Thirty years of Pokémon.

The card game

The card game is born in Japan on 20 October 1996. Wizards of the Coast publishes it in English from 9 January 1999; in 2003, publishing moves to the Nintendo subsidiary that became The Pokémon Company International. Most eras follow a generation of video games.

1. 1999 – 2000
   

   Base

   Base Set, Jungle and Fossil bring the game to the West. Holographic Charizard becomes the card of a whole generation.

   5 sets · 337 cards · See the sets

2. 2000 – 2002
   

   Neo

   The second generation reaches the cards, with the Darkness and Metal types and the first Shining cards.

   4 sets · 365 cards · See the sets

3. 2002 – 2003
   

   E-Card

   Wizards of the Coast's last sets, with a dot strip that Nintendo's e-Reader could scan.

   2 sets · 351 cards · See the sets

4. 2003 – 2007
   

   EX

   Publishing changes hands in 2003. The more powerful Pokémon-ex arrive with EX Ruby & Sapphire.

   16 sets · 1,611 cards · See the sets

5. 2007 – 2008
   

   Diamond & Pearl

   The fourth generation brings Pokémon LV.X, placed on a Pokémon already in play to power it up.

   8 sets · 886 cards · See the sets

6. 2009
   

   Platinum

   A short era built around Pokémon Platinum, marked by Pokémon SP, tied to trainers from Sinnoh.

   3 sets · 415 cards · See the sets

7. 2010
   

   HeartGold & SoulSilver

   The HeartGold and SoulSilver remakes inspire Pokémon Prime and LEGEND cards, made of two halves placed side by side.

   5 sets · 439 cards · See the sets

8. 2011 – 2013
   

   Black & White

   Pokémon-EX and the first full art cards appear.

   12 sets · 1,297 cards · See the sets

9. 2011
   

   Call of Legends

   A standalone set of reprints and shiny Legendaries, between two generations.

   1 set · 106 cards · See the sets

10. 2013 – 2016
    

    XY

    Enter Mega Evolutions and BREAK cards, printed sideways.

    17 sets · 1,932 cards · See the sets

11. 2017 – 2019
    

    Sun & Moon

    Pokémon-GX and their once-per-game attack, then cards pairing two or three Pokémon.

    18 sets · 2,908 cards · See the sets

12. 2019 – 2023
    

    Sword & Shield

    Pokémon V, VMAX and VSTAR, and unprecedented demand during the pandemic that emptied the shelves.

    25 sets · 3,664 cards · See the sets

13. 2023 – 2025
    

    Scarlet & Violet

    Pokémon-ex return, with silver borders and illustration rares that put the artwork first.

    18 sets · 3,640 cards · See the sets

14. 2025 – 2026
    

    Mega Evolution

    Mega Evolutions return as Pokémon-ex, and the game turns 30 in September 2026.

    10 sets · 1,294 cards · See the sets

Also in the card database: McDonald's Collection, Trainer kits and POP.

The video games

The main games, generation by generation. The first year is the Japanese release; the second, where different, the European release.

1. 1996 · 1999

   Generation I Red and Blue (in Japan: Red and Green), Yellow

   Kanto · Game Boy

2. 1999 · 2001

   Generation II Gold and Silver, Crystal

   Johto · Game Boy Color

3. 2002 · 2003

   Generation III Ruby and Sapphire, Emerald, FireRed and LeafGreen

   Hoenn · Game Boy Advance

4. 2006 · 2007

   Generation IV Diamond and Pearl, Platinum, HeartGold and SoulSilver

   Sinnoh · Nintendo DS

5. 2010 · 2011

   Generation V Black and White, Black 2 and White 2

   Unova · Nintendo DS

6. 2013

   Generation VI X and Y, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire

   Kalos · Nintendo 3DS

7. 2016

   Generation VII Sun and Moon, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee

   Alola · Nintendo 3DS and Switch

8. 2019

   Generation VIII Sword and Shield, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, Legends: Arceus

   Galar and Hisui · Nintendo Switch

9. 2022

   Generation IX Scarlet and Violet, Legends: Z-A

   Paldea and Lumiose City · Nintendo Switch and Switch 2

10. 2027

    Generation X Winds and Waves (announced on 27 February 2026)

    Nintendo Switch 2

The animated series

The animated series, in Japan. European versions usually follow a year or two later.

1. 1997 – 2002

   Pokémon

   Ash and Pikachu leave Pallet Town: Kanto, the Orange Islands, then Johto.

2. 2002 – 2006

   Pokémon: Advanced

   Hoenn, then the Battle Frontier.

3. 2006 – 2010

   Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl

   Sinnoh.

4. 2010 – 2013

   Pokémon: Black & White

   Unova.

5. 2013 – 2016

   Pokémon: XY

   Kalos.

6. 2016 – 2019

   Pokémon: Sun & Moon

   Alola, where Ash finally wins a League.

7. 2019 – 2023

   Pokémon Journeys

   Every region at once. Ash becomes world champion, and his story ends in 2023.

8. 2023 –

   Pokémon Horizons

   New heroes, Liko and Roy, and a series that carries on.