What is Pokemon Showdown?
Pokemon Showdown is a free battle simulator that lets you play Pokémon battles online against real people in your browser. It uses the same rules and damage formulas as the main games, with every Pokémon, move and item from every generation.
You can jump straight into a Random Battle with a team made for you, or build your own team in the teambuilder and climb the ladder in formats from the competitive community Smogon. There are also chat rooms, tournaments, saved replays and a damage calculator.
It is a long-running, open-source fan project and is not affiliated with Nintendo or The Pokémon Company. You can play without an account; register a name only if you want to keep your ladder rating.
Main Features
- Online Pokémon battles against real players, at any time
- Random Battles with a ready-made team, so you can start in seconds
- A teambuilder with every Pokémon, move, ability and item
- Ranked ladders for singles, doubles and formats from every generation
- Battle replays you can save and share
- Chat rooms, tournaments and community events
- A Pokédex and damage calculator
- Runs in any modern browser, on desktop or phone
How to Get Started with Pokemon Showdown
- Open pokemonshowdown.com and press Play.
- Pick a username when it asks, or register one to keep your rating.
- Choose Random Battle as the format and press Battle!
- Pick a move or switch each turn until one side runs out of Pokémon.
- Open the Teambuilder when you are ready to make your own team.
Pokemon Showdown Pricing
Pokemon Showdown is completely free. There is nothing to buy and no account needed to play.
Who Should Use It?
- Competitive players who want to test teams before using them in the games
- Pokémon fans who want to battle real people without owning a console
- New players who want to learn how battles work with random teams
- Communities that run tournaments
Pokemon Showdown Alternatives
- Pokemon Arena 2Dreal-time Pokémon battles instead of turns
- Daily Redone turn-based battle against Red each day
- Pokemon Battle Arenaan online Pokémon RPG where you train your own team
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pokemon Showdown free?
Yes. Pokemon Showdown is free to play in your browser, with nothing to buy.
Do I need an account for Pokemon Showdown?
No. Pick any free username and start battling. Register it only if you want to keep the name and your ladder rating.
What is a Random Battle?
A format where the game builds a team for you, so you can start battling straight away without making a team.
Is Pokemon Showdown official?
No. It is a fan-made, open-source simulator, used by the competitive community Smogon, and is not affiliated with Nintendo or The Pokémon Company.