Which Pokémon games were the first main-series entries with an open-world design?

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet were the first main-series entries with an open-world design.

Released for Nintendo Switch on November 18, 2022, the games take place in the Paldea region, which is inspired by the Iberian Peninsula. Unlike earlier main-series games, Paldea combines cities and wilderness into connected open areas without the same separating borders.

Players can pursue three story routes and complete objectives in different orders. The games also allow Gym challenges to be attempted in any order, although opponents do not automatically scale to the player’s progress.

Scarlet and Violet introduced the Legendary Pokémon Koraidon and Miraidon, which serve as rideable companions. They also introduced Terastalization, a battle mechanic that changes a Pokémon’s Tera Type. The open-world structure was a major design shift, though technical performance problems drew criticism after launch.