Pokémon (video game series)

The "Pokémon" video game series is a role-playing game franchise from Nintendo. The series is unusual in that games are commonly released in pairs, each with slight variations. First released in 1996 in Japan for the Game Boy, the franchise has continued with at least two new games for each Game Boy generation.

Nintendo stated that the "Pokémon" franchise has sold over 175 million units as of April 23, 2008. [cite press release |url=http://www.nintendo.com/whatsnew/detail/9NH7dkYdedNEp7fwhDrI2NSqsKPVna6B |title=Fans Can Actually Become a Pokémon with Two New Nintendo DS Games |accessdate=2008-04-25 |date=2008-04-23 | publisher=Nintendo]

Generations

The original Pokémon games were Japanese RPGs with an element of strategy, and were created by Satoshi Tajiri for the Game Boy. These role-playing games, and their sequels, remakes, and English language translations, are still considered the "main" Pokémon games, and the games with which most fans of the series are familiar.

All of the licensed Pokémon properties overseen by The Pokémon Company 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, the manga, and the trading card game are all updated with the new Pokémon properties each time a new generation begins. The franchise is currently in its fourth generation.

The Pokémon franchise started off in its first generation with its initial release of "Pocket Monsters Aka" and "Midori" for the Game Boy in Japan. When these games proved extremely popular, an enhanced "Ao" 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 "Red" and "Green" versions were never released outside of Japan. [ [http://www.gamefaqs.com/portable/gameboy/data/924467.html "Pokémon Green Info on GameFAQs"] "gamefaqs.com" URL Accessed February 23, 2007] Afterwards, a further enhanced remake titled "Pokémon Yellow" was released to partially take advantage of the color palette of the Game Boy Color, as well as to feature more of a stylistic resemblance to 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), as well as 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, though the name "Kanto" was not used until the second generation. Spin-off first-generation titles include "Pokémon Pinball", an adaptation of the "Pokémon Trading Card Game" for Game Boy Color, an on-rails photography simulator for Nintendo 64 titled "Pokémon Snap", a Nintendo 64 Pokémon-themed adaptation of "Tetris Attack" named "Pokémon Puzzle League", a 3D Nintendo 64 incarnation of the handheld RPGs' battle system named "Pokémon Stadium", and a co-starring role for several species in the Nintendo 64 fighting game "Super Smash Bros." ["Super Smash Bros." Product Information .ASIN|B00000J2W7|country=uk. Accessed April 19, 2006.]

The second generation of Pokémon began in 2000 with the release of "Pokémon Gold" and "Silver" for Game Boy Color. Like the previous generation, an enhanced remake titled "Pokémon Crystal" was later released. It introduced 100 new species of Pokémon (starting with Chikorita and ending with Celebi), for a total of 251 Pokémon to collect, train, and battle. New gameplay features include a day-and-night system (reflecting the time of the day in the real world) which influences events in the game; full utilization of the Game Boy Color's color palette; an improved interface and upgraded inventory system; better balance in the collection of Pokémon and their moves, statistics, and equippable items (a new addition); Pokémon breeding;, a new region named Johto and the new version difference, which gender the player could be. Unique to the second generation games is the fact that, after exploring Johto, the player can enter and explore the original Kanto region, which lies to the east of Johto. Spin-off second-generation titles include the Game Boy Color adaptation of "Pokémon Puzzle League" named "Pokémon Puzzle Challenge", a Nintendo 64 pet simulator named "Hey You, Pikachu!", the "Pokémon Stadium" sequel "Pokémon Stadium 2" for Nintendo 64, several Pokémon mini-games for the e-Reader, and a co-starring role for many species in the "Super Smash Bros." sequel "Super Smash Bros. Melee" for Nintendo GameCube. [ [http://www.nintendo.com/codegallery?gameid=m-Game-0000-587#m-CodeItem-0000-5887 "Super Smash Bros. Melee" Unlockable character guide] "Nintendo.com". URL Accessed April 19, 2006.] The Pokémon mini was a handheld game console released in December 2001 in Japan and then later in 2002 in Europe and North America.

"Pokémon" entered its third generation with the 2003 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 remake 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. It also features a much more visually detailed environment compared to previous games, a new 2-on-2 Pokémon battling mechanic, a special ability system applying to each Pokémon in battle, the Pokémon Contest sub-game, and the new region of Hoenn. 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 had to be removed due to internal battery save problems), and 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 (202 out of 386 species are catchable in the "Ruby" and "Sapphire" versions). Third-generation spin-off titles include ' for Game Boy Advance; "Pokémon Mystery Dungeon" for Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS; "Pokémon Dash", "Pokémon Trozei!" and "Pokémon Ranger" for Nintendo DS; "Pokémon Channel" and ' for Nintendo GameCube; and a separate RPG series for Nintendo GameCube, consisting of the games "Pokémon Colosseum" and "".

In 2006, Japan began the fourth generation of the franchise with the release of "Pokémon Diamond" and "Pearl" for Nintendo DS. The games were subsequently released in North America on April 22, 2007 and in Australia on June 21, 2007. The game was then later released in the UK and Europe on July 27, 2007. [ [http://www.gamespot.com/ds/rpg/pokemondiamond/news.html?sid=6163662 "New Pokémon to Make Diamond-and-Pearl-Studded Debut"] . Accessed February 7, 2007.] The fourth generation introduces another 107 new species of Pokémon (starting with Turtwig and ending with Arceus), bringing the current total of Pokémon species to 493. 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, which has an underground component for multiplayer gameplay in addition to the main overworld. Also, a new entry to the Diamond/Pearl generation is in the works, called "Pokémon Platinum", which was announced in May 2008's CoroCoro. [ It was released in Japan on 13th September 2008. [http://bulbanews.bulbagarden.net/wiki/New_Generation_IV_game_to_be_announced_next_month] "Bulbapedia". URL Accessed April 17, 2008.] - Currently, 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 [" [http://www.cubed3.com/news/5349 Cubed3 Pokémon Battle Revolution Confirmed for Wii] " "Cubed3.com". URL Accessed June 7, 2006.] ) and a co-starring role for Pikachu, Jigglypuff, Lucario, and a Pokémon Trainer (who uses Squirtle, Ivysaur and Charizard for fighting) in the 2008 Wii fighter "Super Smash Bros. Brawl". [ [http://media.wii.ign.com/media/748/748545/img_3609965.html "Super Smash Bros. Brawl" screenshot gallery"] "IGN". Accessed May 11, 2006.] -

Game mechanics

tarter Pokémon

One of the consistent aspects of most "Pokémon" games — spanning from "Pokémon Red" and "Blue" on the Nintendo Game Boy to the Nintendo DS game, "Pokémon Diamond" and "Pearl" — "Pokémon Battle Revolution" is the choice of one of three different Pokémon at the start of the player's adventures; these three are often labeled "starter Pokémon". Players can choose a Grass-type, a Fire-type, or a Water-type, Pokémon indigenous to that particular region. [http://uk.gba.gamespy.com/gameboy-advance/pokemon-ruby-version/498107p1.html "Pokémon Ruby" review (page 1)] "Gamespy.com". Accessed May 30, 2006.] For example, in "Pokémon Red" and "Blue", the player has the choice of starting with Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle. The exception to this rule is "Pokémon Yellow", where players are given a Pikachu, an Electric-type mouse Pokémon, famous for being the mascot of the Pokémon media franchise; in this game, however, the three starter Pokémon from "Red" and "Blue" can be obtained during the quest by a single player, something that is not possible in any other installment of the franchise. [ [http://uk.gameboy.ign.com/articles/162/162045p1.html "Pokémon Yellow" Critical Review] "Ign.com". URL accessed on March 27, 2006.]

Another consistent aspect is that the player's rival will always choose as his or her starter, the one that has a type advantage over the player's chosen Pokemon. For instance, if the player picks grass-type Bulbasaur, the rival will always pick fire-type Charmander. This does not affect the first battle between the rivals, as they can only use "normal" type attacks at this point, meaning that they cannot exploit the weaknesses. The exception to this is again "Pokémon Yellow", in which the rival picks a normal type Eevee. Whether this pokemon evolves into Jolteon, Flareon, or Vaporeon is decided by when the player exposes the Evee to an elemental stone (Thunder, Fire, and Water respectively).

List of main "Pokémon" games

Handheld game consoles

*Generation I (Game Boy)
**"Pokémon Green" "(vgrelease|Japan|JPN|1996)"
**"Pokémon Red" and "Pokémon Blue" "(vgrelease|Japan|JPN|1996)"
**"Pokémon Yellow" "(vgrelease|Japan|JPN|1998)"
*Generation II (Game Boy Color)
**"Pokémon Gold" and "Pokémon Silver" "(vgrelease|Japan|JPN|1999)"
**"Pokémon Crystal" "(vgrelease|Japan|JPN|2000)"
*Generation III (Game Boy Advance)
**"Pokémon Ruby" and "Pokémon Sapphire" "(vgrelease|Japan|JPN|2002)"
**"Pokémon FireRed" and "Pokémon LeafGreen" "(vgrelease|Japan|JPN|2004)"
**"Pokémon Emerald" "(vgrelease|Japan|JPN|2005)"
**"(vgrelease|Japan|JPN|2005)"
*Generation IV (Nintendo DS)
**"Pokémon Ranger"" "(vgrelease|USA|US|2007)"
**"Pokémon Diamond" and "Pokémon Pearl"" "(vgrelease|Japan|JPN|2006)"
**" "(vgrelease|USA|US|2008)"
**" "(vgrelease|USA|US|2008)"
**"Pokémon Platinum"" "(vgrelease|Japan|JPN|2008)"

Home game consoles

*Generation I (Nintendo 64)
**"Pokémon Stadium" "(vgrelease|Japan|JPN|1998)" - released in Japan only
**"Pokémon Stadium 2" "(vgrelease|Japan|JPN|1999)" in US and Europe known as "Pokémon Stadium" "(vgrelease|USA|US|2000)"
*Generation II (Nintendo 64)
**"Pokémon Stadium Kin Gin" "(vgrelease|Japan|JPN|2000)" in US and Europe known as "Pokémon Stadium 2" "(vgrelease|USA|US|2001)"
*Generation III (Nintendo GameCube)
**"Pokémon Colosseum" "(vgrelease|Japan|JPN|2003)"
**"" "(vgrelease|Japan|JPN|2005)"
*Generation IV (Wii)
**"Pokémon Battle Revolution" "(vgrelease|Japan|JPN|2006)"

"Pokémon" in other games

In the "Super Smash Bros. series", Pikachu, Ivysaur, Squirtle, Charizard, Jigglypuff, Pichu, Mewtwo, and Lucario are playable characters. Pikachu and Jigglypuff are introduced in "Super Smash Bros." for the Nintendo 64, and are also featured in "Super Smash Bros. Melee" for the Nintendo GameCube, alongside Pichu and Mewtwo. In "Super Smash Bros. Brawl", Mewtwo and Pichu are not featured, although Squirtle, Ivysaur, and Charizard make their first playable appearances as part of the Pokémon Trainer character, while Lucario appears as a separate character. Rayquaza is also featured as a boss enemy. The series also features Poké Balls as items, which, when used by a player, make a random Pokémon appear, with various effects on the game.

"Unobtainable" Pokémon

Four Pokémon, Mew, Celebi, Jirachi, and Deoxys, are extremely rare and were nearly impossible to get in the Game Boy Advance era. "Pokémon Diamond" and "Pearl" added three new extremely rare Pokémon: Darkrai, Shaymin, and Arceus. They are obtained by using the Mystery Gift function; in some cases, exploiting a glitch in the game itself; or directly from Nintendo at promotional events. These Pokémon can be obtained by using a GameShark or similar cheating device like Action Replay. Players are not required to own these Pokémon, among others, in order to have a complete Pokédex.

* Mew can be found in the "Red", "Blue", and "Yellow" versions using the "Mew glitch." In addition, it is possible to get an Old Sea Chart in "Pokémon Emerald" at one of Nintendo's promotional events and use this to travel to Faraway Island (known as World's Edge Island in Japan), where Mew can be caught. On September 30, 2006, Mew was also given out at Toys "R" Us stores throughout the United States [ [http://www.pokemon.com/index.weml#mailbag_09252006 Mailbag: The Mystery of Mew!] , "Pokémon.com". URL last accessed March 4, 2007.] in recognition of the release of the new movie, "". A similar event at Toys "R" Us stores across Britain took place in August 2007. Several of these promotional events also took place in major shopping malls in Australia and the United States. It has also been discovered that Mew is also obtainable in the WiiWare, My Pokémon Ranch. If 999 Pokémon are sent to the Ranch, Hayley will bring a Mew to the Ranch and is able to be traded in return for an egg from the Wii to a Pokémon Diamond or Pokémon Pearl game.

* Celebi can be found through the use of the GS ball (only obtainable in the Japanese version of "Pokémon Crystal" through a cell phone network service), which can be placed in a shrine in Ilex Forest to summon it, by manipulating a glitch, or by using a cheating device. It is also available in the Japanese "Pokémon Colosseum" bonus disc, which was available with pre-orders. For the "Gold", "Silver", and "Crystal" games, Celebi has been provided as a promotional Pokémon at special events, but it was not obtainable outside of Japan for the Game Boy Advance generation with the exception of a promotional 10th Pokémon Journey Across America.

* Jirachi can only be obtained legitimately with the "Pokémon Colosseum" bonus disc (which was available with pre-orders) in North America, which allows a player to trade this Pokémon to the "Ruby" and "Sapphire" games. PAL region gamers can get it by finishing "Pokémon Channel", after which Jirachi can be downloaded to the GBA games.

* Deoxys can be caught on Birth Island to the south of Kanto in the "FireRed", "LeafGreen", and "Emerald" versions, provided the player has an Aurora Ticket, which was a bonus for pre-ordering a ticket to see the 7th movie in Japan. In America, the ticket was given at Pokémon Rocks America 2004 and on Halloween 2004 at the former Pokémon Center. Europeans were able to find it by a promotion called "The Hunt for Deoxys." Nintendo of Europe gave out tickets to those who mailed their games in. Due to the universal encoding of a Game Boy Advance, American cartridges can receive Deoxys too. An event took place at the Houston Space Center that gave out Deoxys on March 10 through 19 of 2006. Deoxys was also given away to owners of "Pokémon Diamond" and "Pearl" as a bonus for pre-ordering a ticket to see the 10th Pokémon movie. This Deoxys came in the exclusive Cherish Ball and had a unique moveset. Deoxys was also given away to Pokémon Diamond and Pearl owners on the weekends of June 20 - June 22, and June 27 - June 29, 2008 at local GameStops in America.

* Ho-Oh and Lugia are also relatively unobtainable in "FireRed", "LeafGreen", and "Emerald". The Pokémon can be caught on Navel Rock to the south of Kanto if the player has a Mystic Ticket, which can obtained by using Mystery Gift near a Joyspot. Mystic Tickets were also made available to US players at the Nintendo World grand opening in New York City on May 14, 2005. When "Pokémon Colosseum" was released, players could also catch Ho-Oh by Snagging and purifying all 48 Shadow Pokémon and then beating Mt. Battle with an in-game team. In "Colosseum"'s sequel, "", Lugia is prominently featured and can be caught within the game, then can be traded to a GBA game after purification. Ho-Oh and Lugia were also among the top ten Pokémon given out in the European Pokémon 10th anniversary tour, held in 2006.

* Manaphy can be obtained in "Diamond" and "Pearl" by way of the games "Pokémon Ranger" and "". After each game is completed, a special mission may be offered to maintain a Manaphy egg which the player can then transfer to "Diamond" or "Pearl" to hatch there. Additionally, on Saturday, September 29, 2007, Toys 'R' Us held another event to distribute Manaphy, in promotion of the movie "Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea". This particular Manaphy had a special moveset and was caught in a Cherish Ball. It also held the item Red Scarf.

* Darkrai can be obtained in "Diamond" and "Pearl" with the use of the event item Membership Pass. This takes the player to Newmoon Island, where Darkrai can be found. Darkrai was also distributed at movie theatres in Japan to promote the movie "". Keeping in trend with previous promotions, the Pokémon Darkrai was distributed at Toys 'R' Us stores in the United States on May 31, 2008 and June 1, 2008, also in promotion of "Pokémon: The Rise of Darkrai". Darkrai is also obtained by completing a mission in Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia.

* Shaymin was only obtainable in Japan on July 4 (premiere) and 19 (official date). Anyone who brought their DS with their "Diamond" and "Pearl" game cartridges were able to receive Shaymin anywhere in the movie hall.

Other promotions

Nintendo has produced modified versions of other, not so rare Pokémon to serve as promotional icons. One of these was a surfing Pikachu, which was originally available only through a Nintendo Power contest. However, it was later provided as an unlockable secret in "Pokémon Stadium", "" and "Pokémon Battle Revolution". Similarly, for a short time in Japan, there was a giveaway providing diving Pikachu. Flying Pikachu were also given away at Journey Across America in New York City stop.

Codes and glitches

There are many different glitches that can be triggered in the Pokémon games, especially in the older "Red", "Blue", and "Yellow" versions [ [http://www.trsrockin.com/tales.html MissingNo. and Glitch Pokémon articles] , "TRSRockin.com" retrieved on November 16, 2007] . These glitches allow players to duplicate Pokémon or items, catch unobtainable Pokémon, and accomplish otherwise impossible feats.

Additionally, a vast number of fake glitches and codes for the "Pokémon" games (again, especially for "Red" and "Blue") exist. The creation of such codes is often used to trick credulous players into deleting their save file, releasing their Pokémon, or performing other supposed requirements. Many of these glitches involve the catching of unobtainable (entirely fake) Pokémon; in many cases, the credibility of such codes was increased by falsified screenshots from the in-game Pokédex. Essentially all of these codes have been proven false, and since then numbers of false glitches for later games have dropped significantly. This is probably a result of the relative stability of the later games' code, which is less susceptible to the glitches that were rampant in previous versions. One of the most popular glitches found in the early Pokémon games is Missingno., a strange Pokémon found on the coast of Cinnabar Island. It is apparently a missing variable in the percentile odds of catching certain Pokémon. If the player "catches" this glitch, it will distort many of the game's functions, such as the Hall of Fame data, although it will most likely not harm the save file. The name of your character changes what image is used for Missingno., varying from black rectangles to a fossilized skeleton of a Pokémon to a level 255 Mewtwo. [http://www.wikihow.com/Catch-a-MissingNo-in-Pokemon-Red-and-Blue Catching Missingno., Retrieved on March 26, 2008] .

Additionally, a glitch for catching the supposedly uncatchable Mew Pokémon has been uncovered, in two different ways that have yet to be found to ruin your game [http://pokedex.kary.ca/catchmew.shtml How to Catch Mew Retrieved on March 26, 2008] . Cloning glitches have been also uncovered in several games, like at the battle tower in Pokemon Emerald. These allow the player to duplicate Pokémon by following a series of steps. By some players, however, this is considered cheating. There is also the possibility of corrupting or erasing the game file, with no way to restore it. Most glitches are banned from tournaments, especially considering some can ruin save files.

Impact

A subculture exists which is devoted to the study of Pokémon battling and strategy, usually on research centers around Internet bulletin boards. As well, multiple methods of online Pokémon battling exist, such as linkable Game Boy emulators, an IRC channel based programs: GSBot and RSBot, as well as the independent program Pokémon Netbattle, and another program called Shoddy Battle.

Guinness World Records recognized the Pokémon series by awarding it 8 world records in the Guinness World Records: Gamer's Edition 2008. The records include, "Most Successful RPG Series of All Time", "Game Series With the Most Spin-Off Movies", and dubiously, "Most Photosensitive Epileptic Seizures Caused By A TV Show".

References