Generation I

## In other countries

### Anglosphere

NameGeneration ILength of timeSeptember 28, 1998–October 15, 2000 (748 days)Notes**^A** signifies that it only applies to the US, UK, CA, AU, NZ and SG.

The **first generation** (Japanese: **第一世代** *first generation*; **ポケットモンスター赤・緑シリーズ** *Pocket Monsters Red and Green Series*) of Pokémon games, commonly referred to by fans as **Generation I** (Japanese: **世代Ｉ** *Generation I*), is the initial set of Pokémon games released.

This generation started with the Japanese games Pokémon Red and Green, later joined by Blue. These three games were combined into the international Pokémon Red and Blue. The special edition Yellow was later released as well. Two side games were also released: the Japan-only Pokémon Stadium and its sequel, released internationally as Pokémon Stadium.

## Terminology

The Japanese name 「**ポケットモンスター赤・緑シリーズ**」 (*Pocket Monsters Red and Green Series*) has been used in the pokemon.co.jp website, referring to the games Pokémon Red, Green, Blue, Yellow, Stadium (Japanese), and Stadium (English).

Although the term "Generation I" is usually considered fan terminology, it was used in the cast commentary for *POKÉMON Detective Pikachu*, and the subtitles give the Roman-numeral form.

## History

The Generation I games were developed beginning as early as 1990 from an idea that Satoshi Tajiri had thought of and pitched to Nintendo with the help of Shigeru Miyamoto. The inspiration for many of the key mechanics introduced in this generation came from Tajiri's childhood interest in bug collecting, with the trading system between two Game Boys being thought of when he imagined a caterpillar crawling across the Game Link Cable between two systems.

This generation was localized into English, with initial attempts to keep the Pocket Monsters name for international use blocked due to the Monster in My Pocket franchise leading to the release as "Pokémon". Further alterations made in the localization included the combination of Red, Green, and Blue into the English versions of Pokémon Red and Blue, using Red and Green's wild Pokémon encounter lists but Blue's slightly improved graphics. The simultaneous release of the games and anime led to an almost-overnight surge in popularity, cementing the Pokémon franchise firmly as a Nintendo mainstay alongside Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda.

Two battle arena games were released in this generation: the mostly-incomplete Pokémon Stadium (Japanese), which went unreleased outside of Japan and only allowed use of 40 Pokémon, and the improved Pokémon Stadium, which featured several special battle modes and a Gym Leader Castle where players could take their fully-trained teams for matches against the Kanto Gym Leaders, Elite Four, and Champion.

The games proved popular enough that, eight years after their original release, they received remakes in the form of Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, as the original versions are incompatible with Generation III and onward. Pokémon Yellow received a remake twenty years after its original release in the form of Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!.

The storyline of the Kanto region is contemporaneous with the Hoenn story of Generation III, as revealed by details in both the Hoenn-based games as well as the Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen|s|later remakes}} of Generation I. The storylines of the Generation II and Generation IV games occur three years after this generation, with details about this link explicitly noted throughout the Johto-based games.

## Gameplay

Generation I introduced the key Pokémon gameplay elements which have remained to this day, as well as a system of game releases now considered by fans to be the "standard formula". While many of the features enjoyed in the more recent generations are later additions to the series, the following have their origins in Generation I:

* The player has a party of up to six Pokémon with them, which can be used in battle against opponent Pokémon Trainers or wild Pokémon.
* A PC-based Pokémon Storage System, made up of 12 boxes of 20 Pokémon each and developed by Bill, a Pokémon fanatic, is available to store reserve Pokémon not in the party (up to 240 total).
* 151 species of Pokémon, with many related to each other by way of evolution.
* A complex battle system, including:
	+ Five stats—HP, Attack, Defense, Speed, and Special—which each Pokémon has. Different Pokémon have different stats, even among the same species.
	+ 15 different types, which each Pokémon species has inherent to itself.
	+ 165 unique moves, restricted to four per Pokémon, each with its own type, accuracy, and base power.
* The Pokémon League challenge, consisting of Kanto's eight Pokémon Gyms, scattered across the region with each specializing in a different type, and the Elite Four and Pokémon Champion, awaiting challengers at Indigo Plateau.
* A linked trade and battle system between two Game Boy systems, allowing players to exchange Pokémon they caught for a Pokémon owned by another person or to battle against each other to test their skills. Some Pokémon have to be traded so that they can evolve.

## Region

### Kanto

 File:RBY Kanto.png
Main article: Kanto
Generation I introduced the first region to the Pokémon series, which, though unnamed in the original English games, is named in Japanese as Kanto, after the region of Japan it is based on. The name has since passed into English, first being used in Super Smash Bros., and subsequently being noted in all games since.

#### Starter Pokémon

At the outset of the player's journey, he will have no Pokémon on hand, and venturing outside of Pallet Town is impossible, as Professor Oak will stop him and bring him back to his lab, where three Pokémon await both the player and his rival.

The starters of the Kanto region began the recurring three-type trio of Grass, Fire, and Water, with the player's choice being between Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle. Much as in later generations as well, the rival will choose whichever of the three has the type that is super effective against that of the player.

The choice of a starter can make the beginning few Gyms change in difficulty, but it does not affect much in the long run aside from the rival's party. Bulbasaur is known by many to be the easiest to start with, as its Grass-type weakens the first two Gyms and resists the attacks of the third. Squirtle is known as the second easiest, as Water types also weaken the first Gym; however, it can prove difficult mid-game if the player has not caught a Pokémon that can resist the later Gyms. Charmander is widely regarded as the hardest of the trio, as Fire-type moves do little damage against the first two Gyms' Pokémon, and there are few opportunities to capture a Pokémon that can counterbalance its weaknesses against the first several Gyms.

In Pokémon Yellow}}, instead of the normal trio found in Red, Green, and Blue, players can only start with the Electric-type Pikachu, which likewise has difficulty with the first Gym. The rival will take Oak's Eevee and evolve it into one of its three stone-based evolutions depending on the results of the player's battles against him.

#### Gym Leaders

The eight Kanto Gym Leaders each specialize in a different type of Pokémon. Each gives the player a Badge and a TM after their defeat.

## Trivia

* Of all the generations, Generation I introduced the most moves to the core series, with 165.
	+ Generation I is the only generation in which the total number of moves is greater than the total number of Pokémon.
* As far as release dates go, Generation I is the shortest generation in North America, partly due to the fact that Red and Blue were not released until 1998, while in Japan, they were released in 1996, and their successors, Gold and Silver, were released closer together, in 1999 in Japan and 2000 in North America. As the rest of the world's releases are more similar to the North American releases than the Japanese releases, it is also the shortest generation worldwide.
* Prior to Generation VI, Generation I had the most extra space in the Pokémon Storage System if the player captures one of each Pokémon, with 240 spots available for 151 Pokémon, therefore leaving 89 extra spots.
* Prior to Generation VIII, Generation I was the only generation not to feature the paired versions' mascots on the title screens, but instead included the first evolutionary stages of two starter Pokémon.
* Generation I is the only generation in which:
	+ The player character cannot be female, although evidence suggests plans for an intended female player character.
	+ None of the game mascots are Legendary Pokémon.
	+ Pokémon by index number order are in order of creation instead of by Pokédex number.
	+ Water was not the most common type, as a plurality of Pokémon are Poison-type.
* The Japanese releases of the Generation I games mark the only generation where two solitary core titles were released (Pokémon Blue and Pokémon Yellow).
* Generation I is the only generation to have multiple pairs of remakes of its core series games.

### Character names

* Red, Blue, Daisy, Baoba, and Reina were introduced as unnamed characters in this generation.
	+ Red, Blue, and Daisy had their names introduced in Generation II. Daisy was previously named May in The Electric Tale of Pikachu manga before she received her definitive name in the games.
	+ Baoba had his name introduced in Generation IV.
	+ Reina remained unnamed in the games, but was named in Pokémon Origins.
* The members of the Team Rocket were simply referred to as "Rocket", with no mention of the word "Grunt" in this generation.
	+ In Generation II, the designation "Rocket Grunt" was introduced. In Generation III, this was expanded to "Team Rocket Grunt".
* Jessie and James appear as unnamed characters in Pokémon Yellow, although their names were already known from the anime.
	+ In the core series, Jessie and James were first named in Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!.
* In this generation, the individuals from each Trainer class such as Youngster, Lass, etc. are not named.
* In the Japanese games of this generation, there is a shorter name for most Trainer classes that is seen when the respective Trainer is defeated in battle. For instance, the Youngster (たんパンこぞう *Shorts Youngster*) and Lass (ミニスカート *Miniskirt*) are abbreviated as たんパン *Shorts* and ミニスカ *Miniski*, respectively.

## References

1. ↑ Pocket Monsters Red and Green Series - Pokemon.co.jp
2. ↑ Games - Pokemon.co.jp
3. ↑ Game List - Pokemon.co.jp