Usually, in Pokémon, trainers will only have access to Pokédex entries based on the Pokémon in their current region. This is because the Pokédex they are handed at the start of the game is only a Regional Dex containing information on the Pokémon they are able to catch in the player’s current region. For earlier titles, a National Dex can be unlocked later in the game after completing certain missions. However, starting Pokémon Sun and Moon, seasoned players have had trouble unlocking the National Dex.
You cannot unlock National Dex in Pokémon Sun and Moon as traditional National Pokédex is not available in Pokémon Sun and Moon. Instead, it was added as an additional feature in the Pokémon Bank. So if you’re hoping to complete the National Dex in Pokémon Sun and Moon, you may not be able to since the National Dex itself is unavailable in the game.
The National Dex has been the pride of many old-generation players, and not having a National Dex to complete may be disappointing to many players. Unfortunately, even in recent Pokémon game titles, the National Dex is no longer available, and it doesn’t seem like Game Freak plans to bring back the National Dex for future games.
Why Did They Discontinue The Traditional National Dex?
One of the biggest changes in Pokémon game history is the fact that Game Freak made a firm decision to stop the National Dex beginning Pokémon Sun and Moon. This devastated a lot of players because it meant they would not be able to say they caught all the Pokémon, plus they would no longer be able to carry their favorite team with them to the new game.
According to Junichi Masuda in a VG247 interview, it was their decision to discontinue the National Dex to make way for new improvements in the game. However, he reassures fans that the team in Game Freak will always keep looking for innovative and enjoyable ways for new and old players to experience brand new Pokémon games to the fullest.
He also adds that for games like Pokémon Sword and Shield, they have made Pokémon Home, a hub for the player’s old Pokémon to stay in and can be brought back in certain games. In addition, the National Dex is an available feature in Pokémon Home.
Part of the reason they removed the Dex is to allow players to get attached to the new Pokémon being released for the new generation. Part of the experience of Pokémon games is for trainers to experience a new region and all the new region’s Pokémon and some regional variants. Pokémon Sun and Moon had several Generation I Pokémon with a whole new look to them waiting to be added to a trainer’s team.
Another reason that was never confirmed is that fans speculate that having all the Pokémon available in a game might take too much time from the development team. Each year Pokémon updates its graphics and designs. So it’s possible coming up with new designs for the old and new Pokémon may be tasking for the team. In addition, Pokémon now has over 900 species of Pokémon.
Is Pokémon Bank and Pokémon Home the New Successors to the National Dex?
In some way, the Pokémon Bank and Pokémon Home are the successors of the traditional National Pokédex. These two new applications also have the National Dex installed in them. So you can gather all your favorites into one app and transfer some of your favorite Mons into your games. Although, some old fans are not too accepting of this update.
The Pokémon Bank is an app for 3Ds that had a fee in the past. The bank allows you to store up to 3000 Pokémon. It also allowed players to store and transfer Pokémon from Generation V to Generation VII games. Currently, the application is free, and players can transfer their Pokémon to the new application Pokémon Home.
Following the Pokémon, Bank is Pokémon Home, a cloud service for mobile that allows players to store their Pokémon and Dex data in the app. Even if it’s a mobile app, players can transfer Pokémon from the core series for the Switch, Pokémon GO, Legends of Arceus, and Let’s Go Eevee and Pikachu.
With Pokémon Home, Players are allowed to transfer the Pokémon they have in the app to their game file, provided the Pokémon is part of the Regional Pokédex of the game they plan to conduct the transfer to.
Can I Bring Pokémon from My Old Games to My Current Games?
With Pokémon Transporter and Pokémon Bank, you are able to bring your Pokémon from Pokémon: Black and White, and Pokémon: X and Y to your Pokémon Sun and Moon game. You can also bring in your older Pokémon from previous games, provided you are using the Virtual Console of the game that allows you access to Pokémon Bank.
Trainers playing Pokémon Sword and Shield can use Pokémon Home to transfer any Pokémon present in their Regional Dex into their game. Pokémon Home is compatible with almost every current generation Pokémon game including Pokémon: Legend of Arceus, Pokémon: Let’s Go Eevee and Pikachu, and even the popular mobile game, Pokémon GO.
You can use Pokémon Home to store all your favorite Pokémon. Once a new Pokémon game is released, if that Pokémon is present in that region, then the trainer may transfer the Pokémon if they want to use it in their game.
How Many Pokémon Are There in the National Dex?
As of writing, there are a total of 905 different species of Pokémon recorded in the National Dex. If your Pokémon Home app is updated, the information of each Pokémon should be present. However, the new Pokémon games, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, are sure to release a bunch of new Pokémon and regional variants.
However, if you count Mega Evolutions and Gigantamax into the basic number, then there might be over 1000 Pokémon as of the moment. The National Dex continues to expand, and right now, almost every trainer is trying to complete the National Dex through Pokémon Home.
Will an In-Game National Dex Be Present in the Future?
hIt looks like there will be no in-game National Dex in the future. Masuda has already stated that Game Freak has no regrets about removing the National Dex from the main games. Game Freak seems to be putting a lot of effort into improving the player experience by constantly updating Pokémon Home. A nice twist to the current generation of Pokémon Games is that even side Pokémon games are now compatible in Pokémon Home, making it possible to keep all a trainer’s favorite Pokémon in one safe place.
