The order of all Pokémon games is 2024.

It may be difficult to determine if you should play every Pokémon game in order, since there are nine generations to discover. We're here to lay down the chronological sequence and release order of the whole primary series so you know which game to start with, whether you're a die-hard fan or have wide eyes like a newly hatched Togepi.

At SmartRead, we're huge fans of Pokémon, therefore we have a lot of ideas on which are the greatest, to mention a few: beginner Pokémon, mythical Pokémon, flower Pokémon, fish Pokémon, big Pokémon, small Pokémon, and bear PokémonLet's go through every Pokémon game chronologically to discover the huge universe of Pokémon.

Every Pokémon game in sequence of release

With remakes excluded, this list contains every Pokémon game from the main series, arranged chronologically. The official chronology of Pokémon is quite arbitrary, while the chronological sequence of releases and the series' order aren't precisely the same.

• Pokémon Red and Blue – September 28, 1998
• Pokémon Yellow – October 19, 1999
• Pokémon Gold and Silver – October 15, 2000
• Pokémon Crystal – July 29, 2001
• Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire – March 19, 2003
• Pokémon Emerald – May 1, 2005
• Pokémon Diamond and Pearl – April 22, 2007
• Pokémon Platinum – March 22, 2009
• Pokémon Black and White – March 6, 2011
• Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 – October 7, 2012
• Pokémon X and Y – October 12, 2013
• Pokémon Sun and Moon – November 18, 2016
• Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon – November 17, 2017
• Pokémon Sword and Shield – November 15, 2019
• Pokémon Legends: Arceus  – January 28, 2022
• Pokémon Scarlet and Violet – November 18, 2022

Red and Blue Pokémon

First available in the United States on September 28, 1998 (Game Boy)It was from these games that a media empire was born. The first two games in the Pokémon series are Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue, which were published as Red and Green in Japan. For the original Game Boy, Game Freak created this endearing monster-collecting role-playing game. The player assumes the role of a young boy who is ready to go on his first trip throughout the Kanto area, where he must face gym leaders, the Elite Four, and the criminal group Team Rocket.The Pokémon games in the main series have been released in pairs ever since this first release. Additionally, each edition has unique Pokémon to entice you to trade with friends in order to collect them all. Pokémon trading used to require you to physically meet up with your friends in order to trade'mons via a connection cable, but in recent years, the internet has made the process much simpler.Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen for the Game Boy Advance in 2004 and Pokémon Let's Go Eevee and Pikachu for the Nintendo Switch in 2018 are the two remakes of Red and Blue that the Pokémon Company has produced throughout the years. Pokémon Let's Go leverages the worldwide popularity of Pokémon Go by integrating motion-based capturing features.Pokemon Yellow

First available in the United States on October 19, 1999 (Game Boy Color)The first of the so-called "retelling games"—Pokémon games that normally follow the release of a main series game, such as Red and Blue, but with a somewhat different plot—was Pokémon Yellow. In Yellow's instance, the reimagining of the original Kanto voyage has many similarities to the enduringly famous Pokémon anime.The companion of your character is a Pikachu, precisely like Ash's Pikachu from the anime, rather from the typical trio of beginner Pokémon. In the overworld, your little electric Pokémon follows you about, and how you treat it determines how your connection with it develops. As members of Team Rocket, the iconic anime pair Jessie and James also make a cameo, and the whole game has somewhat improved visuals over the original.

Gold and Silver Pokémon

First available in the United States on October 15, 2000 (Game Boy Color)With Generation 2, we get to explore a second area and meet 100 brand-new Pokémon. Many people's favorite Pokémon games are Gold and Silver (or their DS remakes, HeartGold and SoulSilver). Whether it's because of its gripping story, upgraded feature set, or simply overpowering nostalgia, generation two is right up there with the greatest.Like in Red and Blue, you take on the role of a young child embarking on a Pokémon adventure, this time throughout the region of Johto. You will battle formidable trainers along the route and run across Team Rocket again as they look for Giovanni, their commander. In addition to the improved visuals for the Game Boy Color, Gold and Silver included a number of features that are now standard in Pokémon games. Held objects, specific Pokéballs, Pokégear, shinies, special attack and defense, and breeding are all things I'm talking about. Without even one of these characteristics, Pokémon would appear quite different today. Regards, Johto!

Crystal Pokémon

First available in the United States on July 29, 2001 (Game Boy Color)At last, with the release of Pokémon Crystal—the first game in the series to allow you to choose your character's gender—Game Freak admitted that not all Pokémon players are males. As a retelling game, Crystal, the third game in Generation 2, fulfills a similar function as Yellow. A few new subplots centered on Suicune and Unown have been included, but otherwise the narrative is much the same as in Gold and Silver.For the first time, Crystal included animated sprites as well; they would return in Emerald, released four years later. The Battle Tower, a structure where you may engage in a series of Pokémon fights to establish yourself, is the game's most noteworthy element.Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire

First available in the United States on March 19, 2003 (Game Boy Advance)Let us introduce Hoenn and its melodic horns. Admittedly, being my first and favorite Pokémon generation, generation three has a particular place in my heart. However, I'm sure I'm not alone in this sentiment. After all, these games gave us our first introduction to two of the greatest Pokémon ever: Torchic and Gardevoir! Additionally, Nintendo redesigned Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire on the Nintendo 3DS.The basic narrative of Ruby and Sapphire is much the same as it was in prior generations, although two new antagonists are introduced this generation: Team Magma and Team Aqua. These two gangs want to employ the fabled Pokémon Groudon and Kyogre to change Hoenn's climate and landmass, either by inundating the area to create more seas or by creating drought to produce more land. Game Freak deserves praise for taking on a climate change plot so early on.Pokemon Emerald

First available in the United States on May 1, 2005 (Game Boy Advance)Being the first Pokémon game I ever played, Pokémon Emerald is also my personal favorite title in the whole series. Two years after Ruby and Sapphire, Emerald is another retelling game. Emerald, in mine (and many others') view, is the best way to experience Generation 3, since it allows you to face off against both Teams Magma and Aqua and introduces you to the amazing Rayquaza sky dragon.Pokémon Emerald offers everything you need from generation three, while there are a few minor story changes—especially in relation to Wallace—that you could appreciate better if you've played both Ruby/Sapphire and Emerald.

Diamond and Pearl Pokémon

First available in the United States on April 22, 2007 (Nintendo DS)Pokémon arrives on the DS, offering an additional fun screen! I still clearly recall receiving my white DS Lite and a copy of Pokémon Diamond as birthday presents when I turned 10. In generation four, our protagonist travels to the Sinnoh area, which is modeled after Hokkaido, the northern island of Japan, which is known for its snow-capped mountains and colder temperature.In addition to engaging in the standard Pokémon activities of facing trainers, gathering new "mons," and obtaining gym badges, you also have to take down Team Galactic, who, let me see what I wrote, intend to use Dialga and Palkia's time and space control to create a whole new universe for themselves and destroy the existing one. With this one, Game Freak really turned up the intensity of the danger. By using connection cables, you may trade and compete with gamers worldwide via the DS's Wi-Fi network, not just those nearby.Pokemon Platinum

First available in the United States on March 22, 2009 (Nintendo DS)This is by now familiar to you. In Pokémon Platinum, Giratina is given a lot more attention than Dialga and Palkia in the retelling of Diamond and Pearl. Additionally, it's the first Pokémon game that offers you many opportunities to capture the legendary box art. I really value this since I missed out on Dialga on my Diamond playthrough and have regretted it ever since.In addition to the story changes, Platinum's biggest inclusion is the Distortion World, a section of Sinnoh with unique physics that lends the game an eerie atmosphere. Additionally, because you may discover previous generation Pokémon in Platinum without having to wait to defeat Cynthia, it's much simpler to capture them.

Black and White Pokémon

First available in the United States on March 6, 2011 (Nintendo DS)We saw the first territory in Pokémon Black and White that wasn't based on a region of Japan. The Unova area in Generation Five is modeled by New York City, which is home to several skyscrapers and suspension bridges. In addition, this edition has the greatest number of new Pokémon introduced since the original 151, which some believe was a horrible choice considering how bizarre certain Unovan Pokémon, like as Klink, Throh, and Musharna, can be.As you traverse the Unova area, a criminal group by the name of Team Plasma is up to no good, as usual. Although N, their leader, only wants humans and Pokémon to coexist peacefully, there is another person operating behind the scenes.

Pokémon White and Black 2

First available in the United States on October 7, 2012 (Nintendo DS)First of all, Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 are actual successors to the original Generation 5 games rather than just retellings of those games. Two years have passed after the events of Black and White, and new characters, settings, and elements like the Pokémon World Tournament have been introduced.As a member of Team Neo Plasma, a division of Team Plasma that was established after the conclusion of the previous game, Ghetsis is back with Colress. The story revolves on the mythical Unova dragon, which is said to be a hybrid of Zekrom and Reshiram, the first two legendaries, and Kyurem, a third dragon.Pokemon X and Y

First available in the United States on October 12, 2013 (Nintendo 3DS)With the release of Pokémon X and Y, the sixth generation of the brand, the Pokémon Company followed suit, sensing that Nintendo was genuinely doing something different with the 3DS. Although most Pokémon fans don't have many positive memories of the Kalos area, it wasn't all negative!The fairy type of Pokémon was introduced to us by X and Y, along with a new Eeveelution that proved to be an immediate hit. Thanks to the eight-way direction grid, we also got to giggle at ice riddles and witness enormous evolutions of some of our favorite'mons.Pokemon Sun and Moon

First available in the United States on November 18, 2016 (Nintendo 3DS)Continuing on the 3DS, the Alola region—a collection of islands modeled like Hawaii—is the setting for Pokémon Sun and Moon. Additionally, a number of experimental elements were added to these games; some of these features, like regional Pokémon, have stayed popular, while others, such Z moves, weren't as well received.When someone discusses the defeat of Pokémon villains, they often bring to Sun and Moon. In other Pokémon games, the teams you battle to defeat alongside the main storyline have quite sinister goals, but Alola's Team Skull is more like a group of small-time crooks brought together by their defeats in the island challenges.Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon of PokémonFirst available in the United States on November 17, 2017 (Nintendo 3DS)The stories have returned! The first two Pokémon retelling games, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, include more Ultra Beasts, new legendary forms of Solgaleo and Lunala, and a ton of post-game material.The greatest selling feature of Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon is most likely the post-game, which includes the return of many team captains from earlier generations as members of Team Rainbow Rocket, such as Mewtwo and Giovanni.

Sword and Shield of Pokémon

First available in the United States on November 15, 2019 (Nintendo Switch)It was time for Pokémon Sword and Shield and other main series games to leave the handheld-only realm as Nintendo brought portable and home console gaming together with the Nintendo Switch. Although this generation's primary narrative is quite uninteresting (and Team Yell adds another opponent team that isn't particularly dangerous), it is Game Freak's first attempt at creating an open-world Pokémon game.Pokémon Sword and Shield was also the first game to have DLC, which added additional gameplay elements, Pokémon, and areas to the basic game in The Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra. For additional details, be sure to read our Pokémon Sword and Shield: The Crown Tundra review.

Arceus in Pokémon Legends

First available in the United States: Nintendo Switch, January 28, 2022This was unexpected. Pokémon Legends: Arceus transports a contemporary trainer to ancient Sinnoh, then known as Hisui, setting off a time-traveling isekai journey. The primary goals of the game vary significantly from the typical Pokémon experience since during this period, both humans and Pokémon were afraid of one another.Legends: Arceus brings you one step closer to having an entirely open-world Pokémon game, complete with large area maps and special Pokémon mounts to aid you in navigating challenging terrain. Your primary goal is to observe, capture, and battle the Pokémon of Hisui in order to compile the first-ever Pokédex. It's similar to the Pokémon games' Breath of the Wild, in my opinion.

Violet and Scarlet Pokémon

First available in the United States on November 18, 2022 (Nintendo Switch)We've arrived to the current day. The most recent main series Pokémon games for the Nintendo Switch are Scarlet and Violet, marking the arrival of a fully complete open-world Pokémon game. Although it doesn't look the best and has performance problems, the journey over Paldea offers advantages.Two new subplots are another significant alteration introduced by Game Freak for Generation 9. You have the option to not only choose the sequence in which you battle gyms, but also to search for the five giant Pokémon and destroy each of the five Team Star bases in the process. In addition, Scarlet and Violet have two large DLC packs: one takes place in the undersea Blueberry Academy in Unova, while the other explores the country of Kitakami.

Every Pokémon game in order of release date

With a few notable exceptions, the majority of Pokémon game events take place in the same chronological sequence as the games' release. The following are the Pokémon games in chronological order:

• Legends: Arceus
• Red, Blue, and Yellow
• Gold, Silver, and Crystal
• Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald
• Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum
• Black and White
• Black 2 and White 2
• X and Y
• Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon
• Sword and Shield
• Scarlet and Violet

All of the Pokémon games are arranged in this sequence for you. Check out our tips on normal Pokémon weakness, water Pokémon weakness, flying Pokémon weakness, and fire Pokémon weakness if you're ready to dive in and need some assistance in combat. If you're interested in more Nintendo history, we've also looked at every Zelda game ever made.