Search results
The games are the first Pokémon games to feature an entirely open-world experience as opposed to the partially open-world experience in previous Pokémon games such as Sword and Shield, and it also departed from the traditional gym mechanics and the elite four battles to opt for unique road quests. The games' improved multiplayer experience allowed for up to four players to travel together.
- Early Days
- Generation I
- Generation II
- Generation III
- Generation IV
- Generation V
- Generation Vi
- Generation VII
- Generation VIII
- Generation IX
With the help of Ken Sugimori and other friends, Tajiri formed Game Freak and much later the design studio known as Creatures. When Tajiri discovered the Game Boy and the Game Boy Game Link Cable, it gave him the image of insects traveling along the wire. Tajiri was also heavily influenced by the Ultraman fantasy television show, Ultra Seven, in wh...
Taking over Japan
The first Pokémon games, Pokémon Red and Green Versions, came to the Nintendo Game Boy system in Japan on February 27, 1996, which was the fulfillment of Satoshi Tajiri's dream and allowed people of all ages to catch, train and trade 151 creatures and become a Pokémon Master. Initially, the Pokémon games had modest sales. However, after players discovered Mew in the games, the magazine CoroCoro announced a "Legendary Pokémon Offer" to distribute Mew to twenty entrants. The contest received 78...
Conquering the world
Due to Pokémon's success in Japan, the series was released overseas. Before the games were released in North America, the localization team attempted to change the Pokémon designs, fearing that the cute designs would not appeal to western gamers; however, the proposal was refused. On the other hand, Nintendo originally did not intend to allow for localized Pokémon names (due to having to register more trademarks), but were eventually convinced by the French translation team to do so. North Am...
Expanding to spin-offs
On December 18, 1998 a Game Boy game based on the TCG was released, later arriving in North America on April 10, 2000. It was followed, only in Japan, a year later by a sequel titled Pokémon Trading Card Game 2: The Invasion of Team GR!. The animated series, as well as Pokémon Yellow, marked Pikachu as the most popular and recognized creatures in Pokémon history, turning it into the franchise's mascot. This led to a small spin-off game called Hey You, Pikachu!, which was released in Japan on...
Winds of new beginnings
Almost since the very beginning of the series, it had been apparent that the first 151 Pokémon would not be the last. Ho-Oh was seen as early as the first episode of the animated series, Togepi was owned by a main character, and others like Marill, Snubbull, and Donphan were seen in the first movie. Later, when the second generation of Pokémon was drawing nearer, others like Lugia, Slowking, and Elekid made their way to the second movie. On November 21, 1999, Nintendo of Japan released Gold a...
Animated series and manga in GS
On December 30, 2000, the first feature-length special of the Pokémon animated series was released in Japan as a sequel to Mewtwo Strikes Back, titled Mewtwo Returns. It was later released on DVD in the United States on December 5, 2001. In June 2000, a manga series by Muneo Saitō titled Pokémon Gold & Silver: The Golden Boys was published in Japan. This manga followed the plot of the Generation II games, before abruptly ending after three volumes with very little resolution. Another new mang...
Advancing to a new age
In July 2001 an episode of the animated series aired in Japan featuring a Pokémon never previously seen - Kecleon. Soon, Kecleon and others like Wynaut, Azurill, Duskull, and Volbeat showed up in theaters in two Pikachu shorts while Wailmer, Latias, and Latios were featured in the fifth Pokémon movie. During the Silver Conference Ash battled Harrison, a Trainer from Littleroot Town in Hoenn. Professor Birch, along with other Pokémon, made a cameo in Johto Photo Finish. Through this, it became...
More spin-offs
To solve the problem of limited Pokémon storage in the continuously growing Pokémon world, Pokémon Box Ruby & Sapphirewas released May 30, 2003 in Japan, July 11, 2004 in North America, allowing Trainers to store up to 1,500 Pokémon from their Generation III games. A small spin-off game named Pokémon Channel for GameCube was released in Japan on July 13, 2003. It focused on a TV-broadcasting network airing a variety of Pokémon programs, with the player playing the role of the test audience. T...
Back to Kanto and onward to the Battle Frontier
On January 29, 2004, two new games were released in Japan: Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen. They arrived in North America on September 9, 2004, and were remakes of Pokémon Red and Green which brought the games up to Generation III standards, as well as adding wireless connectivity (through a wireless adapter for the Game Boy Advance) and a new region — the Sevii Islands. These games also gave the event Pokémon Deoxys two additional forms, which could only be obtained by moving Deoxys to a FireR...
Sinnoh arrives
Just like with Kecleon in Generation III, the public learned of Generation IV through a new Pokémon — Munchlax — in May 2004. Munchlax was soon featured in Pokémon Dash, as well as the seventh movie and later the main animated series. Others such as Lucario, Bonsly, Mime Jr., and Weavile then made their way to the eighth movie, and Mantyke, Buizel, and Chatot appeared in the ninth, which featured Manaphy — a new Mythical Pokémon that even became obtainable in Pokémon Ranger. Diamond and Pearl...
New sequels
On December 14, 2006, two weeks after the launch of Nintendo's Wii console, Generation IV Pokémon turned 3D in the form of Pokémon Battle Revolution. It was released in the United States on June 25, 2007. Several manga series were written for the fourth generation. The first volume of Pocket Monsters DP, the new sequel of Pokémon Pocket Monsters and Pokémon Ruby-Sapphire, was published in Japan on January 26, 2007. One month later, on February 27, Shigekatsu Ihara's Pokémon Diamond and Pearl...
Johto's Heart and Soul
Ever since the Generation III remakes for the incompatible Generation I Red and Green games, Pokémon fans have widely speculated that remakes of the Generation II Pokémon games, Gold and Silver, would be made for Nintendo DS. Indeed, the paired remakes, titled HeartGold and SoulSilver, were eventually released in Japan on September 12, 2009, and were released in the United States on March 14, 2010. The games were referred to in the animated series in an episode that featured the counterpart o...
A fresh start
On February 7, 2010, Pokémon Sunday revealed a new Pokémon: Zoroark. Generation V was dawning, and it quickly became clear that even though the new games, Pokémon Black and White, would again be on the Nintendo DS platform, everything about them would be quite new. In an unexpected move, Nintendo revealed that no old Pokémon would be available in the games until the main storyline had been completed, effectively giving both new and old Trainers in Unova, a region based on the New York City me...
It's a second step into Unova
It was always anticipated that Black and White would eventually get a third version, as past generations have. Many assumed it would be called "Pokémon Grey Version". However, this time there would be sequels, and with a different plot altogether. Sequels to Black and White, Pokémon Black and White Versions 2, were released to Japan in June 2012 and came to North America, Europe and Australia in October 2012. The games feature two new forms of Kyurem, called Black Kyurem (Japanese: ブラックキュレム)...
The next evolution
On January 8, 2013, Nintendo simultaneously announced to the world that a new generation of Pokémon will be coming to the world through a special edition of Nintendo Direct, called Pokémon Direct. Pokémon X and Y, the first games in Generation VI, were revealed and were released worldwide on October 12, 2013. These two games introduced several new Pokémon, and the Pokémon series took a new leap into the 3D world on the Nintendo 3DS. The concept of Mega Evolution was also introduced. During th...
Welcome back to Hoenn
Just like the Generation III remakes for the incompatible Generation I Red and Green games and the Generation IV remakes for the incompatible Generation II Gold and Silver games, Pokémon fans have widely speculated that remakes of the Generation III Pokémon games, Ruby and Sapphire, would be made for Nintendo 3DS. Indeed, the paired remakes, titled Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, were revealed in a worldwide announcement on the official Pokémon websites on May 7, 2014 and were eventually relea...
Twenty years of Pokémon
2016 officially marked the 20th anniversary of Pokémon, and it was celebrated with a re-release of the original Generation I core series games on the Nintendo 3DS's Virtual Consoleworldwide. These games were released on February 27, 2016, coinciding with Red and Green's original release date in Japan in 1996. In addition, there were further celebrations of the occasion throughout the year, such as rare Pokémon distributions and retail events.
Seven's a lucky number
The seventh generation of Pokémon was announced on February 27, 2016, the franchise's 20th anniversary with the new games Pokémon Sun and Moonand was released on November 18, 2016. As with the previous four series, a new series, Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon, began with Ash Ketchum headed off to the new region with his Pikachu. His previous companions, Clemont, Bonnie and Serena, have left the series. Ash Ketchum heads off to a new region, Alola, wearing a new set of clothes with his partner...
A New Light Shines on Alola
Two follow-up games, Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, were announced during a Nintendo Direct presentation on June 6, 2017. The games were released exclusively on the Nintendo 3DS on November 17, 2017, featuring an alternate storyline set in Sun and Moon's world, and will feature new Pokémon not available in the original games.
Let's GO Back to Kanto Again with Pikachu and Eevee
On May 30, 2018, it was announced that two new Pokémon games in the main Pokémon franchise, Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, were going to be released on November 16, 2018. They are the first installments of the main Pokémon RPG series for Nintendo Switch and are inspired by Pokémon Yellowwith gameplay mechanics borrowed from Pokémon GO.
Forge a path to greatness
The eighth generation of Pokémon was announced with the reveal of Pokémon Sword and Shield on February 27, 2019. These games were released internationally on November 15, 2019. Fewer Pokémon were revealed prior to the game's release compared to other generations to increase anticipation. These games introduced the Dynamaxing and Gigantamaxing features, while abandoning the Mega Evolution and Z-Move features introduced in previous generations. The games became the fastest selling Nintendo Swit...
Twenty-five years worth of memories
2021 was officially designated as the 25th anniversary of Pokémon, similarly to past celebrations in 2006 and 2016. In addition to several pieces of special merchandise, a music album featuring celebrity singers such as Katy Perrywas announced in January.
Sinnoh Is Brilliant & Shiny
On February 26, 2021, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, remakes of the Generation IV games Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, were announced on that day's Pokémon Presents and released on November 19, 2021. Pokémon Legends: Arceus, a title set in an earlier part of Sinnoh's history when it was known as Hisui, was also announced during same Pokémon Presents and released on January 28, 2022. The title notably focuses on catching Pokémon for research and is a purely single-player experience.
Yet another world to treasure
The ninth generation of Pokémon was announced with the reveal of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet on February 27, 2022, the first pair of mainline games to return to the classic tradition of naming versions after colors since the fifth generation. The main new features of the game are that the players can fully explore the region of Paldea without being forced to stick to a linear path, and the Terastal phenomenon that allows Pokémon to change their Typetemporary. The games are the fastest selling...
Nov 14, 2024 · Pokémon Centers in Hoenn are remodeled, removing the second floor and the Pokémon Cable Club. 1995. The first Pokémon created by scientific engineering, Porygon, is created. Less than 10 years before Generation I: The ferry S.S. Tidal is constructed. A Rotom inhabits an abandoned mansion in Sinnoh. Some years prior to Generation I:
In 2013 Pokémon X and Pokémon Y debuted on the Nintendo 3DS, which employed stereoscopic technology. The mobile application Pokémon GO was a blockbuster success upon its release in 2016. Developed by Niantic Labs, a former division of Google , the game used GPS data and the mobile device’s camera to create an “augmented reality” that allowed users to capture Pokémon from real-life ...
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Nov 24, 2022 · Pokémon has remained one of the most popular cultural phenomenons for several decades. The incredibly vast Pokémon world includes video games, trading cards, TV series, and movies. It has become apparent that the history of Pokémon can often cause some confusion, especially regarding whether the video games or card games came first.
- Supporting Content Writer
Since its creation in 1996, Pokémon has become a global phenomenon, captivating fans of all ages with its engaging gameplay and adorable creatures. In this post, we'll be taking a look at the history of Pokémon, from its early beginnings to its current status as a beloved franchise.The early days: Pocket MonstersPokémon was first created by Satoshi Tajiri and Ken Sugimori of Game Freak, who ...
People also ask
What is the history of Pokémon?
When did Pokémon first come out?
Who invented Pokémon?
What was the first Pokémon game called?
Did Pokémon come first video games or card games?
What was the first Pokémon created by scientific engineering?
Pokémon was first launched in 1996 and since then, a large amount of releases of games, movies and anime, among other milestones have occured. This page details a timeline from then to now. This list contains the first release of each bit of media regardless of where it released, whether it was Japan, America, Oceania or Europe
