Richie has been playing video games for almost as long as they’ve existed. He started writing about them back in the days of Quake, Super Mario 64 and Command & Conquer, and has barely stopped since.
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Even if you’re a gamer of rapidly advancing years, you can’t have failed to be aware of the Pokémon games. Since 1996, when the first of them were released in Japan, close to 300 million copies of the mainline series have been sold, all of them exclusive to Nintendo’s series of increasingly colorful handhelds. That’s before we consider the many spin-off games that have appeared for the N64, Wii, and, in recent years, mobile devices. Putting Pokemen games in order, therefore, can be a tricky prospect.
The problem with Pokémon games for those that haven’t collected them all isn’t just that there are so many of them (more than 120), but that a number constitute alternative, expanded or remade editions of games that have gone before. For example, Let’s Go, Pikachu and Let’s Go, Eevee are largely the same game, as many will know. However, they are also, indirectly, remakes of the very first Pokémon games, Red and Blue (and, more directly, Pokémon Yellow). Thankfully, we’re here to put some order to the chaos, so that you can go straight to the games that are the source for all that has followed.
We’ve grouped all the Pokémon games in order of when they were released within thee separate sections: The mainline Pokémon games, the Mystery Dungeon spin-off series and other spin-off games.
We’ve not included Pokémon titles that were exclusive to Japan, or those that didn’t really constitute much in the way of gameplay. However, if you do think we’ve mistakenly omitted an important title, be sure to express your displeasure in a comment below and we’ll see about including the game when we next update the article.
Mainline Pokémon Games
First we have the mainline games. These are the familiar RPG-style collect ‘em ups where the player must explore the map, catching and levelling Pokémon as they go, before battling them against other Pokémon trainers in turn-based battles. Initially released in two or more editions, these titles have often been followed up with expanded versions and remakes. 2021’s Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl titles, for example (due for release on November 19), are Switch remakes of the classic Nintendo DS duo Diamond and Pearl.
2022’s Pokémon Legends: Arceus will be a curious addition to the series. It’s considered to be a mainline game, despite the change in focus to real-time RPG action. It’s also set to be a prequel, of sorts, to the aforementioned Diamond and Pearl games.
| Main Pokémon Titles | Special / Expanded Editions | Remakes |
| Pokémon Red Pokémon Green Pokémon Blue (1996, Game Boy) | Pokémon Yellow (1998, Game Boy) | Pokémon FireRed Pokémon LeafGreen (2004, GBA) Let’s Go, Eevee! (2018, Switch) |
| Pokémon Gold Pokémon Silver (1999, GBC) | Pokémon Crystal (2000, GBC) | Pokémon HeartGold Pokémon HeartSilver (2009, GBA) |
| Pokémon Ruby Pokémon Sapphire (2002, GBA) | Pokémon Emerald (2004, GBA) | Pokémon Omega Ruby Pokémon Alpha Sapphire (2014, 3DS) |
| Pokémon Diamond Pokémon Pearl (2006, DS) | Pokémon Platinum (2008, DS) | Pokémon Brilliant Diamond Pokémon Shining Pearl (2021, Switch) |
| Pokémon Black Pokémon White (2010, DS) | Pokémon Black 2 Pokémon White 2 (2012, DS) | |
| Pokémon X Pokémon Y (2013, 3DS) | ||
| Pokémon Sun Pokémon Moon (2016, 3DS) | Pokémon Ultra Sun Pokémon Ultra Moon (2017, 3DS) | |
| Pokémon Sword Pokémon Shield (2019, Switch) | ||
| Pokémon Legends: Arceus (2022, Switch) |
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Games
The Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series is probably the most popular spin-off from the Pokémon games. What many people don’t know is that Spike Chunsoft’s series is based on the Mystery Dungeon series of rogue-like games that actually predate Pokémon. The first in the series, Torneko no Daibōken: Fushigi no Dungeon (which itself was spun out of the Dragon Quest games), came out in1993!
| Pokémon Mystery Dungeon | Special / Expanded Editions | Remakes |
| Red Rescue Team Blue Rescue Team (2006, GBA/DS) | Rescue Team DX (2020, Switch) | |
| Explorers of Time Explorers of Darkness (2007, DS) | Explorers of Sky (2009, DS) | |
| Gates to Infinity (2012, 3DS) | ||
| Super Mystery Dungeon (2015, 3DS) |
Other Pokémon Spin-Off Games
In this section we list the rest of the many Pokémon spin-off games that have appeared over the years, from puzzle games and action titles, to the most recent addition to the franchise, the League of Legends-inspired Pokémon Unite. Again we’ve listed them in release date order, with any reissues, remakes and sequels linked instead to the original game.
| Pokémon Spin-Off Games | Remakes / Sequels |
| Pokémon Trading Card Game (1998, GBC) | Pokémon Card GB2: Team Great Rocket is Here! (2001, GBC) Pokémon TCG Online (2012, online |
| Hey You, Pikachu! (1998, N64) | |
| Pokémon Pinball (1999, GBC) | Pokémon Pinball: Ruby and Sapphire (2003, GBA) |
| Pokémon Snap (1999, N64) | New Pokémon Snap (2021, Switch) |
| Pokémon Stadium (1999, N64) | Pokémon Stadium 2 (2000, N64) Pokémon Battle Revolution (2006, Wii) |
| Pokémon Puzzle League (2000, N64) Pokémon Puzzle Challenge (2000, GBC) | |
| Pokémon Colosseum (2003, GC) | Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness (2005, GC) |
| Pokémon Dash (2004, DS) | |
| Pokémon Trozei! (2005, DS) | |
| Pokémon Ranger (2006, DS) | Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia (2008, DS) Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs (2010, DS) |
| My Pokémon Ranch (2008, WiiWare) | |
| Pokémon Rumble (2009, WiiWare) | Pokémon Rumble Blast (2011, 3DS) Pokémon Rumble U (2013, Wii U) Pokémon Rumble World (2015, 3DS)Pokémon Rumble Rush (2019, mobile) |
| PokéPark: Pikachu’s Adventure (2009, Wii) | PokéPark 2: Wonders Beyond (2011, Wii) |
| Learn With Pokémon: Typing Adventure (2011, DS) | |
| Pokémon Conquest (2012, DS) | |
| Pokémon Dream Radar (2012, 3DS) | |
| Camp Pokémon (2014, mobile) | |
| Pokémon Shuffle (2015, 3DS) | Pokémon Shuffle Mobile (2015, mobile) |
| Pokémon Picross (2015, 3DS) | |
| Pokémon Go (2016, mobile) | |
| Pokkén Tournament (2016, Wii U) | Pokkén Tournament DX (2017, Switch) |
| Pokémon Duel (2017, mobile) | |
| Pokémon: Magikarp Jump (2017, mobile) | |
| Detective Pikachu (2018, 3DS) | |
| Pokémon Quest (2018, Switch/mobile) | |
| Pokémon Masters (2019, mobile) | |
| Pokémon Café Mix (2020, Switch/mobile) | |
| Pokémon Unite (2021, Switch/mobile) |
