Which Pokémon video game first introduced animated Pokémon sprites during battles?

Pokémon Crystal was the first Pokémon video game to introduce animated Pokémon sprites during battles.

Crystal is the enhanced third version of the second-generation games Pokémon Gold and Silver. Its battle sprites move briefly when a Pokémon enters combat, giving the otherwise static Game Boy Color battles a greater sense of personality.

The animation feature was separate from the game’s gender-selection option, although both are among Crystal’s best-known additions. Crystal also added the Battle Tower and placed greater emphasis on the Legendary Pokémon Suicune.

Later Pokémon games used increasingly elaborate animations as the series moved to more powerful hardware. Crystal’s small sprite movements should not be confused with the full 3D battle animations seen in later Nintendo DS, 3DS, and Switch titles.