The mainline Pokemon video games make up one of the vital best-selling video game franchises of all time. From Pokemon Crimson and Blue to the newest entries within the collection, those video games have collected an enormous target market that simply helps to keep coming again for extra.
If you have not performed the entire Pokemon video games within the collection, on the other hand, it’s possible you’ll to find your self in slightly of a quandary attempting to determine the place to begin. Lots of the primary titles within the collection are very good standalone video games to dive into, however if you wish to get started from the start, there are two alternative ways to play so as: Chronologically or through unlock date.
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Tips on how to Play the Pokemon Video games in Chronological Order
The Pokemon timelne would possibly appear beautiful linear to start with look, however with out sufficient obtrusive main points to move off of, it may be beautiful complicated to take a look at to observe the chronology from name to name. Thankfully, a now deleted tweet from Toshinobu Matsumiya has given us a kick off point for one of the most video games. For the remaining, we will best make trained guesses in line with a couple of key main points witin the video games.
1. Pokemon Legends: Arceus
The primary sport within the chronology may be very obviously Pokemon Legends: Arceus seeing as it is set in a time when the connection between people and Pokemon was once best simply beginning to shape. You spend a big portion of your time operating round a limiteless open wasteland catching and scuffling with wild Pokemon, and the folks you have interaction with are obviously simply starting to perceive the arena of Pokemon. This sport options crafting and research tasks, which very much differentiates it from the standard health club struggle system we’re used to.
Regardless that we do not know simply how way back Pokemon Legends: Arceus takes position in comparison to the opposite video games within the collection, we do atleast know that it sort of feels to function the ancestors of Diamond and Pearl characters.
2. Pokemon Crimson, Blue, and Yellow
As the unique video games within the collection, Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow are up subsequent within the timeline. Bringing the first-generation Pokedex and introducing us to the vintage Pokemon sport system, those best-selling video games are what began all of it.
Even though we will’t know needless to say that those Game Boy games are up subsequent within the timeline, the deleted Tweet from Sport Situation creator Toshinobu Matsumiya showed that the collection begins with those. The generation featured within the sport may be somewhat restricted in comparison to one of the most more recent video games — regardless that nonetheless complicated sufficient to deliver fossils again to existence!
Bonus: Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen
Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen are remakes of the unique Crimson and Blue video games and thus are on the identical precise level within the timeline. A lot of the plot is equal to the originals with some key variations — together with visiting the Sevii Islands after turning into champion of the Elite 4.
3. Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald
Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald introduced all new Pokemon and throws you into the Hoenn area — which is a long way from each the Kanto and Johto areas. Taking into consideration this sport options the 3rd era of Pokemon and a few new generation, it sort of feels in all probability that it might happen after each Crimson and Blue and Gold and Silver. On the other hand, consistent with that very same deleted tweet from Matsumiya, Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire happen on the identical time limit as FireRed and LeafGreen.
This additionally implies that Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire are on the identical level within the timeline right here seeing as they’re remakes.
4. Pokemon Gold, Silver, and Crystal
As the second one sport within the collection (in the case of unlock date) Pokemon Gold and Silver happen 3 years after the occasions of Crimson and Blue. With some thrilling new Gen 2 Pokemon and one of the most superb post-game content material within the collection, Gold, Silver, and Crystal had been a very good observe as much as the unique video games. Via touring to the Kanto region after turning into the champion of Johto, you get a firsthand have a look at the passage of time. You even get to struggle the protagonist from the primary video games, Crimson, who’s moderately robust.
This placement within the chronology additionally applies to the remakes: HeartGold and SoulSilver. Even though the remakes be offering some further content material, they’re necessarily simply up to date variations of the originals.
5. Pokemon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum
In the case of collection unlock order, Pokemon Diamond and Pearl got here a couple of years after Ruby and Sapphire. On the other hand, we now know from that deleted tweet from Matsumiya that Diamond and Pearl in fact takes position similtaneously HeartGold and SoulSilver. This may increasingly appear a little bit bit complicated taking into consideration the developments in generation we see in Diamond and Pearl, however we will most likely simply chalk it as much as the real date the video games had been created quite than the chronology throughout the Pokemon universe.
This is able to additionally imply that the remakes, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are set in the similar level of the timeline. Regardless that the timeline will get slightly wonky with the inclusion of Fairy-type Pokemon taking into consideration the ones were not presented till X and Y.
6. Pokemon Black and White
That includes the fifth-generation of recent Pokemon, Black and White was once the second one mainline sport to come back out at the Nintendo DS. Even though we do not know precisely when the tale takes position within the Pokemon universe, we do this it takes position after Diamond and Pearl because of Matsumiya’s tweet. Since there don’t seem to be any obtrusive hyperlinks to the former video games, we will best think that Black and White takes position greater than 3 years after Crimson and Blue.
7. Pokemon Black 2 and White 2
As a real sequel to Black and White, Pokemon Black 2 and White 2 be offering a somewhat obtrusive transition in the course of the chronological timeline. We see adjustments the place health club leaders go on their tasks to the following era, Group Plasma has complicated their plot, and there’s a new Champion. Between all of this stuff, we all know that more or less two years have handed since Black and White, progressing the timeline ahead in an uncharacteristically linear style.
8. Pokemon X and Y
As the primary sport within the collection to permit payers to discover and struggle in 3-D, Pokemon X and Y was once a contemporary take at the vintage Pokemon system. Whilst that is in large part because of it being the primary name within the collection to be a Nintendo 3DS game, it undoubtedly helped arrange long term video games. Whilst we do not know precisely when the sport suits within the chronology, because of Matsumiya we atleast know that X and Y happen similtaneously Black 2 and White 2. On the other hand, it is conceivable that it’s set in a special universe because of Mega Evolution being a factor.
9. Pokemon Solar and Moon
Going down a couple of years after X and Y, Pokemon Sun and Moon takes us to the Alola area. Whilst we haven’t any data from Matsumiya about the place this sport suits within the timeline, it options a couple of characters from X and Y that point out that point has handed between video games. An grownup Crimson and Blue additionally make an look, regardless that their precise age is not printed, so we nonetheless do not know precisely how a lot time has stepped forward since Crimson, Blue, and Yellow.
This additionally implies that Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon happen on the identical time limit as they’re necessarily remakes of Solar and Moon with some further content material.
10. Pokemon Sword and Defend
With the arriving of the Nintendo Transfer got here the primary Transfer-exclusive mainline Pokemon sport: Sword and Shield. That includes a brand-new area, new Pokemon, and the advent of Gigantamax, Sword and Defend is basically a comfortable reboot of the collection. In order that being stated, we haven’t any thought the place it suits at the chronological timeline. There don’t seem to be truly any exhausting references to the former video games, so there’s no approach of appropriately becoming it into the identified Pokemon universe.
One of the vital best clues now we have in regards to the timeline comes within the type of new generation. The addition of the Rotom Telephone reputedly puts us additional within the chronology than Crimson and Blue on the very least, however that is all we will truly collect. It is conceivable that Pokemon Sword and Defend merely takes position in a wholly other universe than any of the opposite video games.
11. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
As the newest access within the collection, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet brings all-new Gen 9 Pokemon and the open-world Paldea area to the Nintendo Transfer. The sport does not arrive till Friday, so we sadly do not need sufficient data to take a look at to appropriately position it on a timeline. That being stated, if it follows the chronological construction of earlier mainline video games, it is conceivable that it takes position similtaneously the occasions of Pokemon Sword and Defend.
Tips on how to Play the Pokemon Video games through Unencumber Date
I you wish to have to play the video games within the order they had been launched quite than attempt to making an attempt to move in the course of the convoluted chronological timeline, listed below are the entire mainline Pokemon video games through unlock date:
- Pokemon Crimson and Blue – February 27, 1996 – Sport Boy
- Pokemon Yellow – Sport Boy – September 12, 1998 – Sport Boy
- Pokemon Gold and Silver – November 21, 1999 – Sport Boy Colour
- Pokemon Crystal – December 14, 2000 – Sport Boy Colour
- Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire – November 21, 2002 – Sport Boy Advance
- Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen – January 28, 2004 – Sport Boy Advance
- Pokemon Emerald – Sepember 16, 2004 – Sport Boy Advance
- Pokemon Diamond and Pearl – September 28, 2006 – Nintendo DS
- Pokemon Platinum – September 13, 2008 – Nintendo DS
- Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver – September 12, 2009 – Nintendo DS
- Pokemon Black and White – September 18, 2010 – Nintendo DS
- Pokemon Black 2 and White 2 – June 23, 2012 – Nintendo DS
- Pokemon X and Y – October 13, 2013 – Nintendo 3DS
- Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire – November 21, 2014 – Nintendo 3DS
- Pokemon Solar and Moon – November 18, 2016 – Nintendo 3DS
- Pokemon Extremely Solar and Extremely Moon – November 17, 2017 – Nintendo 3DS
- Pokemon Sword and Defend – November 15, 2019 – Nintendo Transfer
- Pokemon Good Diamond and Shining Pearl – November 19, 2021 – Nintendo Transfer
- Pokemon Scarlet and Vilolet – November 18, 2022 – Nintendo Transfer
Which Pokemon Video games Must You In reality Play First?
Opting for the place to begin boils right down to what Nintendo console you presently have. If you happen to best have a Nintendo Transfer, you’ll get started with Let’s Go Pikachu or Let’s Go Eevee, which might be more or less like remakes of the unique Yellow model from 1998. You’ll additionally play Good Diamond and Shining Pearl for some other remake revel in. Pokemon Legends: Arceus may be an choice, however it is vitally other from the opposite mainline video games.
If you are short of to dive proper into Pokemon Scarlet and Violet when it comes out, it is value noting that you simply most likely may not be lacking out on any overly pertinent data from the former video games. The one video games in the primary collection you could no longer need to soar proper into is Black 2 and White 2 as the ones are sequels.
On the lookout for further Pokemon content material? Take a look at our information to the best Pokemon movies and Pokemon Video Video games for extra.
