Summary
From the very beginning,Pokemonwas always about having to catch all the titular creatures the series is known for. As a result, sequels always added a number of different pocket monsters to the franchise’s growing roster to where what once was a special surprise for returning players is now an expectation with every new mainline game. What once was theiconic original 151 Pokemon introduced in generation 1has now risen to a whopping 1,025 as of the release ofPokemon ScarletandViolet, and this number won’t stop growing anytime soon.
Looking back at the series' history may make this large number feel like it suddenly appeared overnight, but in reality, it took 26 games over 27 years for this total to reach as high as it currently has, counting all the additional versions with each generation. However, veteranPokemonfans are most likely aware that the number of pocket monsters differs between each generation, as the series most certainly doesn’t add 151 creatures every single timegames likePokemon Emerald,Ruby, andSapphirerelease, and for good reason.
The Varying Numbers of New Pokemon Between Generations
Why Some Pokemon Generations Have More New Creatures Than Others
Among the first few generations, there’s quite an easy trend to spot without much trouble. In the early days of the franchise, it’s rather clear that Game Freak set out to have at least a hundred or more Pokemon added to the roster, likely to mimic the marketing success that was theconcept ofPokemon RedandBlue’s “150 or more to see” mantra. This is why Generation 5’s new critters total at 156, aiming to capture that feeling once again.
During the development ofPokemon XandY,trouble began to arise. As it was becoming abundantly clear that the franchise wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon, and the Nintendo 3DS could handle 3D models, it was decided that the series would switch to 3D permanently. With models that could easily be upscaled, remastered, and brought to future games, Game Freak and its contracted partners focused on making the models for themany Pokemon found in the seriesso fans could continue to experience the games with every creature known thus far.
How the National Dex Affected the Addition of Future Pokemon
With Generation 7’s development, balancing the number of creatures available with the use ofPokemon Bankbecame a daunting task for the developers. AsPokemonmoved on to Generation 8, it was announced that the National Dex would be cut going forward, limiting what critters could be found and brought over between games. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say adding the previous 721 creatures is why Alola only has 88 new Pokemon of its own.
The removal of the National Dex left a mark on many series loyalists, but theresults speak for themselves afterPokemon Legends: Arceusbecame one of the highest-ratedPokemongames in years, andPokemon ScarletandVioletbolstered the new creatures it had back to over a hundred for the first time sincePokemon BlackandWhite. With Generation 9, the total number of pocket monsters finally reached over a thousand, marked with Gholdengo specifically. While Generation 10 is still a far bit away, fans can most certainly expect more Pokemon to catch whenever it arrives.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
WHERE TO PLAY
Pokemon Scarlet & Pokemon Violet are the main entries in the series for Generation IX. They introduced over 100 new Pokemon and brought players to the Paldea region.
