Home Console Games: main series or side series?

[WallflowerCanyon]

It's been something that I've always questioned, concerning the Stadiums/Colosseum/XD/Battle Revolution games... but are these particular games considered to be part of the "main series" (they have connectivity with only the main series handheld games), or are they part of the "side series" (Pokemon Mystery Dungeon, Pokemon Ranger, ect.)

The reason why I'm asking this is because I've seen various people on here and elsewhere debate it. Some people consider those particular home console games to be part of the side-series, since they categorize them as spin-offs. But as the links suggest that I provided, these particular home console games are categorized as part of the main series. Does it have anything to do with their connectivity to only the main handhelds?

 

[Joshawott]

Yeah, this is a tough one, especially considering that the Ranger games can connect to the main-series games. However, with Ranger, the connectivity is only a bonus, whereas with Stadium/2/Colo/XD/PBR it's the main focus of those games. However, they are more like add-ons than actual games.

I could be pain and suggest that they get their own category. However, they fit into main series more than spin-off, so for now, I think they belong there.

 

[Sanic Hegehog]

The console games are most likely part of the Side series. After all, the console games are not canon to the handheld games and vise versa; Not even via cameo or referral.

(And yes there is canon before any of you ask)

 

[Somari]

I consider them canon spinoffs. They're somewhere inbetween side series and main series, they don't exactly fit into either category.

 

[WallflowerCanyon]

After all, the console games are not canon to the handheld games and vise versa; Not even via cameo or referral.

That's actually a little confusing, especially since Kanto, Johto, and Hoenn are referenced or at least mentioned by various PC's within both Colosseum and XD. As for the Stadiums and Battle Revolution, I can't exactly say. I've never played those games myself, nor have I seen anybody bring up references 'n whatnot that happened while they had played the Stadiums and PBR. I do think though that Colosseum and XD are at least canon to the main handhelds in a few ways (i.e. they mention how Orre is the only region out of all the others that are absent of wild Pokemon, up until the Pokespots were brought in, but wild Pokemon in general remain to be quite scarce).

To be honest, up until now I never really categorized the Stadium/Colosseum games as either a main series or side series. I usually just labeled them as the "games that let you battle 'mons in full 3D and have connectivity to the main handhelds". We also have other home console games like Pokemon Snap, Pokepart Wii, and Pokemon Rumble(for WiiWare) to take into consideration, as those games are categorized as side-series games. Both those and the Stadium/Colosseum games are all for home consoles, so what exactly seperates one group from the other?

 

[Gligar13]

They are their own series, of battle sims (and with colo/xd) and traditional Console RPGs.

 

[Miar]

Stadium and Battle Revolution - Side games that connect to main games

Colosseum - both Main and Side series at the same time. Main for being able to catch Pokémon and trade between it and the GBA games, and side for having a Vs. Mode separate from the main game and similar to Stadium that can use GBA teams
XD lacks that vs. mode, so it's Main series only.

Yes, Stadium games do have Pokémon you can send to the main games, but only a couple each, same as the Ranger games. The Gamecube ones have their own story and a larger (but still very limited) selection of Pokémon to choose from in it.

 

[yourlilemogirl]

That's actually a little confusing, especially since Kanto, Johto, and Hoenn are referenced or at least mentioned by various PC's within both Colosseum and XD. As for the Stadiums and Battle Revolution, I can't exactly say. I've never played those games myself, nor have I seen anybody bring up references 'n whatnot that happened while they had played the Stadiums and PBR. I do think though that Colosseum and XD are at least canon to the main handhelds in a few ways (i.e. they mention how Orre is the only region out of all the others that are absent of wild Pokemon, up until the Pokespots were brought in, but wild Pokemon in general remain to be quite scarce). ...

And what about that other game nobody ever mentions, 'Hey You Pikachu!'? Is it canon? From what i remember isn't it set somewhere in Kanto between Viridian Forest and some other town? I know it's more than likely a side-series game since you can't catch, trade, or anything else with it (other than command a wild pikachu to do things) but does actually being in a canon region make it canon itself?

I think the point was though, that Colo./XD's Orre might not be "canon" since sure the ppl in-game mention the canon regions and pokemon, but the thing is nobody else outside of Orre mentions Orre, like the way the one guy in the Desert Resort mentions being from Hoenn, etc.

For me personally, i consider XD/Colo. to be Main Series Console games, and the others like r/b/g/y, g/s/c, etc. to be Main Series Handheld games. With things like PMD/Ranger to be Side Series, and PBR/Stadium to simply be Battle Sim Bonus game.

 

[FireMeowth]

The way I see it...
- the games that are primarily meant as enhancements for the main games (such as the Stadium games, PBR, My Pokémon Ranch etc.) are side games
- the games in which you don't catch and train Pokémon (apart from the side games) are spin-offs
- the games in which you do catch and train Pokémon (obviously thereby including Colosseum and XD:GoD) are main games

Seems like the most correct definition. *nods*

 

[Almonds]

The way I see it...
- the games in which you don't catch and train Pokémon (apart from the side games) are spin-offs

Then Pokemon Rangers are spin-offs? But they were canon with the originals...at least in the anime

 

[hurristat]

Then Pokemon Rangers are spin-offs? But they were canon with the originals...at least in the anime

Game canon and anime canon are two entirely different things. They're likely not canon in main game canon.

 

[FireMeowth]

They don't have to be main games to co-exist in the same world as the main games, though. People in Ranger games always allude to other regions and such, so it's obvious that they are supposed to be in different parts of the same world. But still, what defines a game as a main game, side game or spin-off - to me - is the gameplay. The gameplay in Ranger games is obviously pretty far from what you see in the main Pokémon games, so yeah, I'd say spin-off.

 

[Articwolf10]

I see the Ranger series and Collo/XD as Main games They do exist in the Main Game Canon (Orre gets pokemon from Kanto Johto and Hoenn and probably Sinnoh and Unova as well) and you traded the Manaphy egg to Sinnoh from Fiorre... the PMD series are an AU and don't exist in the MG Canon games like Revolution and Stadium are mearly battle sims seperate from MG Canon

 

[Skarm-Flier]

Side series,cause main series would NEVER shift from handheld to home console,there is a reason for this too,which would be explained in another post.