[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/game_freak_logo.png]]
Game Freak, Inc. is a Japanese video game development studio founded on April 26, 1989 by Creator/SatoshiTajiri and Ken Sugimori. Prior to this, Game Freak was a self-published gaming magazine that was run by Tajiri (as writer) and Sugimori (as illustrator) throughout the 1980s, with the name "Game Freak" coming from a pseudonym that Tajiri used when previously writing for other publications.
Game Freak has a long-running love of [[PlatformGame platformers]], creating multiple games such as ''VideoGame/{{Pulseman}}'' and ''VideoGame/DrillDozer'' in the genre, in addition to small experimental titles in other genres, such as the UsefulNotes/HorseRacing[=/=]TabletopGame/{{Solitaire}} mix that is ''VideoGame/PocketCardJockey''. However, the small developer would find their BreakthroughHit in 1996, when Creator/{{Nintendo}}'s Creator/ShigeruMiyamoto convinced the publisher to take a chance on a game idea that Tajiri and his team had been developing on-and-off for years: a social JRPG where players fight, collect, and trade creatures known as ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}''. If a person is even aware that it's Game Freak that makes Pokémon, and [[WrongfullyAttributed not Nintendo]], they probably [[CommonKnowledge have no idea they make anything else]]. But considering how much Game Freak desires to retain their small, garage developer feel, they probably don't mind any "who?" moments too much.
Despite popular belief, Nintendo doesn't actually own Game Freak; despite the vast majority of the company's gameography being exclusive to Nintendo hardware, and Game Freak itself moving into Nintendo's Tokyo building in 2020, they're a fully independent third-party developer. What Nintendo ''does'' own is a third of the ''Pokémon'' franchise, with complete ownership over the trademarks. As such, while the developer can and has freely made other games for non-Nintendo systems, a major ''Pokémon'' game will never be one of them. Nintendo has similar business relationships with other key partners, such as Creator/HALLaboratory and Creator/IntelligentSystems.
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!!Games made by Game Freak include:
[[index]]
* ''VideoGame/MendelPalace''(1989; [[Platform/NintendoEntertainmentSystem NES]])[[note]]''Quinty'' in Japan[[/note]]
* ''VideoGame/{{Yoshi}}'' (1991; NES and Platform/GameBoy) [[note]]''Yoshi's Egg'' in Japan and ''Mario & Yoshi'' in PAL regions[[/note]]
* ''VideoGame/SmartBall'' (1991; [[Platform/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem SNES]])[[note]]''Jerry Boy'' in Japan[[/note]]
** ''VideoGame/JellyBoy2'' (Unreleased sequel for the SNES)
* ''Manga/MagicalTarurutoKun'' (1992; [[Platform/SegaGenesis Sega Mega Drive]])[[superscript:Japan only]]
* ''VideoGame/MarioAndWario'' (1993; SNES)[[superscript:Japan only]]
* ''VideoGame/{{Pulseman}}'' (1994; Mega Drive)[[note]]Only available through Sega Channel service in North America[[/note]]
* ''VideoGame/PokemonRedAndGreen'' (1996; Game Boy)[[superscript:original JP version]] [[/index]]
** ''Pokémon Red and Blue'' (1998; Game Boy)[[superscript:original US version]]
** ''Pokémon Yellow'' (1998; Game Boy Updated Re-release)
** ''Pokémon [=FireRed=] and [=LeafGreen=]'' (2004; Platform/GameBoyAdvance remake) [[index]]
** ''VideoGame/PokemonLetsGoPikachuAndLetsGoEevee'' (2018; Platform/NintendoSwitch remake)
* ''VideoGame/BushiSeiryuden'' (1998; SNES)[[superscript:Japan only]]
* ''VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver'' (1999; Platform/GameBoyColor) [[/index]]
** ''Pokémon Crystal'' (2000; GBC Updated Re-release)
** ''Pokémon [=HeartGold=] and [=SoulSilver=]'' (2009; Platform/NintendoDS remake) [[index]]
* ''VideoGame/ClickMedic'' (1999; Platform/PlayStation)[[superscript:Japan only]]
* ''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire'' (2002; GBA) [[/index]]
** ''Pokémon Emerald'' (2004; GBA Updated Re-release)
** ''Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire'' (2014; Platform/Nintendo3DS remake)[[index]]
* ''VideoGame/DrillDozer''[[note]]''Screw Breaker Gōshin Drillero'' in Japan[[/note]] (2005; GBA)
* ''VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl'' (2006; Nintendo DS)
** ''Pokémon Platinum'' (2008; Nintendo DS Updated Re-release)
** [[/index]]''Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl'' (2021; Switch remake, co-developed with Creator/{{ILCA}})[[index]]
* ''VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite'' (2010; Nintendo DS)
* ''VideoGame/PokemonBlack2AndWhite2'' (2012; Nintendo DS sequel)
* ''VideoGame/HarmoKnight''[[note]]''Rhythm Hunter: [=HarmoKnight=]'' in Japan[[/note]] (2012; 3DS [=eShop=])
* ''VideoGame/PokemonXAndY'' (2013; 3DS)
* ''VideoGame/PocketCardJockey''[[note]]''Soliti Horse'' in Japan, Western release in 2016[[/note]] (2013; Mobile and 3DS [=eShop=])
** ''Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On!'' (2023; Apple Arcade and Switch)
* ''VideoGame/TemboTheBadassElephant'' (2015; Platform/XboxOne, Platform/PlayStation4 and PC)
* ''VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon'' (2016; 3DS)
** ''VideoGame/PokemonUltraSunAndUltraMoon'' (2017; 3DS Updated Re-release)
* ''VideoGame/GigaWrecker'' (2017; PC)
** ''Giga Wrecker ALT'' (2019; Switch, XBO and [=PS4=] Updated Re-release)
* ''VideoGame/PokemonQuest'' (2018; Switch and Mobile)
* ''VideoGame/LittleTownHero'' (2019; Switch, [=PS4=], Xbox One, PC)
* ''VideoGame/PokemonSwordAndShield'' (2019; Switch)
* ''VideoGame/PokemonLegendsArceus'' (2022; Switch)
* ''VideoGame/PokemonScarletAndViolet'' (2022; Switch)
* ''Pokémon Legends: Z-A'' (2025; Switch)
* ''Project Bloom'' (TBA)
[[/index]]
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