What games can I transfer my Pokémon to?

Question

This thread will help you determine which games you can trade or transfer your Pokemon to. If you have anything to add, any updates to make or any errors to point out, please leave a comment or contact a staff member.

This question is a member of the common repeat question list. This means that any new questions which could be resolved using the contents of this thread will be closed. However, if, after reading the guide below, your issue is not resolved, then you may post a new question indicating this.

Answer 1

It is not possible to transfer Pokemon to a game that is from a previous generation^. This applies even if the Pokemon was originally transferred from a game belonging to a previous generation. However, Pokemon may be transported to and from Pokemon Home and Pokemon Bank depending on your game. It is also possible to trade Pokemon between main series games of the same generation**.

Refer to the flowchart below to see where your Pokemon can go. (Please credit me if you re-use this!)

^ The only exception, as sumwun mentioned before me, is that transferring Pokemon from Gen 2 to Gen 1 is possible if the Pokemon was present in Gen 1.

* Virtual Console games could be considered part of Gen 7 in some ways, because Pokemon from them cannot be sent to any game prior to Gen 7.

** LGP/E is considered to be part of Gen 7, but it has no interactivity with other Gen 7 instalments in the series. Pokemon in LGP/E can make a one-way transfer to Pokemon Home or be traded between copies of LGP/E.

Comments

Are the 2 generations of VC games compatible with each other?

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Looks like they are. I updated the flowchart.

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But, we can transfer Pokémon from Gen 4 (D/P/Pt, HG/SS) to gen 5 via Pokétransfer, can't we?
So, isn't this also an exception for this?
"It is not possible to transfer Pokemon to a game from a previous generation"

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That's a badly written sentence. I'm pretty sure it means the game is from a previous generation, and a Pokemon can't transfer to the game. Pokemon are not transferring from a previous generation.

Answer 2

The Time Capsule (Japanese: タイムカプセル Time Capsule) is a mechanic in Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal that allows players to trade Pokémon back in time to Pokémon Red, Green, Blue, Yellow.

source

So Pokemon can move from Generation 2 to Generation 1 (and you can transfer them wherever you want if you cheat) but otherwise Pokemon cannot be transferred to earlier generations.

Pokemon can't transfer back if they're Generation 2 Pokemon or know Generation 2 moves, but for some reason, Generation 1 games can handle Pokemon holding Generation 2 items.

Answer 3

No it wouldn't work for one thing SS is 4th gen while Oshawott is 5th gen so its doesn't exist yet. If you have played 5th gen before you know about the transfer where they come but don't return

Comments

Thanks! But that sucks. :(

Answer 4

The answer is – drumroll please–…

NO!

It will not work because the coding for Oshawott is not in the coding for SoulSilver, because Oshawatt was designed after SS was created. Even Game Freak can't see the future.