If you ask a casual fan how many creatures are on the list of every Pokemon, they’ll probably guess something like 800 or maybe a clean 1,000. They’d be wrong. Honestly, the "real" number is a moving target that makes even hardcore completionists want to pull their hair out.
As of early 2026, the official National Pokedex count sits at 1,025 unique species. That’s the "vanilla" answer. But if you’re actually trying to catch them all, that number is a complete fantasy. Once you start counting regional variants, Mega Evolutions, and the weird stuff like Gigantamax forms, you’re looking at a roster of 1,164 different designs.
It’s gotten messy. Really messy.
The 1,025 Barrier and Why It Doesn't Matter
Basically, the Pokemon Company treats the National Dex like a legal document. Species #1000 is Gholdengo—that weird surfer-dude-looking thing made of gold coins from Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Species #1025 is Pecharunt, the tiny peach-ghost that caused all that chaos in the Kitakami DLC.
But here’s the thing: those are just "base" entries.
If you have a Vulpix from Kanto, it’s a Fire-type. If you have one from Alola, it’s Ice. They share the same Pokedex number (#037), but they are functionally different animals. To a collector, the list of every Pokemon has to include both. You can't just ignore the snowy fox because it shares an ID with the orange one.
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The Breakdown by Generation
Let’s look at how we got here. It wasn't a steady climb; it was more like a series of growth spurts followed by weird experimental phases.
- Gen 1 (Kanto): 151. The classics. Simple designs.
- Gen 2 (Johto): 100. Introduced the "baby" Pokemon and two new types (Steel/Dark).
- Gen 3 (Hoenn): 135. This is where things got colorful and a bit more complex.
- Gen 4 (Sinnoh): 107. Lots of evolutions for older Pokemon, like Electivire and Magmortar.
- Gen 5 (Unova): 156. The biggest jump ever. They tried to "reboot" the feeling of the first games by giving us a completely new cast.
- Gen 6 (Kalos): 72. The smallest addition. Why? Because they spent all their time designing 48 Mega Evolutions.
- Gen 7 (Alola): 88. This is where regional forms started (Alolan Exeggutor, anyone?).
- Gen 8 (Galar): 96. Included the Isle of Armor and Crown Tundra additions.
- Gen 9 (Paldea): 120. The current era, capped off by Pecharunt.
The Variant Trap: Regional Forms and Megas
You’ve probably heard people arguing about whether Mega Evolutions "count." In the competitive scene, they absolutely do. In the eyes of the National Dex? Not so much.
Mega Evolutions (48 in total) are temporary mid-battle transformations. However, with the 2025 release of Pokemon Legends: Z-A, we saw a massive resurgence in this mechanic. Fans were literally begging for Mega Flygon for a decade. Did they get it? The community is still reeling from the new additions to the Kalos lore.
Then you have the Regional Variants. These are permanent. A Galarian Meowth isn't going to turn back into a regular Meowth just because you traveled to another city. There are currently 59 of these variants scattered across Alola, Galar, Hisui, and Paldea.
What Most People Get Wrong About "Forms"
It gets even more granular. Take a Pokemon like Spinda. It has billions of possible spot patterns. Or Alcremie, which has 63 different "flavors" based on how you spun your character and what candy you gave it.
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If you tried to make a physical list of every Pokemon including every minor visual form, the list would be longer than a CVS receipt for a single pack of gum. Most experts (and the reputable databases like Serebii or Bulbapedia) draw the line at "mechanical differences." If it has a different type or different base stats, it’s a separate entry for your "Living Dex."
The Legendaries: Quality Over Quantity?
We are currently at 71 Legendaries and a handful of Mythicals. Back in Gen 1, we just had the birds and Mewtwo. Now, we have entire pantheons.
The Paradox Pokemon from Gen 9 really threw a wrench in the works. Are Iron Valiant or Roaring Moon "real" Pokemon? The game says yes, but they feel like glitches in the timeline. They are essentially prehistoric or futuristic versions of existing mons, occupying their own slots in the 1,025 count.
How to Actually Track the List of Every Pokemon
If you’re a player in 2026, you’re likely using Pokemon HOME. It’s the only way to keep sanity.
- Sort by National Dex Number: This gives you the clean 1 to 1,025 list.
- The "Form" Filter: Use this to see your Alolan, Galarian, and Hisuian variants.
- The Shiny Dex: Every one of the 1,025 species has a Shiny version. That effectively doubles your hunting list to 2,050 if you’re a glutton for punishment.
It's honestly a bit overwhelming. You've got to deal with trade evolutions, items like the "Reveille Coin," and time-of-day requirements that make some species incredibly hard to pin down.
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Actionable Steps for Completionists
If you are serious about checking off the list of every Pokemon, don't just start at Bulbasaur and work your way up. You'll burn out before you hit Johto.
Instead, focus on the "Regional Dexes" first. Complete the Paldean Dex in Scarlet/Violet, then move to the Kitakami and Blueberry Academy lists. These are smaller, manageable chunks. Use the GTS (Global Trade System) in the mobile version of Pokemon HOME to swap your version exclusives.
Check for "Event Only" Mythicals like Zarude or Meloetta. These don't usually count toward completing the standard Pokedex for the Shiny Charm, but they are essential if you want the "Original Color Magearna" reward for a truly complete National Dex.
Stop worrying about the "final" number. By the time you read this, a new Paradox event or a distribution might have already bumped the count. Just catch what's in front of you.
The hunt never actually ends. That’s kind of the point.