- For the store named after it in real life, see Pokémon Center (store).
A Pokémon Center is a type of location introduced in Generation I.
Description[]
Pokémon Center in Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee!
A Pokémon Center is used mainly to replenish the HP, PP, and any status condition of the Pokémon in the player's party, free of charge. They are located in nearly every town and city. The Pokémon at a Pokémon Center are cured by a Pokémon Center Lady in the lobby, with a machine behind the counter. A Pokémon Center can typically be identified from its red roof. Pokémon Centers have a PC, which stores the player's Pokémon outside of their party, although they can also deposit Pokémon into the PC or withdraw a Pokémon from there if their party has an open slot.
Every Pokémon Center in a game of the core series generally has no difference in layout or appearance from one another. Pokémon Centers have a red or an orange roof, depending on the game. They are inscribed with the word "Poké" in games of the first three generations. Since Generation III, every Pokémon Center has a Poké Ball symbol on its roof, which would replace "Poké" outright by Generation IV, as well as automatic doors instead of regular ones.
From Generations V to VIII, each Pokémon Center also has a Poké Mart, which is integrated within every Pokémon Center of Unova, Kalos, Alola, and Galar.
Victory Road has a significant barrier that separates the player from Pokémon Centers, so the Pokémon League reception gate also has a Nurse Joy, PC, and a Wireless Club in most games.
Appearances[]
Core series[]
Generation I[]
The player standing outside of the Pokémon Center of Viridian City in Pokémon Yellow Special Pikachu Edition
In Pokémon Red Version and Pokémon Blue Version and Pokémon Yellow Special Pikachu Edition, Pokémon Centers consist only of a single floor. The Pokémon Center Lady is behind the counter to the upper left. In Pokémon Yellow Special Pikachu Edition only, the lady is accompanied by a Chansey to add more similarity to the anime.
A different lady is between the counter to the right, and the player can talk to them to enter the Cable Club, where two players can either trade Pokémon or engage in battle, provided that both of them have a Game Link Cable connected and are each at a Cable Club in any Pokémon Center in their respective Generation I game.
A PC is located to the very right, placed right in front of the Cable Club counter. Besides managing Pokémon, the player can have their Pokédex rated by Professor Oak.
Two Pokémon Centers are unusually located on a route, one of them being at Route 4 and the other at Route 10. One of them is located inside of a building at the Indigo Plateau, along with a Poké Mart.
Generation II[]
The player standing outside of the Pokémon Center of Cherrygrove City in the Generation II games
The lobby in the Generation II games
In the Generation II games, the Pokémon Center lobby was shortened to roughly half the size, which is because the Cable Club was expanded and relocated to a second floor. The player can go to the second floor using the stairs at the bottom left corner. The PC is located at the top right corner of the lobby.
The Cable Club retains the same features as before, but trading and battling is done in separate rooms, and a third room was added where the Time Capsule can be used to transfer Pokémon over from a Generation I game.
Generation III[]
The Pokémon Center of Mossdeep City, located in Hoenn
In the Generation III games, including the Generation I remakes, Pokémon FireRed Version and Pokémon LeafGreen Version, Pokémon Centers still have two floors, except the stairs have been replaced by a escalator and the floors are more symmetrical. The lobby is single-screen like in Generation II. The PC is located at the top right of the counter where the Pokémon Center Lady is located. A map of the game's region is hung on the wall at the top right corner.
In Pokémon Ruby Version and Pokémon Sapphire Version, the Pokémon Cable Club is on the top left floor, and it is not single-screen like in the Generation II games. It retains the same rooms for trading and battling Pokémon respectively, but the Time Capsule is replaced by a Record Corner, where the player can exchange information from their games with other players.
In Pokémon FireRed Version and Pokémon LeafGreen Version, with the introduction of the Game Boy Advance Wireless Adapter, the Pokémon Cable Club on the second floor was changed to the Pokémon Wireless Club, and the rooms for battling and trading Pokémon were consolidated into both the similar Union Room and the Direct Corner, the latter also having a minigame named Berry Crush. There are still three attendants, one of whom introduces herself as Teala.
In Pokémon Emerald Version, the second floor is similar to Pokémon FireRed Version and Pokémon LeafGreen Version, but the layout is consolidated to more easily fit on a single screen.
Generation IV[]
The player inside of a Pokémon Center in Pokémon HeartGold Version and Pokémon SoulSilver Version
In Pokémon Diamond Version and Pokémon Pearl Version and Pokémon Platinum Version, both the lobby and the second floor of the Pokémon Center are retained. The Pokémon Center added a basement floor, accessible from an escalator towards the bottom right, and the player could use it to access the Wi-Fi Club (enhanced to the Wi-Fi Plaza in Pokémon Platinum Version) before Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection shut down on May 20, 2014. Teala is retained as an attendant, this time on the basement floor, and she gives a Pal Pad to the player once they have visited Oreburgh City at least once. In Pokémon Platinum Version only, a Pokémon Trainer can be battled in certain Pokémon Centers next to the counter on certain days of the week.
The Pokémon Center was redesigned in Pokémon HeartGold Version and Pokémon SoulSilver Version to have both the lobby and second floor loaded on a single map. The second floor is accessible from a wide set of blue stairs on the left and right sides of the counter with the Pokémon Center Lady each. The left stairs is closer to the southern wall than the right stairs. The basement floor with the Wi-Fi Square is still retained, including Teala, who gives a Pal Pad like before, but this time only after acquiring the Zephyr Badge.
The Pokémon Center and Poké Mart in Violet City is "painted a bit somberly to blend in with the mood," according to an Ace Trainer outside of the Pokémon Center there. The Pokémon Center in Ecruteak City uses the same color as in Violet City.
Generation V[]
The interior of the Pokémon Center in Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version
In Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version and Pokémon Black Version 2 and Pokémon White Version 2, the Poké Mart is located next to the door, on the right, and a place to sit down and read was added to the opposite side. Like Pokémon HeartGold Version and Pokémon SoulSilver Version, the top and bottom floors are loaded in a single map, with the stairs leading to a higher part of the Pokémon Center. There is no longer a basement floor, with rooms for wireless and Wi-Fi capabilities all appearing on the second floor. The second floor also has a globe against the right wall resembling the one in the Global Trade Station.
In Pokémon Black Version 2 and Pokémon White Version 2 only, the Pokémon Center of Victory Road bears a completely different design, with the building lacking a Poké Ball symbol, which is pictured on a sign outside of the building instead.
Generation VI[]
The player inside of a Pokémon Center in Pokémon X and Pokémon Y
In Pokémon X and Pokémon Y, Pokémon Centers are larger, but they no longer have an upper floor. Pokémon Centers in Kalos are environmentally friendly, since they obtain energy through the use of solar panels installed on their roofs. The technology used to heal Pokémon displays the status of the Pokémon in the player's team on screen. The lobby has a TV and several chairs, some of which are sat on by non-playable characters.
Two rooms connect to the back of the Pokémon Center. The room on the right is the Poké Mart, while the left room is a changing room where the player can change their clothes and contact lens color.
If the player enters a Pokémon Center on their birthday, they are greeted with a surprise, with the lights dimming and confetti and Pikachu balloons falling down from above. The Pokémon Center Lady also wishes the player a happy birthday.
Generation VII[]
In and Pokémon Ultra Sun and Pokémon Ultra Moon, Pokémon Centers still consist only only one floor, like in Pokémon X and Pokémon Y. The structure on the left corner is no longer a changing room, and was replaced by a Pokémon Center Cafe, which sells various refreshments and beverages, and the owner sometimes offers Poké Beans to the player. The Poké Mart is still on the right side.
Owing to the blur between routes with towns and cities, each Pokémon Center is located in different important locations instead of according to different distributions between urban and rural areas. Also, the design of the Centers are somehow based on aboriginal huts.
Unusually, there is a destroyed Pokémon Center in Po Town, which had been taken over by Team Skull, and the player has to pay 
10 to a Team Skull Grunt to have their Pokémon healed.
Generation VIII[]
In Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield, the interior structure is similar to the Pokémon Centers in Alola, and the Pokémon Center Lady is located in the middle, as usual. On the left side is Rotomi, a PC where the player can manage boxes not only boxes within the Pokémon Storage System and Poké Jobs. The left counter has Jack, a character with the roles of a Move Reminder, a Move Deleter, and a Name Rater. There is also an Indeedee at the left counter.
The exterior of the Pokémon Center is designed to have rectangular base on the outside, with a fuchsia-colored stripe on the roof and a large Poké Ball symbol above the entrance. The Poké Mart is still housed within the Pokémon Center, like in previous generations.
Generation IX[]
In Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet, Pokémon Centers are small, elongated, outdoor stands reminsicient of a gas station. The base of the stand is divided into three sections by color and symbol. The light green section on the left depicts a wireless symbol, and it has a TM Machine that the player can use to create TMs. The red section in the middle depicts a Poké Ball symbol, and it serves the usual purpose of restoring the player's Pokémon to full health. The blue section on the right appears to show a speeding Poké Ball, and it has a Union Circle, where the player can connect with three other players for multiplayer functionality.
Spinoffs[]
Pokémon Puzzle League[]
In Pokémon Puzzle League, the Options screen is hosted within a Pokémon Center, which is selected from the Puzzle Village menu.
Pokémon Pinball Ruby & Sapphire[]
In Pokémon Pinball Ruby & Sapphire, a Pokémon Center and Poké Mart are combined into a single object in the Ruby Field, where the Poké Mart changes to a Pokémon Center if there is a Pokémon available for the player to evolve.
Anime[]
Pokémon the Series[]
A Pokémon Center in the anime
In Pokémon the Series, Pokémon Centers are marked by a "P" symbol. They sport a variety of appearances, ranging from very tall buildings to tiny little huts. Some are found in largely empty areas. Pokémon Centers usually consist of a lobby, a recovery room for Pokémon in-healing to stay, an Emergency Room, a Poké Ball room, beds for weary Trainers, and sometimes a cafeteria. Overall, Pokémon Centers have more similarities to a hospital than in the core series, and some Pokémon there may not be able to be saved from dying. The Pokémon Centers also have video phones and PCs available for trainers to use.
Every center has a Nurse Joy. In the first few series, she is always accompanied by a Chansey. In Unova, Nurse Joy is always with an Audino. In Kalos, she is with a Wigglytuff. In Alola, Nurse Joy is assisted by a Blissey and a Comfey. A Pokémon may not be able to be saved from dying, depending on its condition.
Ash's Bulbasaur being healed in the anime.
In "Pokémon Emergency!", all Pokémon Centers are connected to one another in some form so that Pokémon can be transferred to another building in case of an emergency.
In "The Ghost of Maiden's Peak", it is shown that Pokémon Centers are open until 11 P.M.
In "Bulbasaur's Mysterious Garden", Ash took his Bulbasaur to the Pokémon Center to be healed.
Pokémon Origins[]
In Pokémon Origins, the purpose of a Pokémon Center is more similar to the core series, and the exterior is designed after its appearance in Pokémon FireRed Version and Pokémon LeafGreen Version.
Manga[]
Pokémon Adventures[]
Red, Green & Blue Chapter[]
A Pokémon Center in Celadon City in Pokémon Adventures
In Pokémon Adventures, a Pokémon Center is first seen in "Wanted: Pikachu!" of the Red, Green & Blue Chapter. Here, after Red catches Red's Pikachu and sees Blue, he decides to go to the Pokémon Center to heal his Pokémon before challenging Brock, only to find that the Pokémon Center has been vandalized and its machines destroyed.
In "Gyarados Splashes In!", when Red meets Misty, he decides to go to the Pokémon Center to talk on the phone to Professor Oak, who informs him that Team Rocket has been misusing the Moon Stones.
In "Wartortle Wars", Red takes his Pikachu to a Pokémon Center after it had been defeated by a Pinsir.
X & Y Chapter[]
A Pokémon Center appears in "Pinsir Changes", in which Emma disguises herself as a Pokémon Center Lady to steal Xerneas from Y.
Pokémon Pocket Monsters[]
In Pokémon Pocket Monsters, a Pokémon Center is first seen in PPM002. Red takes his Clefairy here after it had been severely injured by Mewtwo.
Trading Card Game[]
There is a Pokémon Center card that is part of the Base Set. It removes any damage counters attached to the user's other cards.
Trivia[]
- Junichi Masuda, when asked if people from the Pokémon universe can hear music within the games, revealed in a 2019 interview that the Pokémon Center's music is the only song that actually exists within the Pokémon World. [1]
Gallery[]
Concept art[]
Sprites[]
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Screenshots[]
