Pokédex

The Pokédex is a fictional electronic encyclopedia in the Pokémon video game series and related media. It is used by Pokémon Trainers to record and access information about Pokémon species they encounter. In its typical in-universe function, the device stores data on each Pokémon's classification, height, weight, types, abilities, and often notes on habitat and behavior. As players encounter new species, the Pokédex entries are updated with data provided by researchers or monitors within the game world, and completing an entry often requires both viewing and capturing a specimen.

The concept originated in the early games, where Professor Oak in the Kanto region created and entrusted the player with the original Pokédex. Since then, regional and national variants have been introduced across generations, expanding the catalog to include hundreds of species and regional forms. The National Pokédex aggregates all regional entries and serves as a master checklist for completion.

In gameplay, the Pokédex serves as a guide for discovery, with entries providing hints and lore, and often cataloging evolution lines and related species. It is a central, optional goal of many games to complete the entire entry set, though some games unlock additional details or multimedia as the player progresses. The Pokédex has become a recognizable symbol of the Pokémon franchise and appears in various media and products beyond the core games.