Pokémon X and Y
Pokémon X and Pokémon Y are 2013 role-playing video games developed by Game Freak and published by The Pokémon Company and Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS. They are the first installments in the sixth generation of the main Pokémon game series. First announced in January 2013 by Nintendo president Satoru Iwata through a Nintendo Direct, Pokémon X and Pokémon Y were released worldwide in October 2013, and they were the first Pokémon games to have a simultaneous global release.
As with previous installments, the games follow the journey of a young Pokémon Trainer as they train and battle Pokémon while thwarting schemes of the criminal organisation Team Flare. X and Y introduced 72 new Pokémon species, and added new features including the new Fairy-type, character customisation, updated battle and training mechanics such as "Mega Evolution", and completely rendered polygonal 3D graphics as opposed to the sprites used in previous generations. While the games are independent of each other and each can be played separately, trading Pokémon between the two games is necessary to complete the games' Pokédex.
X and Y received generally positive reviews; critics praised the games' visuals and transition to 3D models, though the games' story, characters and linearity drew criticism. The highly anticipated games were a commercial success, selling four million copies worldwide in the first weekend, beating their predecessors Pokémon Black and White's record and making them the fastest-selling games on the 3DS., a combined total of 16.76 million copies have been sold worldwide, making X and Y the second best-selling games on the system after Mario Kart 7.
A sequel, Pokémon Legends: Z-A, features the redevelopment of Lumiose City and was released for the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 on October 16, 2025. It takes place five years after the events of Pokémon X and Y.
Gameplay
Pokémon X and Y are role-playing video games with adventure elements, presented in a third-person, overhead perspective. They are also the first Pokémon games to include 3D functions compatible with the consoles in the Nintendo 3DS family. The player controls a young trainer who goes on a quest to catch and train creatures known as Pokémon and win battles against other trainers. By defeating opposing Pokémon in turn-based battles, the player's Pokémon gain experience, allowing them to level up and increase their battle statistics, learn new moves, and in some cases, evolve into more powerful Pokémon. Alternatively, players can capture wild Pokémon found during random encounters by weakening them in battle and catching them with Poké Balls to be added to the player's party. Players are also able to battle and trade Pokémon with other human players using the Nintendo 3DS's internet features, which were enhanced in the sixth generation games. Like with previous games in the series, certain Pokémon are only obtainable in either X or Y, keeping players encouraged to trade with others in order to obtain all Pokémon.New features
Pokémon X and Y are the first titles in the main series presented in fully 3D polygonal graphics, allowing for more interactivity with the overworld and more dynamic action during battles. Players are also able to customise their Pokémon trainer's appearance, choosing gender, skin tone and hair colour at the start of the game, and can later acquire outfits and accessories in-game to change their character's look. Joining the previous generations of Pokémon are all new species, such as the new starter Pokémon; Chespin, Fennekin and Froakie, and the legendary Pokémon Xerneas, Yveltal and Zygarde. The player can choose from one of the classic starter Pokémon from Pokémon Red and Blue later on in the game. The new Fairy-type is introduced for both new and old Pokémon, and it is the first new type added to the series since Pokémon Gold and Silver. The game's developers stated the addition was used to balance the Dragon-type.A new element in the series is Mega Evolution, in which fully evolved Pokémon, such as Mewtwo and Lucario, can use special items called "Mega Stones" to temporarily evolve further into Mega Evolved forms during battle, with some Pokémon having multiple possible Mega form available. Also introduced are Sky Battles, and Horde Encounters. The former are mid-air trainer battles that only airborne Pokémon can participate in; these were added to take advantage of the game's 3D-capabilities and provide a new perspective to battling. The latter being one-versus-five wild encounters designed to be more difficult than standard one-versus-one wild battles. The Pokémon-Amie mode allowed the player to interact with their Pokémon using the 3DS' touchscreen and camera, playing with them and giving them treats to strengthen their bonds between trainer and Pokémon, and ultimately influencing how Pokémon would act during battle. Super Training features various minigames that help build the base stats of the player's Pokémon, which in turn unlocks training bags that can help Pokémon to become stronger.
Connectivity to other devices
Along with the many additions that X and Y introduced, various improvements to the communication features were also implemented. Using the Player Search System, players can encounter and keep track of various online players, including strangers, allowing them to easily initiate battles or trades. The Holo Caster allows the player to receive messages and updates from NPCs via StreetPass and SpotPass. Wonder Trade is a new trading feature which allows players to trade one of their Pokémon in exchange for a random one from another player. Other features include O-Powers, temporary powers that can increase stats and can be exchanged with other players, and improvements to the Global Trade System, allowing players to request Pokémon they have not encountered. At certain points in the game, players will be able to take in-game screenshots, which they can then share on the Pokémon Global Link website.Pokémon Bank is an optional paid cloud storage service that allows players to store up to 3,000 Pokémon online to be shared amongst whichever physical or downloaded copies of the games they own. Another application called Poké Transporter allows players to upload Pokémon owned in Pokémon Black, White, Black 2, and White 2 to Bank, which can then be imported into X and Y. There are plans to use these applications for future games in the series. These applications, announced for release on 27 December 2013, were postponed to 5 February 2014, due to the volume of traffic on the Nintendo Network service.
Plot
Setting
The games take place in the star-shaped Kalos region, one of many such regions across the fictional Pokémon world. Centered around beauty, the region is heavily inspired by Metropolitan France and, to a lesser extent, Europe as a whole. Many locations and landmarks across Kalos have real-world inspirations, including Prism Tower, the Lumiose Art Museum and the stones outside Geosenge Town. Wild Pokémon inhabit every corner of the Kalos region, many of which are only known to appear in this area.Story
Similar to previous Pokémon games, X and Y both follow a linear storyline whose main events occur in a fixed order. The protagonist of Pokémon X and Y has just moved to a small town called Vaniville Town with their mother Grace. They soon befriend four trainers—Shauna, Tierno, Trevor and their rival Calem or Serena,—all of whom were called to meet Professor Augustine Sycamore who is the leading professor in the Kalos region in Lumiose City, the main city of Kalos. Receiving either Chespin, Fennekin or Froakie as their starter Pokémon from Tierno, the player begins their adventure. Along the way, they learn of Pokémon Gyms and receive their first badge for defeating Viola, the Santalune City Gym Leader. Thereafter, they encounter Sina and Dexio, assistants of Sycamore, who brings them to the professor himself; however, once in Lumiose City they discover the area to be suffering from a partial power outage. Upon meeting Sycamore in Lumiose City, the player is informed of Mega Evolution and he requests they travel across Kalos and uncover the mysteries behind it. He provides them with one of the Kanto region starter Pokémon and their respective Mega Stone. Before leaving Lumiose City, the player encounters an imposing man named Lysandre who desires a more beautiful world.File:Seine and Eiffel Tower from Tour Saint Jacques 2013-08.JPG|thumb|left|The Kalos region was heavily inspired by France, with the main city—Lumiose City—being a representation of Paris. The in-game city is crowned by the Prism Tower, a building inspired by the Eiffel Tower.
Continuing their journey, the player encounters the villainous Team Flare, whose goals at first seem to be geared towards making money off of Pokémon. Later encounters with Team Flare reveal their true goal to be the annihilation of humanity to return the world to a pristine, more beautiful state. In Shalour City, the player learns how to use Mega Evolution from the Mega Evolution guru Gurkinn and his granddaughter Korrina, who is the Gym Leader of Shalour City. Defeating Korrina in a special Mega Evolution battle using Lucario, the player is given the ability to freely use Mega Evolution. The player then continues their journey, defeating Gym Leaders and stopping various schemes carried out by Team Flare. In the Lumiose Badlands, the player defeats Team Flare during their attempt to steal energy from the region's power plant and restores power to all of Lumiose City. Once the player obtains their seventh badge, they, and the rest of Kalos, are addressed by Lysandre through the Holo Caster ; Lysandre informs them of the fact that he is the leader of Team Flare and intends to destroy humanity.
Following hints from friends and locals, the player discovers Team Flare's secret lab under a café in Lumiose City where they formally meet a tall man named AZ; he is revealed to be the 3,000-year-old king who once used the "ultimate weapon"—the same device and weapon of mass destruction Lysandre plans to use—which utilized energy from the legendary Pokémon Xerneas or Yveltal to end a war in Kalos. AZ's decision to use the ultimate weapon was motivated by his desire to revive the Pokémon he loved the most, a variant of the Pokémon Floette, although the Pokémon was disgusted with his choice to use the ultimate weapon and left him. This war 3,000 years ago set in motion the events necessary to create Mega Evolution by inadvertently infusing excessive energy into an asteroid. Alongside Shauna and Calem or Serena, the player sets out to stop Team Flare and Lysandre at their second base in Geosenge Town, the location of the ultimate weapon. Upon reaching the core of the weapon, the player discovers a dormant Xerneas or Yveltal which suddenly awakens with their appearance. They capture the legendary Pokémon and proceed to bring an end to Lysandre's plans after defeating him in battle one final time. After the battle, Lysandre will use the ultimate weapon to destroy the ultimate weapon. The player, Shauna, and Calem or Serena, make their escape from the base before this can happen.
With the defeat of Team Flare, the player resumes their journey and obtains their eighth and final Gym Badge, enabling them to challenge the Elite Four—the most powerful Pokémon Trainers in the region. They traverse Victory Road and reach the Kalos League to begin their final challenge. Once they overcome the Elite Four, the player faces and defeats Kalos League Champion Diantha, making the player the new Kalos League Champion. A parade is organised by Professor Sycamore to celebrate the player's role in saving the Kalos region and becoming the new Kalos League Champion. AZ battles the player during the parade, recognising the player's real strength and what it means to be a Pokémon Trainer. His Floette then returns to him and they are reunited for the first time in 3,000 years.