History VideoGame / PokemonMysteryDungeon

* ContractualBossImmunity: Orb items explicitly cannot be used in boss battles due to "a strange power", though Seeds and StandardStatusEffects still generally can.

** In ''Red/Blue'', this is revealed to be because [[spoiler: the player specifically requested it, to prove ''to themselves'' whether they really were TheChosenOne]].
** Also in ''Red/Blue'', the final postgame mission involves rescuing Gardevoir, who requests LaserGuidedAmnesia so she won't have to remember her human trainer.
** Likewise, Uxie in ''Time/Darkness/Sky'' has power over memories, so the player assumes Uxie might have something to do with their forgotten memories. [[spoiler: Nope, but it was worth a shot asking.]]
* LevelDrain: Doom Seeds cause you to lose one level.
* LighterAndSofter: In '''Time/Darkness/Sky'', the main plot is to [[spoiler: find the time gears before the BadFuture arrives and the world is put into hell]]. In ''Adventure Squad'', the main plot is finding some cookies in a dungeon so your town will stop fighting over a piece of chocolate.
* TheLoad: Almost any Pokémon in an escort mission. They're typically underleveled (escorts in ''Rescue Team'' especially are always Level 1, even if they want to explore a high-level dungeon), with bad stats and moves, suicidally aggressive AI, and won't hesitate to waste every single one of your Reviver Seeds if given the chance. It's probably the number one reason many players AVOID escort missions entirely.
* LuckBasedMission: The Lv.1/0 IQ/No items dungeons, especially in ''Time/Darkness/Sky''. The game might not spawn enough HP/PP recovery items, you might start in a trap-filled room, you may start in a Monster House, some enemies in the late floors are nigh unkillable... really, skill is required but if the luck isn't on your side, you WON'T complete those dungeons.
* MadeOfIron: Aside from the BloodlessCarnage, every single character seems capable of TakingTheBullet with little more than short-term unconsciousness as a result.
* MarathonLevel: The 50- and 99- floor dungeons.

* MushroomSamba: X-Eye Seeds.
* NeverSayDie: Pokémon don't "kill" other Pokémon, they "get rid of" them. (Sometimes "for good"....)

* OneGameForThePriceOfTwo: Just like the main series, there are only subtle differences in item and Pokémon appearance rates. (Additionally, the ''Rescue Team'' games are on differing systems, which means there are a few touchscreen features in ''Blue'' that aren't in ''Red'', and Pokémon can be traded between them with just one system.)
** Interestingly, ''Sky'' actually includes all the Pokémon from ''both'' Time/Darkness, along with all its other bonus features, averting the main series' trend of the [[UpdatedRerelease third version]] strategically omitting enough Pokémon to 'force' trading with past versions.
* OneSteveLimit: Thanks to the SpeciesSurname, rarely does the player encounter more than one NPC of a given species.
* [[OneManArmy One Mon Army]]: A single character is able to plow through dozens of enemies especially if they are a lower level than him/her.
* PlayableEpilogue: Just like the main series, the game isn't over after the credits roll; there are still more missions and new dungeons (even some more story progression) waiting for the player to wrap up. And, of course, the quest to [[GottaCatchThemAll recruit 'em all]] truly begins at that point.
* PlayerPersonalityQuiz: The player's Pokémon species is assigned as the result of a simple personality quiz, while they can select their partner's species directly.
* PlotHole: It is never explained how the Mons know what a "human" is when there aren't any humans around. [[spoiler: Or are there?]] (Though the Ruins friend zone in the ''Rescue Team;'' games seems to hint at a case of HumanitysWake.)
* PurelyAestheticGender: The player's species and/or gender has no meaningful impact in the events of StoryArc whatsoever. In actual gameplay, it has no effect beyond whether gender-based moves and abilities (Attract, Rivalry, etc.) will work on a given Mon, as only a few species (like the Nidoran) have any notable differences between their males and females.
* QuestForIdentity: The player in both games.

* ReptilesAreAbhorrent: Generally averted, and not just because the player can be assigned a reptilian Mon as their starting Pokémon. The well-respected Team A.C.T. (led by Alakazam) in the first games includes both a Charizard (a dragon) and a Tyranitar (a dinosaur).

* [=~What Do You Mean, It's For Kids?~=]: The very existence of [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel/PokemonMysteryDungeon this page]].

-> ''Introducing the newest Pokémon ... ''YOU!''''

-->-- '''{{Tagline}}''', ''Pokémon Red/Blue Rescue Team''

-->-- {{Tagline}}, '''''Red/Blue Rescue Team'''''

--> -- '''''Red/Blue Rescue Team''''' tagline

** Actually, only the first game ended with a tower climb: the second game ends with you descending.

* HeroicMime: Played with. The player can read the [[InnerMonologue protagonist's thoughts]], but when he actually speaks to the other characters, all that occurs is a HyperactiveSprite and ParrotExposition from the other Pokémon.

* PurelyAestheticGender: The player's species and/or gender has no impact in the events of StoryArc whatsoever. In actual gameplay, it has no effect beyond whether gender-based moves and abilities (Attract, Rivalry, etc.) will work on a given Mon, as only a few species (like the Nidoran) have any notable differences between their males and females.
** Actually, there are (very) slight differences in the dialogue depending on the player's gender. Granted, however, it means pretty much the same thing, just said differently.

** In Red/Blue, it's averted several times, actually: the hero speaks during the dream sequences, [[spoiler:at the end of the main story as well,]] after a level-up.

** On the other hand, if you stay on a floor for too long (to fight the neverending supply of Pokémon), an unseen force will kick you out of the dungeon, counting as a loss.

* [=~What Do You Mean, It's For Kids?~=]: The very existance of [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel/PokemonMysteryDungeon this page]].

** "Worry Seed" gives the target "Sleepless" status. In the main series, this suppressed the target's normal Ability, but here it is just an added (not to mention positive) status effect. This doesn't stop the AI from [[ArtificialStupidity attempting to "attack" opponents with it]].
** Inverted with "Selfdestruct" and "Explosion", which inflict fixed damage on hostile Pokémon and 50 percent damage on the player's team, regardless of whether it is used by the player or a hostile Pokémon. Meaning that a hostile Pokémon will suffer a KO after one or two uses, while the player can use it almost indefinitely (thanks to RegeneratingHealth and Reviver Seeds).

* {{Greed}}: Some of the characters seem quite obsessed with treasure.

* {{Greed}}: Some of the characters seem quite obssesed with treasure.

* FridgeBrilliance: Chapter 3 of the game is called "The Scream." Playing the game through the first time, the player assumes this refers to [[spoiler:Azurill's scream, which you hear in your first vision.]] However, you learn later [[spoiler:that your visions are called Dimensional ''Screams''.]]

* SequelDifficultySpike: In a variety of ways, but notably with regard to [[RandomEncounters Monster Houses]]: The first Monster Houses in the ''Rescue Team'' games would be seen in late-game dungeons like Uproar Forest or the Magma Cavern, but in the ''Explorers'' games they can occur as early as ''Amp Plains'' halfway through the StoryArc. In ''Sky'', there is one in Special Episode 2, unlocked VERY early on.

*** Played Straight in the next game where [[spoiler: Darkrai's attempt to kill Grovyle led to the PC getting turned into a Pokémon]]. On the other hand, the player is never particularly bothered by whether or not he can ever become human again.

* BattleThemeMusic: There is one for standard {{Boss Battle}}s, a second for {{Climax Boss}}es (and other legendary Pokémon), a third for Monster Houses. ''Explorers'' adds another for encountering Outlaw Pokémon.

** Near the end of ''Explorers of Sky'', while trying to explain that something feels wrong about the mysterious dreams, you're given a choice between "Something's strange..." and "Something's weird..."

** [[spoiler:Sky Tower]] in ''Red/Blue Rescue Team'' can be pretty rough going, too. Goddamn ghost-types and their goddamn attacking through walls on earlier floors, goddamn Aerodactyl and their goddamn Supersonics and Agilities further up... and let's not get into the post-game dungeons.

* LampshadeHanging: Happens with some frequenc. To give one example:

* PlotHole: It is never explained how the Mons know what a "human" is when there aren't any humans around. [[spoiler: Or are they?]] (Though the Ruins friend zone in the ''Rescue Team;'' games seems to hint at a case of HumanitysWake.)

Unfortunately, those who dislike the {{Dungeon Crawling}} genre of gameplay must be [[{{YMMV}} given a fair warning that they will probably find themselves getting bored fast]], as trekking through dungeons comprises a majority of gameplay hours.

* FridgeBrilliance: Chapter 3 of the game is called the scream. Playing the game through the first time, the player assumes this refers to [[spoiler:Azurill's scream, which you hear in your first vision.]] However, you learn later [[spoiler:that your visions are called Dimensional ''Screams''.]]

** If for some reason your partner is separated from you, they'll happily wander off elsewhere in the dungeon, engaging other Pokémon in combat, level discrepancies or ElementalRockPaperScissors be damned.

* NoHeroDiscount