How to Play the Pokémon Games in Chronological Order

The mainline Pokemon games marque up 1 of the best-selling video crippled franchises of each time. From Pokemon Red and Blue to the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, these games person amassed a immense assemblage that conscionable keeps coming backmost for more.

If you haven't played each of the Pokemon video games successful the series, however, you whitethorn find yourself successful a spot of a dilemma trying to fig retired wherever to commencement successful 2025. Most of the large titles successful the bid are fantabulous standalone games to dive into, but if you privation to commencement from the beginning, determination are 2 antithetic ways to play successful order: Chronologically oregon by merchandise date.

Jump to:

• How to Play successful Chronological Order
• How to Play by Release Order

Which Pokemon Games Should You Actually Play First?

Choosing wherever to commencement boils down to what Nintendo console you presently have, though the caller Delta emulator whitethorn alteration that for you. If you lone person a Nintendo Switch, you tin commencement with Let's Go Pikachu oregon Let's Go Eevee, which are benignant of similar remakes of the archetypal Yellow mentation from 1998. You tin besides play Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl for different remake experience. Pokemon Legends: Arceus is besides an option, but it is precise antithetic from the different mainline games.

If you're wanting to dive close into Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, it's worthy noting that you apt won't beryllium missing retired connected immoderate overly pertinent accusation from the erstwhile games. The lone games successful the main bid you mightiness not privation to leap close into is Black 2 and White 2 arsenic those are sequels.

How to Play the Pokemon Games successful Chronological Order

The Pokemon timelne whitethorn look beauteous linear astatine archetypal glance, but without capable evident details to spell disconnected of, it tin beryllium beauteous confusing to effort to travel the chronology from rubric to title. Luckily, a present deleted tweet from Toshinobu Matsumiya has fixed america a starting constituent for immoderate of the games. For the rest, we tin lone marque educated guesses based connected a fewer cardinal details witin the games.

1. Pokemon Legends: Arceus

The archetypal crippled successful the chronology is precise intelligibly Pokemon Legends: Arceus seeing arsenic it's acceptable successful a clip erstwhile the narration betwixt humans and Pokemon was lone conscionable starting to form. You walk a ample information of your clip moving astir a immense unfastened wilderness catching and battling chaotic Pokemon, and the radical you interact with are intelligibly conscionable opening to recognize the satellite of Pokemon. This crippled features crafting and probe tasks, which greatly differentiates it from the accustomed gym conflict look we are utilized to.

Though we don't cognize conscionable however agelong agone Pokemon Legends: Arceus takes spot compared to the different games successful the series, we bash atleast cognize that it seems to diagnostic the ancestors of Diamond and Pearl characters.

2. Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow

As the archetypal games successful the series, Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow are up adjacent successful the timeline. Bringing the first-generation Pokedex and introducing america to the classical Pokemon crippled formula, these best-selling games are what started it all.

Although we can't cognize for definite that these Game Boy games are up adjacent successful the timeline, the deleted Tweet from Game Scenario writer Toshinobu Matsumiya confirmed that the bid starts with these. The exertion featured successful the crippled is besides reasonably constricted compared to immoderate of the newer games -- though inactive precocious capable to bring fossils backmost to life!

Bonus: Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen

Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen are remakes of the archetypal Red and Blue games and frankincense are astatine the aforesaid nonstop constituent successful the timeline. Much of the crippled is the aforesaid arsenic the originals with immoderate cardinal differences -- including visiting the Sevii Islands aft becoming champion of the Elite Four.

3. Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald

Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald brought each caller Pokemon and throws you into the Hoenn portion -- which is immoderate region from some the Kanto and Johto regions. Considering this crippled features the 3rd procreation of Pokemon and immoderate caller technology, it seems astir apt that it would instrumentality spot aft some Red and Blue and Gold and Silver. However, according to that aforesaid deleted tweet from Matsumiya, Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire instrumentality spot astatine the aforesaid constituent successful clip arsenic FireRed and LeafGreen.

This besides means that Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire are astatine the aforesaid constituent successful the timeline present seeing arsenic they are remakes.

4. Pokemon Gold, Silver, and Crystal

As the 2nd crippled successful the bid (in presumption of merchandise date) Pokemon Gold and Silver instrumentality spot 3 years aft the events of Red and Blue. With immoderate breathtaking caller Gen 2 Pokemon and immoderate of the champion post-game contented successful the series, Gold, Silver, and Crystal were an fantabulous travel up to the archetypal games. By traveling to the Kanto portion aft becoming the champion of Johto, you get a firsthand look astatine the transition of time. You adjacent get to conflict the protagonist from the archetypal games, Red, who is rather strong.

This placement successful the chronology besides applies to the remakes: HeartGold and SoulSilver. Although the remakes connection immoderate further content, they are fundamentally conscionable updated versions of the originals.

5. Pokemon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum

In presumption of bid merchandise order, Pokemon Diamond and Pearl came a fewer years aft Ruby and Sapphire. However, we present cognize from that deleted tweet from Matsumiya that Diamond and Pearl really takes spot astatine the aforesaid clip arsenic HeartGold and SoulSilver. This whitethorn look a small spot confusing considering the advancements successful exertion we spot successful Diamond and Pearl, but we tin apt conscionable chalk it up to the existent day the games were created alternatively than the chronology wrong the Pokemon universe.

This would besides mean that the remakes, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are acceptable successful the aforesaid constituent of the timeline. Though the timeline gets a spot wonky with the inclusion of Fairy-type Pokemon considering those weren't introduced until X and Y.

6. Pokemon Black and White

Featuring the fifth-generation of caller Pokemon, Black and White was the 2nd mainline crippled to travel retired connected the Nintendo DS. Although we don't cognize precisely erstwhile the communicative takes spot successful the Pokemon universe, we bash that it takes spot aft Diamond and Pearl acknowledgment to Matsumiya's tweet. Since determination aren't immoderate evident links to the erstwhile games, we tin lone presume that Black and White takes spot much than 3 years aft Red and Blue.

7. Pokemon Black 2 and White 2

As a existent sequel to Black and White, Pokemon Black 2 and White 2 connection a reasonably evident modulation done the chronological timeline. We spot changes wherever gym leaders walk connected their duties to the adjacent generation, Team Plasma has precocious their plot, and determination is simply a caller Champion. Between each of these things, we cognize that astir 2 years person passed since Black and White, progressing the timeline guardant successful an uncharacteristically linear fashion.

8. Pokemon X and Y

As the archetypal crippled successful the bid to let payers to research and conflict successful 3D, Pokemon X and Y was a caller instrumentality connected the classical Pokemon formula. While this is mostly owed to it being the archetypal rubric successful the bid to beryllium a Nintendo 3DS game, it decidedly helped acceptable up aboriginal games. While we don't cognize precisely erstwhile the crippled fits successful the chronology, acknowledgment to Matsumiya we atleast cognize that X and Y instrumentality spot astatine the aforesaid clip arsenic Black 2 and White 2. However, it's imaginable that it is acceptable successful a antithetic beingness owed to Mega Evolution being a thing.

9. Pokemon Sun and Moon

Happening a fewer years aft X and Y, Pokemon Sun and Moon takes america to the Alola region. While we don't person immoderate accusation from Matsumiya astir wherever this crippled fits successful the timeline, it features a fewer characters from X and Y that bespeak that clip has passed betwixt games. An big Red and Blue besides marque an appearance, though their nonstop property isn't revealed, truthful we inactive don't cognize precisely however overmuch clip has progressed since Red, Blue, and Yellow.

This besides means that Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon instrumentality spot astatine the aforesaid constituent successful clip arsenic they are fundamentally remakes of Sun and Moon with immoderate further content.

10. Pokemon Sword and Shield

With the accomplishment of the Nintendo Switch came the archetypal Switch-exclusive mainline Pokemon game: Sword and Shield. Featuring a brand-new region, caller Pokemon, and the instauration of Gigantamax, Sword and Shield is fundamentally a brushed reboot of the series. So that being said, we person nary thought wherever it fits connected the chronological timeline. There aren't truly immoderate hard references to the erstwhile games, truthful determination is nary mode of accurately fitting it into the known Pokemon universe.

One of the lone clues we person astir the timeline comes successful the signifier of caller technology. The summation of the Rotom Phone seemingly places america further successful the chronology than Red and Blue astatine the precise least, but that's each we tin truly gather. It's imaginable that Pokemon Sword and Shield simply takes spot successful an wholly antithetic beingness than immoderate of the different games.

11. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

As the latest introduction successful the series, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet brings all-new Gen 9 Pokemon and the open-world Paldea portion to the Nintendo Switch. There haven't been immoderate evident clues revealed astir wherever it lands connected the timeline, truthful we unluckily don't person capable accusation to effort to accurately spot it. That being said, if it follows the chronological operation of erstwhile mainline games, it's imaginable that it takes spot astatine the aforesaid clip arsenic the events of Pokemon Sword and Shield.

How to Play the Pokemon Games by Release Date

I you privation to play the games successful the bid they were released alternatively than effort to attempting to spell done the convoluted chronological timeline, present are each of the mainline Pokemon games by merchandise date:

1. Pokemon Red and Blue - February 27, 1996 - Game Boy
2. Pokemon Yellow - Game Boy - September 12, 1998 - Game Boy
3. Pokemon Gold and Silver - November 21, 1999 - Game Boy Color
4. Pokemon Crystal - December 14, 2000 - Game Boy Color
5. Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire - November 21, 2002 - Game Boy Advance
6. Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen - January 28, 2004 - Game Boy Advance
7. Pokemon Emerald - Sepember 16, 2004 - Game Boy Advance
8. Pokemon Diamond and Pearl - September 28, 2006 - Nintendo DS
9. Pokemon Platinum - September 13, 2008 - Nintendo DS
10. Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver - September 12, 2009 - Nintendo DS
11. Pokemon Black and White - September 18, 2010 - Nintendo DS
12. Pokemon Black 2 and White 2 - June 23, 2012 - Nintendo DS
13. Pokemon X and Y - October 13, 2013 - Nintendo 3DS
14. Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire - November 21, 2014 - Nintendo 3DS
15. Pokemon Sun and Moon - November 18, 2016 - Nintendo 3DS
16. Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon - November 17, 2017 - Nintendo 3DS
17. Pokemon Sword and Shield - November 15, 2019 - Nintendo Switch
18. Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl - November 19, 2021 - Nintendo Switch
19. Pokemon Scarlet and Vilolet - November 18, 2022 - Nintendo Switch
20. Pokemon Legends Z-A - TBA Late 2025

Upcoming Pokemon Games

We yet got an authoritative gameplay uncover of the adjacent mainline Pokemon crippled during this year's Pokemon Day. Titled Pokemon Legends: Z-A, the upcoming crippled is acceptable successful Lumiose City, wrong the aforesaid Kalos portion arsenic Pokemon X and Y. The metropolis itself is successful the midst of a technological improvement to enactment trainers and Pokemon thriving together.

As a Legends game, Z-A's starter Pokemon are a throwback: Chikorita and Totodile from Gen 2 alongside Tepig from Gen 5. Like successful Legends: Arceus, these acquainted starters volition beryllium getting caller last evolutions. The gameplay trailer besides showed disconnected caller conflict mechanics, similar positioning, dodging, and aiming your Pokemon's attacks.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A volition motorboat connected the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 connected October 16, with a Switch 2 bundle with the crippled (sorry, nary peculiar edition) releasing connected the aforesaid day.