Pokémon (universe)

Pokémon (universe)
Developer(s)	Game Freak Creatures Inc. Various
Publisher(s)	Nintendo The Pokémon Company Niantic ValuSoft Banpresto Bandai Namco The Learning Company Mattel Interactive Sega Toys
Designer(s)	Satoshi Tajiri Junichi Masuda Ken Sugimori
Genre(s)	Role-playing Adventure Puzzle Fighting Educational Life simulation Racing Minigame compilation Rail shooter
Console/platform of origin	Game Boy
First installment	Pokémon Red and Green Versions (1996)
Latest installment	Pokémon Champions (2026)
Article on Bulbapedia	Pokémon (universe)

The Pokémon universe (ポケットモンスター, Pocket Monsters) refers to the Super Smash Bros. series' collection of characters, stages, and properties that originate from Nintendo's immensely successful Pokémon media franchise. Pokémon is one of Nintendo's two most lucrative franchises, reaching only behind the Mario franchise in global video game sales and cementing its success outside of gaming via animated series, manga and merchandise; as of December 2016, Pokémon is the highest-grossing media franchise of all time with combined global sales of 6.0 trillion Japanese yen^[2] (55.15 billion USD). Thus, a rather large proportion of each Smash Bros. game's primary content is themed after the Pokémon series, and many of the other eponymous Pokémon creatures have made smaller cameos appearances elsewhere. Counting all Smash Bros. games' rosters together, more Pokémon have been playable characters than most other represented franchises: Pikachu, Jigglypuff, Pichu, Mewtwo, Lucario, Squirtle, Ivysaur, Charizard, Greninja, and Incineroar. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Squirtle, Ivysaur, and Charizard were featured as a set of freely interchangeable combatants collectively represented by the character choice Pokémon Trainer.

Franchise description

Many Pokémon making cameo appearances in the opening movie of Super Smash Bros. Melee.

In the early 1980s, video game enthusiast Satoshi Tajiri began writing and selling his own magazine series known as "Game Freak". He would be joined by artist Ken Sugimori and together they eventually took up the task of making video games themselves. Game Freak was officially founded as a game developer in April 1989 and would work on a number of unrelated titles for the Famicom and Super Famicom from 1989 to 1994, effectively making them a second-party developer for Nintendo.

It would not be until February 1996 that Nintendo and Game Freak saw unprecedented success in Japan and overseas with the release of two games. Pokémon was introduced in Japan as "Pocket Monsters", a Game Boy JRPG that came in slightly modified Red and Green editions that both made then-original use of the Game Boy's link cable between separate systems in that, rather than being strictly used for competition, it was additionally used for trading between players. Nintendo did not expect these games to be a large success, even less so in the West than domestically, but the games - branded Pokémon outside of Japan - took both sides of the Pacific and Atlantic by storm and quickly established the series as a blockbuster, multi-billion dollar franchise. The main JRPG series paved the way for a merchandising empire, including an extensive anime continuity, several series of manga, a bestselling trading card game, spinoff video games touching upon many other genres, and a live-action feature film that received mixed-to-positive reception greater than any other video game-based movie at that point. Pokémon has become the second biggest-selling game-based media franchise of all time, only behind Nintendo's Mario franchise; as of March 2013, cumulative sold units (including home console versions) have reached 245 million copies. As a direct result, Pokémon has been a mainstay in the Nintendo-centric crossover fighting games Super Smash Bros. since the series started in 1999.

In the various incarnations of the Pokémon universe, the world of Pokémon is an Earth-like world inhabited by many species of the eponymous Pokémon creatures which coexist with humans. The Pokémon are colorful, sentient, sometimes sapient creatures possessing the abilities to perform amazing talents of seemingly every conceivable sort, examples of which are breathing fire, expulsing poisonous smog, summoning rainfall, performing martial arts, using illusion to split up into multiple copies of itself, employing psychokinesis, unleashing paralysis-inducing electricity, etc.. Many Pokémon live as wild animals both as predators and prey, while other individual Pokémon are immensely powerful beings that the world's human denizens superstitiously attach a variety of creation myths to, and others still are man-made. Unlike the main RPG series itself, where all Pokémon make animal-like grunts and vocalizations (except for a few cases, such as Pikachu in a few specific games), most Pokémon in the anime freely communicate with each other in an exclusive language that consists entirely of them reciting their own species names, but some can communicate in human tongue through telepathy (e.g. Mewtwo), and in extremely rare cases a Pokémon can master the ability to speak the physical human tongue (e.g. Team Rocket's Meowth). This is retained in various spinoff games, such as the Super Smash Bros. series itself and Detective Pikachu, as well as other media such as the Detective Pikachu live-action film. As of the present "ninth generation", there are just over 1000 recognized species of Pokémon, a fair portion of which are known to have multiple, distinctive forms.

The concepts of the Pokémon setting, in whatever incarnation it takes or what kind of media it is depicted in, stem from the hobby of insect collecting, which was a popular pastime which Pokémon executive director Satoshi Tajiri had enjoyed as a child. In most depictions of Pokémon, humans of varying interests seek out and capture various and multiple species of Pokémon using specially designed mass-producible tools called Poké Balls. In most cases, a Pokémon caught from the wild by a human willingly joins up with the human and obeys their spoken commands. Some catch and own Pokémon as friendly pets and lifelong companions and do not participate in any competitive activities with them. Others of a less savory nature, such as members of Pokémon crime syndicates such as Team Rocket, capture Pokémon and use them as living tools to advance their evil agendas or to sell in illegal trades. Most humans, however, including players of the Pokémon RPGs, take on the occupation of Pokémon training; they catch and collect Pokémon to train them and battle the Pokémon of other trainers in officially sponsored competitive Pokémon matches. There are never any lasting, bloody wounds or deaths incurred by the creatures involved, and seemingly never any hard feelings between winners and losers.

The Pokémon Trainer and his team in Ultimate, representing the player character and starter Pokémon in the Kanto games. In the main Pokémon games, trainers can build a team of up to six Pokémon at once.

The two-stage object of most Pokémon RPGs is to collect all of the available Pokémon species in the region where that RPG takes place in, and from them train a winning team of powerful combat Pokémon to defeat the professionally trained Pokémon teams of that region's strongest trainers. The player's quest usually takes them across the region to battle eight specialists in Pokémon training, that region's "gym leaders", and once eight commemorative badges have been gathered, the player may then go to the region's Pokémon League and battle an elite group of trainers - that region's Elite Four - and then battle the regional Champion to take the title. These five trainers, which must be battled one-after-the-other with little rest in between, are almost always the game's equivalent to any other RPG's "final boss" challenge. Most Pokémon games feature one or more "legendary" Pokémon - rare Pokémon of incredible power, typically present on that games box cover - which are a focal point to the game's plot, be they targeted by crime syndicates, or travelling companions with the player or important side characters. The player will eventually be able to capture these Pokémon and add them to their team.

Pokémon captured from the wild with Poké Balls accumulate experience and learn new combat moves by battling many wild Pokémon and challenging other trainer's Pokémon to Pokémon matches, and whenever a Pokémon falls in battle ("knocked out" or "fainted"), it is easy to quickly and completely restore it to health, free of charge, by visiting one of many Pokémon Centers located throughout a region. Many species of Pokémon, when they gain enough experience and regardless of whether they are in the wild or under a trainer's ownership, undergo a metamorphosis and "evolve" into a similar, but larger and more powerful, species of Pokémon. Many of the 1000+ species belong to such lineages, and therefore many of the species of Pokémon are effectively different stages of what can be said to be several hundred "families" of Pokémon. A core, long-term goal of mainline Pokémon games is filling the region's "Pokédex", an encyclopedia of the Pokémon living within that region. Each entry is partially filled in when encountering a given Pokémon for the first time, and completed automatically by the Pokédex when the Pokémon is caught, by any means.

The Pokémon franchise's chronology is divided into "generations", each of which is defined by the newest Pokémon that are introduced within the newest pair of handheld Pokémon RPGs. Some generations may have more than one pair of interlinking RPGs, with the second set being released later than the first as a sort of "semi-sequel" to the base set that began that generation, but a new generation and associated set of new Pokémon are released every several years in a new pair of RPGs centered on a new fictional region. There have been eight generations that ran their courses, and each have introduced many, many dozens of new Pokémon, moves, and characters as well as new and changed mechanics and gameplay concepts:

• In 1996, Generation I begun the franchise with the Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green versions in Japan and Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue versions internationally - all four for the Game Boy - with the first 151 Pokémon species and the first-known region of the Pokémon world, the Kanto region, named after the real-world inspiration of Kanto, Japan. Generation I can be well considered for setting the standards for every future generations to come, including a storyline, a professor who enlists the player in filling the Pokédex, a villainous team with world-dominating goals, and choosing between three starter Pokémon. Only this generation was in effect when Super Smash Bros. was developed and released in 1999, so Pokémon, locations, and properties from the first generation are featured in the game.
  • The fighters Pikachu, Jigglypuff, Mewtwo, Squirtle, Ivysaur, and Charizard debuted in this generation. The characters used as the Pokémon Trainer also debuted here, though their designs stem from the remakes in Generation III.
• In 1999, Generation II began with the release of the Pokémon Gold and Pokémon Silver sequel versions for Game Boy Color, which added 100 new Pokémon to make for a total of 251, along with the new Johto region. In addition to addressing some of the technical issues that plagued Generation I, it would introduce many innovations that would go on to become series staples, such as breeding and having legendary Pokémon more involved with the plot of games. In 2001, Super Smash Bros. Melee was developed and released during this generation, so the game features content based on both existing generations at the time.
  • Pichu debuted in this Generation - when breeding Pokémon became possible, Pichu was discovered as the infant form of Pikachu.
• In 2002, Generation III took effect with the release of the Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Sapphire versions for Game Boy Advance, set in the Hoenn region, which added 135 more new Pokémon and raised the total to 386. In 2004, Pokémon FireRed and Pokémon LeafGreen, the remakes of Pokémon Red and Blue, were also released. With the complete technical overhaul from Generation II, the third generation had no backwards compatibility with Generations I and II, but the generation also made a large number of gameplay and mechanical advancements, such as introducing double battles, a simplified EV and IV system, natures, and abilities for Pokémon.
• In 2006, Generation IV was ushered in by the Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl versions for Nintendo DS, set in the Sinnoh region. It added 107 more new Pokémon, bringing the total to 493 species. In addition to various enhancements, Generation IV introduced the "physical-special split", making it so that attacking moves are now individually programmed as physical or special instead of being set by their type (previously, all moves of one type were one of either physical or special whenever or not they made physical contact), and although this has since been discontinued, online battling and trading via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection became possible. In 2009, the generation also released Generation II remakes, Pokémon HeartGold and Pokémon SoulSilver. Super Smash Bros. Brawl drew content from all Pokémon games released up to Diamond and Pearl.
  • Lucario debuted in this Generation.
• In 2010, Generation V began with the release of Pokémon Black and Pokémon White, also for Nintendo DS. Set in the Unova region, it brought in 156 species, the most of any individual Generation to the game and raised the total to 649. This generation also includes a sequel, Pokémon Black 2 and Pokémon White 2, instead of a remake. Generation V was designed and marketed as a "new beginning" for the franchise; while its mechanical advancements from Generation IV were minimal, other changes were introduced such as older protagonists, a greater focus on story and characters, the first region based on a non-Japanese country (the New York-inspired Unova region), and (in Black and White) having a regional Pokédex purely consisting of new Pokémon.
• In 2013, Generation VI began with the series' first-ever simultaneous worldwide release, Pokémon X and Pokémon Y for the Nintendo 3DS - the games that marked the series' transition from 2D sprites to full 3D graphics and models. Set in the Kalos region, 72 new Pokémon were introduced, the fewest of any individual Generation, bringing the grand total to 721 recognized Pokémon species - but a brand new "Mega Evolution" mechanic also introduces dozens of all-new, temporary "super-forms" that Pokémon from previous generations may assume during battle. The generation also includes the Generation III remakes Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire. Generation VI brought the series to true 3D (Generations IV and V only used 3D for their maps) and streamlined features such as competitive play, team preparation, and Pokémon catching and collecting. Super Smash Bros. 4 draws content from all six generations of Pokémon released at the time.
  • Greninja debuted in this Generation, and Mega Evolution was incorporated into the Final Smashes of Mewtwo, Charizard (in Smash 4 only), Lucario, and by technicality, eventually Greninja as well.
• In between the sixth and seventh core instalments in late 2013, a service was launched on the Nintendo 3DS that allowed existing users to transfer over Pokémon from previous generations though cloud storage, called Pokémon Bank. This was followed up in February 2016 by the first ever official rereleases of the first generation titles Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow on the 3DS Virtual Console to celebrate the franchise's 20th anniversary. With these versions, the first generation games can transfer their Pokémon from Pokémon Bank into the 3DS titles, a practice which had been, up to this point, impossible for the original Game Boy versions. This was later accompanied by 3DS Virtual Console rereleases of the second generation titles Pokémon Gold and Silver in late 2017 and Crystal in early 2018.
• In 2016, Generation VII began with Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon for the Nintendo 3DS, set in the Alola region. 81 new Pokémon were introduced, bringing the grand total to 802 recognized Pokémon species. In addition, a new mechanic called "Z-Moves" was introduced, allowing for each Pokémon to have access to special "finishing moves" that can only be used once per battle, and some Pokémon having Z-Moves exclusive only to them once they have the proper Z-Crystal. Select Pokémon from the first generation have also received exclusive redesigns called "Alolan forms" to cement the region's distinct climate, taking inspiration from island speciation. Like Generation V before it, Sun and Moon have a greater focus on story and worldbuilding and attempt to break from the series's conventions in several ways. Chief among these changes are that Alola is introduced with no proper Pokémon League and the player must instead clear a series of trials to complete their "Island Challenge," and that HMs were completely removed, thus eliminating the need to switch to a particular Pokémon for a specific technique at a specific time. Before release, Sun and Moon became the most preordered games in Nintendo's history and afterwards becoming the fastest-selling games in the Americas, selling 14.69 million copies in a mere two months (nearly on par with the lifetime sales of previous games). Super Smash Bros. Ultimate incorporates content from across the series up to this generation. The next two games, Pokémon Ultra Sun and Pokémon Ultra Moon, are expansions of this generation with five new Pokémon, bringing the total to 807. Following these games were remakes of Pokémon Yellow titled Pokémon Let's Go Pikachu! and Pokémon Let's Go Eevee!. These games, however, were major departure from the core-series formula, as the wild battle mechanics and random encounters had been removed in favor for a capturing system similar to the one in Pokémon GO. This change in gameplay and structure was intended to serve as a bridge for players between Pokémon GO and the mainline series as well as offer a more casual experience on its own. While these games limited the amount of Pokémon to the initial 151 (not including Alolan forms), two more Pokémon were introduced, bringing the franchise total to 809.
  • Incineroar debuted in this Generation.
• In 2019, Generation VIII began with Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield for the Nintendo Switch, now set in the Galar region. Originally teased at E3 2017, this instalment is notable for being the first time ever that a new core-series Pokémon generation was developed for a home console. Galar is an expansive region containing idyllic countrysides and contemporary cities, and the people and Pokémon work closer than ever to forge a living. The traditional Gym system from games prior to Sun and Moon was brought back for this instalment, and a more familiar "Pokémon League" plot structure was reintroduced. A new mechanic to Pokémon battles is the ability to turn Pokémon giant for a limited time, called "Dynamaxing" and "Gigantamaxing". Special Galarian forms of previous Pokémon can be found in the wild area similar to the Alolan forms of the previous generation. For the first time in the core series, certain tutorials can be skipped and many changes and tweaks were implemented to make it easier to enter the competitive scene. The games were released worldwide on November 15, 2019 to record-shattering sales, selling a combined 6 million copies in their first week and becoming the fastest-selling games on the Nintendo Switch, beating out the previous record-holder, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, by a considerable margin. Sword and Shield didn't include all previous Pokémon at launch, but brought back many of them through updates. Ultimate incorporates some minor pieces of content from this generation, primarily Spirits based on a handful of the more notable Pokémon and an online tourney event to commemorate the games' launch. These were also the first core Pokémon games to feature paid DLC, known as The Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra. Closing out this era are titles based on the Generation IV games. The first are the remakes Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl, released late 2021. The second, released at the beginning of 2022, was Pokémon Legends: Arceus, a non-competitive, action instalment focused more on catching and researching Pokémon and set in a previous time of Sinnoh's history, when it was originally known as the Hisui region. By the end of the Generation, 96 new Pokémon had been introduced, bringing the total to 905.
• In 2022, Generation IX began with Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet for the Nintendo Switch, set in the fully open world of the Paldea region. As part of the open world gameplay, there are three distinct plotlines that can be completed in any order with the player being able to switch between them: the "Pokémon League" challenge, fighting the leaders of Team Star, and searching for the Herba Mystica which are guarded by Titan Pokémon. The new battle mechanic exclusive to the games is "Tera Types", where the Pokémon can change their elemental typing based on their internal Tera Type. Following the games' release on November 18, 2022, Scarlet and Violet sold around 10 million copies in its first week. It introduced 103 new Pokémon, bringing the total to 1008, with 17 additional Pokémon becoming available through post-launch DLC for a grand total of 1025. During the Pokémon Presents presentation on February 27, 2024, Pokémon Legends: Z-A was announced. The game is set within Lumiose City in the Kalos region. It released on October 16, 2025.

In addition to the main series games, there also exists a multitude of spin-off games. The gameplay of these games can be similar or drastically different compared to the main series games, and can also have different goals of the game. These games are:

• The Stadium series is a series of games that started in 1998 with Pokémon Stadium, with its most recent release being Pokémon Battle Revolution in 2006. The Stadium series is a battle series, taking the core aspect of the main series games, battling. The player could copy their Pokémon from Generations I and II (Stadium and Stadium 2) or from Generation IV (Battle Revolution) and use them as a party for battling NPCs in tournaments to win prizes that could be used for various gameplay features. Stadium 1 and 2 also featured a minigame mode and a Gym Leader Castle featuring every Kanto and Johto Elite 4 members, two gamemodes that Battle Revolution lacked.
• The Pikachu series consists of two games: Hey You, Pikachu! and Pokémon Channel. In these games, the player interacts with Pikachu, performing daily activities with it, such as exploring, talking to other Pokémon, and playing minigames. Pokémon Channel's primary gameplay feature is TV, the player and Pikachu would watch TV to buy items to decorate their home, participate in quizzes and guessing games, and watch a Pichu Bros. special based on the anime (even with the anime Meowth appearing, who sings a song in a CGI animation) exclusive to the game. Hey You, Pikachu! used a special attachment to the Nintendo 64 called the "Voice Recognition Unit" (VRU for short), that allowed the player to be able to talk to Pikachu and to help better socialize with it. However, the VRU was calibrated for a high-pitched child's voice, leading to difficulties in playability for adolescents and adults.
• The Trading Card Game series is a series of games based on the Pokémon Trading Card game, specifically the first few sets of the TCG. The gameplay of these games is very similar to that of the main series games, with the notable difference being battling with Pokémon Trading Cards rather than Pokémon themselves.
• Pokémon Snap is a photography game that involves taking pictures of Pokémon in their natural habitat in an on-rails fashion. Players can interact with the Pokémon in various ways in order to obtain better pictures for a higher score. This title is notable for being the first Pokémon game ever to appear on a home console. More than 20 years after the original Nintendo 64 game, a follow up for the Nintendo Switch, aptly titled New Pokémon Snap, was developed by Bandai Namco and released worldwide in 2021.
• The Pinball series is a series of games based on pinball respectively. Pokémon Pinball uses Pokémon from Generation I, while Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire includes Pokémon from up to Generation III.
• The Puzzle series is based on the Panel de Pon series, debuted outside of Japan as Tetris Attack, referencing the name of unrelated puzzle series Tetris. Pokémon Puzzle League, released for the N64, is based on the anime (and is one the two game appearances of Ash), while Pokémon Puzzle Challenge, released for the Game Boy Color, is not. Both of these games were based off cancelled projects of Panel de Pon 64, and Panel de Pon GB respectively with the latter being intended as a port of the original Panel de Pon for the Super Famicom.
• The Colosseum series is a series taking place in an entirely original region known as Orre, where the player must protect Orre from the crime syndicate known as Cipher and capture Pokémon they had kidnapped and closed their hearts to, also known as Shadow Pokémon. In Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, the primary focus of the game is a completely black Lugia known as Shadow Lugia, or XD001, known by Cipher as the ultimate Shadow Pokémon and impossible to purify.
• The Trozei series is another puzzle game like Panel de Pon, except instead of matching colored panels, the player matches Pokémon. Pokémon Battle Trozei features Mega Evolutions.
• The Mystery Dungeon series is part of the eponymous franchise developed by Spike Chunsoft and based around Pokémon rather than a trainer. The player joins a team and explores dungeons recruiting talking Pokémon, completing missions, and solving the mystery of why the player turned into a Pokémon. The most recent game is a Switch remake of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red/Blue Rescue Team.
• The Ranger series is like the main series games, except instead of capturing Pokémon, the player uses a device known as a Capture Styler to befriend the Pokémon in order to win the battle. Instead of being called a Pokémon Trainer, the main characters in this series are named Pokémon Rangers, and their only goal is to save people and Pokémon alike from evil and destruction.
• The Rumble series is a very different game from the main series. In this series, the player takes control of what's called Toy Pokémon, and must traverse through mazes fighting different Pokémon, ultimately leading to a boss Pokémon at the end of the level. The player would also have a chance of collecting said Toy Pokémon after defeating them.
• The PokéPark is a duology released for the Wii, where the player plays as Pikachu, and can explore the park known as PokéPark, and play minigames to build friendships with fellow Pokémon, in order to save PokéPark.
• Pokkén Tournament is a fighting game based on Tekken developed by Bandai Namco that takes place on a three-dimensional plane, featuring various Pokémon as the playable characters. The game would later get an expanded version, Pokkén Tournament DX, which adds more playable Pokémon and introduces triple battles. Pikachu, Pikachu Libre, Charizard, Mewtwo, and Lucario, all playable in the Super Smash Bros. series, are also playable in this spinoff, in addition to Blastoise, the final evolved form of Squirtle.
• Detective Pikachu is a series of mystery adventure games focusing on Tim Goodman, who teams up with the titular character in order to solve the mystery of his missing father. The series would receive a movie adaptation in 2019 titled Pokémon Detective Pikachu.
• Pokémon GO is a smartphone game developed by Niantic that uses augmented reality and GPS tracking to have the player explore the real world and catch and battle Pokémon in various locales. The game is notable for being one of the most successful smartphone apps and Nintendo-related games of all time, having been downloaded by over 100 million people worldwide and becoming a cultural phenomenon much like the franchise in its early days.
• Pokémon Quest is a game for both the Nintendo Switch and smartphones developed by Game Freak. The game is set in a world where everything has a blocky, Minecraft-esque style to it. The player has to set up a camp that attracts and Pokémon, who are then used to explore the areas, gather materials, and defeat wild Pokémon.
• Pokemon Masters is a smartphone game where the player teams up with and fights several Gym Leaders, Elite Four members, Champions, player characters, rivals, villainous team members, anime characters, and other characters throughout the Pokémon series.
• Pokemon Cafe Mix is a mobile app and Nintendo Switch puzzle game set in a café.
• Pokemon Pokopia is a game made in collaboration with Koei Tecmo, from the team that worked on the Dragon Quest Builders duology. Much like the aforementioned title, it combines the setting of Pokémon with mechanics seemingly similar to Minecraft.

In Super Smash Bros.

The Pokémon series' initial incarnation and set of releases were in effect when Super Smash Bros. was released in 1999, so only Pokémon from what is now referred to as the franchise's "first generation" are featured in the game.

Fighters

With two of the twelve playable characters in the game being Pokémon species themselves, the Pokémon franchise ties with the Mario series in having the most amount of characters available on the roster (and becomes the second most-represented series if one counts Donkey Kong and Yoshi as extensions of the Mario series). Mewtwo was originally planned to be a playable character, but was scrapped due to time constraints. Clefairy was also considered for the game, with Jigglypuff ultimately being chosen in its stead.

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  Pikachu (Starter): Registered as Pokémon #025 in the games' National Pokédex listing, Pikachu was introduced in the first generation of the franchise as an Electric-type Pokémon that is 0.4 m (1'4") tall and weighs 6 kg (13.2 lbs). It is a yellow, vaguely anthropomorphic mouse-like species that stores electricity within pouches on its cheeks marked by red circular patterns, and is able to expel and shoot the electricity outward as its primary form of offense. It is regularly treated as the franchise's primary mascot, and is depicted and featured in virtually every Pokémon product, such as in the long-running anime wherein it is the favored partner of Pokémon trainer Ash Ketchum. As a not-fully-evolved species, it is not particularly powerful or durable in Pokémon battles in the RPG series by default, though it can evolve into the larger and more capable Raichu. The second generation introduced a younger "baby" form of Pikachu, Pichu, which a Pikachu or Raichu may produce while breeding, and which may evolve into a Pikachu of its own. In Super Smash Bros., Pikachu is characterized as a lightweight combatant that can move around the battlefield with good speed and dole out fast attacks, and yet also possesses some strong attacks of its own. In competitive play, Pikachu is considered to be the best playable character of Super Smash Bros. for having many advantages, including an effective blend of speed and power, good combo ability, and an enormously far-reaching method of recovery.
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  Jigglypuff (Unlockable): Registered as Pokémon #039 in the games' National Pokédex listing, Jigglypuff (Purin in the Japanese version) was introduced in the first generation as a pure Normal-type Pokémon (becoming dual Normal/Fairy-type in Generation VI) that is 0.5 m (1'8") tall and weighs 5.5 kg (12.1 lbs). It is a pink, fluffy, spherical creature with a hypnotic singing voice capable of literally putting those around to hear it to sleep, which it uses as its method of self-defense against foes in Pokémon battles and in the wild. A wild Jigglypuff was a recurring character in the first two generations of the Pokémon anime, and was prone to getting insulted whenever its audience would fall asleep from its songs and would vandalize their faces with a marker. Much like Pikachu, Jigglypuff is weak in Pokémon battles in the RPG series. It has an evolved form named Wigglytuff, and a baby form starting in the second generation named Igglybuff. In its at-the-time-unexpected debut as a playable fighter in Super Smash Bros., Jigglypuff is the lightest and floatiest character, and has various similarities to Kirby, including the ability to jump multiple times in midair. While it lacks a variety of attacks with good knockback, it has a lethal trump card in the form of its Rest ability. This is not enough, however, for it to be considered one of the better characters competitively.

Stage

Super Smash Bros. features one Pokémon-themed stage:

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  Saffron City (Starter): This stage is set on the rooftops of the skyscrapers in Saffron City, the largest metropolis in the Pokémon world's Kanto region. The central skyscraper in Saffron City belongs to Silph Co., a corporation that designs technologically advanced devices, and in the earliest Pokémon RPGs, the Pokémon crime syndicate Team Rocket takes over the building, and the player's character must enter it and defeat the Rockets in battle. The structure on the Silph Co. building in this stage routinely opens up and makes one of several Pokémon briefly appear to function as a stage hazard: Venusaur, Charmander, Electrode, Chansey, and Porygon.

Item

Super Smash Bros. introduces what has since been the only Pokémon-related item featured throughout the Smash Bros. series until SSB4:

• Poké Ball: The mass-producible, spherical item that, in any Pokémon continuity, can be thrown at a wild Pokémon to capture it and place it under the thrower's ownership, and which can subsequently be used by the owner as a storage device for that Pokémon that can send out and recall the Pokémon freely. The Poké Ball item featured in Super Smash Bros., like with each incarnation of the Poké Ball in future Smash Bros. installments, comes pre-loaded with one Pokémon randomly selected out of a pool of possible species, and when the ball is thrown and lands on a floor, the Pokémon inside emerges and briefly performs its own moves and behaviors before disappearing. The Super Smash Bros. version of this item can release one of thirteen different results, all originating from the first generation: Charizard, Blastoise, Beedrill, Clefairy, Meowth, Onix, Hitmonlee, Koffing, Chansey, Goldeen, Starmie, Snorlax, and most rarely, Mew.

Music

• Yamabuki City Stage: An orchestration of the traditional Pokémon title theme, heard on Saffron City.
• 22: Pokémon Win: The victory theme of Pikachu and Jigglypuff is an orchestration borrowing elements from track 12.

In Super Smash Bros. Melee

Following the release of the first Smash Bros., the Pokémon series entered its second generation in 1999, so Pokémon from the two existing generations at the time are featured in 2001's Super Smash Bros. Melee.

Fighters

While four of the 26 playable characters are Pokémon, the Pokémon series is now the third most-represented in the game, falling behind the five characters of Mario and The Legend of Zelda.

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  Pikachu (Starter): Returning from Super Smash Bros., Pikachu gains Skull Bash as its new side special move, but otherwise retains its role as a fast character with powerful attacks and a versatile recovery. However, Pikachu's aforementioned power and speed are weakened from Super Smash Bros., coupled with the poor approach options it finds itself with in the competitive Melee environment causes Pikachu to be graded much lower on the Melee tier list than it was back in Smash 64. However, it still finds itself as a viable character to be reckoned with.
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  Jigglypuff (Unlockable): Returning from Smash Bros., Jigglypuff gains Rollout as its new neutral special move, but otherwise retains its role as a seemingly "underpowered" character that is easy to knock out but is capable of both incredibly versatile recovery and a powerful trump card move in Rest. However, its overall attack power, attack speed, range, and midair jumping velocity are improved, and its Rest is both stronger and easier to combo into, such as the Space animal slayer, all of which prompt it to be competitively regarded as one of the best characters.
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  Pichu (Unlockable): Registered as Pokémon #172 in the games' National Pokédex listing, Pichu was introduced in the second generation as a new "baby" stage in Pikachu's evolutionary line - a Pokémon that will hatch out of an egg produced by Pikachu that are left to breed at a daycare. It is an Electric-type Pokémon that is 0.3 m (1'0") tall and weighs 2 kg (4.4 lbs). Like Pikachu, (which it can evolve into) Pichu can store electricity within its cheek pouches and expel it outward to attack, but unlike Pikachu, its inexperience with handling electricity often causes it to damage itself when attempting to unleash a strong electric attack. This does not carry over into the Pokémon RPGs as a game mechanic, but nonetheless, as a basic-stage species, it is extremely weak in Pokémon battles. In Super Smash Bros. Melee, there is no dispute that Pichu is an inferior clone of Pikachu, having similar moves across the board but being even easier to knock out. While some of its attacks and traits are actually slightly stronger and faster than Pikachu's, Pichu is crippled by many of its attacks actually adding damage to its own damage meter fairly quickly as a side effect. This leads it to be consistently considered the worst character competitively, or at least a candidate for the label.
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  Mewtwo (Unlockable): Registered as Pokémon #150 in the games' National Pokédex listing, Mewtwo was introduced in the first generation as a Psychic-type Pokémon that is 2 m (6'7") tall and weighs 122 kg (269 lbs). It is unique in the Pokémon setting because it is an individual lifeform that was created by humankind, cloned from the Pokémon Mew, and it possesses incredible powers that help categorize it alongside the various all-powerful Pokémon that are typically referred to as "Legendary Pokémon". A Mewtwo was the focus of the anime continuity's first movie and a direct-to-video follow-up, in which it was depicted as sapient and capable of telepathically projecting human language and was initially shown in a villainous role. In the RPG series, Mewtwo is one of the most overall powerful and threatening Pokémon to bring into battle against opponent trainers' Pokémon teams. However, its role in its debut appearance in Super Smash Bros. Melee is very different; it is a very odd blend of various attributes that excel and various other important attributes that are very lacking, and features multiple non-damaging utility moves and a chargeable projectile in Shadow Ball. Its lacking power, range, and speed in its attack options, its subpar resilience, and its highly situational special moves results in it being regularly considered close to being one of the worst competitive character choices.

Additionally, Ditto makes an appearance as the graphic for a random character and color choice when setting up a Winner Out or Loser Out style tournament in the Tournament Mode.

Stages

Super Smash Bros. Melee features two stages representing Pokémon, one starter and one unlockable. While the second generation of Pokémon games introduced the Johto region in which they initially take place, it may be noted that both of the following stages nonetheless take place in Kanto, the region that was the setting of the first generation.

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  Kanto: Pokémon Stadium (Starter): This takes place in a stadium that does not represent any one specific location in the Pokémon RPGs. Noteworthy about this stage is that the entire field routinely transforms into one of four entirely new themed battlefields.
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  Kanto Skies: Poké Floats (Unlockable): This stage consists of many Pokémon-shaped balloons floating in the skies above the Kanto region. Over the course of three-and-a-half minutes, giant balloons of Squirtle, Onix, Psyduck, Chikorita, Weezing, Slowpoke, Porygon, Wooper, Sudowoodo, Snorlax, Venusaur, Seel, Wobbuffet, Goldeen, Lickitung, Chansey, Geodude, and many Unown appear in that order and cycle through for the players to battle on.

In addition, a stage based on the Entei trophy is used as the battlefield for Event 26: Trophy Tussle 2. It is not accessible for multiplayer play.

Item

• Poké Ball: The Super Smash Bros. Melee version of this item can release one of twenty-nine different results, originating from the first and second generations: Venusaur, Charizard, Blastoise, Clefairy, Electrode, Weezing, Chansey, Goldeen, Staryu, Snorlax, Chikorita, Cyndaquil, Togepi, Bellossom, Marill, Unown, Wobbuffet, Scizor, and Porygon2, and in rare instances, Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Mew, Raikou, Entei, Suicune, Lugia, Ho-Oh, and Celebi. (Ditto was also planned, but was scrapped from the final release and is now only accessible as a dummied-out result with Action Replay or other hacking methods.)

Music

• Pokémon Stadium: An orchestration of the main title screen music in most Pokémon RPGs, complete with a chorus. It is heard in Pokémon Stadium. It is Song 15 in the Sound Test.
• Poké Floats: A synthesized medley of three battle-related tunes heard in the first generation of Pokémon RPGs, beginning with the standard Trainer Battle theme, then the Gym Leader Battle theme, and finally the wild Pokémon encounter theme. This is heard on Poké Floats and is often heard accompanying Mewtwo in single player mode. It is Song 16 in the Sound Test.
• Battle Theme: A synthesized medley of three battle-related tunes heard in the second generation of Pokémon RPGs, beginning with the wild Pokémon encounter theme, then the Gym Leader Battle theme, and finally the Champion Battle theme. This is heard as a secondary track on Pokémon Stadium and is often heard accompanying Pichu in Single-player mode. It is Song 32 in the Sound Test.
• Pokémon Victory: The victory theme of Pikachu, Jigglypuff, Pichu, and Mewtwo is an orchestration borrowing elements from track 15, "Pokémon Stadium". It is Song 45 in the Sound Test.

In Super Smash Bros. Brawl

During the extended hiatus between Melee and Brawl, Pokémon proceeded with and completed its Third Generation, and had already begun its Fourth Generation in 2006-2007 when Brawl was released in 2008. Therefore, all four of the Pokémon generations at the time are represented in the Brawl package.

Fighters

While Pokémon-related characters occupy four slots on the 35-slot character roster of the game, the franchise effectively contributes six unique playable characters, the largest of any represented franchise if not compared to a combination of Mario, Donkey Kong, Yoshi, and Wario as one "overall" franchise; this is reflected in the Pokémon segment of the game's All-Star mode having the most opponents to fight. This is especially noteworthy because Pokémon is the only series to have more than one of its characters from Melee cut in the transition to Brawl, with the absence of both Pichu and Mewtwo in the roster.

On the final character select screen (after all characters are unlocked), the Pokémon characters take up the seventh column.

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  Pikachu (Starter): Pikachu returns from its Super Smash Bros. Melee appearance without any thematic changes to its core moveset. Its new Final Smash, Volt Tackle (named after a powerful exclusive attack it has in the RPGs), temporarily turns it into a giant, floating sphere of electricity that can be controlled and sent flying through the air, damaging any enemy it comes into contact with. Pikachu regains some of its excellent competitive standing with increased survivability, approach options, grab range, and damage with various attacks, despite some weaker smash attacks.
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  Jigglypuff (Unlockable): Jigglypuff similarly returns from its Super Smash Bros. Melee appearance without any thematic changes to its core moveset. Its new Final Smash, Puff Up (which does not originate from the RPGs), renders Jigglypuff stationary and makes it grow to gargantuan proportions, and it eventually inflicts a massive pushback to all opponents that are too close and promptly deflates. Jigglypuff's prior strong attacks are now much weaker, especially Rest, which carries much less force and places more emphasis on it now causing the flower special condition. Despite retaining incredible air mobility, Jigglypuff has been graded to be one of the worst competitive characters in Brawl.
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  Pokémon Trainer (Starter): A representation of a generic Pokémon trainer - the design of which matches the playable male trainer depicted in Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen - makes for a mechanically unique character choice in Brawl; the player does not control him as a playable combatant, but rather a set of three unique Pokémon that belong to him, only one of which partakes in the match at any given point. Each of the three Pokémon are playable characters that can be freely swapped between with the Pokémon Change move and an associated set of mechanics, and the three share the same Triple Finish final smash, which launches three simultaneous beam attacks across the screen. While being a rotating set of three fighters, each with their own merits, causes the Pokémon Trainer to be a character choice that can bypass some problems other characters have with specific matchups against certain enemy characters, he is graded to be low-tier competitively because of particularly severe afflictions involved with the mechanic that punish him for not swapping Pokémon constantly - an issue compounded by the sluggish pace of the move.

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  Squirtle: Registered as Pokémon #007 in the games' National Pokédex listing, Squirtle (Zenigame in the Japanese version) was introduced in the first generation as one of the three "starter" Pokémon the player may choose between at the start of games set in the Kanto region. It is a Water-type Pokémon that is 0.5 m (1'08") tall and weighs 9 kg (19.8 lbs), and is able to evolve into Wartortle, which evolves into Blastoise. In its Brawl appearance, Squirtle is the smallest, lightest, and fastest of the three Pokémon overall, and is capable of spewing water and retreating into its shell for brief invulnerability.
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  Ivysaur: Registered as Pokémon #002 in the games' National Pokédex listing, Ivysaur (Fushigisou in the Japanese version) was introduced in the first generation as the intermediate evolution stage of Bulbasaur, another of the three "starter" Pokémon the player may choose between at the start of games set in the Kanto region. It is a Grass/Poison dual-typed Pokémon that is 1.0 m (3'03") tall and weighs 13 kg (28.7 lbs), and is able to evolve into Venusaur. A rare instance of a playable Smash Bros. character that is predominantly quadrupedal, Ivysaur can extend prehensile vines out of the plant on its back to whip enemies, and its budding back flower can release powerful attacks. In Brawl, it lacks the speed of Squirtle, and the sluggishness of its otherwise powerful smash attacks counterbalances its access to moves like Bullet Seed, which can rack up damage points very fast.
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  Charizard: Registered as Pokémon #006 in the games' National Pokédex listing, Charizard (Lizardon in the Japanese version) was introduced in the first generation as the final evolution stage of Charmander, the last of the three "starter" Pokémon the player may choose between at the start of games set in the Kanto region. It is a Fire/Flying dual-typed Pokémon that is 1.7 m (5'07") tall and weighs 90.5 kg (199.5 lbs), and is a viable contender in competitive play in the Pokémon RPGs themselves. In Brawl, Charizard is a heavyweight, fire-breathing character who, alongside Meta Knight and Pit, is one of the few characters capable of gliding with its wings, and has attacks with great power, great range, and even good speed, though they have high ending lag as well.