Pokémon Silver Version

Pokémon Silver Version is a single-player role-playing game with turn-based battles and monster-collecting elements.

The story is set three years after the events of Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow: Special Pikachu Edition. Players take on the role of a new Pokémon Trainer from New Bark Town in the Johto region, a land distinct from Kanto with its own cities, routes, and culture. With the guidance of Professor Elm, the Trainer receives their first Pokémon and sets out on a journey to challenge Johto’s eight Gym Leaders, confront the remnants of the villainous Team Rocket, and ultimately face the Elite Four and Champion to claim the title of Pokémon League Champion.

Gameplay continues the core loop of exploring the overworld, battling wild Pokémon, and capturing them in Poké Balls to build a balanced team. Battles are turn-based, with each Pokémon using moves that are affected by type advantages, accuracy, and status conditions. Progression involves gaining experience points to level up Pokémon, teaching them new moves, and evolving them into stronger forms. Trainers must also manage limited items such as potions, revives, and status-healing medicines, purchased with prize money earned from defeating other Trainers.

Pokémon Silver Version introduces 100 new Pokémon, expanding the Pokédex to 251 species in total. This includes new evolutionary stages for certain Pokémon from the previous generation. The game also debuts two new elemental types, Dark and Steel, which were designed to balance the battle system and counter Psychic- and Normal-type strategies. Breeding is another major addition: placing two compatible Pokémon at the Day Care can produce an Egg, which hatches into a baby Pokémon after the player travels a certain number of steps.

Several new systems deepen gameplay. A built-in clock tracks time in real hours and days, altering which Pokémon appear, triggering time-based events, and introducing day-and-night cycles. The PokéGear, a multifunction device carried by the player, includes a map, phone for rematches and tips, and a radio that provides music and announcements. The Pokédex now allows sorting by evolutionary families, making it easier to track progress.

Beyond the Johto region, players eventually gain access to Kanto, the setting of the original games, doubling the amount of explorable territory and allowing battles with the Gym Leaders of that land. Multiplayer functionality is available through the Game Link Cable, enabling battles and trades with other players. Completing the Pokédex often requires trading with owners of Pokémon Gold Version or other compatible titles, as certain Pokémon are exclusive to each version.

The Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console re-release in 2017 preserved the original gameplay while adding wireless trading and battling. This allowed players to complete the Pokédex without a physical link cable.