Thecore series^[1][2][3] ofPokémon games, also known as thecore games,^[4][5][6] themain series,^[7][8] or thePokémon RPG series,^[a] is a series of role-playing video games and the primary series of Pokémon games. The series began with the first installment in thePokémon franchise,Pokémon Red and Green, released for theGame Boy inJapan onFebruary 27, 1996. The core series games are primarily developed byGame Freak and are published byNintendo and, starting withPokémon Ruby and Sapphire,The Pokémon Company. They are released only on Nintendo'shandheld systems, including theNintendo Switch,Nintendo Switch OLED andNintendo Switch 2, as they are considered console hybrids, allowing for both home and handheld play.

The games in this series traditionally follow a standard model in which theplayer embarks on ajourney through a particularregion to catch and raisePokémon, battle otherTrainers, fight against avillainous team, and earn recognition (usually by collectingbadges fromGym Leaders and becoming theChampion of aPokémon League).

The PokémonVideo Game Championships were conducted using the core series games from 2008 to 2025. Starting in 2026,Pokémon Champions will be used instead.

Terminology

Series title

In English, the core series has been referred to as themain series,Pokémon RPG series, orcore series in official marketing materials.^[a] However, all Western releases of games use the abbreviationPokémon in their titles, regardless of whether they are core series games orspin-off games.

In Japanese, Korean, and formerly in Chinese, the series is called thePocket Monsters Series (Japanese:ポケットモンスターシリーズ,^[9][10] Korean:포켓몬스터 시리즈,^[11] Chinese:精靈寶可夢系列 / 精灵宝可梦系列^[12]). On Game Freak's website, it is referred to as themain series (本編シリーズ) instead.^[13] All core series games, exceptPokémon Legends: Arceus andPokémon Legends: Z-A, contain the full namePocket Monsters in their Japanese title, whereasside series and spin-off games use the abbreviationPokémon instead. While the Japanese releases of thePokémon Stadium series usePocket Monsters in English subtitles, they usePokémon inkana in their Japanese names.

Game titles

Game versions

Prior toGeneration VI, it was standard for the Western releases of the core series games to include the label "Version" in their title, such as "Pokémon RedVersion" or "Pokémon DiamondVersion". In Japanese, the word was used sporadically and inconsistently, although it was prominently featured in a title with "Pocket Monsters: CrystalVersion" (Japanese: ポケットモンスタークリスタルバージョン). Game titles with the word "Version" have also been sometimes written without it in official text, such as "Pokémon Red" or "Pokémon Diamond".

The plural "Versions" when referring to multiple games has also been used occasionally.^[b][c][d]

Remake titles

Main article:Remake → Terminology

The names of remakes of core series games are generally derived from the names of the original source games, with a modifier word attached to the front. For instance,Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver are remakes ofPokémon Gold and Silver.

Italicized game titles

FromGeneration I toPokémon Platinum, the Pokémon core series game titles were usually written with no italics in the game manuals and box descriptions. FromPokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver onwards, the titles have been consistently written in italics.^[e][f][g] Game titles are also italicized on thePokémon.com website^[h] and in the creator messages from thePokémon Adventures manga.^[i][j]

Pokémon Legends

A subset of core series games carry the Pokémon Legends (Japanese:Pokémon LEGENDSPokémon LEGENDS) moniker. Unlike other core series games, these games are action RPG games. In the games of this series, the player traverses aregion from a previous core series game, starting with a choice offirst partner Pokémon from previousgenerations. Unlike all other core series games, Pokémon Legends games use different methods of combat during abattle that diverge from traditional turn-based combat. Additionally, althoughwild Pokémon are visible in the overworld like asymbol encounter, a battle will not ensue if the player collides with these Pokémon. Different species of Pokémon respond to the player differently, with some having no reaction, some fleeing, and some becoming aggressive and directly attacking the player. Likewise, if the player sustains too many attacks from aggressive Pokémon, they willblack out. These games are the only core series Pokémon games to lack agame mascot, although affiliated Pokémon are still used in their placement in promotional material. They are also the only core series Pokémon games released on theNintendo Switch to not have a special Nintendo system themed after them.

The first Pokémon Legends game,Pokémon Legends: Arceus was released on January 28, 2022 on theNintendo Switch. It was followed by the release ofPokémon Legends: Z-A on October 16, 2025 on theNintendo Switch andNintendo Switch 2.

A press release fromThe Pokémon Company on October 8, 2025 requests that media outlets avoid using the term "Pokémon Legends series".^[14]

Classification

Content model

While there are no strict rules that make a game a core series game, and previously assumed rules are continuously broken, the games generally have a similar plot structure andmechanics.

Theplayer begins the game in a small town or city of a givenregion, having noPokémon of their own. Through a course of events, the player receives afirst partner Pokémon, usually from the region'sPokémon Professor; there are almost always three first partner Pokémon to choose from, with oneGrasstype, oneFire type, and oneWater type, and a character who will become the player'srival will typically choose (or already have) another member of the trio based on the player's choice.

After this point, the player begins to journey across the entire region (which contains several settlements like cities and towns, themselves usually connected byroute),capturing anywild Pokémon they choose to, and using aparty they assemble to take on otherPokémon Trainers. Most titles have eightGym Leaders that the player must defeat in order to obtain aBadge from each one, though in games set in theAlola region, the player instead participates in theisland challenge, and inPokémon Legends: Arceus andPokémon Legends: Z-A they will have to battle a series of arena-styled bosses. In addition to repeated interactions with their rival, the plot may often involve the use or manipulation ofLegendary orMythical Pokémon by an antagonist, or in some cases, the Pokémon being the threat themselves.

After all eight Gym Leaders have been defeated or island challenge trials has been completed, the player can enter thePokémon League, where theChampion of the region awaits challengers. However, a series of Trainers known as theElite Four must usually be defeated in succession before the Champion can be fought. The Champion is often introduced prior to the player's Pokémon League challenge, and may aid the player on their adventure. After defeating the Champion, the player becomes a Champion themself, which is usually honored by their entry into theHall of Fame. Pokémon Legends: Arceus and Pokémon Legends: Z-A are the only game in the core series to not feature the Pokémon League in any form aside from references.Pokémon Sword and Shield lacks an Elite Four while still retaining a Champion, and the Alola titles lack a champion in title, all three games having replacements for such.

The player's becoming of Champion can usually be considered the ending of the game, as it is followed by thecredits being shown. However, the player can continue playing after this accomplishment, allowing them to continue exploring locations and collecting Pokémon they may not have gotten around to otherwise. Often, a title's postgame contain a new storyline and a handful of locations and facilities that could not be previously accessed become available. SincePokémon Crystal, there is usually at least one facility specifically dedicated tobattling. The overarching goal is to obtain many species of Pokémon in order to complete thePokédex. In the first two generations, every Pokémon species in the game has to be obtained in order to complete the Pokédex, and the player is awarded adiploma for achieving this. FromGeneration III toGeneration VI, there are two separate Pokédexes, each with their own diploma as a reward for completing them: theregional Pokédex, which only contains the Pokémon native to the region the game is set in, and theNational Pokédex, which is unlocked in the post-game and contains every Pokémon in the game. Starting inGeneration VII, the games only contain a regional Pokédex, the completion of which usually rewards the player with a diploma, while the National Pokédex is confined to companion applications likePokémon Bank andPokémon HOME.

Release model

While releases continue to break patterns, the release of core series games tends to follow a pattern.

When ageneration ofPokémon games begins, a pair of games is always released. These paired versions feature virtually the same storyline as each other, but theavailable Pokémon differ, and some other elements are usually slightly different. This encouragestrading, as it is required in order to complete thePokédex.

Many generations feature what Game Freak internally calls anupper version (Japanese:アッパーバージョンupper version)^[15] and what Western fans commonly refer to as a "third version", i.e., a follow-up game or pair of games released after the first games of the generation that takes place in the sameregion with added features. These games typically both share and lack certain regionalPokémon that were available in one or both of the original paired versions; thus, aplayer of an upper version must link together with the original pair to complete the regional Pokédex as well. On the contrary, upper versions typically contain certain Pokémon from different regions that are unavailable in the original pair, thus being more helpful in completing theNational Pokédex. UntilGeneration VII, only a single third version following an original pair was ever released at a time;Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon were the first of these games to be released as a pair. Unlike other generations,Generation V opted for a sequel story instead, whileGeneration VI,Generation VIII, andGeneration IX entirely forwent follow-up games set in the same region, the latter two instead providing additional features to the original pair of games via paiddownloadable content.

Sometimes, a secondary set of paired versions that areremakes of earlier titles may also be released. Starting from Generation VIII, singular version games with the subtitle "Legends" have been released, being original stories taking place in previously visited regions and being single-player action RPG titles. Both Generation VIII and Generation IX have released "Legends" games, with Generation VIII releasingPokémon Legends: Arceus, a game set inSinnoh in the past, then known asHisui, and Generation IX releasingPokémon Legends: Z-A, a game set inLumiose City of theKalos region.

Pokémon

Mostgenerations introducePokémon thatevolve into or from previously released Pokémon. Each region typically has mythology related toLegendary Pokémon that reside there. All generations also introduce at least oneMythical Pokémon, which are almost alwaysevent-exclusive upon being introduced but may become available through other means in later generations.

In all generations, there are some Pokémon that cannot be encountered until after theplayer becomesChampion. These are often Legendary Pokémon, such asMewtwo. These Pokémon may or may not be part of the game'sregional Pokédex.

Before the release of a new generation, new Pokémon are often used to promote the newgames by including them in theanimated series or inspin-off games.

Box art

The box art for most games features onePokémon which was introduced in thatgeneration (or, in the case ofremakes, the generation of the original games). This Pokémon is referred to by fans as agame mascot, and with the exception ofKanto- andHisui-based games, it is always theLegendary Pokémon available in that game at the climax of the storyline.

In terms of the artwork itself, the internationalPokémon Red and Blue and all region releases of the initial paired games of each generation fromGeneration III toVII use their game mascot's originalKen Sugimori artwork for their box art, whereas all other core series games use specially made artwork.

The titles in the Japanese games typically use some shade of red and blue for either the characters or outlines of the characters. This is most likely in reference to the first internationally released core games of Pokémon Red and Blue. The DLC Expansion Pass for Pokémon Sword and Shield uses yellow and green, possibly in reference toPokémon Yellow andPokémon Red and Green.

List of core series games

Bulbanews has an article related to this subject:

Generation I Virtual Console games released in Hong Kong, Taiwan

38 core series games have been released in Japanese (22 counting paired releases as single games) and 37 have been released in English, French, European Spanish, German, and Italian (21 counting paired releases as single games). The difference is due to the first games,Pokémon Red and Green andPokémon Blue, being released in Japanese in 1996, before being released in English in 1998 asPokémon Red and Blue, which was later released in the other four languages in 1999. Later core series games, starting withPokémon Yellow, have been released in all six of these languages.

28 core series games (15 counting paired releases as single games) have been released in Korean, with the first beingPokémon Gold and Silver in 2002 prior to the foundation of Nintendo of Korea andPokémon Korea in 2006, followed byPokémon Diamond and Pearl in 2008 and all later core series games. However,Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire were released inSouth Korea in Japanese,^[16] hence the lack of language restrictions in the KoreanPal Park.

13 core series games (7 counting paired releases as single games) have been released in both Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese, starting withPokémon Sun and Moon in 2016. However, the Japanese versions of Pokémon Red, Green, Blue, Yellow, Gold, Silver, andCrystal, were released on theNintendo 3DSVirtual Console inTaiwan andHong Kong.

1 core series game has been released in Latin American Spanish, starting withPokémon Legends: Z-A in 2025. Previous core series games inLatin America were instead released in English or in European Spanish.

Trademarks

Nintendo,Creatures, andGame Freak have trademarked several titles with theJapan Patent Office that have not been used, but fit the naming scheme of the core series games. The following information comes from theJapan Platform for Patent Information:

The 2002 trademarks were filed around the same time as trademarks forPokémon Ruby, Sapphire,Emerald,Diamond, and Pearl, and are all the English names of minerals written inkatakana (topaz,tourmaline,amethyst,moonstone, andwhite gold). The 2008 trademarks were filed alongside trademarks forPokémon Red, Green, andBlue, and are all the Japanese names of colors written with a singlekanji. The 2009 trademarks are all the English names of colors written in katakana. Of these, bothvermilion andcrimson are shades of red.

Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen and Pokémon Diamond and Pearl were planned alongside Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire.^[18] Despite being released after Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen and before Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, Pokémon Emerald was trademarked earlier than Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire.^[19][20][21]

Contrary to what is sometimes reported, an equivalent to Blue matching the pattern of FireRed and LeafGreen was not trademarked by Nintendo, Creatures, or Game Freak. However, Game Freak'sJunichi Masuda mentioned「ＷＡＴＥＲ　ＢＬＵＥ」 in Japanese and "WaterBlue" in English on an August 2004 blog post explaining the company's choice of "FireRed" and "LeafGreen" as both the Japanese and international titles for the remakes ofPokémon Red and Green.^[22][23]

The Delta Emerald trademark has been commonly misreported as "Pokémon Delta Emerald", but this latter name was not trademarked. The name might suggest a relation to theDelta Episode inPokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, which features references to Pokémon Emerald.

Tsunekazu Ishihara and Junichi Masuda have explained why upper version counterparts toPokémon Black and White^{[24][25][26][27][28]} orPokémon X and Y^[27] did not materialize. In the case of the hypothetical Pokémon Gray or Grey Version, Game Freak decided to instead developPokémon Black 2 and White 2 to surprise fans (though Black 2 and White 2 were later considered upper versions in some promotional material for thePokémon Sword and Shield Expansion Pass), while the potential Pokémon Z was passed over in favor ofPokémon Sun and Moon being designed for thePokémon 20th Anniversary.

Eurogamer published an article in early June 2017 describing a "clerical error" byThe Pokémon Company, which initially listedPokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon asNintendo Switch games as well asNintendo 3DS games during their announcement.^[29]

Connectivity

Certain demos of core series games allow players to receive special Pokémon anditems:

• Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire Special Demo Version: Allows players to receive aSteelix and/or aGlalie with their respectiveMega Stones inPokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire.
• Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon Special Demo Version: Allows players to receive aGreninja with the AbilityBattle Bond inPokémon Sun and Moon.

Each of theside series games allow players to transfer their Pokémon and items to and from the core series or receive Pokémon and items to bring back to core series games:

• Pokémon Stadium: Allows players to transfer their Pokémon from theGeneration I core series games to battle in 3D.
• Pokémon Stadium 2: Allows players to transfer their Pokémon from the Generation I andGeneration II core series games to battle in 3D.
• Pokémon Box Ruby & Sapphire: Allows players to store their Pokémon from theGeneration III core series games.
• Pokémon Colosseum andPokémon XD: Gale of Darkness: Can trade Pokémon with the Generation III core series games.
• Pokémon Battle Revolution: Allows players to transfer their Pokémon from theGeneration IV core series games to battle in 3D.
• My Pokémon Ranch: Allows players to store their Pokémon fromPokémon Diamond and Pearl (and fromPokémon Platinum in Japan).
• Pokéwalker: Allows players to store their Pokémon fromPokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver to gain experience by walking. Additionally, Pokémon caught in the Pokéwalker can be transferred to Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver.
• Pokémon Dream World: Allows players to send Pokémon caught in this game to theGeneration V core series games.
• Pokémon Dream Radar: Allows players to send Pokémon caught in this game toPokémon Black 2 and White 2.
• Poké Transporter: Allows players to transfer their Pokémon from the Generation V games, and the Generation I and II games onNintendo 3DSVirtual Console, to Pokémon Bank.
• Pokémon Bank: Allows players to store their Pokémon fromGeneration VI andGeneration VII core series games.
• Pokémon HOME: Allows players to store their Pokémon from core seriesNintendo Switch games, and can also receive transferred Pokémon from Pokémon Bank andPokémon GO.

Somespin-off games allow players to receive items or special Pokémon in the core series:

• Pokémon Pikachu 2 GS: Allows players to convertWatts accumulated by walking into items to be sent to the Generation II games.
• Pokémon Channel: In the European and Australian versions of the game, it allows players to receive a giftJirachi in the Generation III core series games.
• Pokémon Ranger series: Allows players to receive a specialManaphy Egg and other special Pokémon in the Generation IV core series games throughRanger Net missions.
• Pokémon GO: Allows players to transfer Generation I Pokémon,Alolan forms,Meltan, andMelmetal^[30] caught in this game toPokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!. Allows players to transfer most Pokémon caught in this game to Pokémon HOME via theGO Transporter.
• Pokémon Pass: Allows players to receiveserial codes for certainevent Pokémon.

Timeline

Main article:History of the Pokémon world

Notes

References

External links

• The Pokémon Company website game list: has "Pocket Monsters Series" filter(Japanese)
  • The Pokémon Company "Pocket Monsters Series" page (archive)(Japanese)
  • The Pokémon Company "Pocket Monsters Series" product list (archive)(Japanese)
• Pokémon Korea website section(Korean)
• The Pokémon Company International website all-games section
• Nintendo subsite for Pokémon games(Japanese)

Related articles

• Spin-off Pokémon games
  • Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series
  • Pokémon Ranger series
  • Pokémon Rumble series
  • Super Smash Bros. series
• Pokémon Stadium series

This game-related article is part ofProject Games, aBulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on thePokémon games.

• Game series