Aerodactyl
Encyclopedia
Aerodactyl, known in Japan as , is a Pokémon species in Nintendo
and Game Freak
's Pokémon
franchise. Created by Ken Sugimori
, Aerodactyl first appeared in the video games Pokémon Red and Blue
and subsequent sequels, later appearing in various merchandise, spinoff titles and animated and printed adaptations of the franchise.
for the first generation of Pocket Monsters games Red and Green, which were localized outside of Japan as Pokémon Red and Blue
. Originally called "Ptera" in Japanese as well as the American beta version, Nintendo decided to give the various Pokémon species "clever and descriptive names" related to their appearance or features when translating the game for western audiences as a means to make the characters more relatable to American children. As a result they were renamed "Aerodactyl". According to IGN
, Aerodactyl's name is a combination of the two Greek words "aero", meaning air, and "dactyl", meaning finger; however, they noted that it was more likely that they combined the ancient reptile pterodactyl with aero.
Aerodactyl is known as the Fossil
Pokémon, is an ancient Pokémon that roamed the skies during the prehistoric age. It is resurrected from DNA
found in fossilized amber
. It is imagined to have been the king of the skies in ancient times, with a body structure similar to a pterodactyl and other features, such as the head and tail, having more in common with dragon
s. It captures its prey with its talons and brings it to its nest. However, if the prey resists, it may use its razor-sharp teeth to immobilize it. When attacking its enemies or opponents, it goes for the throat with its saw like fangs. Aerodactyl is heavy and rough-skinned, leading to the development of strong wings.
and its subsequent remakes Pokémon Yellow, FireRed, and LeafGreen. Each player could only receive one Aerodactyl which is obtained by giving an item called "Old Amber" to a scientist to revive the Pokémon. It has since appeared in each subsequent main Pokémon title; in Pokémon Gold and Silver
, it can be obtained through a trade with an NPC
.
Outside of the main series, Aerodactyl has appeared in the Pokémon Pinball
titles, Pokémon Trozei!
, the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon
titles, the Pokémon Ranger
titles, Pokémon Rumble
, and PokéPark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure. In Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire
, once an egg has been hatched in the Ruby Field, Aerodactyl will fly by and replace it the next time the ball rolls into the Egg Stand.
was in Attack of the Prehistoric Pokémon. It was attacking Ash
, so Charmeleon
evolved into a Charizard
to fight it. It then appeared in the Pokémon Chronicles
, where it was revived by Gary Oak. Team Rocket tried to steal it and it used Hyper Beam on them. Finally, it was in the Diamond and Pearl series where it terrorized Oreburgh City after being revived from its fossil state.
In the Pokémon Adventures
manga, Red obtains an Aerodactyl from a resurrected piece of Old Amber which he revives. He has since then used it extensively for aerial transportation and combat, such as in a battle with Deoxys
. Lance also owns an Aerodactyl that he also uses for aerial transportation and combat.
listed Aerodactyl as one of the best Rock types alongside Golem and Rhydon, stating that while it's weak to Electric attacks, it has high statistics. IGN's Pokémon Chick wrote that she loves Aerodactyl due to its appearance and its high speed. She added that she "really can't think of anything bad to say about Aerodactyl". She often references Aerodactyl in other reviews of individual Pokémon species; she wrote that it was a good Pokémon for defeating whole teams with ease; her favourite Flying type Pokémon; and she wrote that he was one of the most popular Rock types to the point where at the time she refused to use other Rock types until Aerodactyl is introduced to Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire
. She also named it one of her five favourite Pokémon. Official Nintendo Magazines Thomas East listed Aerodactyl's name as one of the worst in the Pokémon series due to the combination of pterodactyl and aero being redundant since it is presumed that a pterodactyl can fly. 1UP.com
's Michael Vreeland compared Aerodactyl to the Pokémon Archen due to its similar combination of Rock and Flying which he wrote is considered "infamous" due to "the ever-annoying Aerodactyl". GamesRadar
wrote that Aerodactyl's move variety made it a "worthwhile addition" and as such it does not need an evolution. Independent.ie described Aerodactyl as a "macho" Pokémon due to its "bat wings and forked tail". Author Ash Dekirk compared it to the mythical beast wyvern
and called it "incredibly rare". He added that its head was "dragonesque".
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
and Game Freak
Game Freak
is a Japanese video game developer that currently creates games exclusively for Nintendo. It has developed the Pokémon series of role-playing games and several other games.-History:...
's Pokémon
Pokémon
is a media franchise published and owned by the video game company Nintendo and created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1996. Originally released as a pair of interlinkable Game Boy role-playing video games developed by Game Freak, Pokémon has since become the second most successful and lucrative video...
franchise. Created by Ken Sugimori
Ken Sugimori
is a Japanese video game designer, illustrator, manga artist, and director. He is most famous as the character designer and art director for the Pokémon franchise. Sugimori is also credited with the art direction for other titles, including Pulseman. Sugimori drew all of the original 151 Pokémon...
, Aerodactyl first appeared in the video games Pokémon Red and Blue
Pokémon Red and Blue
Pokémon Red Version and Blue Version, originally released in Japan as , are role-playing games developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy. They are the first installments to the Pokémon series. They were first released in Japan in 1996 as Red and Green, with Blue being...
and subsequent sequels, later appearing in various merchandise, spinoff titles and animated and printed adaptations of the franchise.
Concept and characteristics
Aerodactyl was one of several different designs conceived by Game Freak's character development team and finalized by Ken SugimoriKen Sugimori
is a Japanese video game designer, illustrator, manga artist, and director. He is most famous as the character designer and art director for the Pokémon franchise. Sugimori is also credited with the art direction for other titles, including Pulseman. Sugimori drew all of the original 151 Pokémon...
for the first generation of Pocket Monsters games Red and Green, which were localized outside of Japan as Pokémon Red and Blue
Pokémon Red and Blue
Pokémon Red Version and Blue Version, originally released in Japan as , are role-playing games developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy. They are the first installments to the Pokémon series. They were first released in Japan in 1996 as Red and Green, with Blue being...
. Originally called "Ptera" in Japanese as well as the American beta version, Nintendo decided to give the various Pokémon species "clever and descriptive names" related to their appearance or features when translating the game for western audiences as a means to make the characters more relatable to American children. As a result they were renamed "Aerodactyl". According to IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
, Aerodactyl's name is a combination of the two Greek words "aero", meaning air, and "dactyl", meaning finger; however, they noted that it was more likely that they combined the ancient reptile pterodactyl with aero.
Aerodactyl is known as the Fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
Pokémon, is an ancient Pokémon that roamed the skies during the prehistoric age. It is resurrected from DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
found in fossilized amber
Amber
Amber is fossilized tree resin , which has been appreciated for its color and natural beauty since Neolithic times. Amber is used as an ingredient in perfumes, as a healing agent in folk medicine, and as jewelry. There are five classes of amber, defined on the basis of their chemical constituents...
. It is imagined to have been the king of the skies in ancient times, with a body structure similar to a pterodactyl and other features, such as the head and tail, having more in common with dragon
Dragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
s. It captures its prey with its talons and brings it to its nest. However, if the prey resists, it may use its razor-sharp teeth to immobilize it. When attacking its enemies or opponents, it goes for the throat with its saw like fangs. Aerodactyl is heavy and rough-skinned, leading to the development of strong wings.
In the video games
Aerodactyl first appears in Pokémon Red and BluePokémon Red and Blue
Pokémon Red Version and Blue Version, originally released in Japan as , are role-playing games developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy. They are the first installments to the Pokémon series. They were first released in Japan in 1996 as Red and Green, with Blue being...
and its subsequent remakes Pokémon Yellow, FireRed, and LeafGreen. Each player could only receive one Aerodactyl which is obtained by giving an item called "Old Amber" to a scientist to revive the Pokémon. It has since appeared in each subsequent main Pokémon title; in Pokémon Gold and Silver
Pokémon Gold and Silver
are the second installments of the Pokémon series of role-playing video games developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Color. The games have dual-mode capabilities allowing them to also be played on earlier Game Boy models. They were first released in Japan in 1999 and to...
, it can be obtained through a trade with an NPC
Non-player character
A non-player character , sometimes known as a non-person character or non-playable character, in a game is any fictional character not controlled by a player. In electronic games, this usually means a character controlled by the computer through artificial intelligence...
.
Outside of the main series, Aerodactyl has appeared in the Pokémon Pinball
Pokémon Pinball
is a pinball-based Pokémon spin-off video game for the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on April 14, 1999, and in North America on June 28, 1999. In it, the ball is a Poké Ball, and most of the objects on the table are Pokémon-related....
titles, Pokémon Trozei!
Pokémon Trozei!
, released as Pokémon Link! in Europe, is a Pokémon-themed puzzle video game for the Nintendo DS. It was released in Japan on October 20, 2005, in North America on March 6, 2006, in Australia on March 30, 2006, and in Europe on May 5, 2006.-Gameplay:...
, the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon
- Manga :*Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Ginji's Rescue Team, manga adaption of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team and Red Rescue Team*Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blazing Exploration Team, manga adaption of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time, Explorers of Darkness, and Explorers of Sky.-...
titles, the Pokémon Ranger
Pokémon Ranger
is an action/role-playing video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS video game console. The game was released at various dates, varying between continents. The game was first released in Japan on March 22, 2006 and was later released in North America and...
titles, Pokémon Rumble
Pokémon Rumble
Pokémon Rumble is a Pokémon video game for WiiWare. It was developed by Ambrella. Pokémon Rumble was rated "E10+" by the ESRB, making it the first Pokémon video game to be given an ESRB rating higher than "E" for Everyone...
, and PokéPark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure. In Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire
Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire
Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire is a pinball game developed by Jupiter and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance handheld game console. It was first revealed at E3 in 2003, and was released in the same year – on August 1, August 25, and November 14 in Japan, North America, and PAL regions...
, once an egg has been hatched in the Ruby Field, Aerodactyl will fly by and replace it the next time the ball rolls into the Egg Stand.
In other media
Aerodactyl's first appearance in the animePokémon (anime)
, abbreviated from , is a children's TV anime series, which has since been adapted for the North and South American, Australian and European television markets...
was in Attack of the Prehistoric Pokémon. It was attacking Ash
Ash Ketchum
Ash Ketchum, known as for all appearances in Japan, is a fictional character in the Pokémon franchise owned by Nintendo. He was created by, and named after, Satoshi Tajiri as the protagonist of the anime and manga series, as well as on various merchandise related to the franchise...
, so Charmeleon
Charmeleon
Charmeleon, known in Japan as , is a Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon franchise. Created by Ken Sugimori, Charmeleon first appeared in the video games Pokémon Red and Blue and subsequent sequels, later appearing in various merchandise, spinoff titles and animated and printed...
evolved into a Charizard
Charizard
Charizard, known in Japan as , is a Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon franchise. Created by Ken Sugimori, Charizard first appeared in the video games Pokémon Red and Blue and subsequent sequels. They have later appeared in various merchandise, spinoff titles and animated and...
to fight it. It then appeared in the Pokémon Chronicles
Pokémon Chronicles
Pokémon Chronicles, known in Japan as , is a spin-off series of the Pokémon anime, revolving around characters other than Ash Ketchum.It first aired in Britain on Toonami, where the initial run has now finished. The only places where episodes are currently airing for the first time are the...
, where it was revived by Gary Oak. Team Rocket tried to steal it and it used Hyper Beam on them. Finally, it was in the Diamond and Pearl series where it terrorized Oreburgh City after being revived from its fossil state.
In the Pokémon Adventures
Pokémon Adventures
Pokémon Adventures, released in Japan as , is a Pokémon-related manga based on the video games. Satoshi Tajiri once stated that the Pocket Monsters Special series is closest to what he imagined the Pokémon world to be:...
manga, Red obtains an Aerodactyl from a resurrected piece of Old Amber which he revives. He has since then used it extensively for aerial transportation and combat, such as in a battle with Deoxys
Deoxys
is a fictional species of Pokémon from Nintendo's and Game Freak's Pokémon media franchise. The result of an extraterrestrial virus's exposure to a laser beam, Deoxys frequently appears around auroras. It is recognized as a Legendary Pokémon of the third generation...
. Lance also owns an Aerodactyl that he also uses for aerial transportation and combat.
Reception
IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
listed Aerodactyl as one of the best Rock types alongside Golem and Rhydon, stating that while it's weak to Electric attacks, it has high statistics. IGN's Pokémon Chick wrote that she loves Aerodactyl due to its appearance and its high speed. She added that she "really can't think of anything bad to say about Aerodactyl". She often references Aerodactyl in other reviews of individual Pokémon species; she wrote that it was a good Pokémon for defeating whole teams with ease; her favourite Flying type Pokémon; and she wrote that he was one of the most popular Rock types to the point where at the time she refused to use other Rock types until Aerodactyl is introduced to Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire
Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire
are the third installments of the Pokémon series of role-playing games, developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance. The games were first released in Japan in late 2002 and later released to the rest of the world in 2003 . Pokémon Emerald, a special edition version,...
. She also named it one of her five favourite Pokémon. Official Nintendo Magazines Thomas East listed Aerodactyl's name as one of the worst in the Pokémon series due to the combination of pterodactyl and aero being redundant since it is presumed that a pterodactyl can fly. 1UP.com
1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
's Michael Vreeland compared Aerodactyl to the Pokémon Archen due to its similar combination of Rock and Flying which he wrote is considered "infamous" due to "the ever-annoying Aerodactyl". GamesRadar
GamesRadar
GamesRadar is a multi-format video game website featuring regular news, previews, reviews, videos, and guides. It is owned and operated simultaneously in the UK and US by worldwide publisher Future Publishing...
wrote that Aerodactyl's move variety made it a "worthwhile addition" and as such it does not need an evolution. Independent.ie described Aerodactyl as a "macho" Pokémon due to its "bat wings and forked tail". Author Ash Dekirk compared it to the mythical beast wyvern
Wyvern
A wyvern or wivern is a legendary winged reptilian creature with a dragon's head, two legs , and a barbed tail. The wyvern is found in heraldry. There exists a purely sea-dwelling variant, termed the Sea-Wyvern which has a fish tail in place of a barbed dragon's tail...
and called it "incredibly rare". He added that its head was "dragonesque".