30 Years of Pokémon: The Evolution of the Franchise

Pokémon is an undeniable success. Celebrating its 30th anniversary, if you show any of the little monsters to someone older, like your mother or even your grandmother, they'll probably say, "It's a Pikachu, isn't it?" referring to the franchise's yellow mascot. Even if they don't know what Pokémon are, where to play, or the names of specific creatures, in these thirty years, the franchise has become a global gaming icon alongside big stars like Mario and Sonic.

In the Guinness Book of Records, you'll find, among other things, the record for the best-selling RPG series, with over 485 million games sold by December 2024. This doesn't even include licensed Pokémon products ranging from collectible cards to toys, plushies, and much more. Pokémon is a phenomenon. But do you know how this phenomenon started? Do you know about its origins, from bugs to its global dominance? Let's talk about Pokémon's 30 years, and if you have any questions, just leave a comment.

Pokémon began as an idea by ​​Satoshi Tajiri. It was inspired by his childhood, when he enjoyed hunting insects and collecting them in his hometown of Setagaya, located on the outskirts of Tokyo.

Alongside his friend Ken Sugimori, Tajiri created the fanzine Game Freak in the 1980s, where he wrote about games he liked and gave tips and walkthroughs. With Ken, who illustrated the first 151 Pokémon, he created his own game studio and transformed that childhood memory into a game where creatures could be captured, trained, and traded between players.

When Nintendo's handheld console arrived on the market, Tajiri thought the console was perfect for the game, since the console's Link Cables allowed players to trade monsters, and he began working on the game focused on Nintendo's hardware. Initially, he thought the company wouldn't understand the project and would reject it, but he was wrong. Then, on February 27, 1996, the Pocket Monsters games arrived in Japan, in two versions with exclusive monsters that could only be obtained through trading: Red and Green.

This release marked the beginning of a phenomenon that grew far beyond video games. Shortly after, versions like Pokémon Yellow helped to further expand the series' success, mirroring the franchise's growth across generations and the success of the anime released in 1997.

In the game, the player takes on the role of a ten-year-old child in Pallet Town, in the Kanto region, with the goal of becoming the Pokémon League champion. Called "Satoshi," the creator said that this was basically "himself, only younger".

You need to capture creatures, face gym leaders, and defeat Team Rocket, a group that steals strong Pokémon from other trainers, all in turn-based battles that involve a lot of strategy and elemental types like Fire, Water, and Rock. There's also the Pokédex, a library that stores information about the creatures and encourages players to seek them all out.

Being a sales and audience success, creating a huge worldwide craze that even made it to the cover of Time magazine, it's no surprise that Pokémon would have sequels. Each new game introduced a series of new monsters that expanded the Pokémon world to indispensable levels. If you, GenOner (like me), knew the names of all 151 monsters by heart, today that doesn't even cover half of the total number of Pokémon that exist out there. Let's talk about each of the generations:

Generation 1: Kanto (Game Boy, 1996): Red/Green/Blue/Yellow

Here the mechanics were basic: capture, train, and battle. You’re a young trainer who travels through the Kanto region and faces eight gyms to earn badges and have the right to challenge the Elite Four and the Champion for the title of "Pokémon Master", while facing the criminal organization Team Rocket and completing your Pokédex. Years later, the remakes LeafGreen and FireRed were released.

Generation 2: Johto (Game Boy Color, 1999-2000): Gold/Silver/Crystal

Developed by Game Freak for Game Boy Color. They introduced one hundred new Pokémon (bringing the total to 251), an internal clock system (day/night, seasons), a breeding system, and new starter Pokémon. Now set in Johto (inspired by rural Japan), the new protagonist travels to become Champion and complete the Pokédex, facing a new Team Rocket that emerges from the remnants of the previous one, and it's also possible to explore the Kanto region after the main game.

Generation 3: Hoenn (Game Boy Advance, 2002-2003): Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald

Game Freak now introduces 135 new Pokémon (total 386). Set in Hoenn (inspired by tropical island regions of Japan), it features dynamic weather, wild Pokémon with special passive abilities, and two rival factions (Team Magma/Aqua) fighting to dominate the world's climate. The player travels through Hoenn, challenges gyms, and tries to stop Team Magma (who want to expand the land by reducing the world's water volume) and Team Aqua (who want to expand the seas and flood the world), and capture the legendary Kyogre and Groudon. It's worth noting that this era also saw the emergence of the spin-off; Pokémon Emerald was a special version of Ruby/Sapphire.

Generation 4: Sinnoh (Nintendo DS, 2006-2009): Diamond/Pearl/Platinum

Game Freak released these games on the Nintendo DS, introducing 107 new Pokémon (total 493). Innovations included 3D graphics, Wi-Fi connectivity for online battles and trades instead of cables, and an advanced Pokédex. The story expands with mythological elements from Giratina, and the trainer faces Team Galactic, whose leader wants to recreate the universe using the legendary Pokémon Dialga and Palkia, in addition to the traditional gym battles. After the credits, you can explore the Kanto region again, remade based on the 2009 HeartGold/SoulSilver remakes, with 3D graphics and extra content.

Generation 5: Unova (Nintendo DS, 2010-2012): Black/White/Black2/White2

Game Freak introduces 156 new Pokémon (total 649) and the franchise's first fully narrative arc. In Black/White, you meet Team Plasma, who want to free Pokémon from humans, believing they’re treated as slaves. The protagonist confronts Team Plasma to prove them wrong. Again, you conquer gyms in Unova (based on New York) and capture the legendary Reshiram and Zekrom. The 2012 remakes Black 2/White 2 are a direct continuation, allowing you to encounter new Pokémon and new challenges.

Generation 6: Kalos (Nintendo 3DS, 2013-2014): X/Y

Game Freak released the game on the Nintendo 3DS, this time with fully 3D graphics, and added 72 more Pokémon (total 721) and introduced Mega Evolutions, temporary transformations in battle that greatly increase the monsters' powers. Set in Kalos (inspired by France), the trainer battles in gyms and faces Team Flare, who seek to use the legendary Xerneas or Yveltal to reshape the world. The game emphasized avatar customization and featured the first global multiplayer Champions Cup.

Generation 7: Alola (Nintendo 3DS, 2016-2018): Sun/Moon/Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon

Developed for the 3DS, these games were synonymous with innovative design. They introduced 81 new Pokémon (total 802) and regional variations, exclusive to Alola, which modify the appearance and powers of older Pokémon. In Alola (based on Hawaii), the player participates in regional challenges instead of traditional gyms, facing Team Skull and Project Ultra (Ultra Beasts). There was also a reimagining—Ultra Sun/Moon—with an expanded storyline.

Generation 8: Galar (Nintendo Switch, 2019-2020): Sword/Shield

Game Freak migrated the series to the Nintendo Switch and added 81 new Pokémon (total 898) and the Dynamax/Gigantamax mechanic (which temporarily increases the size of creatures in battle). In the Galar region (inspired by the United Kingdom), the protagonist competes in the league and faces Team Yell, who protect their "Pokémon Queen", the player's rival. Sword/Shield allowed exploration in the Wild Area with a partial open world and online multiplayer.

Generation 9: Paldea (Nintendo Switch, 2022): Scarlet/Violet

On the Switch, Game Freak offers the first complete open-world RPG. Scarlet/Violet brings 113 new Pokémon (total 1015) and the Terastalizing ability, as well as regional Pokémon from Paldea (based on Spain) and stories from rival schools. The story is also divided into three main paths, including the traditional journey through gyms, conflicts with Team Star, and a more personal plot involving Area Zero.

Generation 10 (Nintendo Switch 2, expected for 2027): Winds/Waves

The tenth generation of Pokémon was officially announced in February 2026 during the franchise's 30th-anniversary event. The new games are called Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves and are scheduled for 2027, being the first main titles developed for the successor to the Switch, known as the Switch 2. The new region will be a tropical archipelago inspired by Southeast Asia, with several islands and explorable underwater areas. Browt (the grass-type tweety), Pombon (the fire type doggo), and Gecqua (the water lizard) are the new starter Pokémon.

Spin-Offs

Beyond the main games, the franchise has produced numerous spin-offs that take advantage of different genres and platforms.

Among the most famous are Pokémon Snap (Nintendo 64, 1999), a photography game of Pokémon in their natural habitat; Pokémon Stadium (N64, 1998/2000), which brought 3D battles to home consoles and was connected to handheld games; and the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series (GBA/DS), a line of roguelikes where the player is transformed into a Pokémon.

These experiences expanded the universe and created bridges between consoles: for example, Stadium allowed connecting the Game Boy to use Pokémon trained in Kanto/Johto in 3D battles, a strategy that kept players involved in the Pokémon ecosystem.

The spin-off Legends: Arceus (2022, Switch) allows the player to travel to Sinnoh's past (Hisui era) and assemble the first Pokédex, with emergent capture mechanics. These next-generation versions reinforced the open-world trend and ushered in the post-3DS era.

In addition to games outside of these platforms, the Pokémon Trading Card Game is a hit among lovers of collectible card games, with world championships that award cash prizes exceeding thousands of dollars. Another globally successful spin-off is Pokémon Go, which used augmented reality technology to bring Pokémon into the real world through the cellphone screen. Pokémon GO's success surpassed one billion downloads, bringing the brand to even more people.

During the eighth generation, Pokémon Let's Go, Pikachu/Eevee was also released for Switch in 2018, remakes of Red/Blue aimed at beginners, integrated with Pokémon GO. There were no battles against wild Pokémon, only captures and battles in gyms and against online players.

The anime was essential in spreading Pokémon around the world. The series began in April 1997 in Japan, following Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town and his Pikachu, and became a huge success, with over 1,200 episodes aired in dozens of countries. Over the years, the story followed the regions of the games and introduced memorable characters such as Misty, Brock, May, Serena, and others, as well as new rivals and villains, but always maintaining the classics Jessie, James, and a talking Meowth from Team Rocket. In 2023, after decades, Ash finally won a world championship, closing an important cycle.

The films also helped maintain the franchise's momentum, starting with Mewtwo Strikes Back in 1998, which was a great success in theaters. Then came other productions with adventures involving the legendary Pokémon from each game, and in 2019 Detective Pikachu was released, a live-action film starring Justice Smith, Kathryn Newton, and Ryan Reynolds in the main roles, which was very successful and caught the attention even of those who didn't follow the series.

In manga, Pokémon Adventures, illustrated by Satoshi Yamamoto, stood out for adapting the game stories more closely to the original idea, with several volumes adapting the stories across various generations of the game and bringing a pantheon of Pokémon to the manga. The creator of the games has stated that this manga is the closest to what he originally envisioned for the franchise.

Another notable manga, which was even published in Brazil, was Pokémon: The Electric Tale of Pikachu. Illustrated by Toshihiro Ono, this manga stands out for the author's art style. Provocative outfits shared the pages with incredible battles and even a little blood, to show that even in the Pokémon world serious injuries occurred. The four volumes published in Brazil were altered to make the manga more "friendly" for young children.

Over three decades, Pokémon has gone from a simple Game Boy game to one of the biggest entertainment franchises. Today, it has surpassed US$100 billion in revenue, with hundreds of millions of games sold and a gigantic number of trading cards circulating worldwide.

The cultural impact is enormous. Pikachu has become a globally recognized symbol, and the franchise has influenced numerous other games over the years. Pokémon has even appeared in science, inspiring the names of recently discovered species. Behind all this is a well-organized system that connects games, anime, cards, and merchandise, constantly feeding into each other.

Even after so many years, Pokémon remains strong. The series blends new elements with classic ones, maintaining its core while testing new ideas. In 2026, the franchise will reach its 30th anniversary and is still relevant, showing how it has managed to cross generations without losing its place.

And you? What's your favorite Pokémon game? What's your favorite movie? What's your favorite Pokémon? Leave your comments below.