The Pokémon anime premiered in Japan, introducing Ash Ketchum and Pikachu to a broad audience and greatly increasing the franchise's popularity.
The Pokémon Red and Blue games were released in North America, starting the Pokémon craze in the Western world.
The second generation of Pokémon games, Gold and Silver, were released in Japan, introducing 100 new Pokémon and new gameplay features.
The fourth generation of Pokémon games, Diamond and Pearl, were released worldwide, bringing new Pokémon and features to the Nintendo DS platform.
Pokémon Sword and Shield launched for the Nintendo Switch, introducing the eighth generation of Pokémon with a new region and gameplay elements.