Want to know the Pokemon timeline? It’s easy to get lost among the anime, movies, and spin-offs of the global phenomenon, but the original games are where it all started and remain a source of much of the franchise’s lore and interconnected storylines.
When you’re trying to keep track of how the Pokemon games all fit together, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. There are plenty of timelines out there, but they can often be confusing or inaccurate, so we’ve taken the time to collate every canonical entry in the series and explain how they fit together.
Pokemon timeline games
The first set of games in the Pokemon timeline are the original Pokemon Red & Green/Red & Blue, which introduced us to the world and the original 150 Pokemon. These were followed by direct sequels, Gold & Silver. The three generations are collectively known as Gen 1.
The next five generations are known as Gen 2, beginning with the arrival of the next pair of games, Johto-based Pokemon Gold & Silver. This generation introduced the first time travel elements and Pokemon from outside the Kanto region.
The fifth generation, Black & White, is where things get a little complicated. It’s the first generation split into two separate games: Black & White. These games are the farthest ahead in the timeline, with a two-year gap between them.
Some characters appear across the games and help establish the timeline, such as Bianca, the first female character to appear in two different generations, who first accompanies the player in the first two gyms of each game before taking a different path in the opposite game. Gym leaders, Elite Four members, and Champion, however, do not appear across generations.
Remakes follow the release order but introduce some complications. FireRed & LeafGreen don’t affect the timeline, but HeartGold & SoulSilver do occur after Gen 2, with a close connection to Gen 3. However, they’re typically considered as part of Gen 2 due to the similarities between the original, Gold, and Silver.
The sixth generation, X & Y and Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire, are more straightforward. They’re within their respective periods and aren’t remakes.
The seventh generation, Sun & Moon and Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon, is when things start to get confusing. These games introduce the concept of the Multiverse – an infinite number of parallel dimensions in which different versions of characters exist. The Multiverse appears to be separate from the main timeline, with Sun & Moon taking place in the ‘Alolaverse’ and Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon taking place in the ‘Ultraverse’.
The remakes of the seventh generation, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, are no less confusing. They’re closer to their originals than HeartGold & SoulSilver, but there are still some unanswered questions.
The remakes of the eighth generation, Legends: Arceus and Legends: Latios & Latias, also introduce time travel. Arceus occurs in the past and involves travelling to the present to fight the legendary Pokemon, while Latios & Latias takes place in the future.
The most recent games, Sword & Shield and Scarlet & Violet are less clear. There are hints and themes of past and present, and S&S do tie into the Johto region, but the connectivity is less clear.
There are also regional phenomena that are specific to certain games. Mega evolutions, dynamaxing, and the Shadow Pokémon in Gen 5 are all specific to their respective games rather than appearing across the series.
We hope this Pokemon timeline will help you get a handle on the series’ complex history and ongoing lore. With the recent release of Sword & Shield, there are also plenty of new Pokemon to discover, from the giant Dynamax Pokemon to the new Water-type starter, Deweyt.
If you’re looking for something to play other than the latest Pokemon game, here are the best PC games, the best free games on Steam, or the best indie games on Steam.
