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'''''Pokémon''''' is a highly successful Japanese franchise that was introduced in the 1990s. Owned by [[Nintendo]] and developed by Game Freak, it has risen to become the second most successful video game franchise, behind Nintendo's own Mario. It spread to several other countries in a short time.

'''''Pokémon''''' is a highly successful Japanese franchise that was introduced in the 1990s. Owned by [[Nintendo]] and developed by Game Freak, it has risen to become the second most successful video game franchise, behind Nintendo's own ''[[Mario (series)|Mario]]''. The main games are of the [[role-playing game|role-playing]] genre.

The series focuses on capturing, training, battling, collecting and trading various monster species, known as Pokémon. While the mechanics vary from incarnation to incarnation, the player generally takes on the role of a Pokémon trainer, seeking to capture wild monsters, raise them, and defeat other trainers in duels using the captured monsters in order to become a champion.

The series focuses on capturing, training, battling, collecting and trading various monster species, known as Pokémon using a device called a Poké Ball. In the franchise, people who own Pokémon are named Pokémon Trainers. The most famous Pokémon is [[Pikachu]]. Pokémon are cataloged in a [[Pokédex]]. Once a Pokémon is captured, it can battle other wild Pokemon for either [[experience point]]s or to weaken them enough to capture them with a Poké Ball. They can also battle other trainers, as every trainer's goal is to become the champion. Each Pokémon has one or two elemental types, and certain ones trump others in a [[Rock-Paper-Scissors]]-type manner. Examples of these are the Starter Pokémon from the main series: Fire trumps Grass; Grass trumps Water; Water trumps Fire. Pikachu, a Lightning-type Pokémon and the starter of ''[[Pokémon Yellow]]'', trumps water. In the main ''Pokémon'' series and several spinoffs, the world is explored from an aerial view like with traditional role-playing titles.

In Japan, Pokémon is referred to as Pocket Monsters. The name was changed in North America due to another franchise called Monster In My Pocket. Pokémon is a romanization of Pocket Monster.

In Japan, Pokémon is referred to as ''Pocket Monsters''. The name was changed in North America due to another franchise called Monster In My Pocket. Pokémon is a romanization of Pocket Monster.

==Video games==

==Video games==

Pokémon was originally released in [[Japan]] in 1996 as a pair of cartridges, ''Pocket Monsters Red'' and ''Pocket Monsters Green'', for the original [[Game Boy]] system. Three years later, the games were released as ''Pokémon Red'' and ''Pokémon Blue'' in the United States and worldwide. The games feature similar gameplay, differing primarily in what monsters are available in each version. New versions of the game are released periodically, normally in pairs, to introduce new monsters and to take advantage of improving hardware technology. As of Generation VIII, there are 890 species of Pokémon available.

Pokémon was originally released in [[Japan]] in 1996 as a pair of cartridges, ''Pocket Monsters Red'' and ''Pocket Monsters Green'', for the original [[Game Boy]] system. Three years later, the games were released as ''Pokémon Red'' and ''Pokémon Blue'' in the United States and worldwide. The games feature similar gameplay, differing primarily in what monsters are available in each version. New versions of the game are released periodically, normally in pairs, to introduce new monsters and to take advantage of improving hardware technology. The main series of the franchise are separated into "generations". As of Generation VIII, there are 890 species of Pokémon available.

Players take the role of a Pokémon trainer, seeking to capture wild Pokémon with "Poké Balls", small spheres in which captured creatures live.  In each game (excluding Pokémon Yellow and Pokémon Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee), the trainer begins by selecting one of three "starter Pokémon" that are either Grass, Fire, or Water types.  These Pokémon each evolve twice. The player travels across the region challenging other trainers while raising their own Pokémon and capturing new ones. The games normally feature a sub-plot where the player, with the help of their Pokémon, foil the schemes of a criminal organization or terrorist group. The player must also challenge eight advanced trainers known as "Gym Leaders" before they can challenge the "Elite Four" and the "League Champion", five of the strongest trainers in the region. The games also challenge the player to see and capture as many species as possible. However, this is made difficult due to different game versions having exclusive Pokémon, requiring the player to trade with other people who have the opposite game version. Certain Pokémon deemed "Legendary" have power far superior to other Pokémon, and only appear once in each game. Some Pokémon are only given in [[Nintendo]]-held events, and while most of these events give away "Mythical" Pokémon that cannot be obtained otherwise, there are many exceptions.

Players take the role of a Pokémon trainer, seeking to capture wild Pokémon with "Poké Balls", small spheres in which captured creatures live.  In each game (excluding Pokémon Yellow and Pokémon Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee), the trainer begins by selecting one of three "starter Pokémon" that are either Grass, Fire, or Water types.  These Pokémon each evolve twice. The player travels across the region challenging other trainers while raising their own Pokémon and capturing new ones. The games normally feature a sub-plot where the player, with the help of their Pokémon, foil the schemes of a criminal organization or terrorist group. The player must also challenge eight advanced trainers known as "Gym Leaders" before they can challenge the "Elite Four" and the "League Champion", five of the strongest trainers in the region. The games also challenge the player to see and capture as many species as possible. However, this is made difficult due to different game versions having exclusive Pokémon, requiring the player to trade with other people who have the opposite game version. Certain Pokémon deemed "Legendary" have power far superior to other Pokémon, and only appear once in each game. Some Pokémon are only given in [[Nintendo]]-held events, and while most of these events give away "Mythical" Pokémon that cannot be obtained otherwise, there are many exceptions.

Many Pokémon, with sufficient training, use of stones, high friendship, or any other requirement depending on the Pokémon, will spontaneously change form, developing into a larger, stronger species. This process is called "Evolution", however some Pokémon don't have this. Despite the term's name, it more closely resembles growing up and maturing, or the metamorphosis of insects, and has little to nothing to do with the [[Theory of Evolution]]. Many Pokémon species can evolve multiple times, and many species can only be obtained by evolving more basic ones. In addition, some Pokémon can evolve in more than one different path instead of the linear evolutionary path most Pokémon take, and a good number of Pokémon have gained the ability to evolve in a game after their introduction. Generation VI introduced a special form of evolution called "Mega Evolution". In order to "Mega Evolve" a Pokémon must be holding its respective "Mega Stone". This process typically results in the increase in all of the Pokémon's stats other than HP. Some stats may be lowered, such as in the case of Mega Garchomp, which suffers a drop in speed, in exchange for a large increase in most of its other stats. However, there are restriction on this, Players can only have a single Mega-evolved Pokémon on their team at a time and the Pokémon also loses the ability to hold other items, which may be more useful due to certain effects such as healing. This restriction, however, is not held by Mega Rayquaza, which only has to know a certain move to Mega Evolve. Players may also breed their Pokémon with each other by leaving them in a daycare, where the player can eventually obtain an egg. Eggs eventually hatch into Pokémon, giving the player another option for acquiring new Pokémon. Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield added "Dynamaxing" and "Gigantmaxing", which makes the Pokémon grow to gigantic size and battle as a giant for a few rounds.

Many Pokémon, with sufficient training, use of stones, high friendship, or any other requirement depending on the Pokémon, will spontaneously change form, developing into a larger, stronger species. This process is called "Evolution", however some Pokémon don't have this. Despite the term's name, it more closely resembles growing up and maturing, or the metamorphosis of insects, and has little to nothing to do with the [[Theory of Evolution]]. Many Pokémon species can evolve multiple times, and many species can only be obtained by evolving more basic ones. In addition, some Pokémon can evolve in more than one different path instead of the linear evolutionary path most Pokémon take, and a good number of Pokémon have gained the ability to evolve in a game after their introduction. Generation VI introduced a special form of evolution called "Mega Evolution". In order to "Mega Evolve" a Pokémon must be holding its respective "Mega Stone". This process typically results in the increase in all of the Pokémon's stats other than HP. Some stats may be lowered, such as in the case of Mega Garchomp, which suffers a drop in speed, in exchange for a large increase in most of its other stats. However, there are restriction on this, Players can only have a single Mega-evolved Pokémon on their team at a time and the Pokémon also loses the ability to hold other items, which may be more useful due to certain effects such as healing. This restriction, however, is not held by Mega Rayquaza, which only has to know a certain move to Mega Evolve. Players may also breed their Pokémon with each other by leaving them in a daycare, where the player can eventually obtain an egg. Eggs eventually hatch into Pokémon, giving the player another option for acquiring new Pokémon. Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield added "Dynamaxing" and "Gigantmaxing", which makes the Pokémon grow to gigantic size and battle as a giant for a few rounds.

Additionally, other video games featuring the Pokémon characters have been released, including ''Pokémon Pinball'', the ''Pokémon Ranger'' and ''Pokémon Mystery Dungeon'' series.<ref name="offwev">{{cite web|url=http://www.pokemon.com/#videogames_1|title=Pokemon.com|work=The Official Pokémon Website|language=English}}</ref>

There are also many spinoff games, such as the Pokemon Stadium series for the Nintendo 64, in which players could put their Pokémon cartridges into special adapters and battle Pokémon in 3D. Also for the Nintendo 64 is Pokemon Snap, in which the player is a Pokémon photographer, and travels around through Pokemon's habitats and snaps photos of them. Pokemon Pinball also came out for Game Boy Color, which was a pinball game in which Pokémon could also be caught in order to fill a Pokédex. Pokemon have also appeared in every one of Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. series. In the same vein as Pokemon Stadium, there are also Pokemon Colosseum (Game Cube) and Pokemon Battle Revolution (Wii) There is also Pokemon Red and Blue Rescue Teams for the DS, which are based on a short-lived cartoon series by the same name.

On July 6, 2016, ''Pokémon GO'' was released for iOS and Android devices.  The game has since become a massive hit, essentially breathing new life into the ''Pokémon'' franchise. The latest two games in the main series - ''Brilliant Diamond'' and ''Shining Pearl'' (remakes of the 2007 games ''Diamond'' and ''Pearl'' - will be released in late 2021.

On July 6, 2016, ''Pokémon GO'' was released for iOS and Android devices.  The game has since become a massive hit, essentially breathing new life into the ''Pokémon'' franchise.

 

 

The latest two games in the main series - ''Brilliant Diamond'' and ''Shining Pearl'' (remakes of the 2007 games ''Diamond'' and ''Pearl'' - will be released in late 2021.

==Other media==

==Other media==