Generation

If you were looking for the TCG expansion released to commemorate the 20th Anniversary, see Generations (TCG).

If you were looking for the animated miniseries, see Pokémon Generations.

A generation (Japanese: 世代 generation) is a grouping of the Pokémon games that separates them based on the Pokémon they include. In each generation, a new region and set of Pokémon that did not exist in the previous generation are introduced.

While generations are not usually discussed officially, they are occasionally. Junichi Masuda has referred to the fourth generation on his Twitter profile and sixth generation on his blog. Pokémon Black and White were referred to as a "new generation of Pokémon", and Pokémon Sun and Moon were referred to as the "newest generation" in press releases.

Generational lines are typically ignored in other parts of the franchise, which continue from where the last generation left off and keep the story going. (This phenomenon is especially true of the anime.) Newer generations may also ignore older parts of the canon that explicitly declare to be true something that is later changed.

To date, there are nine generations, each introducing their own quirks into the franchise. The Generation I and II games are compatible with one another via the Time Capsule; the seven most recent generations are also compatible with each other (forward only) via dual-slot mode, Pal Park, Poké Transfer, Poké Transporter, Pokémon Bank and Pokémon HOME, but the Generation I and II games were incompatible with later generations until their Virtual Console releases, which are compatible with Generation VII onwards. A generation may introduce remakes of games from a previous generation.

Gen	New Pokémon	Total Pokémon	Core games (JP/US)	Side games (JP/US)	Spin-off games (JP/US)	Anime (Japanese series upper, English series and seasons lower)	Movies	TCG
I	151	151	Red and Green (1996/—) Blue (1996/—) Red and Blue (—/1998) Yellow (1998/1999)	Stadium (Japanese) (1998/—) Stadium (English) (1999/2000)	Trading Card Game (1998/2000) Pinball (1999) Snap (1999) Puzzle League (—/2000)	Pocket Monsters Pocket Monsters Pocket Monsters: Episode Orange Islands	Mewtwo Strikes Back The Power of One	Base Set Jungle Fossil Base Set 2 Team Rocket Gym Heroes Gym Challenge
I	151	151		Stadium (Japanese) (1998/—) Stadium (English) (1999/2000)		Pokémon the Series: The Beginning Pokémon: Indigo League Pokémon: Adventures in the Orange Islands	Mewtwo Strikes Back The Power of One
II	100	251	Gold and Silver (1999/2000) Crystal (2000/2001)	Stadium 2 (2000/2001)	Puzzle Challenge (2000) Card GB2: Here Comes Team GR! (2001/—)	Pocket Monsters Pocket Monsters: Episode Gold & Silver	Spell of the Unown: Entei Celebi: The Voice of the Forest Pokémon Heroes: Latios & Latias	Neo Genesis Neo Discovery Neo Revelation Neo Destiny Legendary Collection Expedition Aquapolis Skyridge
II	100	251	Gold and Silver (1999/2000) Crystal (2000/2001)	Stadium 2 (2000/2001)		Pokémon the Series: Gold and Silver Pokémon: The Johto Journeys Pokémon: Johto League Champions Pokémon: Master Quest
III	135	386	Ruby and Sapphire (2002/2003) FireRed and LeafGreen (2004) Emerald (2004/2005)	Colosseum (2003/2004) Box RS (2003/2004) XD (2005)	Pinball R&S (2003) Dash (2004/2005) Trozei! (2005/2006) Mystery Dungeon Red/Blue (2005/2006) Ranger (2006)	Pocket Monsters Advanced Generation	Jirachi: Wish Maker Destiny Deoxys Lucario and the Mystery of Mew Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea	EX Ruby & Sapphire EX Sandstorm EX Dragon EX Team Magma vs Team Aqua EX Hidden Legends EX FireRed & LeafGreen EX Team Rocket Returns EX Deoxys EX Emerald EX Unseen Forces EX Delta Species EX Legend Maker EX Holon Phantoms EX Crystal Guardians EX Dragon Frontiers EX Power Keepers
III	135	386		Colosseum (2003/2004) Box RS (2003/2004) XD (2005)		Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire Pokémon: Advanced Pokémon: Advanced Challenge Pokémon: Advanced Battle Pokémon: Battle Frontier
IV	107	493	Diamond and Pearl (2006/2007) Platinum (2008/2009) HeartGold and SoulSilver (2009/2010)	Battle Revolution (2006/2007) Ranch (2008)	Mystery Dungeon Time/Darkness (2007/2008) Ranger 2 (2008) Mystery Dungeon Sky (2009) Rumble (2009) Mystery Dungeon Blazing/Stormy/Light (2009/—) PokéPark Wii (2009/2010) Ranger 3 (2010)	Pocket Monsters Diamond & Pearl	The Rise of Darkrai Giratina and the Sky Warrior Arceus and the Jewel of Life Zoroark: Master of Illusions	Diamond & Pearl Mysterious Treasures Secret Wonders Great Encounters Majestic Dawn Legends Awakened Stormfront Platinum Rising Rivals Supreme Victors Arceus HeartGold & SoulSilver Unleashed Undaunted Triumphant Call of Legends
IV	107	493		Battle Revolution (2006/2007) Ranch (2008)		Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl Pokémon Battle Dimension Pokémon Galactic Battles Pokémon Sinnoh League Victors
V	156	649	Black and White (2010/2011) Black 2 and White 2 (2012)	Dream Radar (2012)	Rumble Blast (2011) Learn with Pokémon: Typing Adventure (2011/2012) PokéPark 2 (2011/2012) Conquest (2012) Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity (2012/2013) Rumble U (2013)	Pocket Monsters Best Wishes! Best Wishes! Best Wishes! Season 2 Best Wishes! Season 2: Episode N Best Wishes! Season 2: Decolora Adventure!	White—Victini and Zekrom Black—Victini and Reshiram Kyurem VS. The Sword of Justice Genesect and the Legend Awakened	Black & White Emerging Powers Noble Victories Next Destinies Dark Explorers Dragons Exalted Dragon Vault Boundaries Crossed Plasma Storm Plasma Freeze Plasma Blast Legendary Treasures
V	156	649	Black and White (2010/2011) Black 2 and White 2 (2012)	Dream Radar (2012)		Pokémon the Series: Black & White Pokémon: Black & White Pokémon Black & White: Rival Destinies Pokémon Black & White: Adventures in Unova
VI	72	721	X and Y (2013) Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire (2014)	Bank (2013/2014) GO (2016)	Battle Trozei (2014) Art Academy (2014) Shuffle (2015) Rumble World (2015) Super Mystery Dungeon (2015) Picross (2015) Pokkén Tournament (2015/2016) Detective Pikachu – Birth of a New Duo (2016/—) Duel (2016/2017)	Pocket Monsters XY XY XY&Z	Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction Hoopa and the Clash of Ages Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel	Kalos Starter Set XY Flashfire Furious Fists Phantom Forces Primal Clash Double Crisis Roaring Skies Ancient Origins BREAKthrough BREAKpoint Generations Fates Collide Steam Siege Evolutions
VI	72	721	X and Y (2013) Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire (2014)	Bank (2013/2014) GO (2016)		Pokémon the Series: XY Pokémon the Series: XY Pokémon the Series: XY Kalos Quest Pokémon the Series: XYZ
VII	88	809	Sun and Moon (2016) Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon (2017) Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! (2018)	Bank (Version 1.4) (2017)	Magikarp Jump (2017) Pokkén Tournament DX (2017) Detective Pikachu (2018) Quest (2018) Rumble Rush (2019) Masters (2019)	Pocket Monsters Sun & Moon	I Choose You! The Power of Us Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution	Sun & Moon Guardians Rising Burning Shadows Shining Legends Crimson Invasion Ultra Prism Forbidden Light Celestial Storm Dragon Majesty Lost Thunder Team Up Unbroken Bonds Unified Minds Hidden Fates Cosmic Eclipse
VII	88	809		Bank (Version 1.4) (2017)		Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon—Ultra Adventures Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon—Ultra Legends	Detective Pikachu
VIII	96	905	Sword and Shield (2019) Sword and Shield Expansion Pass (2020) Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl (2021) Legends: Arceus (2022)	HOME (2020)	Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX (2020) Smile (2020) Masters EX (2020) Café Mix (2020) New Pokémon Snap (2021) UNITE (2021) Café ReMix (2021)	Pocket Monsters (2019)	Secrets of the Jungle	Sword & Shield Rebel Clash Darkness Ablaze Vivid Voltage Shining Fates Battle Styles Chilling Reign Evolving Skies Fusion Strike Brilliant Stars Astral Radiance Lost Origin
VIII	96	905		HOME (2020)		Pokémon Journeys: The Series Pokémon Journeys: The Series Pokémon Master Journeys: The Series Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series	Secrets of the Jungle
IX	110	1015	Scarlet and Violet (2022) The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero (2023)	HOME (2023)	Sleep (2023)	Pokémon (2023)