Time Capsule: Difference between revisions

This article is about the trading method in Generation II. For the Pokémon fought in a Pokéstar Studios movie, see Time Machine.

This article is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this article to add missing information and complete it. Reason: Missing localized names; influence on Red's dialogue should be checked on non-English versions (in particular, the Japanese versions); Japanese TCG card number

Ken Sugimori artwork of the Time Capsule from Gold and Silver

The Time Capsule (Japanese: タイムカプセル Time Capsule) is a mechanic in Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal that allows players to trade Pokémon back in time to Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow. A permanent fixture in every Pokémon Center, the Time Capsule is the only facility which allows direct inter-generational trades.

The Time Capsule was also featured as a Trainer Card in the TCG.

In the games

The Time Capsule is located on the second floor of each Pokémon Center. However, it will be under repair and unavailable until the player has met Bill in Ecruteak City. Even then, the player has to wait for another 24 real-life hours before being able to use the Time Capsule.

After this point, it is possible to trade with the main series Generation I games; however, there are still some restrictions:

• The player cannot have any Generation II Pokémon or Eggs in their party.
• None of the Generation I Pokémon that are in the party can know any moves introduced in Generation II.

When linked up to a Generation I game, the trade will happen as it did in Generation I, and the Generation II game will act as if it is a Generation I game.

Consequences

Because of the restriction that moves introduced in Generation II cannot be traded back to Generation I, a man in Blackthorn City will delete moves that are incompatible with earlier games. While trades with previous generations were not supported in any games after Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, the "move deleter" concept was retained as part of gameplay.

Glitches

The Time Capsule's limitation that prevents Generation II Pokémon from entering can be bypassed with the Johto guard glitch, though Generation II Pokémon brought in this way must still only know Generation I moves. When traded to a Generation I game, they will become glitch Pokémon. The four Pokémon that evolve by trade in Generation I - Haunter, Kadabra, Machoke, and Graveler, if traded from a Generation I game to a Generation II game at the correct level, will learn a Generation II move after evolving, but can be traded back to Generation I immediately after. This gives access to glitch moves in the Generation I game.

In future generations

Direct trades between generations would not be possible in any games from the third generation onwards, although it is possible to move Pokémon forward a generation through use of Pal Park (from Generation III to Generation IV) and the Poké Transfer (from Generation IV to Generation V). Pokémon can no longer be "sent back in time".

The Time Machine is not present in the Gold and Silver remakes Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver.

In the TCG

This listing is of cards mentioning or featuring the Time Capsule in the Pokémon Trading Card Game.

Time Capsule Cards listed with a blue background are only legal to use in the current Expanded format. Cards listed with a green background are legal to use in both the current Standard and Expanded formats.
Card	Type	English Expansion	Rarity	#	Japanese Expansion	Rarity	#
Time Capsule	T	Neo Genesis		090/111	Gold, Silver, to a New World...		—/096

Trivia

• In Generation II, when the player goes to battle Red on Mt. Silver, his dialogue may be slightly modified depending on whether or not the Time Capsule has been used. If it has not, there will be only one ellipsis. However, if it has been used, four will be present.

Names

Language Title Japanese タイムカプセル French Bloc temporel German Zeitkapsel Italian Tempocapsula

This game mechanic article is part of Project Games, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon games.