Yellow, the three starter Pokémon from Red and Blue can be obtained during the quest by a single player.

Another consistent aspect is that the player's rival will always choose the type that has a type advantage over the player's chosen Pokémon as his or her starter Pokémon(excluding Sun and Moon). For instance, if the player picks the Fire-type Charmander, the rival will always pick the Water-type Squirtle. This does not affect the first battle between the rivals, as they can only use Normal-type attacks at this point, meaning that they cannot exploit weaknesses. The exception to this is again Pokémon Yellow, in which the rival picks Eevee, a Normal-type Pokémon with multiple evolutions. Sun and Moon also is an exception is this rule, as the rival picks the starter weak toward the player's starter, with the Pokémon that has the type advantage going to a trainer in the Champion battle.

However, in Pokémon Black and White, there are two rivals; one picks the Pokémon with a type advantage over the player's chosen Pokémon, while the other chooses the Pokémon with the type disadvantage. In Pokémon Diamond, Pearl and Platinum, another Trainer chooses the Pokémon with a type disadvantage to the player's chosen Pokémon, but never battles the player; instead, this character battles alongside the player as a tag partner in certain situations.

The situation is similar in Pokémon X and Y, but there are four rivals. Two of them receive the starter Pokémon in an arrangement similar to Pokémon Black and White, but the other two have completely different Pokémon.