Core series: Difference between revisions
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[[Image:Redtitle.png|frame|right|The title screen of [[Pokémon Red Version]]]] | |||
A '''version''' of the Pokémon games is a [[Pokémon game]], up to present, always released on a [[Nintendo]] handheld system, which follows the now-standard model of a [[player]]'s journey through a specific [[region]] to collect all of the Pokémon. Collectively, the seventeen games released with the suffix "version" are known by fans as the '''main series''' of Pokémon games. | |||
==Version formula== | |||
What makes a Pokémon game a "version", aside from the label on the box and game media, is the standard plot which is shared by all of them. The player begins the game in a small town, having no [[Pokémon]] of their own. Through a course of events, they will come into contact with their region's native [[Pokémon professor]], who will then allow them to keep a [[starter Pokémon]] of their choice. The starter Pokémon is always one of a group of three, a {{type2|Grass}}, {{type2|Fire}}, or {{type2|Water}}, and the character who will become the {{player}}'s [[rival]] will choose or already have the Pokémon whose [[Elemental types|type]] is [[super effective]] against that of the player's choice. The sole exception to this is {{game|Yellow}}, in which the player starts with {{p|Pikachu}} and the rival starts with {{p|Eevee}}. | |||
It is at this point where the storyline of all seventeen diverge. The player is allowed to journey across the entire region, capturing any [[wild Pokémon]] they choose to, and using a [[party]] they assemble to take on the eight [[Gym Leader]]s of the region. Alongside encounters with both other {{pkmn|Trainer}}s and repeated interactions with their rival, a [[villainous team]] will arrive to cause trouble early on in the player's quest, touting plans to take over the world and capture [[legendary Pokémon]] to do their bidding. | |||
{{ | After all eight Gym Leaders have been defeated, with each of their [[Badge]]s allowing for the use of a specific [[HM]] [[move]] outside of battle, the player can head to the [[Pokémon League]], where the [[Elite Four]] and {{pkmn|Champion}} await challengers. In regions other than [[Kanto]], the first encountered region, the player will be required to climb {{m|waterfall}}s to reach their destination. | ||
[[Category: | |||
Though the game is technically over as soon as the player has defeated the Champion, the player's other task of completing the [[Pokédex]] remains. After this has been done (in [[Generation III]] and onward, on both the [[regional Pokédex|regional]] and [[national Pokédex|national]] level), the player will receive a [[diploma]] from the [[Game Freak]] employees in the game. Starting in Generation III as well, getting all {{ga|Trainer card}} [[Trainer stars|stars]] remains in order to complete the game 100%. | |||
==Mascots== | |||
On the boxart for each game, one Pokémon, always introduced during the [[generation]] that game is a part of, will appear. This Pokémon has become known by fans as a [[version mascot]], and beginning in [[Generation II]], has always (with the exception of {{2v2|FireRed|LeafGreen}}, remakes of the [[Generation I]] games) been a [[legendary Pokémon]] available in that game at the climax of the storyline. | |||
==Relation to one another== | |||
When a generation of Pokémon games begins, a pair of games, seen as counterparts to one another, is always released. These paired versions feature the same exact storyline as each other, but the Pokémon available in either one is different: one game may be missing the {{type2|Electric}} {{p|Electabuzz}}, while the other may not have the {{type2|Fire}} {{p|Magmar}}. These Pokémon, due to their usual exclusivity to one or two of the games in a generation, are typically known as [[version-exclusive Pokémon]]. These Pokémon must be [[trade]]d between games in order to complete the Pokédex, a feature that has encouraged collaboration among players since the series began. | |||
A later third game, usually to conclude the generation, is released with several, usually minor, storyline tweaks, but with the same basic plot and taking place in the same [[region]]. Like the first two games, it will always be missing some of the Pokémon (though will likely contain some of those missing from one of the other two), and so, players of this third version must link together with the original pair to complete the Pokédex. | |||
[[Generation III]] was the first generation which contained the unprecedented release of ''two'' sets of paired versions, first {{game|Ruby and Sapphire}}, and then later {{game|FireRed and LeafGreen|s}}, as well as the first which did not contain a third version for one of its storylines (the [[Hoenn]]-based Ruby and Sapphire were later joined by {{v2|Emerald}}, however, [[Kanto]]'s storyline did not receive a tuned-up third game). It was later mimicked by [[Generation IV]], which featured a similar setup. | |||
{| align="center" style="background: #FFFFFF; -moz-border-radius: 5px; border: 1px solid #111111;" | |||
|- style="background: #C0C0FF; -moz-border-radius: 5px;" | |||
! colspan="2" width="66%" | Paired versions | |||
! width="33%" | Third version | |||
|- style="background: #C0C0FF; -moz-border-radius: 5px;" | |||
! colspan="3" | [[Generation I]] (Japan) | |||
|- align="center" | |||
| rowspan="2" style="background: #{{red color}}; -moz-border-radius: 5px;" width="33%" | {{ani|006}}<br>[[Pokémon Red and Green Versions|{{color|000|Red}}]] | |||
| rowspan="2" style="background: #{{green color}}; -moz-border-radius: 5px;" width="33%" | {{ani|003}}<br>[[Pokémon Red and Green Versions|{{color|000|Green}}]] | |||
| style="background: #{{blue color}}; -moz-border-radius: 5px;" | {{ani|009}}<br>[[Pokémon Blue Version (Japanese)|{{color|000|Blue}}]] | |||
|- align="center" style="-moz-border-radius: 5px;" | |||
| style="background: #{{yellow color}}; -moz-border-radius: 5px;" | {{ani|025}}<br>[[Pokémon Yellow Version|{{color|000|Yellow}}]] | |||
|- style="background: #C0C0FF; -moz-border-radius: 5px;" | |||
! colspan="3" | [[Generation I]] (US/EU/AU) | |||
|- align="center" | |||
| style="background: #{{red color}}; -moz-border-radius: 5px;" | {{ani|006}}<br>[[Pokémon Red and Blue Versions|{{color|000|Red}}]] | |||
| style="background: #{{blue color}}; -moz-border-radius: 5px;" | {{ani|009}}<br>[[Pokémon Red and Blue Versions|{{color|000|Blue}}]] | |||
| style="background: #{{yellow color}}; -moz-border-radius: 5px;" | {{ani|025}}<br>[[Pokémon Yellow Version|{{color|000|Yellow}}]] | |||
|- style="background: #C0C0FF; -moz-border-radius: 5px;" | |||
! colspan="3" | [[Generation II]] | |||
|- align="center" | |||
| style="background: #{{gold color}}; -moz-border-radius: 5px;" | {{ani|250}}<br>[[Pokémon Gold and Silver Versions|{{color|000|Gold}}]] | |||
| style="background: #{{silver color}}; -moz-border-radius: 5px;" | {{ani|249}}<br>[[Pokémon Gold and Silver Versions|{{color|000|Silver}}]] | |||
| style="background: #{{crystal color}}; -moz-border-radius: 5px;" | {{ani|245}}<br>[[Pokémon Crystal Version|{{color|000|Crystal}}]] | |||
|- style="background: #C0C0FF; -moz-border-radius: 5px;" | |||
! colspan="3" | [[Generation III]] | |||
|- align="center" | |||
| style="background: #{{ruby color}}; -moz-border-radius: 5px;" | {{ani|383}}<br>[[Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire Versions|{{color|000|Ruby}}]] | |||
| style="background: #{{sapphire color}}; -moz-border-radius: 5px;" | {{ani|382}}<br>[[Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire Versions|{{color|000|Sapphire}}]] | |||
| style="background: #{{emerald color}}; -moz-border-radius: 5px;" | {{ani|384}}<br>[[Pokémon Emerald Version|{{color|000|Emerald}}]] | |||
|- align="center" | |||
| style="background: #{{firered color}}; -moz-border-radius: 5px;" | {{ani|006}}<br>[[Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen Versions|{{color|000|FireRed}}]] | |||
| style="background: #{{leafgreen color}}; -moz-border-radius: 5px;" | {{ani|003}}<br>[[Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen Versions|{{color|000|LeafGreen}}]] | |||
| style="background: #FFFFFF;" | | |||
|- style="background: #C0C0FF; -moz-border-radius: 5px;" | |||
! colspan="3" | [[Generation IV]] | |||
|- align="center" | |||
| style="background: #{{diamond color}}; -moz-border-radius: 5px;" | {{ani|483}}<br>[[Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Versions|{{color|000|Diamond}}]] | |||
| style="background: #{{pearl color}}; -moz-border-radius: 5px;" | {{ani|484}}<br>[[Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Versions|{{color|000|Pearl}}]] | |||
| style="background: #{{platinum color}}; -moz-border-radius: 5px;" | {{ani|487}}<br>[[Pokémon Platinum Version|{{color|000|Platinum}}]] | |||
|- align="center" | |||
| style="background: #{{heartgold color}}; -moz-border-radius: 5px;" | {{ani|250}}<br>[[Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver Versions|{{color|000|HeartGold}}]] | |||
| style="background: #{{soulsilver color}}; -moz-border-radius: 5px;" | {{ani|249}}<br>[[Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver Versions|{{color|000|SoulSilver}}]] | |||
| style="background: #FFFFFF;" | | |||
|} | |||
{{Main series}} | |||
[[Category:Pokémon meta]] | |||
[[Category:Games]] | [[Category:Games]] |
Revision as of 22:49, 9 May 2009
A version of the Pokémon games is a Pokémon game, up to present, always released on a Nintendo handheld system, which follows the now-standard model of a player's journey through a specific region to collect all of the Pokémon. Collectively, the seventeen games released with the suffix "version" are known by fans as the main series of Pokémon games.
Version formula
What makes a Pokémon game a "version", aside from the label on the box and game media, is the standard plot which is shared by all of them. The player begins the game in a small town, having no Pokémon of their own. Through a course of events, they will come into contact with their region's native Pokémon professor, who will then allow them to keep a starter Pokémon of their choice. The starter Pokémon is always one of a group of three, a Template:Type2, Template:Type2, or Template:Type2, and the character who will become the player's rival will choose or already have the Pokémon whose type is super effective against that of the player's choice. The sole exception to this is Pokémon Yellow, in which the player starts with Pikachu and the rival starts with Eevee.
It is at this point where the storyline of all seventeen diverge. The player is allowed to journey across the entire region, capturing any wild Pokémon they choose to, and using a party they assemble to take on the eight Gym Leaders of the region. Alongside encounters with both other Trainers and repeated interactions with their rival, a villainous team will arrive to cause trouble early on in the player's quest, touting plans to take over the world and capture legendary Pokémon to do their bidding.
After all eight Gym Leaders have been defeated, with each of their Badges allowing for the use of a specific HM move outside of battle, the player can head to the Pokémon League, where the Elite Four and Champion await challengers. In regions other than Kanto, the first encountered region, the player will be required to climb waterfalls to reach their destination.
Though the game is technically over as soon as the player has defeated the Champion, the player's other task of completing the Pokédex remains. After this has been done (in Generation III and onward, on both the regional and national level), the player will receive a diploma from the Game Freak employees in the game. Starting in Generation III as well, getting all Trainer card stars remains in order to complete the game 100%.
Mascots
On the boxart for each game, one Pokémon, always introduced during the generation that game is a part of, will appear. This Pokémon has become known by fans as a version mascot, and beginning in Generation II, has always (with the exception of FireRed and LeafGreen, remakes of the Generation I games) been a legendary Pokémon available in that game at the climax of the storyline.
Relation to one another
When a generation of Pokémon games begins, a pair of games, seen as counterparts to one another, is always released. These paired versions feature the same exact storyline as each other, but the Pokémon available in either one is different: one game may be missing the Template:Type2 Electabuzz, while the other may not have the Template:Type2 Magmar. These Pokémon, due to their usual exclusivity to one or two of the games in a generation, are typically known as version-exclusive Pokémon. These Pokémon must be traded between games in order to complete the Pokédex, a feature that has encouraged collaboration among players since the series began.
A later third game, usually to conclude the generation, is released with several, usually minor, storyline tweaks, but with the same basic plot and taking place in the same region. Like the first two games, it will always be missing some of the Pokémon (though will likely contain some of those missing from one of the other two), and so, players of this third version must link together with the original pair to complete the Pokédex.
Generation III was the first generation which contained the unprecedented release of two sets of paired versions, first Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, and then later Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, as well as the first which did not contain a third version for one of its storylines (the Hoenn-based Ruby and Sapphire were later joined by Emerald, however, Kanto's storyline did not receive a tuned-up third game). It was later mimicked by Generation IV, which featured a similar setup.
Paired versions | Third version | |
---|---|---|
Generation I (Japan) | ||
Red |
Green |
Blue |
Yellow | ||
Generation I (US/EU/AU) | ||
Red |
Blue |
Yellow |
Generation II | ||
Gold |
Silver |
Crystal |
Generation III | ||
Ruby |
Sapphire |
Emerald |
FireRed |
LeafGreen |
|
Generation IV | ||
Diamond |
Pearl |
Platinum |
HeartGold |
SoulSilver |