Which 1987 role-playing game helped inspire Satoshi Tajiri’s Pokémon concept?

Dragon Quest II helped inspire Satoshi Tajiri’s Pokémon concept.

While playing the 1987 Famicom role-playing game Dragon Quest II, Tajiri noticed the excitement created by rare, randomly appearing items. He later connected that feeling with the Game Boy’s Link Cable and imagined players transferring rare creatures between cartridges.

The idea also drew on Tajiri’s childhood hobby of collecting insects. Pokémon therefore combined discovery, rarity, collecting, and exchange rather than focusing only on battles. The Link Cable transformed the concept into a social game, because some Pokémon could be obtained only by trading.

Dragon Quest II was an inspiration rather than the direct source of Pokémon’s setting or characters. Other influences included Ultraseven’s monster capsules, collectible cards, and earlier portable role-playing games.