Side series

Side series games in the Pokémon franchise share similarities with spin-off games, but have a distinctive characteristic of maintaining more direct interaction with the core series games. These side series titles often offer players the ability to transfer caught Pokémon directly to their corresponding core series games or allow for other kinds of rewards or bonuses, enhancing connectivity and continuity between different game entries.

One notable example is Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, a role-playing game released for the Nintendo GameCube. While Gale of Darkness is not the sole representative of side series games, it serves as an illustration of the connectivity feature. In this game, players have the option to transfer Pokémon they have caught and nurtured in the Orre region directly to Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire games on the Game Boy Advance console.

This integration between side series and core series games presents a unique opportunity for players to seamlessly continue their Pokémon adventures across different game environments. By bridging the gap between these game types, players can maintain a consistent Pokémon collection and progress their gameplay experiences. Such connectivity reinforces the interconnected nature of the Pokémon gaming universe and offers a deeper level of engagement for players seeking an expanded Pokémon journey.

List of side series games

Gen	Game	Platform	Release Date
I	ポケモンスタジアム Pokémon Stadium		August 1, 1998 Japan
	Pokémon Stadium		April 30, 1999* Japan
			February 29, 2000 North American
			March 23, 2000 Australia
			April 7, 2000 Europe
		+ Expansion Pack	2023 Worldwide
II	Pokémon Stadium 2		December 14, 2000* Japan
			March 26, 2001 North American
			2001 Australia
			October 10, 2001 Europe
		+ Expansion Pack	2023 Worldwide
III	Pokémon Box Ruby & Sapphire		May 30, 2003 Japan
			July 11, 2004 North American
			July 16, 2004 Australia
			May 14, 2004 Europe
	Pokémon Colosseum		November 21, 2003 Japan
			March 22, 2004 North American
			June 24, 2004 Australia
			May 14, 2004 Europe
	Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness		August 4, 2005 Japan
			October 3, 2005 North American
			November 10, 2005 Australia
			November 18, 2005 Europe
IV	Pokémon Battle Revolution		December 14, 2006 Japan
			June 25, 2007 North America
			November 22, 2007 Australia
			December 7, 2007 Europe
			July 12, 2008 Taiwan
	My Pokémon Ranch		March 25, 2008 Japan
			June 9, 2008 North America
			July 4, 2008 Australia & Europe
	Pokéwalker	Self-contained	September 12, 2009 Japan
			March 14, 2010 North America
			March 25, 2010 Australia
			July 4, 2008 April 2, 2010* Europe
			February 4, 2010 South Korea
V	Pokémon Dream World	Web Permanent Shutdown January 14, 2014 Worldwide	Initial launch September 18, 2010 Second launch October 13, 2010 Japan
	Pokémon Dream World	Web Permanent Shutdown January 14, 2014 Worldwide	April 13, 2011 Worldwide
	Pokémon Dream Radar		June 23, 2012 Japan
			October 7, 2012 North America
			October 11, 2012 Australia
			October 12, 2012 Europe
			November 8, 2012 South Korea
VI	Pokémon Bank & Poké Transporter		Initial launch December 25, 2013 Second launch January 22, 2014 Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, & Hong Kong
VII			February 4, 2014 Europe, Australia, & New Zealand
VII			February 5, 2014 The Americas
VII	Pokémon HOME		February 12, 2020 Worldwide
VIII
IX