Player character: Difference between revisions

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The beginning of Red's Pokémon journey.

A player character (Japanese: 主人公 protagonist) in the world of Pokémon is the main character in the plot of the Pokémon games. The player character is an avatar that represents the real player in the world of the game, and they are characterized by almost never speaking outside of occasional short dialogue options.

In the core series games

In the core series games, the player characters are Pokémon Trainers beginning their Pokémon journey. They start their journey in their hometown by getting a first partner Pokémon, a Pokémon that appears very early in their native region's Pokédex, and is usually of the Grass-, Fire-, or Water-type. The region's resident Pokémon Professor will always give them this, as well as a Pokédex. Starting in Pokémon Crystal, players can also choose their character's gender. Usually, they have rivals who begin their journey at about the same time. Players take part in several events, and meet a great number of Pokémon and people during their adventure. A common target is to conquer a Pokémon League's eight Gym Leaders and Elite Four, and become the Champion. Several additional side-quests occur during and after each game's main plot.

To date, only one player character has reappeared from an older generation in a role other than that of the player. In Generation II and the Generation IV remakes, when Ethan or Kris/Lyra travels to Mt. Silver and reaches the deepest point of the cave, Red is found, utterly silent as he was under the player's control. At the time of these games' respective releases, Red's Pikachu was the highest-leveled Pokémon owned by an in-game Trainer (Barry's fully-evolved first partner Pokémon temporarily surpassed the standard set in Gold and Silver until the release of their remakes, HeartGold and SoulSilver). Red reappeared in Black 2 and White 2, in the Champions Tournament of the Pokémon World Tournament, and again in the Alola-based Generation VII games, as the leader of the Battle Tree with Blue.

The player character can be named in all core series games at the beginning of the game using the same interface as that for entering nicknames for Pokémon. From Generation I through Generation V, the player name character limit was five in Japanese and Korean and seven in Western languages. From Generation VI onward, the character limit was increased to six in Japanese and Korean and 12 in Western languages.

Game	R G B Y	FRLG	G S	C	HGSS	RS	E	ORAS	DP	Pt	BDSP
Male
Male	Red		Ethan			Brendan			Lucas
Female	N/A		N/A
Female	N/A	Leaf	N/A	Kris	Lyra	May			Dawn
	BW	B2W2	XY	SM	USUM	PE	SwSh	LA	S	V
Male
Male	Hilbert	Nate	Calem	Elio		Chase	Victor	Rei	Florian
Female
Female	Hilda	Rosa	Serena	Selene		Elaine	Gloria	Akari	Juliana

Pokémon as player characters

Main gameplay

In certain circunstances, the player is able to travel the overworld by controling a Pokémon.

In all games up to Generation VI, as well as in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, the player travels on water by using Surf.

In Pokémon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon, there are several Ride Pokémon. In Pokémon Legends: Arceus, there are other Ride Pokémon as well.

In Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, it is necessary to play as the Partner Pikachu^P or Eevee^E for a short time. This is done in order to enter the vents and walk over the walls at the Team Rocket Hideout for the purpose of obtaining the Lift Key.

Minigames

In Pokémon Yellow, the player controls the first partner Pokémon Pikachu in the Pikachu's Beach minigame.

In Pokémon FireRed, LeafGreen, and Emerald, the player is able to control certain Pokémon in the minigames Pokémon Jump and Dodrio Berry Picking.

In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, the player controls Pokémon in the Pokéathlon events.

In the side series games

Stadium series

Three unnamed player characters appear in Pokémon Stadium series. Japanese-only Pokémon Stadium featured one male character, whose design was likely based on Red. However, for the sequel, a brand new male character was created. This player was also in Pokémon Stadium 2, where he was given a female counterpart. She appears when a player uses a Pokémon Crystal Game Pak. Like the core series player characters, these three characters remain silent throughout the games.

Additionally, the Pokémon Stadium series includes various minigames featuring Pokémon as player characters. For instance Pikachu or Voltorb are the player characters in "Thundering Dynamo" from Pokémon Stadium, while Cleffa and Igglybuff are the player characters in "Streaming Stampede" from Pokémon Stadium 2.

Orre series

Aside from the standard that many of the games' player characters take in their journey, there are also several other ways in which other player characters complete their journey, such as Wes and Michael in Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness who are called to defeat Cipher and free all of their snagged Pokémon from their Shadow state.

Gallery

Stadium (JPN)	Stadium (ENG) & Stadium 2	Stadium 2	Colosseum	XD	Battle Revolution

Boy		Girl	Wes	Michael	Nate	Cyndy

In the spin-off games

This section is incomplete.
Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it.
Reason: Missing info about player characters from New Pokémon Snap

Mobile

Pokémon GO

In Pokémon GO, the player character can be chosen and customized at the beginning of the game. They can also be customized at any time from the profile screen starting in version 0.31.0.

The default male player character originally wore a gray weave hat, no glasses, a shirt that came with fingerless gloves, a green and red backpack, red and black pants and leggings, and green shoes. After an update the overhaled the trainer's wardrobe, the default male player character wears a gray trainer visor, no glasses, a light blue classic hoodie, a yellow trainer backpack, yellow fingerless gloves, trainer shorts, gray leggings, and yellow running shoes. Both designs feature the character with brunette hair, teal eyes, and light skin.

The default female player character originally wore a white and red cap, no glasses, a maroon shirt that came with a choker and gloves of the same color, a red backpack, an orange ball buckle belt, gray and black pants, and orange shoes. After an update that overhaled the trainer's wardrobe, the default female player character wears a black ball cap, no glasses, a black ribbon choker, a crimson classic longsleeve, a teal urban pack, black fingerless gloves, crimson ball buckle, crimson sprint suit, black long leg warmers, and red running shoes. Both designs feature the character with brunette hair, teal eyes, and light skin.

Pokémon Masters EX

In Pokémon Masters EX, the player character, Scottie or Bettie, is a Pokémon Trainer who travels to the artificial island of Pasio to participate in the Pokémon Masters League tournament.

All player characters (with the exception of Florian and Juliana from Pokémon Scarlet and Violet) appear as playable characters. So far, Red, Ethan, Brendan, Dawn, Hilbert, Rosa, Serena, Gloria, and Rei are confirmed to be based on the player character of their respective games. The other player characters are based on the non-player characters as applicable. Red is the only character based on a core series player character to be a Champion, as it is unconfirmed if any of the other characters based on the player characters have won their respective region's Pokémon League.

Pokémon: Magikarp Jump

In Pokémon: Magikarp Jump, the player plays as a person of ambiguous gender always referred to as "you", who fishes and trains Magikarp to jump as high as possible.

Pokémon Quest

Main article: Player (Quest)

In Pokémon Quest, the player explores the Tumblecube Island and befriends Pokémon.

Game Boy Color

Pokémon Trading Card Game series

In Pokémon Trading Card Game and Pokémon Trading Card Game 2: The Invasion of Team GR!, Mark and Mint do not use actual Pokémon themselves, but cards instead.

Pokémon Puzzle Challenge

In the Challenge mode of Pokémon Puzzle Challenge, the player character is Ethan. In this mode, he challenges the Gym Leaders and the Elite Four of Johto, as well as some other characters, in puzzle games.

Game Boy Advance

e-Reader games

There are several player characters in the e-Reader games.

Pokémon player characters:

Aipom (Harvest Time)
Butterfree (Flower Power)
Cleffa (Ride the Tuft)
Corsola (Diving Corsola)
Ditto (Ditto Leapfrog)
Doduo (Jumping Doduo)
Drowzee (Dream Eater)
Farfetch'd (Leek Game)
Hoothoot (Follow Hoothoot)
Kingler (Kingler's Day)
Machop (Machop At Work)
- It is able to evolve into Machoke and Machamp in the cutscene after the game ends.
Pichu (Hold Down Hoppip)
- Two Pichu (Tokotoko Truck)
Pikachu (Pika Pop)
Poliwrath (GO, Poliwrath!)
Rapidash (Fire Hoops)
Sudowoodo (Sneak and Snatch)
Totodile (Big Fruit Strategy!)
Tyranitar (Mighty Tyranitar)
Tyrogue (Punching Bags)
Ursaring (Berry Tree)
Voltorb (Rolling Voltorb)
Wobbuffet (Watch Out!)
Wooper (Wooper's Juggling Game)
Zubat (Night Flight)

Human player characters:

Imakuni? (Imakuni?'s Ball)
Several player characters (Construction: Action)

Nintendo DS

Pokémon Conquest

In Pokémon Conquest, the player character is the Warlord of Ransei's kingdom of Aurora. Their objective is to unite the seventeen kingdoms of the region, stop Nobunaga, and meet the legendary Pokémon that created Ransei. As more stories are unlocked, more characters become playable.

Pokémon Ranger series

In the Pokémon Ranger series, Lunick, Solana, Kellyn, Kate, Ben and Summer are not Pokémon Trainers, but instead Pokémon Rangers. They use the Pokémon they have captured with the Capture Styler to help them along the way. They also have partner Pokémon that follow them wherever they go.

Pokémon Trozei

In Pokémon Trozei!, the main protagonist is Lucy Fleetfoot, who must release all the Pokémon stolen by Phobos Battalion.

Pokémon Dash

In Pokémon Dash, the player character is Pikachu.

Learn with Pokémon: Typing Adventure

In Learn with Pokémon: Typing Adventure, the player can choose from four preset outfits, two for each gender, at the beginning of the game.

Nintendo 3DS

Pokémon Art Academy

The player is a student at the Pokémon Art Academy. The player's appearance is not seen in-game, although they are identified by their name and gender (male or female). The player's ID card also displays their student level and signature.

A non-player character of the opposite gender often interacts with the player as a friendly classmate: either Lee or Lily.

Nintendo 64

Pokémon Snap

In Pokémon Snap, Todd Snap must strive for something different from Trainers. He must capture all the Pokémon on Pokémon Island—on film.

Hey You, Pikachu!

Main article: Player (Hey You, Pikachu!)

In Hey You, Pikachu!, the player uses the PokéHelper to talk to Pikachu. The player is shown as a silhouette.

Pokémon Puzzle League

Pokémon Puzzle League is an anime-based game. The player characters come from the anime, instead of their core series counterparts. In the 1P Stadium mode, the player character is Ash Ketchum. In the 2P Stadium mode, there are 15 player characters to choose: Ash Ketchum, Gary Oak, the Team Rocket trio, Tracey, Ritchie, Brock, Misty, Lt. Surge, Erika, Koga, Sabrina, Blaine, Giovanni, Lorelei, and Bruno.

Wii

PokéPark series

In PokéPark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure, the player character is a Pikachu. In PokéPark 2: Wonders Beyond, the player characters are Pikachu, Snivy, Tepig, and Oshawott.

Arcade

Pokémon Ga-Olé

In Pokémon Ga-Olé, the main protagonist can be played in the arcade game as either a male or a female.

Pokkén Tournament

In Pokkén Tournament, the player took control of a character who wishes to rise to the top of the Ferrum League. The player avatar can be customized at the beginning of the game, with more customization options available to purchase in the shop as the game progresses.

Pokémon Battrio

Main article: Avatar (Battrio)

Players with Memory Keys have the ability to create an avatar (Japanese: アバター) that will serve as their profile for all activity while playing Pokémon Battrio. Players can select either a male or female avatar of varying types, and give their profile a nickname of up to four characters.

Pokémon Tug of War Tournament

In Pokémon Tug of War Tournament: Absolutely Get Medal!, the player characters available for this tug-of-war game are: Ash's Pikachu, Iris's Axew, Cilan's Pansage, Ash's Tepig, Ash's Snivy, and Ash's Oshawott.

Windows

Pokémon Play It! series

In Pokémon Play It! and Pokémon Play It! Version 2, Julie talks directly with the player. In the introduction of both games, Julie says that she and the player are Pokémon Trainers. However, they play the Trading Card Game rather than train Pokémon.

Perdue series

In Pokémon Team Rocket Blast Off, Pokémon Poké Ball Launcher, and Pokémon Seek & Find, the player characters are Ash Ketchum and May.

Pokémon Team Turbo

In Pokémon Team Turbo, there are 20 racers available: Bulbasaur, Venusaur, Charmander, Charmeleon, Squirtle, Blastoise, Pikachu, Treecko, Torchic, Blaziken, Mudkip, Skitty, Plusle, Spheal, Metagross, Kyogre, Groudon, Rayquaza, Deoxys, and Munchlax.

Sega consoles

This section is incomplete.
Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it.
Reason: Add the player characters from more Pico games

Sega Pico games

In Pokémon: Catch the Numbers!, there are several minigames with different player characters: Ash, Nurse Joy's Chansey, Jigglypuff (recurring anime character), or Ash's Pikachu.

Advanced Pico Beena games

In Pokémon Advanced Generation: Pokémon Number Battle!, Ash and May are the player characters in different game modes.

Various

Pokémon Rumble series

In Pokémon Rumble, the player starts as a Toy Rattata. In Pokémon Rumble Blast, the player starts as a Toy Pikachu. In Pokémon Rumble World, the player starts as their Mii character.

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series

In the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series, players play as actual Pokémon. Unlike most other Pokémon games, the player actually talks, but is given preset responses to say to questions. In Red Rescue Team, Blue Rescue Team, Explorers of Time, Explorers of Darkness, and Explorers of Sky, after defeating the final boss, the player speaks in full sentences instead of silently thinking to themselves or having answer choices. This type of dialogue is used by the player on rare occasions, in small amounts, throughout the story of Gates to Infinity.

Available player characters:

All 386 Pokémon up to Generation III in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team, Blue Rescue Team, and Rescue Team DX.
- Plus, in Rescue Team DX, evolutions that were added in later generations are now available. For example, Sylveon.
491 Pokémon up to Generation IV (Shaymin and Arceus are unavailable) in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Explorers of Darkness.
492 Pokémon up to Generation IV (Arceus is unavailable) in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky, as well as in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Keep Going! Blazing Adventure Squad, Let's Go! Stormy Adventure Squad, and Go For It! Light Adventure Squad.
144 Pokémon up to Generation V in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity.
720 Pokémon up to Generation VI (Volcanion is unavailable) in Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon.

For the starting player character and their partner, see hero Pokémon and partner Pokémon.

Super Smash Bros. series

The Super Smash Bros. series of fighting games includes characters from multiple franchises other than Pokémon. The playable characters from the Pokémon franchise found in Smash Bros. games are: Pikachu, Jigglypuff, Pichu, Mewtwo, Lucario, Squirtle, Ivysaur, Charizard, Greninja, and Incineroar. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Squirtle, Ivysaur and Charizard are playable under the control of the Pokémon Trainer, who is based on the player character versions of Red and Leaf and represents the concept of player characters in the Pokémon games.

Detective Pikachu series

In Detective Pikachu, the protagonist is Tim Goodman, who teams up with Detective Pikachu to solve several mysteries and search for his missing father. In Detective Pikachu Returns, Tim returns as the protagonist, but there are a few occasions over the course of the story where the player can control Detective Pikachu directly. There are also occasions where the player can control another Pokémon that Detective Pikachu is riding on: Growlithe, Galarian Darmanitan, Luxray, or Pangoro. In addition, during a certain part of the story, the player assumes control of Harry Goodman.