Generation II

The second generation (Japanese: second generation; ポケットモンスター金・銀シリーズ Pocket Monsters Gold and Silver Series) of Pokémon games, referred to as the Gold & Silver series in 's box blurb and instruction manual, and commonly referred to by fans as Generation II, is the second set of Pokémon games released, and a sequel to the games of Generation I.
This generation started with Pokémon Gold and Silver, which were later followed by . It also includes the side game Pokémon Stadium 2.
==Terminology==
The Japanese name 「ポケットモンスター金・銀シリーズ」 (Pocket Monsters Gold and Silver Series) has been used in the pokemon.co.jp website, referring to the games Pokémon Gold, Silver, Crystal, and .Pocket Monsters Gold and Silver Series - Pokemon.co.jpGames - Pokemon.co.jpGame List - Pokemon.co.jp
The manual of Pokémon Crystal states that this game is part of the Gold & Silver series.
==History==
Generation II began the Pokémon series' expansion-focused nature, introducing to the world which did not exist and are unable to be obtained in the Generation I games, and the new region of Johto. Many of these Pokémon expand the Evolution families of older Pokémon, while a majority of them are brand-new evolutionary lines.
The initial hint that Generation II was on its way came in early 1997, with the release of the 's first episode. A Pokémon appears to Ash Ketchum on the first day of his journey, shortly after he and become friends, that cannot be identified by the Pokédex; this Pokémon, later revealed to be the Legendary mascot of Gold Version, , was the first Pokémon from a future generation to debut in the animated series. The games, initially named "Pocket Monsters 2", were set for release in late 1997, but were pushed back to 1999 with the intention to redevelop the games to work with the Game Boy Color better.
Details in the games indicate that the storyline of the Generation II games occurs three years after the one in Generation I and Generation III, while the storyline of the Sinnoh-based Generation IV games indicate that they occur contemporaneously to Generation II as Generation I does to Generation III.
==Advances in gameplay==
In addition to retaining the system from Generation I in almost every aspect, several key innovations were made to the series, most of which have been retained in every generation since.
===Major additions===
* The introduction of , bringing the total to 251. Several are evolved forms of or pre-Evolutions of , while others are their own evolutionary lines.
* The addition of , bringing the total to 251 as well.
* The addition of two new types, the and types, which balance the and types.
* A new region to explore, Johto, in addition to the Generation I region, with the latter accessible after the Elite Four have been defeated. Johto has its own set of eight new Gyms and Gym Leaders to defeat, while the Elite Four have changed since Generation I.
* Pokémon have determinable genders, and two Pokémon of opposite genders may if they share an Egg Group.
* The Pokémon Storage System can store more Pokémon than it could in Generation I and now includes the ability to move Pokémon directly between Boxes.
* A new player character, .
* Seven new types of Poké Balls, made from Apricorns found in Johto.
* A built-in clock, allowing for in-game events to be affected by the time of day and the days of the week.
* Shiny Pokémon, alternate-color Pokémon which sparkle when brought into battle.
* Baby Pokémon, most of them pre-evolved forms of Generation I Pokémon.
* Friendship, introduced in , becomes a stat used by all Pokémon.
* Pokémon can now hold items and use them in battle.
* A special Pokémon virus is introduced that boosts stats.
* Roaming Pokémon are introduced.
===Major alterations from Generation I===
* A change in the types of four moves: , , , and . All formerly , they are now , , , and , respectively.
* The addition of as a secondary type for and .
* An improved stat system, with the former Special stat being split into Special Attack and Special Defense.
* In-game opponents now have PP like players.
* Although still classified as a Normal type move, now deals typeless damage.
* The Bag is no longer one 20-item container, but has four separate sections for different items: Normal items, Poké Balls, TMs and HMs, and Key Items.
* Hidden moves can now be used by interacting with the relevant (e.g. interacting with water for ), in addition to the previous method of selecting the move via the party menu.
* A Key Item can be set to and then subsequently accessed with the select button, enabling its use without menu navigation.
* When an opponent Pokémon Trainer encounters the player and challenges them, the player now turns to look at the Trainer.
* The held item Exp. Share replaces the Exp. All.
* In the previous generation, a Pokémon could gain enough experience through the defeat of a single Pokémon to increase its level by more than one, thus missing out on the opportunity to learn moves it could have learned in the levels between. From this generation onwards, if a Pokémon is currently in battle, it levels up multiple times if it gains enough experience to do so, and may learn moves at all levels at which it is eligible to do so. While other Pokémon may increase their level by more than one, the player will still be prompted to teach the Pokémon moves that it would be eligible to learn at intermediate levels.
* The Town Map is no longer a Key Item; instead, it is available as a feature of an electronic device, the Pokégear, which also has cell phone and radio capabilities.
* The way the game handles color on the world map has been improved. Overworld sprites such as the surfing Pikachu no longer change their palettes when moving between areas.
* The type chart has changed from Generation I:
:
Attacking type	Defending type	Old effectiveness 	New effectiveness
 	 	Super effective 	Not very effective
 	 	Super effective 	Normal effectiveness
 	 	Immune 	Super effective
 	 	Normal effectiveness	Not very effective
====Character names====
* , , and had their definitive names revealed in Generation II.
** In Generation I games, the player (Red) and the rival (Blue) could be named by the player. In the Japanese manuals of Generation I games, they had multiple possible names referencing game titles.
** In Generation I games, Daisy was unnamed and simply referred to as the rival's sister.
* The words "Grunt" and "Executive", referring to Team Rocket ranks, were introduced in this generation.
** In Generation I, the Team Rocket members were simply known as "Rocket". In this generation, each is them is known as a "Rocket Grunt". In Generation III, this was expanded to "".
** In some later generations, "Executive" is known as "Admin" instead.
* Opponent Pokémon Trainers are given individual names.
===Further additions in ===
* A female choice for the player, .
* Animations for all Pokémon when encountered or when sent from their Poké Balls.
* A .
* A Move Tutor, outside the Goldenrod City's Game Corner.
* Online capabilities of battle, trade and group, through the Mobile System GB.
* An , with the Celebi encounter involving a subplot from the Mobile System GB.
* An event item, with the GS Ball needed in order to catch Celebi.
* Event Pokémon caught instead of being obtained by trade.
* Special battle music when encountering the Legendary beasts in the wild.
* Incorporation of Legendary Pokémon into the plot.
==Regions==
===Johto===
Generation II introduced a new region to the Pokémon universe, Johto, located directly west of the Kanto region featured in Generation I. Johto's culture is notably more old-fashioned than Kanto's, especially in the more rural areas, which are more plentiful than in Kanto. Like Kanto, it has a sea to the south and mountains to the north.
====First partner Pokémon====
The first partner Pokémon introduced in Generation II follow the same -- alignment as those of Kanto. Despite this, they are not the same trio as in Generation I. Instead, Professor Elm offers , , or to the player as protection on an errand to Mr. Pokémon's house on .
Unlike other generations, where the first Gym is strong against the Fire-type and weak to Grass and Water, in this generation, the first Gym is strong against Grass, while Fire and Water both have an opening. Also, Pokémon available can cover for the weaknesses of the first partner types very early on in the game, unlike in Generation I.
					
					
					
					
====Gym Leaders====
Johto's Gym Leaders specialize in types different from Kanto's Gym Leaders, with eight of the nine types not covered by Kanto being the specialty types of these Gyms. Like Kanto, these Gym Leaders will give out Badges and TMs on their defeat.
			
			
			
===Kanto===
Unlike later games in the series, the Generation II games offer the player the chance, once Johto's Gyms are conquered and the Elite Four is defeated, to return to the Kanto region where the Generation I games are set. Here, players will find that many things have changed over the past three years.
====Gym Leaders====
Unlike in Generation I, the Gym Leaders of Generation II Kanto will for the most part not give away TMs; only Janine and Erika do this.
			
			
			
==Johto thematic motif==
The second generation of Pokémon games were more directed towards mythology and tradition.
This was the first installment that put emphasis on Legendary Pokémon being actual legends in-game, in contrast to and the legendary birds of Generation I. Ecruteak City fleshed out the legends of and the three beasts, their relationship with one another, and the story behind their departure (the Burned Tower). Lugia was also glimpsed by an elderly man in Ecruteak City, and others, who stated it looked like a dragon in the sky. Even the uncatchable was mentioned as the "Forest's Protector" at the shrine in Ilex Forest.
The Kimono Girls upheld ancient tradition in both battling Pokémon and dancing. The buildings in both Ecruteak City and Violet City have an older structure to them as well. Kurt offered a more traditional means of creating Poké Balls via Apricorns which proved variably superior to manufactured Poké Balls.
==Reception==
 were among the most-hyped games in the Pokémon franchise, with the innovations introduced in them becoming staples of the series. The later-released began the series' focus on Legendary Pokémon of the regions in which the games take place, first bringing them into the plot of the game. Due to these improvements, Generation II is highly acclaimed among long-time fans. Unlike future games, Generation II stood as an extension and a sequel of Generation I, and has been criticized by some for this.
Like Generation I's games, the popularity of the Generation II games proved great enough that were made during Generation IV as sequels to . Another reason why remakes were made was the fact that the original versions are incompatible with Generation III and onward.
==Title screens==
This section excludes the unused Super Game Boy mode of and the Korean versions of since proper support for Game Boy mode is absent.
On the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console releases of the Japanese and Western versions of Pokémon Gold and Silver, Game Boy Color mode is enforced.
===English title screens===
====Game Boy Color====
		
		
		
		
====Super Game Boy====
	
	
====Game Boy Tower====
	
	
===Japanese title screens===
These title screens for Pokémon Gold and Silver also apply to the .
The unused Game Boy mode variants in the final releases load very similar albeit distinct boot ROM palettes to those used by .
The unused Game Boy mode variant of the Spaceworld '99 demo of Pokémon Gold loads the same palette as the Spaceworld '97 demo of Pokémon Gold.
====Game Boy Color====
		
		
			
			
====Super Game Boy====
	
	
====Game Boy Tower====
	
	
===Korean title screens===
	
	
===Spaceworld '97 demo title screens===
The Game Boy mode variant of the Pokémon Silver demo loads a very similar albeit distinct boot ROM palette to the one used by Pokémon Green.
====Game Boy Color====
			
			
====Super Game Boy====
The Super Game Boy borders can be switched by pressing SELECT in the Options screen.
			
			
			
			
==Trivia==
* This is the smallest completed generation so far, with only seven and three core series games, if the Pokémon mini and arcade games aren't taken into consideration.
* This is the first generation to:
** Introduce a new named location and new items in its .
** Introduce a pure and a pure Pokémon.
** Not introduce any new Fossils.
** Not feature a Safari Zone in any capacity.
** Not introduce a new .
* This is the only generation: 
** To not introduce a pseudo-legendary Pokémon.
** Where all of its first partner Pokémon are initially holding an item (in this case, a ).
** To not introduce a or type expert.
** To feature a total number of moves equal to the total number of Pokémon at the time (251).
** To not introduce a new villainous team.
** Where Pokémon cannot be transferred to the following generation.
** To not introduce a new Pokémon League.
** To allow trading Pokémon with a previous generation.
* This generation leaves the least extra space for Pokémon in the if one of every species is caught. Only 280 Pokémon (270 in the Japanese versions due to differences in storage) may be obtained at once; there are 251 different Pokémon species available in this generation.
* This generation features the first core series game, Crystal, whose Japanese title is in katakana only and that uses an English word, rather than using the Japanese counterpart word in kanji. No game since has been named in kanji.
* Unlike in other generations, should the player use a glitch or cheat in a Generation II game to initiate a battle without a Pokémon, the fight will instantly end (and be treated as a victory in case of Trainer battles), instead of the player sending out a glitch Pokémon.
* This generation started the trend of featuring Legendary Pokémon on the boxart of the core series games, rather than first partner Pokémon or their final Evolutions.
* Because of the introduction of a completely new stat due to the special split, this generation had the most base stat changes between generations, as all 151 Generation I Pokémon had their base stat total increased.
** Additionally, this generation arguably had the most base stat increases and decreases between generations, as the majority of Pokémon received a different value for their Special Attack and Special Defense, while some had both Special stats remain the same.
* This generation introduced the fewest moves of all generations, with only .
==References==
==Related articles==
Category:Games
de:Zweite Spielgeneration
es:Segunda generación
fr:Deuxième génération
it:Seconda generazione
ja:第二世代
zh:第二世代