play pokemon games

The Pokémon video game series is a role-playing game franchise from Nintendo. The series as a whole has sold millions of games and ranks as one of the best-selling franchises of all-time. The series is unusual in that games are commonly released in pairs, each with slight variations. First released in 1995 in Japan for the Game Boy, the franchise has continued with at least two new games for each Game Boy generation.

Gameplay

The Pokémon games are classified as role-playing games (RPGs) because they have elements similar to other RPGs, such as top-down tile-based point of view, management of items, and turn-based battles with familiar elements like hit-points and status effects. Instead of focusing on plot and character development in the manner of Final Fantasy and many other RPGs, Pokémon games focus on the collection and training of Pokémon that are instructed to battle against either computer- or human-controlled opponents.

Over time, the number of Pokémon has risen from 151 (Red, Blue, and Green versions) to 251 (Gold and Silver versions) to 386 (Ruby and Sapphire versions) to currently 493 (Diamond and Pearl versions). A player's Pokémon can be traded with other players; this is a necessity to collect all the available Pokémon, as some can only be collected by trading with another version.

A Pokémon game usually begins in the trainer's hometown, where by chance the renowned professor of the game's region (Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, or Sinnoh) lives and researches Pokémon. The professor will give the trainer his or her first Pokémon to train. Along the way, trainers encounter a rival who has also received a starting Pokémon that possesses a type advantage against his or her own. The only exception to this is Pokémon Yellow, in which the player receives the Electric-type Pokémon Pikachu, the unofficial mascot of the Pokémon franchise, and the rival has the Normal-type Pokémon Eevee, constituting no actual type advantage or disadvantage.

The most straight-forward goal of the single-player game is to compete in the Pokémon League and collect the eight badges from the eight Gym Leaders scattered throughout the region. Trainers with all eight badges have the right to challenge the Elite Four and the champion of the region. Along the way, the player must thwart the plans of a criminal organization in the area and battle trainers to strengthen his or her team. After defeating the Elite Four and the champion, the player is allowed to continue training and collecting Pokémon, mostly for the purpose of building Pokémon teams for competitive play.

To capture a wild Pokémon, a player must have a Poké Ball. When a wild Pokémon is weakened, a Poké Ball has a better chance of capturing it. Some of the toughest Pokémon may require the use of many strong Poké Balls before being caught.