Pokémon/Trainer Card

In the Pokémon video games, a Trainer Card is an ID that all Pokémon Trainers use. The information on the trainer card updates as the trainer progresses in his or her adventure. The information shown includes, but is not limited to, the IDNo., the name of the trainer and its current money. In addition, a picture of the trainer is shown at the right side.

Below the main information, the badges won by the player are displayed. The back of the trainer card, a feature introduced in the third generation, the player can see special achievements he or she has made such as the first time he or she beat the Pokémon League, the number of link trades and battles with other players,etc.

Pokémon Red, Blue and Yellow

During the first generation, the information on the Trainer Card was very basic. It displayed the player's name, money and time he or she has been playing. The player's IDNo. wasn't shown in the trainer card. However, the trainer's Pokémon did have an IDNo. The badges already earnt were displayed below this. If a badge hadn't been obtained yet, the gym leader's face would be displayed instead.

Pokémon Gold, Silver and Crystal

During the second generation, the Trainer Card didn't change much. The differences between the previous trainer card and this one included the addition of the Trainer's IDNo. in the trainer card, and the badges shown in front of the gym leaders' faces, instead of erasing them.

Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald

During the third generation, the Trainer Card was improved notably by having more information on the card's back. Apart from battles with other players, it displayed the Hoenn new features, such as Pokémon Contests and Berry Blending.

In Emerald, once the player reached the Battle Frontier, the player's symbols earnt in the Battle Frontier were displayed, including a map of it. At the corner, the Trainer Card could be zoomed to be watched normally.

Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen

Because these games are also part of the third generation, the Trainer Card resembles the one in Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald. However, the information recorded on the back of the card is different. Records saved on the back of the card include the trainer's Hall of Fame debut time, link battles win/loss record, number of Pokémon trades, number of Union Room trades and battles, and the trainer's Berry Crush record.

Also, on the back of the Trainer Card, there are three spaces for stickers in the top-left corner. Stickers are applied to the Trainer Card by a man on Four Island, when a story about your trainer career is told. They are given for achievements in defeating the Elite Four, egg hatching, and link battle victories.

	Red sticker	Blue sticker	Yellow sticker	Dark grey / black sticker
Elite Four victories	1	40	100	200
Eggs hatched	1	100	200	300
Link battle victories	1	20	50	100

In Diamond and Pearl

In the fourth generation, the front of the Trainer Card improved notably, too. The addition to the trainer card includes, the trainer's time since the game was started, including the time the game hasn't been played. Instead of displaying the badges on the front as usual, the player can look at them in a complete screen. When badges aren't checked for some time, they become dirty and must be cleaned suing the stylus. The back of the Trainer Card in Diamond and Pearl is currently unknown.

Stars

When the player completes a certain requirement in the Advance generation games, a star will appear on his or her Trainer Card, and it will change its color. A trainer begins its journey with no stars, and is able to obtain up to five. There is no special order for obtaining the stars, and the order won't change the results at all.

Ruby and Sapphire

Green Card (0 Stars) - The player has this at the start of the game.
Bronze Card (1 Star) - The player gets a star by beating the Elite Four for the first time.
Copper Card (2 Stars) - The player gets another star by completing the Hoenn Pokédex (excluding Jirachi and Deoxys).
Silver Card (3 Stars) - The player gets another star by winning 100 consecutive times in the Battle Tower.
Gold Card (4 Stars) - The last star is acquired by beating all five type of contests at the Master Rank level.

FireRed and LeafGreen

Blue Card (0 Stars) - The player has this card when he or she starts the game.
Bronze Card (1 Star) - The first star is obtained by beating the Elite Four.
Copper Card (2 Stars) - The player gets another star by completing the Kanto Pokédex (excluding Mew).
Silver Card (3 Stars) - The third star is obtained after completing the National Pokédex (excluding Mew, Celebi, Jirachi and Deoxys).
(Unconfirmed) Gold card (4 stars) - The fourth star is speculated to be obtained by getting 200 points on each of the Two Island minigames with at least three people participating. However, it has not been confirmed.

Emerald

Green Card (0 Stars) - The player has this at the start of the game.
Bronze Card (1 Star) - The player gets a star by beating the Elite Four for the first time.
Copper Card (2 Stars) - The player gets another star by completing the Hoenn Pokédex (excluding Jirachi and Deoxys).
Silver Card (3 Stars) - The player gets another star by getting the gold symbols of all Frontier facilities.
Gold Card (4 Stars) - The last star is acquired by beating all five type of contests at the Master Rank level.

Diamond and Pearl

Red Card (0 Stars) - The player has this card when he or she starts the game.
Blue Card (1 Star) - The first star is obtained by beating the Elite Four.
Bronze Card (2 Stars) - The second star is acquired by beating all five type of contests at the Master Rank level.
Silver Card (3 Stars) - The player get another star by winning 100 consecutive times in the Battle Tower.
Gold Card (4 Stars) - The fourth star is obtained after completing the National Pokédex (excluding Mew, Lugia, Ho-oh, Celebi, Jirachi, Deoxys, Phione, Manaphy, Darkrai, Shaymin and Arceus).
Black Card (5 Stars) - This star is acquired after the player has played at least once the Capture the Flag Minigame.

References

Publications

In-game content and the instruction manuals for Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen and Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire
Nintendo Power. Official Nintendo Pokémon FireRed & Pokémon LeafGreen Player’s Guide. Nintendo of America Inc., August 2004. ISBN 193020650X

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