How to play the Pokémon games in order: Complete timeline in chronological release
Gotta play them all to catch them all!
Having been with us for almost 30 years, there are quite a few Pokémon games now, and we've got how to play them in release and chronological order to help you get started.
Despite its vintage, the Pokémon machine shows no signs of stopping, with new content always being added to Pokémon Go and the animated series continuing on without longtime mascots Ash Ketchum and Pikachu.
Soon enough, a new entry, Pokémon Legends Z-A, will be joining the fray - but it's not set for release until 2025, giving newcomers plenty of time to explore the back catalogue.
Love Pokémon? Listen to our developer podcast interview!
That is, if you have all the necessary hardware to play them, as some games are firmly stuck on older platforms such as the Nintendo DS and the like.
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If you happen to have any Nintendo console from the last 30 years, you're bound to be able to play at least some Pokémon.
Alas, we only have so much time to catch 'em all - so let's get to it!
Do you have to play the Pokemon games in order?
Most of the big titles in the mainline Pokemon RPG games are great standalone games to dive into, but if you want want to start from the beginning, there are two different ways to play in order: by release date or chronologically.
Which Pokemon games should I play first?
It's best to start with the games that were released first. This way, you'll be gradually introduced to new regions and more cute critters as you go, rather than being absolutely overwhelmed at the start of your journey.
Read on for everything you need to know about Pokemon games in order of release.
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Pokemon games in order of release
We've omitted spin-off titles like Pokemon Snap on this list because really you can dip into those whenever you want, and you'll have a nice time without having to worry about the timeline.
If it's the main saga of Pokémon that you want to play through, though, below you'll find the best order in which to do it!
Pokémon Red, Blue, Green and Yellow (1996)
The following games are the first out for the franchise and they were all released for the original Game Boy. One side note here is that Green was only available in Japan - although many have been able to get their hands on the game over the years.
Another thing to note is that, unless you're a true completionist, you only really need to play one game from each generation. These are your options to start off with:
- Pokémon Red
- Pokémon Blue
- Pokémon Green
- Pokémon Yellow
Pokémon Gold, Silver and Crystal (1999)
The Game Boy Color was the home for the generation 2 games in the Pokémon series, with the graphics getting a much-needed colourful upgrade. The games released as part of this generation are:
- Pokémon Gold
- Pokémon Silver
- Pokémon Crystal (an enhanced version of Gold and Silver)
Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald (2002)
Onto Gen 3 now, and these were all games that were released on the Game Boy Advance! Again, the world got a little bit brighter and more colourful, and there were even more new creatures to catch.
This is also the generation that first introduced remakes to the mix, with the Game Boy Advance playing host to some new versions of the original generation.
- Pokémon Ruby
- Pokémon Sapphire
- Pokémon Emerald (enhanced version of Ruby and Sapphire)
- Pokémon LeafGreen (remake of Gen 1's Green)
- Pokémon FireRed (remake of Gen 1's Red)
Pokémon Diamond, Pearl and Platinum (2006)
Generation 4 moved us into the era of the Nintendo DS - a home for Pokémon games for several years until the 3DS and the current Switch console came along. The games you can play to catch all the gen 4 Pokémon are as follows - and remakes of Diamond and Pearl are meant to be coming to the Switch later in 2021.
- Pokémon Diamond
- Pokémon Pearl
- Pokémon Platinum (enhanced version of Diamond and Pearl)
- Pokémon HeartGold (remake of Gen 2's Gold)
- Pokémon SoulSilver (remake of Gen 2's Silver)
Pokémon Black and White (2010)
The Unova region was the go-to destination for generation 5 of Pokémon and once again the games that came out for it were released exclusively for the Nintendo DS. Interestingly, this generation went down the route of giving itself a hasty brace of sequels, rather than remaking any old generations.
- Pokémon Black
- Pokémon White
- Pokémon Black 2
- Pokémon White 2
Pokémon X and Y (2013)
Welcome to the world of 3DS! The evolution of the last Nintendo console gave us more Pokémon games and this time they were from the sixth generation! The games that were part of gen 6 were:
- Pokémon X
- Pokémon Y
- Pokémon Omega Ruby (remake of Gen 3's Ruby)
- Pokémon Alpha Sapphire (remake of Gen 3's Sapphire)
Pokémon Sun and Moon (2016)
Generation 7 was a transition period for gaming on the Nintendo as the 3DS was phased out and the revolutionary Nintendo Switch took its place from the Let's Go games onwards! The Gen 7 games are:
- Pokémon Sun
- Pokémon Moon
- Pokémon Ultra Sun (enhanced version of Sun)
- Pokémon Ultra Moon (enhanced version of Moon)
- Pokémon Let's Go Pikachu! (remake of Gen 1's Yellow)
- Pokémon Let's Go Eevee! (remake of Gen 1's Yellow)
Buy Let's Go Pokemon at Amazon
Pokémon Sword and Shield (2019)
Welcome to the present day and generation 8, with the Nintendo Switch playing host to a whole new generation of Pokémon experiences, channelling The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild to give us larger environments than ever!
- Pokémon Sword
- Pokémon Shield
- Sword and Shield's Isle of Armour DLC
- Sword and Shield's Crown Tundra DLC
Buy Pokemon Sword and Shield at Amazon
Sword and Shield and its DLC are Nintendo Switch exclusives and the last of the mainline games to be released so far. But with Pokémon, remarkably, not showing any signs of slowing down, look for more to come along before too long.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus (2022)
Set in the picturesque Hisui region, Pokémon Legends: Arceus turned the clock back to the past, where your Pokédex is but a notepad and paper.
Continuing on as part of Gen 8, players must find all Pokémon after instruction from none other than Arceus.
Things are complicated, however, by spacetime rifts that cause powerful Noble Pokémon to appear.
Buy Pokémon Legends: Arceus at Amazon
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet (2022)
Stepping away from the usual Japanese-inspired locales such as Kanto, Johto or Hisui, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet takes place in Paldea, a volcanic region modelled after the Iberian Peninsula, featuring all-new Gen 9 Pokémon to boot.
In Paldea, a mysterious effect known as the Terastal phenomenon causes Pokémon to temporarily appear like precious stones and with new abilities.
Mysteriously, ancient and otherworldly Pokémon such as Koraidon and Miraidon have begun to appear, as well.
You as the player have just moved to this strange land, whose secrets begin to unravel as you explore the phenomenon.
How to play Pokemon games in chronological story order
If you want to attempt to follow the convoluted chronological timeline, here are all of the mainline Pokemon games in chronological story-based order:
- Pokémon Legends: Arceus
- Pokémon Red, Blue and Yellow
- Bonus: Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen
- Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald
- Pokémon Gold, Silver and Crystal
- Pokémon Diamond, Pearl and Platinum
- Pokémon Black and White
- Pokémon Black 2 and White 2
- Pokémon X and Y
- Pokémon Sun and Moon
- Pokémon Sword and Shield
- Pokémon Scarlet and Violet
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