Which Pokémon games were the first main-series titles to support Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection?

Pokémon Diamond and Pearl were the first main-series Pokémon games to support Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Released for the Nintendo DS in Japan in 2006, they allowed players to connect online for trading and battles.

The games introduced the Sinnoh region and used the Nintendo DS’s wireless capabilities to extend multiplayer beyond local Game Link Cable connections. Players could visit the Global Trade Station, search for trades, and interact with other players through Nintendo’s online service. Wi-Fi also supported online battles and other multiplayer functions.

This feature marked a major shift in Pokémon’s connected play. Earlier games supported local communication through cables or short-range wireless features, but Diamond and Pearl made worldwide player interaction a central possibility. Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection was eventually discontinued in 2014, so the original online functions are no longer officially available. The games themselves remain important because their networking ideas influenced later Pokémon trading and battling systems.