Generation
- If you were looking for the TCG expansion released to commemorate the20th Anniversary, seeGenerations (TCG).For the animated miniseries, seePokémon Generations.
Ageneration (Japanese:世代generation) is an informal grouping of thePokémon games that separates them based on thePokémon they include. In each generation, a newregion and set of Pokémon that did not exist in the previous generation are introduced. A generation may introduce remakes of games from a previous generation. There are currently nine generations.
Terminology
The word "generation" has been sometimes mentioned officially without a specific generation number. Certain promotional materials, such asa 2007 trailer forPokémon Diamond and Pearl andan official announcement forPokémon Black and White, advertised the games as a "newgeneration of Pokémon"; moreover,Pokémon Sun and Moon werereferred to as the "newestgeneration" in press releases. Some other examples:
- "Pokémon X and Pokémon Y presents a newgeneration of Pokémon and introduces players to an exciting new adventure in a breathtaking 3D world."[1]
- "These fascinating Alola region characters and Pokémon will appear in the latestgeneration of Pokémon video games that will launch in North America on November 18."[2]
- "Catch up with a newgeneration in the Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield expansion!"[3]
- "Defeat powerful legacy Trainers from variousgenerations."[4]
Generation numbers
Specific generation numbers have been occasionally mentioned in official sources and by Pokémon staff. For instance:
- Junichi Masuda once included "#Gen4"in a tweet.
- Junichi Masuda referred toPokémon X and Y as the "sixthgeneration"on his blog.
- Pokémon Scarlet and Violet werereferred to as the "9thGeneration" on a GAME FREAK greeting card posted byYusuke Kozaki.
Core series games
Within thecore series games, generations are typically indicative of compatibility. Usually, Pokémon can freely be moved between games within a single generation, and can be sent forward to the next generation (but then can usually never return). Until Generation VII, games of the same generation could also link battle with each other, but cross-generation link battles have never been possible.
- TheGeneration I andII games cantrade Pokémon viaTime Capsule.
- The Generation I and II games were unable to interact with later generations until theirVirtual Console releases; in those releases, they can send Pokémon (forward only) toGeneration VII onwards.
- From Generation III to VII, Pokémon can be sent forward to the next generation via various different features (dual-slot mode,Pal Park,Poké Transfer,Poké Transporter, andPokémon Bank), but can never return to the previous generation once sent.
- WithinGeneration VII, while it is possible forPokémon Sun, Moon,Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon to trade and battle with each other, those games cannot communicate withPokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! at all.
- InGeneration VIII andIX, Pokémon can be freely moved between games (regardless of generation) viaPokémon HOME.
- Pokémon fromPokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! can be stored in Pokémon HOME, but if they ever travel to a game other than a Let's Go game, they can never return to a Let's Go game.
- From Generation VIII onward, it is no longer standard for games of the same generation to be able to directly trade or battle each other. Instead, almost all communication between them must be done via Pokémon HOME.
- Pokémon caught or transferred toPokémon Legends: Z-A cannot be sent to previous Nintendo Switch titles, unlike other core series games compatible with Pokémon HOME.
