Pokémon is one of the longest-running gaming franchises in the world; these games have been coming out for nearly three decades now, and show no signs of stopping anytime soon. There are well over one hundred official Pokémon games that have been released (that’s even more than Final Fantasy!), which is great, but the sheer number of available Pokémon games makes it difficult to figure out how to play them in order (especially if you’re new to the franchise).
There are currently 9 generations of Pokémon, with new generations being consistently released every few years. Since there are multiple games per generation, however, it can be difficult to know which games you should play first. If you want to know how to play all of the Pokémon games in release order but aren’t sure where to start, you’ve come to the right place! Keep reading to find out how to play all of the Pokémon games in order of release.
How to Play All Pokémon Games in Order of Release
Since there are well over one hundred Pokémon games on the market, this list will only be covering the main series games, starting with Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow from the 1990s. If you’re looking for the Pokémon Ranger games or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon games, you will not, unfortunately, find them here! This is the order you should play the main series Pokémon games in:
Gen 1 – Pokémon Red, Pokémon Blue, Pokémon Yellow
Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue were released in 1996 and were the very first Pokémon games to ever be made! These games were released on the original Game Boy console, though the remake of the games, Pokémon Yellow, was released on the Game Boy Color just a few years later.
Although Pokémon Yellow was technically a unique remake of the original games, the official remakes for Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue were released in 2004 and were titled Pokémon FireRed and Pokémon LeafGreen. All of these games (even the remakes) are Gen 1 Pokémon games, so you can play any of these games first if you want to start at the beginning.
Gen 2 – Pokémon Gold, Pokémon Silver, Pokémon Crystal
Pokémon Gold and Pokémon Silver were released in 1999 and were the next main Pokémon games to be released after Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow. These games were made for the Game Boy Color, along with the enhanced version of both games, Pokémon Crystal.
Pokémon HeartGold and Pokémon SoulSilver came out in 2009 as remakes of two of the original Gen 2 games, Pokémon Gold and Silver. Although HeartGold and SoulSilver are considered much more enhanced, they are nearly exactly the same as the originals, so you can still play them after the Gen 1 games if you’re trying to play all of the games in order.
Gen 3 – Pokémon Ruby, Pokémon Sapphire, Pokémon Emerald
The third generation of Pokémon games began in 2002 with Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Sapphire. These games were released on the Game Boy Advance along with Pokémon Emerald, which was the director’s cut version of both games.
Following the trend of past Pokémon games, Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Sapphire got remakes while Pokémon Emerald didn’t. Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire came out many years later on the Nintendo 3DS, but are still considered to be Gen 3 games, so you can play them in place of the originals if you wanted to experience the third generation.
Gen 4 – Pokémon Diamond, Pokémon Pearl, Pokémon Platinum
The release of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl marked the introduction of the fourth generation of Pokémon. Similar to the third generation, a director’s cut version of the games was also released, titled Pokémon Platinum. These games were released for the Nintendo DS in 2006 and 2008.
Similar to all of the previous generations, Pokémon Diamond and Pearl got remakes many years later, while Pokémon Platinum did not. The remakes for Pokémon Diamond and Pearl are titled Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, they came out very recently on the Nintendo Switch in 2021. You can play the original versions of these games for a more nostalgic experience, though the remakes are definitely more convenient to get your hands on since they’re on modern consoles.
Gen 5 – Pokémon Black, Pokémon White, Pokémon Black 2, Pokémon White 2
Pokémon Black and Pokémon White came out in 2010 for the Nintendo DS and were the first games to not be released alongside a third director’s cut/enhanced version. Despite not having a third, separate version, these games were the first (and currently, only) Pokémon games to be released with direct sequels. Pokémon Black 2 and Pokémon White 2 were released a few years later as direct sequels to both of the original Gen 5 games.
Since Pokémon Black and White were the original Gen 5 games, they should definitely be played first before you play Pokémon Back 2 and White 2. The sequels are still technically Gen 5 games since they were released only a couple of years after the originals and they feature all of the same Pokémon/game mechanics; you’ll definitely need to play them before moving on to Gen 6.
Gen 6 – Pokémon X, Pokémon Y
Pokémon X and Pokémon Y were released in 2013 for the Nintendo 3DS and were the first Pokémon games to be released with no direct sequels or director’s cut versions. In addition to this, these games were also the first Pokémon games ever made that featured 3D graphics.
Since there are no sequels or remakes of Pokémon X and Y, you’ll just have to play the originals if you want to get a taste of Gen 6. If you don’t happen to have a Nintendo 3DS lying around, however, you can always look up online emulators that run this game for free (just be careful of scam websites!).
Gen 7 – Pokémon Sun, Pokémon Moon
Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon were released on the Nintendo 3DS in 2016. When they were released, they were widely rumored to be the final Pokémon games. Obviously, this rumor turned out to be undoubtedly false, but it did likely boost sales of the games greatly.
These games got remakes only one year after they were released, titled Pokémon Ultra Sun and Pokémon Ultra Moon. Gen 7 is the only generation of Pokémon games to feature remakes that were created for the same console as the originals (the Nintendo 3DS); Gen 7 is also the only generation of Pokémon games to feature remakes released only a single year after the release of the original games.
Gen 8 – Pokémon Sword, Pokémon Shield, Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu!, Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee!, Pokémon Legends: Arceus
Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield were released a year after Let’s Go, Pikachu and Let’s Go, Eevee, but are considered to be the main Gen 8 Pokémon games. Sword and Shield came out in 2019 for the Nintendo Switch, and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee came out in 2018. In addition to this, Pokémon Legends: Arceus was released in 2022 and serves as a prequel to Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. Despite being a prequel to the Gen 4 games, Pokémon Legends: Arceus is considered to be part of the eighth generation of Pokémon.
Let’s Go, Pikachu, and Let’s Go, Eevee are actually remakes of Pokémon Yellow, but are largely considered to be their own games, due to the massive amount of new mechanics that were added. Because of this and the time of their release, most people consider them to be part of the Gen 8 Pokémon games. In addition to this, Pokémon Legends: Arceus is also considered to be part of Gen 8 because of the time of its release and all of the new Pokémon it introduces into the franchise.
However, you should definitely play Sword and Shield prior to playing Pokémon Legends: Arceus and the Let’s Go games if you’re trying to play all of the Pokémon games in order (since they feature their own new story and aren’t remakes/prequels).
Gen 9 – Pokémon Scarlet, Pokémon Violet
The most recent Pokémon games to be released are Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet in 2022 for the Nintendo Switch. These games, like Pokémon X and Y, don’t feature any sequels, remakes, or director’s cut versions. However, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are the very first open-world Pokémon games to ever be created.
Since only the original versions of these games are available, you’ll have to play those if you want to continue your journey into Gen 9. However, since these are the most recent Pokémon games to come out and are on modern consoles, you should have a very easy time getting your hands on them.
Related: How to Play the Legend of Zelda Games in Release Order
One of the most exciting things about playing the Pokémon games in order of release is seeing how drastically the graphics have changed over the years. The fact that the first Pokémon games were in black and white is astounding, considering how amazing the graphics of their most recent games are now. If you’re already on the Gen 9 Pokémon games, check out Gamer Journalist’s Pokémon Scarlet and Violet guides!
