All Pokemon Games: Full List of Pokemon Gens in Order

The Pokémon franchise has been around for over two decades now, with each new Nintendo handheld console getting its own set of games from the series. Every generation brings a new region and new Pokémon, and often we get a remake of an earlier generation, using the latest technology to update the experience. On top of the main series games, there are also plenty of spin-offs, each with its own unique story. Here’s a complete list of Pokémon games in order, highlighting the evolution of the series across generations.

List of All Pokémon Games in Chronological Order

List of all Pokémon Generations in order

Generation 1 – Where Pokémon Games Started

The original 151 Pokémon of the Kanto region are found in the first iteration of the games. Pokémon Red, Blue, and Green for the Game Boy – there’s some real nostalgia on these games now. The starter Pokémon are some of the most popular: Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur.

You could also choose Pokémon Yellow in this set. After the anime, Pokémon Yellow is a remake of the game, where you get Pikachu as a starter.

Pokémon Stadium was also one of the first Pokémon console games. It featured party games and a 3D battle sim and spawned another popular game format.

Generation 2 – Johto

Pokémon Gold and Silver were released in 1999 for Game Boy Color. The third game in the series, Crystal, was released in 2000.

In these games, your starters are Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile. Due to being able to visit a powered-up Kanto after completing the Johto region, the Pokedex runs from #001 Bulbasaur to #251 Celebi.

Source: The Pokemon Company

Generation 3 – The first one to not “Catch ’em all”

The phrase “Gotta Catch ’em all” is synonymous with early Pokémon branding. But Gen 3 is where they stopped putting it on box art. Designed as new jumping on point for new players, Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, and later, Emerald continued the Crystal trend and swell the National Pokedex to a whopping 386. Starting with #252 Treeko, ending with Deoxys.

Remaking The First Pokémon Games

With the wholesale improvements of the Game Boy Advance, developers Game Freak remade the original Red and Green. Despite Red and Blue being the first western releases, Red and Green were the first Japanese games. Fire Red and Leaf Green re-tread Kanto in Generation 3’s engine. It also includes the ability to trade with Gen 3 games.

Fully Fledged Spinoffs

Additionally, the GameCube featured full Pokémon games with a standalone story and a sequel. Pokémon Colosseum and Gale of Darkness XD.

Generation 4 – Sinnoh

The Nintendo DS introduced Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and eventually Platinum in 2006 and 2008, introducing 107 new Pokémon.

The Wii got its console battle sim entry, Battle Revolution, in 2008. With the new games and remakes of Gen 2 – Heart Gold and Soul Silver, the National Dex reached 493.

Generation 5 – Same system, new engine

Still on the Nintendo DS, Pokémon Black and White takes us to Unova, a region based on New York. It featured a real-time seasonal cycle using the DS Clock. It bolstered 3D spectacle set pieces and cutscenes, as well as a much more mature story and the first true sequels of the mainline games – Black 2 and White 2. National Dex: #494 Victini to #649 Genesect.

Pokemon seasonal cycle – Source: Stevivor

Generation 6 – Pokémon X&Y on 3DS

Gen 6 marked the first games on the 3DS. Pokémon X&Y were the first games using the circle pad for non-4-directional movement. Making sparing use of the 3D slider, the games made accessibility changes to make competitive ready Pokémon easier to make.

The anime completed the letter trio of XYZ, but the games never got an entry. Temporary Mega Evolutions also debuted in this region. Functionally similar Primal forms were introduced with the Hoenn remakes Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire. National Dex: #650 Chespin to #721 Volcanion.

Generation 7 – Z

Ditching Megas for high-power Z moves, 3DS titles Sun/Moon and sequels Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon took us to the Hawaii-inspired Alola. This was the first region to introduce regional forms of older Pokémon.

Fans were finally able to try out unique battles rather than Gym Battles for story progression. The National Dex added #722 Rowlet to #809 Melmetal.

Generation 8 – Pokémon Games to Nintendo Switch

The first Switch Pokémon games were Pokémon Yellow remakes based on the booming Pokémon GO. The first mainline games Sword and Shield launched in 2019, introducing new Galar regional forms and Dynamax. 2 waves of DLC followed in 2020.

Gen 8 was the first to abandon the National Dex, but added Pokémon #810 Grookey to #905 Enamorus.

Generation 9 – Open World Pokémon Games

The most recent Pokémon generation! Pokémon Legends: Arceus was a prequel, isolated from trades until Pokémon HOME reintroduced them.

Next up, Pokémon Scarlet/Violet were the first mainline games to adopt the new open world style. Although incredibly buggy at launch, it has slowly been tuned in addition to DLC releases. Diamond/Pearl remakes were 1:1 remade in Unity instead of Generation 9. The latest VGC format introduced Pokémon HOME. All 1010 Pokémon are here!

Generation 10 – More to Come

Scarlet and Violet remain the last mainline entries to the franchise, but a brand-new generation is coming. Before that happens, though, a trip to the past may be in order. The Legends series is coming back in 2025 with Pokémon Legends: Z-A, which will revisit Lumiose City. It’s a little unclear now how it will emulate Arceus, but the open-world formula probably isn’t going anywhere.

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