Game Groups > Pokémon main RPG series

Pokémon role-playing games developed by Game Freak that appear on a handheld system, where the goals are to collect as many Pokémon as possible, and to collect all of the badges by traveling to Pokémon Gyms and defeating the Gym Leaders in Pokémon battles. Though the games may have other plotlines, the end is always reached once the player has earned all 8 badges and defeated the Pokémon League Champion. Gameplay may continue after the credits roll, allowing the player to further develop their team of Pokémon.

Main Pokémon RPGs are released in complementary pairs (Red/Blue, Gold/Silver, etc); the assortment of Pokémon available to catch will differ between the two, requiring that the player trade with a person owning the other game in order to complete their Pokémon collection. A couple of years after a pair of games is released a third complementary game is often released; this third game is generally the same as the first two but with minor graphical and gameplay enhancements, minor changes to the storyline, and a slightly different selection of Pokémon. For example, in Pokémon Ruby, Team Magma were the enemies and the player caught Groudon at the end; in Pokémon Sapphire, Team Aqua were the enemies and the player caught Kyogre at the end; in Pokémon Emerald, both Teams are the enemy and the player has a chance to catch both Groudon and Kyogre at the end.

The release of a new pair of games in the main RPG series heralds the start of a new generation of Pokémon; most Pokémon make their first video game appearance in one of the core games. About 100 new characters are released every generation.

Sub-groups:

• Pokémon Black and White series
• Pokémon: Let's Go! series
• Pokémon Sun and Moon series

Game Exclusions: Pokémon games that are not RPGs, Pokémon games not developed by Game Freak, Pokémon games developed for non-handheld consoles, Pokémon games where the player is not a Pokémon Trainer starting out on their Pokémon journey. See the Pokémon universe group instead.