All 493

493 is the total number of Pokemon that one can catch in the Pokemon games since Pokemon Diamond and Pearl came out.

As I mentioned before, to get the National Pokedex achievement in any of the games, you need to catch the 485 Pokemon that can be reliably found in these games.

The extra seven are special Pokemon and are only available through special events, usually only for a limited time.

So, for a true nut-case completionist, the National Pokedex achievement isn’t really done until you have all 493.

When I got the National Pokedex recognition in Pokemon SoulSilver from Professor Oak, I had 491 Pokemon.  Only two were missing.

So, despite the fact that I said that I was done, I started looking for a way to obtain the last two, Manaphy and Phione.

It turns out that the latest Pokemon Ranger game, Guardian Signs, has a downloadable mission that lets you obtain a Manaphy egg, which you can then transfer to Pokemon Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, SoulSilver, or HeartGold.

Once there, you can hatch the egg and breed the Manaphy to get a Phione.

My goal was in sight.

So I bought a copy of Pokemon Ranger Guardian Signs for my daughter who liked the previous Pokemon Ranger games (I did not) so that she could get me the Manaphy egg.

However, as she told me, she isn’t really into Pokemon right now.  She has been playing Nintendogs and a fashion designer game.

So I had to play the game.  The sacrifices we make…

Fortunately, you do not have to play too far into the game before you can start running the Nintendo WiFi downloadable missions.

Last night I was able to run the Manaphy egg mission, which was not all that tough.  Then I transferred the egg to SoulSilver, which took a few attempts, but which was ultimately successful.

The Manaphy egg was ready to hatch and it was only a minute or so after I obtained the egg in-game that Manaphy burst forth.

I named it Manuel

Then it was off to the Pokemon daycare center in-game where I already had a mate ready for Manaphy, a Ditto, the Pokemon upon which all breeders rely.

Then I ran around in-game until I got a call from the daycare center that an egg had been found.

I collected that, then ran up and down the streets of Goldenrod City until the moment came.

It is about to hatch

That was the sign.  Phione was about to arrive.

Phione, the last Pokemon... for now

So that was it.  My Pokemon trainer card now shows that I have captured all 493 Pokemon possible.

Wilhelm's final update

I don’t think I am going to get a cake for this one.  This was more a matter of back filling two minor players as opposed to having gotten the previous 491.

And while I had to put out some money for yet another Nintendo Pokemon game to get there, at least now I am set.

If you are interested, Pokemon Ranger – Guardian Signs also has missions that allow you to obtain and transfer Shaymin, Deoxys, and Heatran.

All just Nintendo’s way of boosting sales of a game that is clearly inferior to the main-line Pokemon RPGs.

Now I am done with Pokemon… until Pokemon Black and White come out next spring with 150 new Pokemon to add to the mix.