Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
Trending
  • Amazon Spring Sale
  • New Games for 2026
  • Crimson Desert
  • Submit your clips. Win prizes
  • Pokopia
Don't miss these
Pokemon Gold and Silver
Pokemon The best Pokemon games, ranked from worst to best
Secret missions in Pokemon TCG Pocket
Pokemon All Secret missions in Pokemon TCG Pocket
Pokemon Pokopia gameplay showing Ditty in human form, frowning in front of a lighthouse
Pokemon Pokemon Pokopia's hard-hitting maturity is the perfect way to celebrate 30 years of Pokemon
Pokemon Pokopia screenshot showing Charmander, Bulbasaur, and Squirtle all gathered around a Ditto in human form between two green trees
Pokemon The ultimate Pokemon Pokopia guide for restoring the world around you
A picture of a Nintendo 3DS console next to several of the best 3DS games and Nintendo cards.
Games The 25 best Nintendo 3DS games of all time
A screenshot from the Pokemon Pokopia trailer shows Ditto transformed into a human.
Pokemon 13 things I wish I knew before starting Pokemon Pokopia
A trainer looking out at the ocean during the trailer for Pokemon Winds and Waves
Pokemon Pokemon Winds and Waves: Everything we know about the next Pokemon game so far
Pokemon Pokopia screenshot
Pokemon Pokemon Pokopia review: "A brilliantly bizarre blend of Pokemon and Animal Crossing"
Ash holding his fist up with Pikachu on his shoulders during Pokemon the Movie: I Choose You.
Pokemon The best Pokemon movies of all time, ranked from worst to very best
Posing with cotton spores in Pokemon Pokopia
Pokemon Pokemon Pokopia players turn to "broken" Minecraft tactics to make gathering one of the game's rarest materials a breeze
Mega Charizard X in Pokemon Champions.
Pokemon Pokemon Champions producer "really enjoyed" the Pokemon Stadium games, used them as a "reference"
Pokemon Pokopia
Pokemon Pokemon Pokopia player builds a working calculator less than 3 weeks after the life sim's release
Pokemon Pokopia gameplay showing Ditty in human form, frowning in front of a lighthouse
Pokemon Pokemon Pokopia player builds straight-up jail for their least favorite 'mons: "They are (mostly) comfortable"
Ditto and Onix in Pokemon Pokopia
Pokemon Minecraft griefing returns in Pokemon Pokopia as player ruins "public island for co-op building" with 0 guilt
A Pokemon called Magikarp looking stressed on screen
Pokemon Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen devs found that "the programming sucks" in the original RPGs
  1. Games
  2. Adventure
  3. Pokemon

10 Pokdex entries that make absolutely no sense

Features
By Hollander Cooper published 2 April 2014

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
Subscribe to our newsletter

Something's very wrong here

For as charming as the Pokmon universe might be, there's no denying that some things simply don't add up. There are weird inconsistencies, strange occurrences, and plot holes that haven't been addressed. Hell, if anything, even more have surfaced: Pokmon X and Y randomly added the idea that there were freakin' giants roaming through the world. Giants. Why.

And then there's the 'dex itself. The Pokdex is the home of all Pokmon information in the known universe, and includes descriptions of all 700+ pocket monsters. Even more confusingly, there are different descriptions for every generation of Pokmon, and every game. And, sometimes, they don't make a lick of sense, either by contradicting each other or simply being filled with impossibilities. Let's dive head-first into the weird world of the Pokdex and see what we can find. (Bonus points if you read this entire article out loud in a weird robot voice.)

Kadabra

The 'dex says: "It happened one morning--a boy with extrasensory powers awoke in bed transformed into Kadabra." (FireRed)

Article continues below
You may like
  • Pokemon Go Guzzlord Raid Pokemon Ultra Beasts are "a manifestation of my own resentment," Game Freak artist says after designs were rejected
  • Pokemon Pikachu The 10 best games like Pokemon for the discerning trainer
  • Pokopia screenshots on Switch 2 After depleting Pokopia's natural resources, maybe my Pokémon friends would be better off without me

Why that doesn't make sense: Kadabra, if you don't know, is actually the evolution of Abra in the Pokmon universe. Kadabras don't just show up on their own; they need to start as another Pokmon, so the idea that a child could somehow transform into a Kadabra is patently ridiculous, even in a world where electric rats zap people with lightning for stealing their poffins.

Entei

The 'dex says: "Volcanoes erupt when it barks. Unable to restrain its extreme power, it races headlong around the land." (Silver) "A Pokmon that races across the land. It is said that one is born every time a new volcano appears." (Gold)

Why that doesn't make sense: Technically, we need two Pokdex entries to really figure this guy out. The first, from Silver, says that every time Entei barks, it causes volcanoes to erupt. That's not really possible, but makes more sense than the second entry, which says that every time a new volcano appears, an Entei is born. But Entei are Legendary Pokmon, meaning they're super rare (many Legendaries are the only of their kind). Also, doesn't this mean that an Entei's bark could sprout a new volcano, which erupts to create another Entei, which will eventually bark, which sprouts...oh god the second a car drives by, the world would be absolutely covered in lava.

Dusclops

The 'dex says: "Dusclops' body is completely hollow--there is nothing at all inside. It is said that its body is like a black hole. This Pokmon will absorb anything into its body, but nothing will ever come back out." (Ruby)

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Why that doesn't make sense: The first law of thermodynamics states that energy can be neither created nor destroyed, meaning that the inside of Dusclops needs to eventually fill up, right? Even if it's totally hollow at first, it'll eventually absorb stuff, and need to do something with that energy. The energy has to go somewhere, making this Pokemon's hollowness a physical impossibility or a portal to a new dimension?

Metang

The 'dex says: "It floats midair using magnetism. Its body is so tough, even a crash with a jet plane won't leave a scratch." (FireRed)

Why that doesn't make sense: First, let's discuss exactly how unreasonably strong Metang would need to be in order to not be scratched by a jet plane. For the sake of example, we'll say that a Boeing 747 is smashing into a hovering Metang. That means that a giant hunk of metal--weighing 735,000 pounds--can smash into this thing at upwards of 550 MPH without leaving a mark. That's absurd, but misses the bigger point: did did anyone ever test this? Were ridiculously expensive transports and/or human lives sacrificed in the pursuit of Pokedex knowledge? Professor Oak, what hath your hubris wrought?

You may like
  • Pokemon Go Guzzlord Raid Pokemon Ultra Beasts are "a manifestation of my own resentment," Game Freak artist says after designs were rejected
  • Pokemon Pikachu The 10 best games like Pokemon for the discerning trainer
  • Pokopia screenshots on Switch 2 After depleting Pokopia's natural resources, maybe my Pokémon friends would be better off without me

Magcargo

The 'dex says: "Magcargo's body temperature is approximately 18,000 degrees F. Water is vaporized on contact. If this Pokmon is caught in the rain, the raindrops instantly turn into steam, cloaking the area in a thick fog." (Sapphire)

Why that doesn't make sense: Listen, Nintendo, we get it--Magcargo is hot. But he isn't that hot. Lava is 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The sun? About 10,000 degrees F at the surface. That means that Magcargo is nearly two times as hot as the sun, and he's just kinda wandering around the world. Hell, a nuclear power plant suffers a meltdown at 5,189 degrees F (according to this science website I found), meaning that if Magcargo really was 18,000, he'd likely melt a holy from one side of the world to the other. It's called "China Syndrome," look it up.

Grimer

The 'dex says: "Sludge exposed to X-rays from the moon transformed into Grimer. It loves feeding on filthy things." (X)

Why that doesn't make sense: Hey guys! Did you know the moon shoots out X-rays? What? It doesn't? Oh, then this doesn't make any sense at all. While the moon does, technically bounce some of the sun's radiation towards the planet, it doesn't emit any of its own, and those reflective rays certainly haven't been known to spawn any monsters. Wouldn't there be other creatures created by moon X-rays if this was the case? Also, did these moon rays just create the first one, or are all Grimers made by these moon X-rays? And before you say, "Oh, their world isn't the same as ours, maybe their moon is different!" I suggest you look into...

Parasect

The 'dex says: "It scatters toxic spores from the mushroom cap. In China, the spores are used as herbal medicine." (FireRed)

Why that doesn't make sense: Kanto. Johto. Hoenn. Sinnoh. Unova. China. One of these things is not like the other. While it's easy to assume that the Pokmon world is a land of its own, Parasect's Pokdex entry grounds the whole thing squarely on Earth. Well, that, or there's another planet out there with humans, and a country called China which has a history with using mushrooms as herbal medicine but that doesn't explain why Raichu's entry specifically mentions India. Then again, Earth doesn't have any Pokmon on it, leaving this 'dex entry square in WTFville.

Spoink

The 'dex says: "Spoink bounces around on its tail. The shock of its bouncing makes its heart pump. As a result, this Pokmon cannot afford to stop bouncing--if it stops, its heart will stop." (Ruby)

Why that doesn't make sense: At face value, this is more sensational than outright nonsensical--it's basically like a shark, in that it can't stop moving lest it die. But unlike a shark, Spoink is often forced to battle other creatures until it faints. Fainting usually requires you to sorta stop moving. That means that any time you've defeated a Spoink in battle, you've caused it to go into cardiac arrest. That, or this Pokdex entry is full of lies.

Larvitar

The 'dex says: "It feeds on soil. After it has eaten a large mountain, it will fall asleep so it can grow." (Gold)

Why that doesn't make sense: This seems like it might be problematic. If every Lavitar eats one mountain to grow, you'd think that would lead to an eventual shortage of mountains. I don't know how many Larvitar there are in the world, but in-game, they're relatively common, meaning that the mountain population must be in a bad place. And once they actually do eat a mountain they grow into Tryanitar, and, well, things get worse...

Tyranitar

The 'dex says: "If it rampages, it knocks down mountains and buries rivers. Maps must be redrawn afterward." (Diamond/Pearl)

Why that doesn't make sense: Firstly, WHAT DO THESE CREATURES HAVE AGAINST MOUNTAINS?! Secondly, this seems to be a bad idea in terms of the sustainability of the -itar race. Every time a Tyranitar knocks down a mountain, it's denying a Larvitar of a delicious treat. That's just bad for the species, man. Unless, of course, this is how those pesky Entei's are kept in check...

Gotta WHAT 'em all

And, honestly, this is just the tip of the iceberg. When doing research for this I found dozens of other weird 'dex entries that technically made sense, but were really, really weird. They didn't fit here, but who knows? If you folks like hearing about this sort of rubbish enough, there might be more dives into the dark underbelly of Pokemon in the near future.

And if you're looking for more, check out the weirdest theories about the Pokemon universe and the most disturbing Pokedex entries.

CATEGORIES
Wii-u Nintendo Platforms
PRODUCTS
Pokemon X and Y Pokemon Diamond / Pearl Pokemon HeartGold / SoulSilver
Hollander Cooper
Hollander Cooper
Social Links Navigation
Former Features Editor at GamesRadar+

Hollander Cooper was the Lead Features Editor of GamesRadar+ between 2011 and 2014. After that lengthy stint managing GR's editorial calendar he moved behind the curtain and into the video game industry itself, working as social media manager for EA and as a communications lead at Riot Games. Hollander is currently stationed at Apple as an organic social lead for the App Store and Apple Arcade.

Read more
Pokemon Go Guzzlord Raid
Pokemon Pokemon Ultra Beasts are "a manifestation of my own resentment," Game Freak artist says after designs were rejected
 
 
Pokemon Pikachu
Adventure Games The 10 best games like Pokemon for the discerning trainer
 
 
Pokopia screenshots on Switch 2
Pokemon After depleting Pokopia's natural resources, maybe my Pokémon friends would be better off without me
 
 
A human ditto taking a picture with a Ivysaur and  Venusaur in Pokemon Pokopia.
Pokemon After 48 hours, I've realized Pokopia is my ideal Pokemon game and humans were the problem all along
 
 
Pokemon Red and Blue key art
Pokemon "We had no idea this would be such a phenomenon": As Pokemon Red and Blue turn 30, here's how Game Freak created one of the most important RPGs of all time
 
 
Pokemon Pokopia screenshot showing Charmander, Bulbasaur, and Squirtle all gathered around a Ditto in human form between two green trees
Pokemon After 30 years, Pokemon Pokopia finally answers an important question for "the hardcore lore freaks"
 
 
Latest in Pokemon
Pokemon Pokopia gameplay showing Ditty in human form, frowning in front of a lighthouse
Pokemon Pokemon Pokopia player builds straight-up jail for their least favorite 'mons: "They are (mostly) comfortable"
 
 
A Pokemon called Magikarp looking stressed on screen
Pokemon Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen devs found that "the programming sucks" in the original RPGs
 
 
Sableye stands in from of a Pokemon Center in Pokopia
Pokemon Pokopia Sableye event date, time, and details
 
 
Pokopia screenshots on Switch 2
Pokemon Pokemon Pokopia sends monthly Switch 2 sales flying by 154% in the UK
 
 
Pokopia screenshots on Switch 2
Pokemon After depleting Pokopia's natural resources, maybe my Pokémon friends would be better off without me
 
 
Key art for Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen showing Charizard against a swirling red background, cropped for a header image
Pokemon Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen's recaps and Pokedex were made to bring in more female players
 
 
Latest in Features
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
Animated Movies The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Easter eggs: All the Nintendo references and cameos you may have missed
 
 
The Elder Scrolls Online
The Elder Scrolls Final Fantasy 14 lost me with Dawntrail, but The Elder Scrolls Online promises to mend my broken heart
 
 
A side-by-side image of the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro and the Asus ROG Raikiri 2
Gaming Controllers These are the fastest two Xbox controllers on the shelves right now, but which should you buy?
 
 
Yoshi (Donald Glover), Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) posing in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
Animated Movies Everything we know about The Super Mario Bros. Movie 3
 
 
Princess Peach and Mario in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
Animated Movies The Super Mario Galaxy Movie ending explained: is there a post-credits scene and does it set up a Smash Bros. movie?
 
 
Image of a bunch of Super Mario Galaxy Switch 2 accessories on a blue GamesRadar+ background.
Accessories These Switch 2 accessories make me more hyped than ever to go see the new Super Mario Galaxy movie
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Crimson Desert: Cliff Macduff looking out into the distance during the new game, Crimson Desert.
    1
    Crimson Desert "makes me feel a sense of wonder I've not felt since Oblivion," says Palworld publishing chief
  2. 2
    Larian chief says Divinity's development has progressed to the point "where you sense that a game is coming alive"
  3. 3
    Homelander sentences Billy Butcher to death by Soldier Boy in The Boys season 5 teaser
  4. 4
    Jeff Kaplan has "over 5,000 hours" in Rust, which is "the pinnacle of PvP games"
  5. 5
    The Boys' final season is done as creator Eric Kripke says farewell to the r-rated superhero show

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...