These games are outside of the scope of the main RPG series of Pokémon games but were still released on handheld consoles from the original Game Boy right the way to the Nintendo 3DS. We refer to them as spin off where some refer to them as side series games.
The first ever spin off game released on a handheld console was Pokémon Trading Card Game for the Game Boy Color in Japan at the end of 1998, with Pokémon Pinball following in 1999. Since then there has been a rich variety of different releases from edutainment type titles like Learn with Pokémon: Typing Adventure and Art Academy, releases centred around electronic versions of the trading card game, pinball and puzzlers as well as a spin off generation of the traditional Pokémon RPGs in the forms of games like Pokémon Conquest and the Mystery Dungeon series. There was even a whole handheld console dedicated to the series, the Pokémon mini, which gets its own section below.
- 40games listed
- 6platforms
- 1998–201820 years of releases
- 39full game pages here
Jump to a platform:
Game Boy & Game Boy ColorGame Boy Color · 1998–2001
Pokémon’s first handheld spin-offs all landed on the Game Boy Color while the original craze was at its height: a faithful version of the trading card game, a pinball table with a rumble motor built into the cartridge, Intelligent Systems’ Panel de Pon puzzler and a Japan-only sequel to the card game that never made it over here.
- PlatformGame Boy Color (the two international releases also run on the original Game Boy)
- Span18 December 1998 (Trading Card Game, Japan) – 15 June 2001 (Puzzle Challenge, Australia)
- Salesat least 9.03 million
Pokémon Trading Card Game
The card game on Game Boy Color: duel past the Club Masters and Grand Masters to claim the Legendary Cards, using Base Set, Jungle and Fossil cards.
- Japan
- 18 Dec 1998
- North America
- 10 Apr 2000
- Europe
- 15 Dec 2000
- Australia
- 7 Apr 2000
- Developer
- Hudson Soft / Creatures
- Publisher
- Nintendo
- Sales
- 3.72 million
Japanese title: Pokémon Card GB. · Also playable on the original Game Boy with some features disabled.
Pokémon Pinball
Pinball with a Poké Ball: catch and evolve Pokémon on the Red and Blue tables to fill the Pokédex; the cartridge has a built-in rumble motor.
- Japan
- 14 Apr 1999
- North America
- 28 Jun 1999
- Europe
- 6 Oct 2000
- Australia
- —
- Developer
- Jupiter / HAL Laboratory
- Publisher
- Nintendo
- Sales
- 5.31 million
Also playable on the original Game Boy with several features disabled; link features use the GBC infrared port.
Pokémon Puzzle Challenge
Intelligent Systems’ Panel de Pon block-swapping puzzler reworked with Pokémon characters; the handheld counterpart to the N64’s Pokémon Puzzle League.
- Japan
- 21 Sep 2000
- North America
- 4 Dec 2000
- Europe
- 8 Jun 2001
- Australia
- 15 Jun 2001
- Developer
- Intelligent Systems
- Publisher
- Nintendo
Japanese title: Pokémon de Panepon.
Pokémon Card GB2: Great Rocket-Dan Sanjō!
Japan-only sequel to the Trading Card Game, built around the villainous Team Great Rocket (GR); adds Team Rocket cards, a playable girl and a much larger world.
- Japan
- 28 Mar 2001
- North America
- —
- Europe
- —
- Australia
- —
- Developer
- Hudson Soft
- Publisher
- The Pokémon Company
Promotional Team GR Mewtwo and Lugia cards were packed with copies of the game
Pokémon PikachuNintendo virtual pets · 1998–2000
Before the Pokéwalker and Pokémon GO Plus, Nintendo sold Pikachu as a pocket virtual pet: a pedometer that turns your steps into watts for a Pikachu living on the screen. The second model, Pokémon Pikachu 2 GS, could beam those watts into Gold, Silver and Crystal as Mystery Gift items.
- PlatformDedicated handheld (virtual pet and pedometer)
- Span27 March 1998 (Pokémon Pikachu, Japan) – 2000 (Pokémon Pikachu 2 GS, Europe)
Pokémon Pikachu & Pokémon Pikachu 2 GS
Nintendo’s virtual-pet pedometers: every 20 steps earns a watt for the Pikachu living on the screen, and Pikachu 2 GS can beam watts into Gold, Silver and Crystal as Mystery Gift items.
- Japan
- 27 Mar 1998
- North America
- 2 Nov 1998
- Europe
- 1999
- Australia
- 22 Jan 1999
- Developer
- Jupiter
- Publisher
- Nintendo
Pokémon Pikachu 2 GS (Pocket Pikachu Color): Japan 21 Nov 1999, North America 16 Oct 2000.
Pokémon miniNintendo handheld · 2001–2002
The Pokémon mini was a tiny Pokémon-only handheld from Nintendo that ran on a single AAA battery, with a 96×64 monochrome screen, built-in rumble and a shock sensor that let you shake the console to play. Ten games were released for it in barely thirteen months – four launch titles that came out everywhere, Pokémon Tetris for Japan and Europe only, and five that never left Japan.
- PlatformNintendo handheld (2001)
- Span16 November 2001 (launch titles, North America) – 14 December 2002 (Breeder mini, Japan)
Pokémon Party mini
Denyusha’s collection of minigames that came with the Pokémon mini console itself.
- Japan
- 14 Dec 2001
- North America
- 16 Nov 2001
- Europe
- 15 Mar 2002
- Australia
- —
- Developer
- Denyusha
- Publisher
- Nintendo
Launch title in every region. · Included with the console
Pokémon Zany Cards
A collection of card games played with a Pokémon-decorated deck, developed by Denyusha.
- Japan
- 14 Dec 2001
- North America
- 16 Nov 2001
- Europe
- 15 Mar 2002
- Australia
- —
- Developer
- Denyusha
- Publisher
- Nintendo
Launch title in every region.
Pokémon Pinball mini
Pinball on the Pokémon mini from Jupiter, the studio behind Game Boy Color Pokémon Pinball, with 90 levels.
- Japan
- 14 Dec 2001
- North America
- 16 Nov 2001
- Europe
- 15 Mar 2002
- Australia
- —
- Developer
- Jupiter
- Publisher
- Nintendo
Launch title in every region. · 90 levels
Pokémon Puzzle Collection
A collection of puzzle games for the Pokémon mini from Jupiter, the studio behind Pokémon Pinball and later Pokémon Picross.
- Japan
- 14 Dec 2001
- North America
- 16 Nov 2001
- Europe
- 15 Mar 2002
- Australia
- —
- Developer
- Jupiter
- Publisher
- Nintendo
Launch title in every region.
Pokémon Tetris
A Tetris variant in which clearing four or more lines at once captures a Pokémon for the in-game Pokédex, and shaking the console flips blocks 180 degrees.
- Japan
- 21 Mar 2002
- North America
- —
- Europe
- —
- Australia
- —
- Developer
- Nintendo
- Publisher
- Nintendo
Released in Japan (as Pokémon Shock Tetris) and Europe only. · Japan and Europe only · The last Pokémon mini game released in Europe
Pokémon Puzzle Collection Vol. 2
A Japan-only follow-up to Puzzle Collection; the ESRB rated it for the US, where it was never released.
- Japan
- 26 Apr 2002
- North America
- —
- Europe
- —
- Australia
- —
- Developer
- Jupiter
- Publisher
- Nintendo
The ESRB rated it as Pokémon Mini Puzzle Collection Vol. · 2, but it never came out in the US.
Pokémon Race mini
A Japan-only racing game in which Pikachu runs against other Pokémon, in a style similar to the later Pokémon Dash.
- Japan
- 19 Jul 2002
- North America
- —
- Europe
- —
- Australia
- —
- Developer
- Jupiter
- Publisher
- Nintendo
Pichu Bros. mini
A Japan-only set of six minigames starring the Pichu Bros. from the Pikachu shorts, in the same vein as Pokémon Party mini.
- Japan
- 9 Aug 2002
- North America
- —
- Europe
- —
- Australia
- —
- Developer
- Denyusha
- Publisher
- Nintendo
Togepi’s Great Adventure
A Japan-only adventure game in which you guide a Togepi out of a tower while avoiding its traps.
- Japan
- 18 Oct 2002
- North America
- —
- Europe
- —
- Australia
- —
- Developer
- Jupiter
- Publisher
- Nintendo
Pokémon Breeder mini
A Japan-only raising simulation whose title translates roughly as ‘Pokémon Day-Care Man mini’; it was the last game released for the system.
- Japan
- 14 Dec 2002
- North America
- —
- Europe
- —
- Australia
- —
- Developer
- Jupiter
- Publisher
- Nintendo
Game Boy AdvanceGame Boy Advance · 2003–2006
Only two spin-off projects reached the Game Boy Advance, but one of them mattered: Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team launched the whole Mystery Dungeon series, released on the same day as its DS twin Blue Rescue Team.
- PlatformGame Boy Advance (Blue Rescue Team on Nintendo DS)
- Span1 August 2003 (Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire, Japan) – 10 November 2006 (Red Rescue Team, Europe)
- Salesabout 7.22 million
Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire
Pinball sequel with Ruby Field and Sapphire Field tables, each with its own Pokémon to catch for the Hoenn Pokédex.
- Japan
- 1 Aug 2003
- North America
- 25 Aug 2003
- Europe
- 14 Nov 2003
- Australia
- 26 Sep 2003
- Developer
- Jupiter
- Publisher
- Nintendo
- Sales
- 1.37 million
South Korea: 9 Sep 2003. · Rumble via the GameCube controller when played on the Game Boy Player.
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team & Blue Rescue Team
The first Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: a human who wakes up as a Pokémon forms a rescue team and explores randomly generated dungeons, sold on both GBA and DS.
- Japan
- 17 Nov 2005
- North America
- 18 Sep 2006
- Europe
- 10 Nov 2006
- Australia
- 28 Sep 2006
- Developer
- Chunsoft
- Publisher
- Nintendo / The Pokémon Company
- Sales
- 5.85 million
Both versions launched the same day in each region. · South Korea got Blue only (30 Aug 2007); Red first reached Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan via Nintendo Classics. · First game in the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series · Red Rescue Team on Game Boy Advance, Blue Rescue Team on Nintendo DS.
Nintendo DSNintendo DS · 2004–2013
The DS’s touch screen shaped almost every spin-off on it, from steering Pikachu with the stylus in Pokémon Dash (a Japanese launch title for the console) to drawing capture loops in the three Pokémon Ranger games. It was also home to the Explorers trilogy, the best selling Mystery Dungeon games to date, and to Koei Tecmo’s superb strategy crossover Pokémon Conquest.
- PlatformNintendo DS
- Span2 December 2004 (Dash, Japan) – 10 January 2013 (Typing Adventure, Australia)
- Salesat least 13.18 million from the five titles with figures
Pokémon Dash
Touch-screen racing game in which you steer Pikachu with the stylus through checkpoint courses; the first Pokémon game on the DS, out the day the console launched in Japan.
- Japan
- 2 Dec 2004
- North America
- 13 Mar 2005
- Europe
- 11 Mar 2005
- Australia
- 7 Apr 2005
- Developer
- Ambrella
- Publisher
- Nintendo
South Korea: 22 Mar 2007; Taiwan: 2 Dec 2004.
Pokémon Trozei!
Touch-screen puzzle game in which you slide rows of Pokémon to line up matching ones and ‘Trozei’ (catch) them; the start of Genius Sonority’s Trozei series.
- Japan
- 20 Oct 2005
- North America
- 6 Mar 2006
- Europe
- 5 May 2006
- Australia
- 28 Apr 2006
- Developer
- Genius Sonority
- Publisher
- Nintendo
Released in Europe as Pokémon Link!. · South Korea: 17 May 2007.
PokéPark Fishing Contest DS
A small fishing game you could only get by DS Download Play at the PokéPark theme park in Nagoya, at Pokémon Centers in Japan and, in 2006, at PokéPark Taipei.
- Japan
- 16 May 2005
- North America
- —
- Europe
- —
- Australia
- —
- Developer
- The Pokémon Company
- Publisher
- The Pokémon Company / Nintendo
- Status
- Event-only; ended 2006
Taiwan (PokéPark Taipei): 23 Jun 2006.
Pokémon Ranger
Action-adventure set in Fiore: as a Pokémon Ranger you befriend wild Pokémon by drawing loops around them with the Capture Styler instead of catching them.
- Japan
- 23 Mar 2006
- North America
- 30 Oct 2006
- Europe
- 13 Apr 2007
- Australia
- 7 Dec 2006
- Developer
- HAL Laboratory / Creatures
- Publisher
- Nintendo
- Sales
- 2.93 million
Taiwan: 23 Mar 2006. · First game in the Pokémon Ranger series · Wii U Virtual Console: Europe 25 Feb, Australia 26 Feb, Japan 13 Apr, North America 21 Jul 2016; delisted 27 Mar 2023.
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time & Explorers of Darkness
Second Mystery Dungeon pair: a human-turned-Pokémon joins Wigglytuff’s Guild as an explorer and races to stop time itself from coming to a halt.
- Japan
- 13 Sep 2007
- North America
- 20 Apr 2008
- Europe
- 4 Jul 2008
- Australia
- 19 Jun 2008
- Developer
- Chunsoft
- Publisher
- Nintendo / The Pokémon Company
- Sales
- 4.88 million
South Korea: 11 Dec 2008; Taiwan: 13 Sep 2007.
Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia
The second Ranger game, set in Almia: graduate from the Ranger School, then take on Team Dim Sun with a reworked Capture Styler.
- Japan
- 20 Mar 2008
- North America
- 10 Nov 2008
- Europe
- 21 Nov 2008
- Australia
- 13 Nov 2008
- Developer
- Creatures
- Publisher
- Nintendo
- Sales
- 2.35 million
Taiwan: 20 Mar 2008. · Wii U Virtual Console: Europe and Australia 9 Jun, Japan 27 Jul, North America 4 Aug 2016; delisted 27 Mar 2023.
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky
Enhanced single-cartridge version of Explorers of Time and Darkness with extra dungeons, more partner choices and bonus Special Episodes.
- Japan
- 18 Apr 2009
- North America
- 12 Oct 2009
- Europe
- 20 Nov 2009
- Australia
- 12 Nov 2009
- Developer
- Chunsoft
- Publisher
- Nintendo / The Pokémon Company
- Sales
- 1.49 million
Taiwan: 18 Apr 2009. · Not released in South Korea. · Wii U Virtual Console: North America 23 Jun, Japan 20 Jul, Australia and Europe 18 Aug 2016; delisted 27 Mar 2023.
Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs
The third and final Ranger game, set in Oblivia: ride Pokémon across the islands and draw Guardian Signs on the touch screen to call Pokémon to help.
- Japan
- 6 Mar 2010
- North America
- 4 Oct 2010
- Europe
- 5 Nov 2010
- Australia
- 25 Nov 2010
- Developer
- Creatures
- Publisher
- Nintendo
- Sales
- 1.53 million
Taiwan: 6 Mar 2010. · Final game in the Pokémon Ranger series · Wii U Virtual Console: Europe and Australia 9 Jun, Japan 3 Aug, North America 18 Aug 2016; delisted 27 Mar 2023.
Learn with Pokémon: Typing Adventure
Educational typing game bundled with a keyboard: type Pokémon names quickly to catch them across a series of stages.
- Japan
- 21 Apr 2011
- North America
- —
- Europe
- 21 Sep 2012
- Australia
- 10 Jan 2013
- Developer
- Genius Sonority
- Publisher
- Nintendo
Not released in North America or South Korea. · Japanese title: Battle & Get!
Pokémon Card Game: How to Play DS
A card-game tutorial on a DS game card: nine story lessons and CPU battles teach the Black & White-era Trading Card Game. It came only inside the Beginning Set + starter box.
- Japan
- 5 Aug 2011
- North America
- —
- Europe
- —
- Australia
- —
- Developer
- Creatures / Zener Works
- Publisher
- The Pokémon Company
Pokémon Conquest
Crossover with Koei Tecmo’s Nobunaga’s Ambition: lead warlords and their partner Pokémon in grid-based strategy battles to unite the Ransei region.
- Japan
- 17 Mar 2012
- North America
- 18 Jun 2012
- Europe
- 27 Jul 2012
- Australia
- 21 Jun 2012
- Developer
- Koei Tecmo (credited as Tecmo Koei)
- Publisher
- The Pokémon Company (Japan) / Nintendo (international)
Not released in South Korea. · Japanese title: Pokémon + Nobunaga’s Ambition.
Nintendo 3DSNintendo 3DS · 2011–2018
On the 3DS many of the spin-offs moved onto the eShop, with free-to-start experiments like Pokémon Shuffle, Rumble World and Picross sitting alongside boxed releases such as Super Mystery Dungeon, Art Academy and Detective Pikachu – the game that went on to inspire the live-action film.
- PlatformNintendo 3DS
- Span11 August 2011 (Rumble Blast, Japan) – 24 March 2018 (Detective Pikachu, Australia)
- Salesat least 4.45 million from the three titles with figures
Pokémon Rumble Blast
The first Pokémon game on 3DS: a real-time brawler in which you control toy Pokémon and recruit the toys you defeat.
- Japan
- 11 Aug 2011
- North America
- 24 Oct 2011
- Europe
- 2 Dec 2011
- Australia
- 8 Dec 2011
- Developer
- Ambrella
- Publisher
- Nintendo
- Sales
- 1.40 millionas of Dec 2022
Released as Super Pokémon Rumble in Europe and Australia/New Zealand (Japanese title: Super Pokémon Scramble). · South Korea: 12 Jul 2012. · Second game in the Rumble series; first Pokémon game on Nintendo 3DS
Pokémon Dream Radar
Augmented-reality eShop game that uses the 3DS cameras and gyroscope to find Pokémon in the room around you, then transfer them to Black 2 and White 2.
- Japan
- 23 Jun 2012
- North America
- 7 Oct 2012
- Europe
- 12 Oct 2012
- Australia
- 11 Oct 2012
- Developer
- Creatures / Game Freak
- Publisher
- Nintendo
Japanese title: Pokémon AR Searcher. · South Korea: 8 Nov 2012. · Nintendo eShop download; no longer purchasable since the Nintendo 3DS eShop closed on 27 Mar 2023.
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity
The first Mystery Dungeon in 3D: build a Pokémon Paradise and open Magnagate dungeons by photographing circular objects with the 3DS camera.
- Japan
- 23 Nov 2012
- North America
- 24 Mar 2013
- Europe
- 17 May 2013
- Australia
- 18 May 2013
- Developer
- Spike Chunsoft
- Publisher
- Nintendo / The Pokémon Company
- Sales
- 1.38 millionas of Dec 2020
Paid DLC dungeons were offered through Nintendo Network.
Pokémon Tretta Lab
A scanner kit and free 3DS download that read your Pokémon Tretta arcade pucks with the console’s cameras, for stats, type checks and battles at home.
- Japan
- 10 Aug 2013
- North America
- —
- Europe
- —
- Australia
- —
- Developer
- T-ARTS / MAQL
- Publisher
- Takara Tomy A.R.T.S.
- Status
- Taken off the eShop in 2017
Pokémon Battle Trozei
Download-only sequel to Trozei!: match lines of Pokémon on the touch screen to attack wild Pokémon, with type matchups deciding the damage.
- Japan
- 12 Mar 2014
- North America
- 20 Mar 2014
- Europe
- 13 Mar 2014
- Australia
- 14 Mar 2014
- Developer
- Genius Sonority
- Publisher
- Nintendo
Released as Pokémon Link: Battle! in Europe and Australia.
The Thieves and the 1000 Pokémon
Free, Japan-only 3DS download promoting the film Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction; offered for under four months in 2014 and built around StreetPass.
- Japan
- 5 Jun 2014
- North America
- —
- Europe
- —
- Australia
- —
- Developer
- Marvelous AQL
- Publisher
- The Pokémon Company
Limited-time download that ended 30 Sep 2014. · Free Nintendo eShop download, Japan only, available 5 Jun – 30 Sep 2014; uses StreetPass.
Pokémon Art Academy
Crossover with Nintendo’s Art Academy series: step-by-step lessons teach you to draw and paint Pokémon with the 3DS stylus.
- Japan
- 19 Jun 2014
- North America
- 24 Oct 2014
- Europe
- 4 Jul 2014
- Australia
- 5 Jul 2014
- Developer
- Headstrong Games
- Publisher
- Nintendo
South Korea: 23 Apr 2015; Hong Kong and Taiwan: 24 Oct 2014.
Pokémon Shuffle
Free-to-play match-three puzzler: line up three or more Pokémon to damage a wild Pokémon, then try to catch it; Hearts limit play and Jewels are sold.
- Japan
- 18 Feb 2015
- North America
- 18 Feb 2015
- Europe
- 18 Feb 2015
- Australia
- 18 Feb 2015
- Developer
- Genius Sonority
- Publisher
- Nintendo / The Pokémon Company
Worldwide 3DS launch on 18 Feb 2015; dates are for the 3DS version. · Japanese title: PokéToru. · Free-to-play eShop download; 3DS eShop closed 27 Mar 2023 and the 3DS servers shut down 31 Mar 2023.
Pokémon Rumble World
Free-to-start fourth Rumble game: send balloons to areas full of toy Pokémon and brawl to recruit them, with Poké Diamonds sold to speed things up.
- Japan
- 8 Apr 2015
- North America
- 8 Apr 2015
- Europe
- 8 Apr 2015
- Australia
- 8 Apr 2015
- Developer
- Ambrella
- Publisher
- Nintendo
Dates are the eShop launch. · Retail: Japan 19 Nov 2015, Europe 22 Jan 2016, Australia 23 Jan 2016, North America 29 Apr 2016.
Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon
The biggest Mystery Dungeon: all 720 Pokémon known at the time appear, and a human-turned-Pokémon links them together through the Connection Orb.
- Japan
- 17 Sep 2015
- North America
- 20 Nov 2015
- Europe
- 19 Feb 2016
- Australia
- 20 Feb 2016
- Developer
- Spike Chunsoft
- Publisher
- Nintendo / The Pokémon Company
- Sales
- 1.67 millionas of Dec 2022
Hong Kong and Taiwan: 17 Sep 2015.
Pokémon Picross
Free-to-start picture-logic game: completing Picross grids unlocks Pokémon whose abilities help on later puzzles, with Picrites as the paid currency.
- Japan
- 2 Dec 2015
- North America
- 3 Dec 2015
- Europe
- 3 Dec 2015
- Australia
- 4 Dec 2015
- Developer
- Jupiter
- Publisher
- Nintendo
A Game Boy Color Pokémon Picross was announced in 1999 but never released · Free-to-start eShop download; no longer purchasable since the Nintendo 3DS eShop closed on 27 Mar 2023.
Detective Pikachu
Story-driven mystery adventure in which Tim Goodman teams up with a talking, coffee-loving Pikachu in Ryme City; inspired the 2019 live-action film.
- Japan
- 3 Feb 2016
- North America
- 23 Mar 2018
- Europe
- 23 Mar 2018
- Australia
- 24 Mar 2018
- Developer
- Creatures
- Publisher
- Nintendo / The Pokémon Company
Japan 2016-02-03 is the eShop-only Birth of a New Duo (chapters 1–3). · Full retail release: Japan, North America, Europe, Hong Kong and Taiwan 23 Mar 2018; Australia 24 Mar 2018. · Sequel: Detective Pikachu Returns (Switch, 2023)