Some things I have smashed through in the demo for Deliver At All Costs: fire hydrants, surf boards, barns, an entire laundromat, street lamps, palm trees, garbage cans, several pedestrians, mailboxes, food stalls, fish markets, brick walls, a lookout tower, dumpsters, housewives, the city fountain, and a row of unsuspecting sunbathers. This toy-like messabout is proof of one thing. Almost every problem can be solved by driving a 1950s truck straight through it.
The mainline Pokemon games make up one of the best-selling video game franchises of all time. From Pokemon Red and Blue to the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, these games have amassed a huge audience that just keeps coming back for more.
If you haven’t played all of the Pokemon video games in the series, however, you may find yourself in a bit of a dilemma trying to figure out where to start in 2025. Most of the major titles in the series are excellent standalone games to dive into, but if you want to start from the beginning, there are two different ways to play in order: Chronologically or by release date.
Jump to:
Choosing where to start boils down to what Nintendo console you currently have, though the recent Delta emulator may change that for you. If you only have a Nintendo Switch, you can start with Let’s Go Pikachu or Let’s Go Eevee, which are kind of like remakes of the original Yellow version from 1998. You can also play Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl for another remake experience. Pokemon Legends: Arceus is also an option, but it is very different from the other mainline games.
If you’re wanting to dive right into Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, it’s worth noting that you likely won’t be missing out on any overly pertinent information from the previous games. The only games in the main series you might not want to jump right into is Black 2 and White 2 as those are sequels.
The Pokemon timelne may seem pretty linear at first glance, but without enough obvious details to go off of, it can be pretty confusing to try to follow the chronology from title to title. Luckily, a now deleted tweet from Toshinobu Matsumiya has given us a starting point for some of the games. For the rest, we can only make educated guesses based on a few key details witin the games.
The first game in the chronology is very clearly Pokemon Legends: Arceus seeing as it’s set in a time when the relationship between humans and Pokemon was only just starting to form. You spend a large portion of your time running around a vast open wilderness catching and battling wild Pokemon, and the people you interact with are clearly just beginning to understand the world of Pokemon. This game features crafting and research tasks, which greatly differentiates it from the usual gym battle formula we are used to.
Though we don’t know just how long ago Pokemon Legends: Arceus takes place compared to the other games in the series, we do atleast know that it seems to feature the ancestors of Diamond and Pearl characters.
As the original games in the series, Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow are up next in the timeline. Bringing the first-generation Pokedex and introducing us to the classic Pokemon game formula, these best-selling games are what started it all.
Although we can’t know for sure that these Game Boy games are up next in the timeline, the deleted Tweet from Game Scenario writer Toshinobu Matsumiya confirmed that the series starts with these. The technology featured in the game is also fairly limited compared to some of the newer games — though still advanced enough to bring fossils back to life!
Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen are remakes of the original Red and Blue games and thus are at the same exact point in the timeline. Much of the plot is the same as the originals with some key differences — including visiting the Sevii Islands after becoming champion of the Elite Four.
Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald brought all new Pokemon and throws you into the Hoenn region — which is some distance from both the Kanto and Johto regions. Considering this game features the third generation of Pokemon and some new technology, it seems most likely that it would take place after both Red and Blue and Gold and Silver. However, according to that same deleted tweet from Matsumiya, Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire take place at the same point in time as FireRed and LeafGreen.
This also means that Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire are at the same point in the timeline here seeing as they are remakes.
As the second game in the series (in terms of release date) Pokemon Gold and Silver take place three years after the events of Red and Blue. With some exciting new Gen 2 Pokemon and some of the best post-game content in the series, Gold, Silver, and Crystal were an excellent follow up to the original games. By traveling to the Kanto region after becoming the champion of Johto, you get a firsthand look at the passage of time. You even get to battle the protagonist from the first games, Red, who is quite strong.
This placement in the chronology also applies to the remakes: HeartGold and SoulSilver. Although the remakes offer some additional content, they are essentially just updated versions of the originals.
In terms of series release order, Pokemon Diamond and Pearl came a few years after Ruby and Sapphire. However, we now know from that deleted tweet from Matsumiya that Diamond and Pearl actually takes place at the same time as HeartGold and SoulSilver. This may seem a little bit confusing considering the advancements in technology we see in Diamond and Pearl, but we can likely just chalk it up to the actual date the games were created rather than the chronology within the Pokemon universe.
This would also mean that the remakes, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are set in the same point of the timeline. Though the timeline gets a bit wonky with the inclusion of Fairy-type Pokemon considering those weren’t introduced until X and Y.
Featuring the fifth-generation of new Pokemon, Black and White was the second mainline game to come out on the Nintendo DS. Although we don’t know exactly when the story takes place in the Pokemon universe, we do that it takes place after Diamond and Pearl thanks to Matsumiya’s tweet. Since there aren’t any obvious links to the previous games, we can only assume that Black and White takes place more than 3 years after Red and Blue.
As a true sequel to Black and White, Pokemon Black 2 and White 2 offer a fairly obvious transition through the chronological timeline. We see changes where gym leaders pass on their duties to the next generation, Team Plasma has advanced their plot, and there is a new Champion. Between all of these things, we know that roughly two years have passed since Black and White, progressing the timeline forward in an uncharacteristically linear fashion.
As the first game in the series to allow payers to explore and battle in 3D, Pokemon X and Y was a fresh take on the classic Pokemon formula. While this is largely due to it being the first title in the series to be a Nintendo 3DS game, it definitely helped set up future games. While we don’t know exactly when the game fits in the chronology, thanks to Matsumiya we atleast know that X and Y take place at the same time as Black 2 and White 2. However, it’s possible that it is set in a different universe due to Mega Evolution being a thing.
Happening a few years after X and Y, Pokemon Sun and Moon takes us to the Alola region. While we don’t have any information from Matsumiya about where this game fits in the timeline, it features a few characters from X and Y that indicate that time has passed between games. An adult Red and Blue also make an appearance, though their exact age isn’t revealed, so we still don’t know exactly how much time has progressed since Red, Blue, and Yellow.
This also means that Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon take place at the same point in time as they are essentially remakes of Sun and Moon with some additional content.
With the arrival of the Nintendo Switch came the first Switch-exclusive mainline Pokemon game: Sword and Shield. Featuring a brand-new region, new Pokemon, and the introduction of Gigantamax, Sword and Shield is essentially a soft reboot of the series. So that being said, we have no idea where it fits on the chronological timeline. There aren’t really any hard references to the previous games, so there is no way of accurately fitting it into the known Pokemon universe.
One of the only clues we have about the timeline comes in the form of new technology. The addition of the Rotom Phone seemingly places us further in the chronology than Red and Blue at the very least, but that’s all we can really gather. It’s possible that Pokemon Sword and Shield simply takes place in an entirely different universe than any of the other games.
As the latest entry in the series, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet brings all-new Gen 9 Pokemon and the open-world Paldea region to the Nintendo Switch. There haven’t been any obvious clues revealed about where it lands on the timeline, so we unfortunately don’t have enough information to try to accurately place it. That being said, if it follows the chronological structure of previous mainline games, it’s possible that it takes place at the same time as the events of Pokemon Sword and Shield.
I you want to play the games in the order they were released rather than try to attempting to go through the convoluted chronological timeline, here are all of the mainline Pokemon games by release date:
While a new Pokemon Legends game was technically announced last year, we finally got an official gameplay reveal during this year’s Pokemon Day. Titled Pokemon Legends: Z-A, the upcoming game is set in Lumiose City, within the same Kalos region as Pokemon X and Y. The city itself is in the midst of a technological evolution to support trainers and Pokemon thriving together.
As a Legends game, Z-A’s starter Pokemon are a throwback: Chikorita and Totodile from Gen 2 alongside Tepig from Gen 5. Like in Legends: Arceus, these familiar starters will be getting new final evolutions. The gameplay trailer also showed off new battle mechanics, like positioning, dodging, and aiming your Pokemon’s attacks. Unfortunately, the one thing the trailer didn’t confirm is a release date: the game is still set for a tentative “late 2025” release, most likely on Switch and Switch 2 consoles.
That wasn’t the only game reveal from the 2025 Pokemon Day announcements. Game Freak and The Pokemon Company also announced Pokemon Champions, a new battle game for both Switch and mobile devices. This is most likely the “multiplayer Pokemon game” that was alluded to in earlier leaks. More like Pokemon Showdown than other Pokemon releases, Pokemon Champions will allow trainers to battle with Pokemon they’ve caught and trained in other games through the Pokemon Home app. No release date information has been revealed.
Looking for additional Pokemon content? Check out our guide to the best Pokemon movies and Pokemon Video Games for more. You can also shop for the coolest Pokemon merchandise at the IGN Store for some of our favorite Pokemon toys.
Ukraine-based independent games studio Reburn have just announced a new shooter, La Quimera, which I would summarise as Call Of Duty: Advanced Warfare and Cyberpunk 2077 playing kiss-chase in the near-future jungles and neon sprawls of Latin America. It’s got world and narrative writing from Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn, and is playable in single player with three-person co-op support. Here’s a trailer.
Mega or mediocre?
Well folks, another Pokémon Presents has come and gone, and it pretty much delivered exactly what we were expecting.
The biggest draw was obviously Pokémon Legends: Z-A, where we got a good look at some gameplay along with confirmation that Chikorita, Tepig, and Totodile will be the game’s starter Pokémon. Not only that, but Mega Evolutions will feature, battle arenas appear to be larger than ever, and you’ll be meeting one of two possible human allies: Urbain or Taunie.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Welcome back to the Midnight Murder Club. Here at Velan Studios, we’ve been toiling away in the shadowy halls of Wormwood Manor, coming up with fresh, new ways for you to hunt your friends in the darkness. We’ve got a new game mode to announce and a new way to get your friends in on the fighting!
Midnight Murder Club is a first-person shooter/party game where you and five friends hunt each other in the pitch-black rooms of the mysterious Wormwood Manor.* Armed with only a revolver and a flashlight, search the shadows for every flicker of light and every bump in the night as you stalk your prey. The tension turns to hilarity as you discover just how tricky it is to navigate and shoot in complete darkness! You sprint toward your friends’ shouting voices echoing through the mansion, only to bump into someone else hiding in a dark corner! Shots ring out, luring the other hunters to your location. Every flash of light is the promise of a deadly firefight.
On top of the existing Free for All, Thief in the Night, Team Deathmatch, and Headhunters modes, we’re excited to introduce a new mode that lets you break the rules like never before! In the new Wildcards game mode, players play cards from their collection that change the rules for everyone in-game in wild new ways. From hijacking the toys that appear in vendors, to giving everyone super speed, to exploding into flames when you die—use these cards to show your wild side. Then, when the dust settles and the match is over you’ll be gifted new cards to add to your collection, giving you even more ways to change the game. In the new Wildcards game mode, it looks like chaos is in the cards!
We know that playing with friends is the best way to play any game and with the Midnight Murder Club Guest Pass Edition, it’s easier than ever. Midnight Murder Club Guest Pass Edition allows your friends to join your game and play for no additional cost!
To put it simply: If one person buys the game, they can invite up to five Guest Pass Edition players to play together for no additional cost in public or private matches, in all current game modes, as much as you want.
We’re really excited about the Guest Pass Edition because Midnight Murder Club is a great party game to play with friends. Now players can simply invite their friends into the club and let the mayhem begin.
To sum it up, we’re adding the new Wildcards game mode and introducing a new way to play with friends with the Guest Pass Edition. That’s a lot of new development work! Because of that, we’re going to need a little more time, so we’re pushing our Early Access launch date to March 13th, 2025. The full version of the game will be available in Early Access for $19.99 (or equivalent in your region), and the Guest Pass Edition will be launching on the same day for no additional cost.
As a member of the Midnight Murder Club, your opinion on the direction the club should go matters! We’re determined to evolve this game with the community as we continue developing through Early Access. We want your opinions and ideas, which will help shape our roadmap (which we’ll be sharing before launch!).
With these major changes and much more to come, we can’t wait to dive back into the darkness and haunt the hallowed halls of the Wormwood Manor with you. Prepare yourselves for Midnight Murder Club coming to Early Access on PS5 and Steam on March 13.
See you in the shadows!
*Account for PlayStation Network and internet connection required. Paid for PlayStation Plus membership (sold separately) required on PS5. PlayStation Plus membership subject to recurring subscription fee taken automatically until cancellation. Age restrictions apply. Full terms: play.st/psplus-usageterms.
We’ve finally gotten a good, long (ish) look at Pokemon Legends: Z-A, the second entry in the Pokemon Legends series and Game Freak’s major Pokemon release for the year (after surprisingly skipping 2024). In a brand new trailer, we got a first look at what it will be like to freely run along the rooftops of Lumiose City, which Pokemon will join us when we do it, and some of the changes to Mega Evolutions and battle mechanics.
This time around, players can choose between Todadile, Tepig, and Chikorita to be their starter monster as they explore Lumiose City with upgraded visuals and a few major gameplay tweaks. Specifically, new mechanics will allow players to hop to the city’s rooftops and see life in the Pokemon world from a new perspective. Gameplay for the Latest Legends title also reveals that we’ll be going back to the more traditional visual style the series has established over the last few years, too.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A was first announced at last year’s Pokemon Presents, and it’s been quiet on the news front ever since. At the time, all we saw was a cinematic trailer revealing it would be set entirely in Lumiose City from Pokemon X and Y, and that it would be coming to Nintendo Switch in 2025. We also saw a tease of a few Pokemon, a futuristic setting, and the Mega Evolution symbol.
Other than that, for the last year, fans have been piecing together guesses on what the game might entail based on that trailer and Pokemon Legends: Arceus, which introduced new Pokemon capturing mechanics to the franchise and an open zone format that resonated well with players, even if certain elements of the game felt drab and incomplete, especially in the back half. With no Pokemon game released last year, it seems like Game Freak may have gotten an extra year to really give Legends Z-A the polish that Arceus and Pokemon Scarlet and Violet simply didn’t receive. Let’s hope it pays off.
Developing…
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
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Fancy a gaming PC deal that makes sense? HP is slashing $800 off its flagship HP Omen 45L RTX 4080 Gaming PC, bringing it down to $2,199.99 from a painful $2,999.99. That’s a hefty discount, which includes a $100 off coupon code: SURPRISEPC100. If you’ve been waiting for a proper gaming rig without selling a kidney, this might be it.
If you play Pokémon Go even semi-regularly, you already know that PokéCoins are basically essential. Whether you’re raiding, grinding XP, or hoarding Incense like a dragon hoards gold, you’re going to need a steady supply of these things. And while you could buy them directly through the game, that would be a rookie mistake because Best Buy has a way better deal right now.
For $42.50, you can get a $50 Pokémon Go gift card, which gives you 7,000 PokéCoins instead of the usual 6,700 $50 would get you in-app. That’s an extra 300 coins for free, and you’re saving $7.50 on top of that. More PokéCoins, less money spent.
Now, if you’re sitting on 7,000 PokéCoins, you might be wondering what to spend them on. Should you hoard them for future boxes? Blow them all on Remote Raid Passes? Maybe finally invest in that Pokémon Storage upgrade so you don’t have to suffer through constant “Your Pokémon Box is full” notifications? Decisions, decisions.
To make things easy, here’s a breakdown of what 7,000 PokéCoins can get you in Pokémon GO right now:
Pokémon Go Shop Boxes
| Explorer Box | 5,250 | 20x Super Incubator, 30x Egg Incubator | 39% off |
| Voyager Box | 6,500 | 100x Lucky Eggs, 50x Star Pieces | 50% off |
| Starter Box | 100 | 10x Pinap Berry, 1x Lucky Egg, 30x Poké Ball | – |
| Beginner Box | 150 | 15x Poké Ball, 5x Great Ball, 1x Lucky Egg, 1x Super Incubator | One-time only |
Pokémon GO Individual Items
| Remote Raid Pass (x3) | 525 | Join Raid Battles remotely |
| Premium Battle Pass (x3) | 250 | Raid or get premium Go Battle League rewards |
| Super Incubator | 200 | Hatches eggs 33% faster |
| Egg Incubator | 150 | Hatches eggs (3 uses) |
| Lure Module (x8) | 680 | Attracts more Pokémon to a PokéStop |
| Incense (x8) | 250 | Lures wild Pokémon to your location |
| Item Bag Upgrade | 200 | Increases storage by 50 |
| Pokémon Storage Upgrade | 200 | Increases max Pokémon capacity by 50 |
Pokémon GO Upgrades
| Item Bag | 200 | Increases max item storage by 50 |
| Pokémon Storage | 200 | Increases max Pokémon capacity by 50 |
| Postcard Pages | 100 | Increases max saved Postcards by 50 |
| Team Medallion | 1,000 | Lets you change teams (once per year) |
If I had 7,000 PokéCoins burning a hole in my trainer bag, I’d probably go straight for the Voyager Box at 6,500 coins. It’s a ridiculous deal with 100 Lucky Eggs and 50 Star Pieces at 50% off, meaning I’d be set on XP boosts and Stardust bonuses for months.
If raiding is more your thing, stacking up on Remote Raid Passes (525 coins for three) is a solid move if you want to farm Legendaries without leaving your couch. And for anyone who’s perpetually running out of space (guilty), throwing a couple of Pokémon Storage and Item Bag upgrades into the mix would make life way easier.
If you’re grabbing this PokéCoin deal, you might as well snag some free Pokémon while you’re at it. Right now, Pokémon GO is offering a triple code reward that gives you Tornadus, Thundurus, and Landorus at no cost. To claim them, log in to your Pokémon GO account on the Pokémon GO Live website and enter the following codes:
Christian Wait is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything collectable and deals. Christian has over 7 years of experience in the Gaming and Tech industry with bylines at Mashable and Pocket-Tactics. Christian also makes hand-painted collectibles for Saber Miniatures. Christian is also the author of “Pokemon Ultimate Unofficial Gaming Guide by GamesWarrior”. Find Christian on X @ChrisReggieWait.
A new Eternal Strands update has made various adjustments to the fantasy action-RPG‘s movement and so, restarted the inexhaustible debate as to what manner of jank is ‘good’ jank.
“It was a bit hurtful”.
In a recent interview with VGC, Mario + Rabbids director Davide Soliani recalled the moment when the team received word from Ubisoft regarding the sales performance of 2022’s Sparks of Hope.
In short, the game didn’t meet Ubisoft’s internal expectations, with CEO Yves Guillemot even mentioning that Ubisoft should have waited for the Switch 2. But given the passion from its development team and the positive critical reception from players, Soliani and the rest of the staff felt somewhat demoralised by the announcement.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
