The list of Pokémon regions grows with each new game release, taking us on fresh adventures with our buddies across the world. There are plenty of great locations to explore and discuss, from the familiar Kanto region to all-new areas like Scarlet and Violet’s Spanish-inspired Paldea. The Pokémon world is a huge one, and we’re not done exploring it yet. Why not keep exploring after this by checking out our lists of the best Pokémon games, fish Pokémon, or dragon Pokémon? You can also find out more about the new Pokémon game that’s taking us back to Kalos, or stop and smell the roses in our flower Pokémon guide.
Let’s set off on an adventure with our guide to the many Pokémon regions.
Kanto
The setting for our very first Pokémon adventure (as well as a few remakes) is Kanto, an iconic location, to say the least. It’s the home of all the original gen 1 Pokémon too! While I might see Kanto more than I see my mum, there’s still a lot of charm to the region and an endearing amount of great design, including Lavender Town, the S.S. Anne, and the famous Cinnabar Island. Most of the towns in Kanto get their names from colors, which is why players start out in Pallet Town.
Kanto is where players meet Professor Oak, and if you went on to play Pokémon Gold, Silver, or Crystal, thanks to the incredible programming work of the late Satoru Iwata, players can explore the original Kanto as a post-game bonus after they’re done with Johto.
Johto
Pokémon Johto! It’s true, we do all live in a Pokémon world, and we especially did in the late 90s when Poké-fever was at its peak. After the smash success of Red, Blue, Green, and Yellow, fans couldn’t wait for whatever would come next. Well, in Pokémon Gold, Silver, and eventually Crystal, young players got to visit the region and Pokémon of Johto, as well as Professor Elm.
All the work done to make Kanto iconic is kicked up a notch, with several unforgettable areas like the Unown ruins, the Slowpoke well, and the Lake of Rage, where many meet their first shiny Pokémon in the form of the awesome red Gyrados. The trainers and Pokémon are just as memorable, as many full-grown adults are still walking around with PTSD from a cow Pokémon called Miltank. We even got to revisit the region in the best Pokémon games, Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, so Johto holds a special place in my heart.
Hoenn
Hoenn, the region ushered in alongside the gen 3 Pokémon, and the first entry on the GameBoy Advance, Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and eventually Emerald is a significant leap from previous generations in terms of graphics and content. This makes the sunny and beach-filled region of Hoenn feel alive, and a huge cast of new Pokémon takes advantage of that tropical feel like the chameleon Pokémon Kecleon, and the often forgotten but still amazing giant tree dinosaur known as Tropius.
Players get to revisit the region of Hoenn with Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, where once again, the nefarious teams known as Team Magma and Team Aqua are trying to use the power of the legendary Pokémon Groudon and Kyogre to take over the world with fire and water, respectively. Hoenn always feels in the middle of an environmental event with so much extreme weather, and it only adds to this region feeling alive.
Sinnoh/Hisui
Another generation and we jump platforms again, this time leaping onto the Nintendo DS with Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. The Sinnoh region isn’t quite as sun-drenched as Hoenn, instead returning to the rural and mountainous inspirations of Japan and introducing us to the dashing Professor Rowan. While Diamond and Pearl introduced the touch-screen, a slew of new evolutions to older Pokémon, and the fantastic legendaries Dialga and Palkia, the actual region had its own tricks up its sleeve.
The 2022 game Pokémon Legends: Arceus gives players a glimpse of what the Pokémon world looked like centuries ago when people were still exploring and early settlements were beginning to become the towns we now know and love. Before it was known as the Sinnoh region, it was Hisui, and in fact, this region even had forms of Pokémon we had never seen before, like the adorable Hisuin Growlithe and Arcanine who possess the rock-type as well as fire.
