Pokémon side series

The Pokémon side series encompasses all video games set in the Pokémon universe that fall outside the core RPG series developed by Game Freak. These spin-off titles span multiple genres and platforms, with the first appearing as early as 1998. Unlike mainline games, side series titles are developed by various external studios and use the abbreviated "Pokémon" in their Japanese names rather than the full "Pocket Monsters." The series includes dozens of entries across generations, from the Pokémon Ranger trilogy to the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series, the Pokémon Stadium games, and the Pokémon Trading Card Game adaptations.

Gameplay mechanics vary wildly across the side series. The Pokémon Ranger games replaced traditional battles with a touch-screen capture system where players draw loops around wild Pokémon. The Mystery Dungeon series is a roguelike dungeon crawler where players explore randomly generated dungeons as Pokémon themselves. Pokémon Conquest combined Pokémon with tactical strategy in a feudal Japan setting. Pokémon Snap offered a first-person photography experience. Pokémon Go introduced augmented reality on mobile devices, letting players catch Pokémon in real-world locations using GPS and the phone's camera. More recently, Pokémon Legends: Arceus and its sequel Pokémon Legends: Z-A introduced real-time action elements, with Z-A featuring full real-time battles where Pokémon and trainers move freely during combat, a first for the franchise.

Side series games generally have self-contained stories independent of the main series, though many reference core regions and characters. The Pokémon Ranger trilogy follows a Ranger who uses a Capture Styler to befriend Pokémon and solve environmental crises across the regions of Fiore, Almia, and Oblivia. Pokémon Mystery Dungeon games typically involve a human transformed into a Pokémon who must lead a rescue team. Pokémon Conquest retells the Sengoku period of Japan with Pokémon. Pokémon Go has no traditional narrative but encourages real-world exploration. Pokémon Legends: Arceus and Z-A are set in historical versions of known regions—Hisui (ancient Sinnoh) and Lumiose City (from Kalos)—and involve research tasks and unique storylines about the origins of Pokémon and human relationships. [edit]

The side series features gameplay that diverges from the turn-based RPG formula of the main series. In Pokémon Ranger, players use the Nintendo DS touch screen to draw loops around wild Pokémon to befriend them, then deploy those Pokémon for field abilities. The Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series is a roguelike where players navigate randomly generated dungeons in real-time, with turn-based movement. Pokémon Conquest uses tactical turn-based battles on a grid, combining Pokémon types with warrior abilities. Pokémon Snap is an on-rails photography game where players take pictures of Pokémon in their natural habitats. Pokémon Go uses augmented reality and GPS to let players capture Pokémon at real-world locations, with mechanics for raiding and trading. Pokémon Legends: Arceus blends action and exploration with a focus on completing a Pokédex by observing and catching Pokémon in a semi-open world. Pokémon Legends: Z-A introduces full real-time battles where trainers and Pokémon move freely, marking a significant departure from the series' traditional turn-based combat. [edit]

Side series games generally feature self-contained narratives that do not directly connect to the main series timeline. The Pokémon Ranger trilogy follows a Ranger tasked with protecting the environment and befriending Pokémon using a Capture Styler, with each game set in a different region. Pokémon Mystery Dungeon games often begin with a human who mysteriously transforms into a Pokémon and joins a rescue team to save the world from a natural disaster or evil force. Pokémon Conquest reimagines the Sengoku period of Japan, where warlords and their Pokémon allies battle for control of the land. Pokémon Go has no traditional story but encourages exploration and social interaction. Pokémon Legends: Arceus is set in the Hisui region, an ancient version of Sinnoh, where the player is sent back in time to complete the first Pokédex and uncover the secrets of the region's legendary Pokémon. Pokémon Legends: Z-A takes place in Lumiose City during a redevelopment project, with a story centered on the city's past and the mysterious Pokémon Zygarde. [edit]