History Pokemon / TropesJToR

** The Dark-type doesn't actually mean dark. It is called "evil" in Japan. Because of this, lots of fans see the dark type as actual [[CastingAShadow darkness]] rather than [[CombatPragmatist using dirty tricks to win]] and wonder why there isn't Light-type yet.

** The majority of the gym leaders in the games have them. Just guess which elements these guys specialize in: B''rock'', ''Misty'', Lt. ''Surge'', ''Falkner'', ''Bug''sy, ''Whit''ney, Pr''yce'', ''Rox''anne, ''Brawl''y, ''Watt''son, the list goes on. Averted in the Japanese versions, where ''all'' significant characters (including the Gym Leaders) have plant-based names despite not all of them training Grass-type Pokémon.

* LadyLooksLikeADude: It's entirely possible for a feminine looking Pokémon to be male.

** Generally, Ice-type Pokémon don't appear until three quarters of the way into a given game at the earliest, and as such they miss out on most of the game up to that point. Even the evolutions of the non-Ice Eevee and Crabrawler suffer, as they level up only in certain locations... locations that are invariably very late game. This finally started getting averted as of Generation VIII where you can find Ice-types at the start of the game and this is repeated in Generation IX.

* MonstersFavoritePettingSpot: With Pokémon Amie in Gen VI and Pokémon Refresh in Gen VII, you are able to pet, play with, and care for your Pokémon, making them do cute things along the way. Every single Pokémon is permitted, including the ones that can, by appearance, be considered intimidating, monstrous, or even potentially evil. Each and every Pokémon has spots where they prefer having be pet the most and [[BerserkButton the least]].

** The Safari Zone; every Pokémon encountered is willing to run away at the drop of a hat, and your strategic options are limited to either throwing rocks/mud, or throwing bait. Doing the former will make them easier to capture, but they will more likely to flee, while the latter option will cause them less likely to flee, but harder to catch. This is taken even further if you want a Lucky Egg. In ''[=FireRed/LeafGreen=]'' there is a 5% chance a Chansey in the Safari Zone will be holding it, and even catching ''one'' Chansey is brutal enough.

** Downplayed in ''VideoGame/Pokemon ScarletAndViolet''; The open-world nature of the game makes it so you have to talk to the other trainer to engage in battle, with the first trainer lampshading how in Paldea mere eye-contact isn't enough to convey intent to battle.

** Downplayed in ''Pokemon Scarlet/Violet''; The open-world nature of the game makes it so you have to talk to the other trainer to engage in battle, with the first trainer lampshading how in Paldea mere eye-contact isn't enough to convey intent to battle.

** Cynthia, [[VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl Sinnoh's]] [[FinalBoss champion]] appears as a {{Superboss}} in ''VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite''. She also returns in both pairs of Generation VII games in the Battle Tree, now with the possibility of facing you with a Mega Garchommp.

*** Throat Chop is "Hell Thrust" in Japanese. It is actually a piercing move that targets the opponent's neck, which is why armless Pokémon incapable of chopping could learn it, as they have sharp body parts that allow them to pierce things.

** Generally, Ice-type Pokémon don't appear until three quarters of the way into a given game at the earliest, and as such they miss out on most of the game up to that point. Even the evolutions of the non-Ice Eevee and Crabrawler suffer, as they level up only in certain locations... locations that are invariably very late game.

** Many pre-evolved Pokémon learn some exploitable attacks and abilities their evolved brethren can't, as well as take advantage of certain specific items like the Eviolite (which gives unevolved Pokémon a similar boost in Defense and Special Defence). Pikachu, being the franchise mascot, was intentionally conceived this way, since with the right use of items and attacks, it can actually surpass a Raichu raised too hastily.

** [[VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite Generation V]]'s [[Characters/PokemonGenerationVMinccinoToGenesect Mienfoo and Mienshao]] are also based on them; according to the Pokedex, Mienfoo make up their packs in numbers and use their (normally unseen) claws to slice through enemies, and while Meinshao don't attack with claws, they instead use their arm fur are utilized as whips.

* {{Retcon}}: Generation II gave Magnemite and Magneton the then-new Steel typing, while Generation V changed out the Ghost half of Rotom's alternate forms' typings for more thematically appropriate types. Generation VI gave a host of old Pokémon the new Fairy type.

** The Psychic-type was very unbalanced back in the original pair, on account of nothing being strong against them offensively in practice due to FakeBalance or could take them on defensively due to nothing resisting bar other Psychics. The types that were supposed to be strong against Psychic according to their in-game descriptions were too weak to actually use for that purpose (Bug) or didn't work due to a glitch (Ghost, and it fell under the first part anyway). Gen 2 did a lot of things to fix this, but the most obvious change by far was the introduction of the Dark- and Steel-types; Dark attacks were super-effective against Psychics, and Dark Pokémon completely nullify Psychic attacks, while Steel-types resisted them and had the bulk to take hits repeatedly.

** Modern games make PC Boxes accessible from the menus, allowing the player to swap their party members at almost any time. The feature is disabled in Gyms and against the Elite Four to prevent players from swapping their weakened team for new ones before a battle.

** ''VideoGame:PokemonLetsGoPikachuAndEevee'' and ''VideoGame:PokemonBrilliantDiamondAndShiningPearl'' make PC Boxes accessible from the menus, allowing the player to swap their party members at almost any time. The feature is disabled in Gyms and against the Elite Four to prevent players from swapping their weakened team for new ones before a battle.

* NoPronunciationGuide: The main series of handheld games isn't voiced, so you generally have to wait until a Pokémon appears in the anime to get the official pronunciation (usually intuitive enough, but not always — Arceus goes against the usual conventions for when a C should be soft and when it should be hard, and logically, Blastoise should be pronounced "blastus" since it's a combination of "blast" and "tortoise"[[note]]''blast'', tor''toise''[[/note]] and not "blastoyse", though that one depends on your accent). Then there are the console games (the ''VideoGame/PokemonStadium'' series, etc.), which... don't always follow the official pronunciations faithfully.
** Averted with Pokédex 3D Pro, an official 3DS app which works as a Pokédex and fully says out the names of the Pokémon. [[note]]It calls Blastoise "Blastoyse".[[/note]]

* NemesisWeapon: The player and the rival will take starters from the same lab who are usually their most powerful and reliable Pokémon. Starters are not found in the wild, have above average abilities overall, as well as access to a few unique powerful moves. Some adaptations make a plot point that both TheHero and TheRival's [[WeaponOfChoice 'mon of choice]] were raised together as friends before the two kids pit them against each other. That and the rival always takes the one that has a natural advantage over yours.

** Blastoise, the water jet cannon [[TurtlePower tortoise]].

** Cynthia, [[VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl Sinnoh's]] [[FinalBoss champion]] appears as a Bonus Boss in ''VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite''. She also returns in both pairs of Generation VII games in the Battle Tree, now with the possibility of facing you with a Mega Garchommp.

** The fifth generation went one step further than any other, as the League Champion is now a post-endgame battle, something never done before. Other important fights with {{Bonus Boss}}es are unlocked too, as well as new areas (the right part of the map) where old generation Pokémon appear. The option to connect with the fourth generation becomes available too.