Video games

Main article: Pokémon (video game series)

Generations
The original Pokémon games were role-playing games (RPGs) with an element of strategy, and
were created by Satoshi Tajiri for the Game Boy. These RPGs, 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 referring to when they use the term "Pokémon games". All of the
licensed Pokémon properties overseen by The Pokémon Company International 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, manga, and trading card game are all
updated with the new Pokémon properties each time a new generation begins. The franchise began
the seventh generation on November 18, 2016.

A rival battle between a Bulbasaur and a Charmander in Pokémon Red and Blue.[29]
Generation 1
The Pokémon franchise started off in its first generation with its initial release of Pocket Monsters
Aka and Midori ("Red" and "Green", respectively) for the Game Boy in Japan on February 27, 1996.
When these games proved extremely popular, an enhanced Ao ("Blue") 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 Aka and Midori versions were never released outside Japan.[30] Afterwards, a further
enhanced version titled Pokémon Yellow: Special Pikachu Edition was released to partially take
advantage of the color palette of the Game Boy Color, as well as to feature more elements from 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. It also
introduced 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, inspired by the real world Kantō region of Japan, though the name "Kanto"
was not used until the second generation.
Generation 2
The second generation of Pokémon began in 1999 with the release of Pokémon Gold and Silver for
Game Boy Color. Like the previous generation, an enhanced version titled Pokémon Crystal was
later released. The second generation introduced 100 new species of Pokémon, starting
with Chikorita and ending with Celebi. The Pokédex totaled 251 Pokémon to collect, train, and battle,
set in Johto, inspired by Japan's Kansai region. The second generation of Pokémon also saw the
release of the Pokémon Mini, a handheld game console released in November 2001 in North
America, December 2001 in Japan, and 2002 in Europe.
Generation 3
Pokémon entered its third generation with the 2002 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 version
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. Pokémon Ruby,
Sapphire and Emerald are set in Hoenn, inspired by Japan's Kyushu region. However, this
generation also garnered some criticism for leaving out several gameplay features, including the
day-and-night system introduced in the previous generation. 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. By contrast, 202 out of 386 species are catchable in
the Ruby and Sapphire versions.
Generation 4
In 2006, Japan began the fourth generation of the franchise with the release of Pokémon
Diamond and Pearl for Nintendo DS. The fourth generation introduced another 107 new species of
Pokémon, starting with Turtwig and ending with Arceus, bringing the total of Pokémon species to
493.[31] The Nintendo DS "touch screen" allows new features to the game such as cooking poffins
with the stylus and using the "Pokétch". 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. This region
was inspired by Japan's Hokkaido region and part of Russia's Sakhalin, and has an underground
component for multiplayer gameplay in addition to the main overworld. Pokémon Platinum, the
enhanced version of Diamond and Pearl—much like Pokémon Yellow, Crystal, and Emerald—was
released in September 2008 in Japan, March 2009 in North America, and May 2009 in Australia and
Europe. Spin-off titles in the fourth generation include the Pokémon Stadium follow-up Pokémon
Battle Revolution for Wii, which has Wi-Fi connectivity as well.[32]Nintendo announced in May 2009
that enhanced remakes of Pokémon Gold and Silver, entitled Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver,
would be released for the Nintendo DS system. HeartGold and SoulSilver are set in the Johto region
and were released in September 2009 in Japan[33] and March 2010 in North America.[34]