🕹️ Pokémon Games You've Played
✅ Mainline Games
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Pokémon Red (GB)
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Pokémon Blue (VC, 3DS)
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Pokémon Yellow (GB)
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Pokémon Silver (GBC)
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Pokémon Crystal (GBC)
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Pokémon Pearl (DS)
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Pokémon Black (DS)
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Pokémon White 2 (DS)
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Pokémon X (3DS)
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Pokémon Alpha Sapphire (3DS)
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Pokémon Moon (3DS)
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Pokémon Ultra Moon (3DS)
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Pokémon Let's Go Pikachu (Switch)
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Pokémon Shield (Switch)
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Pokémon Shining Pearl (Switch)
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Pokémon Legends: Arceus (Switch)
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Pokémon Violet (Switch)
✅ Spin-Offs and Others
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Pokémon Trading Card Game (GBC)
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Pokémon Rumble (3DS)
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Pokémon Shuffle (Mobile)
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Pokémon GO (Mobile)
Pokémon CaféRemix
Pokémon Sleep
Pokémon Smile
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Pokémon HOME (Switch/Mobile)
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Detective Pikachu (demo) (3DS)
I love pokemon but I hate ranked double battles and chess. I just grind and use offense on wild pokemon and npc’s and take advantage of type dominance while trying to complete a dex. Never seen Calyrex and I have bought all the switch pokemon games, so this is all mostly new to me. Maybe it’s the weird new evolution methods that I don’t see these newer pokemon in game that I know are popular to trade. Probably would get destroyed against other players because it’s not what I enjoy. I also missed the third gen cause I had no nintendo advance.. and only had detective pikachu demo on 3ds with white2 and x and black, and don’t play any pokemon unite for all these reasons either… pokemon cafe, sleep, tcg… there was an app for washing your teeth but it didn’t work well with electric toothbrush. Right now I paid a month of Home so I can transfer them to Shining Pearl etc and empty Go storage… I watch people on yt fixing these handhelds and it’s a good reminder that a pokemon is basically just a file. 😅😅
That’s a really thoughtful take — and honestly, more relatable than you might think. You’re clearly a fan of the world of Pokémon, even if the meta-game (like ranked doubles, PvP, or esports-adjacent content) doesn’t interest you. That’s completely valid. Let’s unpack a few things you said and see where you might find joy or clarity in this massive franchise:
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⚡ You Love Pokémon — But Not PvP or Meta Stuff
You’re in great company. A lot of lifelong fans love catching, grinding, and evolving Pokémon — but feel alienated by competitive battling, complicated EV/IV training, or weird evolution mechanics. That doesn’t mean you’re not a “real” fan — it just means you love a different part of the experience. For you, it sounds like:
• Exploring new regions
• Building a strong offensive team
• Exploiting type matchups
• Completing your Pokédex
• Transferring Pokémon across generations
That’s a core part of the series. It’s how most of us played as kids — it’s intuitive, satisfying, and fun.
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🔄 Confusing Evolutions & Missing Pokémon
You’re right: a ton of newer Pokémon (especially from Gens 8 and 9) are locked behind obscure or gimmicky mechanics:
• Calyrex, for example, isn’t in the base Sword/Shield game — it’s from the DLC (Crown Tundra), and even then it needs a specific key item to fuse with its steeds.
• Evolution methods like needing to use a specific move, a specific location, or having your Pokémon walk 1000 steps in Let’s Go mode (hi, Pawmo) are not user-friendly.
• Pokémon like Annihilape, Kingambit, Farigiraf, etc., evolve through weird hoops that are easy to miss if you’re not deep into guides or the online community.
If you’re not into guides or competitive content, it’s totally normal that you’d miss these. It’s not your fault — it’s a design issue in some ways.
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🧠 Pokémon Are Just Data — But With Soul
Yes — Pokémon are essentially just save file entries with variables like species, nature, level, moves, stats. But the emotional connection you form with them gives them meaning. A Level 100 Luxray you raised from a Shinx means a lot more than a trade-ready Garchomp with perfect IVs and no history. That’s your Pokémon. That’s what makes the series feel alive.
Also: the Pokémon Home monthly fee is a lot when all you want is to move your own Pokémon into the games you paid for. So you’re not alone in feeling a bit cynical about that.
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💾 You’re a Nostalgic and Hands-on Trainer
Watching people fix handhelds, reminiscing about the ones you didn’t get to play as a kid (like Gen 3), and understanding the “data” part of Pokémon shows a deeper awareness of the whole phenomenon — not just gameplay, but culture, tech, memory. That’s cool.
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🧭 Where You Might Go From Here
If you’re still enjoying just catching and training, here’s how to keep things fun:
• ROM hacks or fan games (like Pokémon Unbound or Emerald Rogue) emphasize adventure and dex completion over PvP.
• Legends: Arceus might scratch your explorer/grinder itch more than Scarlet/Violet.
• Try Wonder Trade roulette — it’s chaos, but in a way that doesn’t demand meta knowledge.
• Use Pokémon Home just as a “personal museum,” no pressure.
• Keep watching those DS/handheld repair videos. There’s poetry in reviving a dead cart that once held someone’s childhood team.
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If you ever want a no-pressure list of what Pokémon you’re missing in a given dex or how to evolve something without the jargon, I’d be happy to help. Think of me like the Pokégear radio or a Pokédex with better conversation skills.
Let me know if you’d like a list of the “hard to get” or “weirdly evolving” Pokémon from recent gens to help fill in the gaps.
—The Home has a list of the most traded pokemon or popular pokemon and I don’t really have memories of them in game. Maybe explain where they come from🥹
Totally! That “Most Traded” or “Popular Pokémon” list in Pokémon Home can feel kind of weird when you’re like:
“Wait, where are these even from? I’ve never seen these in-game!”
You’re not alone. A lot of the most-traded Pokémon are either locked behind DLC, obscure evolutions, or are just strong in PvP (which you don’t play). Let me break down some of the common ones you’ve probably seen on those lists and explain where they come from and why they’re popular, even if you never encountered them naturally:
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🔥 Annihilape
• Where it’s from: Gen 9 (Scarlet/Violet), evolves from Primeape.
• How to get it: Teach Primeape the move Rage Fist (learns at Lv. 35), then use Rage Fist 20 times in battle, and level it up once more.
• Why it’s popular: It’s strong, has a cool Ghost/Fighting typing, and it’s the first-ever evolution of a Gen 1 mon after decades, so fans love it.
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👑 Calyrex (and its fused forms: Ice Rider/Shadow Rider)
• Where it’s from: Gen 8 (Sword/Shield DLC — Crown Tundra).
• How to get it: Only by playing the DLC, catching Calyrex and its steed (Glastrier/Spectrier), then using a special item (Reins of Unity) to fuse them.
• Why it’s popular: Legendary + strong in competitive = high trade demand. But you won’t see it in base games like Shining Pearl or even main Sword/Shield unless you paid for DLC.
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🦾 Iron Valiant / Roaring Moon
• Where it’s from: Gen 9 (Scarlet/Violet Paradox Pokémon).
• How to get it: Found in the post-game Area Zero zone. Scarlet has past versions (like Roaring Moon), Violet has future versions (like Iron Valiant).
• Why it’s popular: They’re cool-looking, have insane stats, and are version-exclusive, so players trade them to complete the dex.
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🦑 Walking Wake / Iron Leaves
• Where it’s from: Special event raids in Scarlet/Violet.
• How to get it: Could only be caught during limited-time raid events.
• Why it’s popular: Basically legendary-style paradox forms of Suicune (Walking Wake) and Virizion (Iron Leaves). Rare + cool designs.
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🧠 Gholdengo
• Where it’s from: Gen 9 (Scarlet/Violet), evolves from Gimmighoul.
• How to get it: You have to collect 999 Gimmighoul Coins from sparkly roaming Gimmighoul or chest forms in the open world. Then level up your Gimmighoul.
• Why it’s popular: Annoying to get, but strong in PvP and goofy-charming. So people trade it a lot.
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🔵 Zacian / Zamazenta
• Where it’s from: Gen 8 (Sword/Shield) mascots.
• How to get it: Only in Sword (Zacian) or Shield (Zamazenta), post-game story.
• Why it’s popular: Legendary, strong, version-exclusive. A lot of people missed one or the other and trade to get the full set.
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🐾 Koraidon / Miraidon
• Where it’s from: Gen 9 (Scarlet/Violet legendaries).
• How to get it: You ride one during the story, but post-game gives you a second one you can use in battle.
• Why it’s popular: Players need both to complete the Pokédex, and they’re rideable legendaries — so they’re always in circulation.
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🧝♀️ Flutter Mane / Iron Jugulis / Great Tusk etc.
• Where it’s from: Gen 9 (Scarlet/Violet, Area Zero).
• How to get it: Post-game only, and many are version-exclusive. These are all Paradox Pokémon (past or future variants of existing mons).
• Why it’s popular: Most people want a full set, and they’re all battle-usable and lore-heavy.
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🪄 Ursaluna
• Where it’s from: Gen 8.5 (Legends: Arceus).
• How to get it: Evolve Ursaring using Peat Block during a full moon.
• Why it’s popular: Unique to Legends: Arceus, can be transferred via Pokémon Home. It was new and weird, so it gets traded a lot.
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💡 Why You Don’t See Them In-Game
• You might’ve skipped DLC or post-games where these are locked.
• You may not use guides or do raids/trade, which is often the only way to get certain forms.
• Some Pokémon literally don’t appear in mainline games you played (like White 2 or Shining Pearl) — they were added in newer gens only.
—Violet, Shield, Legends Arceus, don’t have expansion packs. I have not reached end game on them. Arceus does not cure any itches I wasn’t into open world game at all when I last played it. I bought them around Christmas and forgotten mostly 😑
That makes perfect sense — you’re not missing anything because you’re doing it “wrong,” it’s just that a ton of popular Pokémon are locked behind DLC, post-game, or event-only stuff, and you haven’t reached those points (or don’t enjoy those gameplay styles). Let’s break it down in a way that matches your current setup and interests.
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🧾 What You Own
Here’s what you’ve got and what it means for the Pokémon you can actually see or use:
Game | Expansion Owned? | Post-Game Reached? | Notes |
Violet | ❌ No DLC | ❌ Not yet | Most Paradox Pokémon + Legendaries = locked until post-game. |
Shield | ❌ No DLC | ❌ Not yet | Zacian & Zamazenta story = post-game. Calyrex = DLC-only. |
Legends: Arceus | ❌ Base game | ❌ Not into it | Ursaluna, Wyrdeer, etc., are here — but only if you like the game. |
Shining Pearl | ✅ Main game | 🤷 Depends | Classic-style game, fewer weird evolutions. |
🧩 Why You Haven’t Seen the Most-Traded Pokémon
Here’s a mini-glossary of popular Pokémon you might’ve seen in Home but missed in-game, and why:
Pokémon | Where It Comes From | Why You Haven’t Seen It |
Annihilape | Violet (Gen 9) | Weird evolution from Primeape, not in early game. |
Calyrex | Sword/Shield DLC only | Requires paid Crown Tundra DLC. |
Iron Valiant | Violet, post-game only | Locked to Area Zero after main story. |
Walking Wake | Violet, event-only | Timed Tera Raid event — no longer active. |
Gholdengo | Violet, base game | 999 Gimmighoul coins = huge grind, easily missed. |
Zacian/Zamazenta | Shield, post-game story | Requires finishing base game story. |
Ursaluna | Legends: Arceus | Only available there, with moon + item evolution. |
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🗺️ What To Do If You Don’t Want to Play the Post-Game
If you’re mostly in it for catching, grinding, and Dex completion (without deep battle systems or weird puzzles), here are fun and no-pressure things you can do now:
✅ In Violet (no DLC):
• Explore each zone slowly and catch everything new.
• Focus on building your Pokédex naturally as you go.
• You don’t need the post-game stuff to enjoy the main adventure.
• Don’t worry about Iron Valiant or Miraidon trading until you’re ready — they’re locked behind endgame.
✅ In Shield (no DLC):
• A very straightforward game. You can enjoy catching and battling through the gyms.
• Most Pokémon have traditional evolutions.
• No Calyrex/Regieleki/Kubfu unless you buy DLC.
✅ In Shining Pearl:
• You’re likely to enjoy this the most if you’re after classic vibes, Dex-filling, and normal routes.
• A lot of the new popular Pokémon simply don’t exist here. That’s okay.
• Perfect for low-stress Pokédex work.
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🔁 Idea: Use Pokémon Home as a Museum
Since you mentioned paying for Pokémon Home, you could:
• Use Home just to keep a copy of your favorite Pokémon.
• Slowly move Pokémon from Go to Home, then into Shining Pearl (if compatible).
• Use Home’s National Dex as a slow side quest — not to get everything, but to recognize Pokémon you’ve never seen and ask: Where’s this one from?
That way, you can treat it like a living sticker book — not pressure, not competition.