There's always going to be divided opinions when it comes to ranking the best Pokémon games. With so many fantastic options spanning generations, we all have strong feelings about our Pokémon adventures. Whether it's because we grew up playing a certain entry, or there's one that holds a special place in your heart for one reason or another.
This list focuses on core games, like Pokémon Legends: Arceus and Pokémon Sword and Shield, to the series origins with Pokémon Red and Blue, and more.
This list focuses on core games, like Pokémon Legends: Arceus and Pokémon Sword and Shield, to the series origins with Pokémon Red and Blue, and more.
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00:00There's always going to be divided opinions when it comes to ranking the best Pokemon
00:15games. With so many fantastic options spanning the generations, we all have strong feelings
00:20about our Pokemon adventures. Whether it's because we grew up playing a certain entry
00:24or there's one that holds a special place in your heart for one reason or another. This
00:28list focuses on core games from the most recent additions like Pokemon Legends Arceus
00:33and Pokemon Sword and Shield to the series origins with Pokemon Red and Blue and more.
00:37So let's take a look at our rankings of the best Pokemon games to date.
00:48Pokemon Diamond and Pearl didn't do anything too groundbreaking, but one notable thing
00:52it did do was bring Pokemon trading into the modern age. Instead of using a link cable,
00:57they made use of the Nintendo DS's WiFi connectivity to trade Pokemon with other players. While
01:02some other new features did come into play too, most of them building on things previously
01:07introduced in Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire, it does also deserve some credit for its story.
01:11The evil Team Galactic conducts science experiments to try and take control of the legendaries
01:16in the Sinnoh region in some rather weird ways.
01:28Pokemon X and Y took Pokemon into the world of 3D on the Nintendo 3DS and was a significant
01:33change from titles before it. It truly marked the start of a new era with the charming sprites
01:38of yesteryear turned into gorgeous 3D models, elevating battle sequences to all new animated
01:43The Pokemon M.E. system was also introduced for the first time, which lets you interact
01:47with your Pokemon companions and form bonds with them. It was a welcome touch that finally
01:52let you pet and play with your favourite battling buddies.
01:55X and Y also brought in a lot more customisation, allowing you to change the look and style
02:00of your trainer. It also introduced yet more interesting Pokemon, including the new addition
02:05of the fairy type, as well as new social features.
02:15Arceus is as close as the franchise has gotten to a reboot in its long history. It's the
02:20first game that really opens up the world, giving you the chance to run into Pokemon
02:24in the wild, just like you would if we actually lived in a world populated by pocket monsters.
02:28We have an incredible story that takes you back in time and new gameplay elements that
02:33give the series a bit of a refresh. Pokemon Legends Arceus is a fantastic addition to
02:37the franchise that takes the tried and true formula and expands it outwards.
02:56Pokemon Sword and Shield was the first entry in the core series to land on Switch and introduce
03:01the Galar region, a delightful setting based on the UK, as well as Galarian form Pokemon
03:05variants. Getting to bond with your mons using the new camp feature was also a welcome touch.
03:11In our review we said it's a Pokemon game for the new generation. Thanks to some of
03:14the more accessible features it introduced, allowing new players to ease into the formula
03:19we know and love.
03:20While it might be a touch easier than the entries in the series, Sword and Shield offers
03:24a fantastically memorable experience, with a cast of colourful characters and Pokemon,
03:29and is easily the best looking Pokemon game to date.
03:39While a lot of the formula remained unchanged, Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire took the series
03:43into a vibrant world of colour on the Gameboy Advance, letting the Pokemon sprites pop from
03:47the screen like never before. This was also the first Pokemon game to introduce a lot
03:51of elements and features that continued throughout the series. Things like 2v2 double battles
03:56appeared for the first time, and Pokemon were also attributed with different natures
04:00which affected their overall stats. An extensive list of new abilities were also introduced,
04:05which were specific to different types adding more depth into battles. Contests were also
04:10brought in to add new challenges. The Hoenn region was also a great setting with some
04:13memorable legendary Pokemon in the shape of Groudon and Kyogre.
04:25Getting back to where it all began, Pokemon Red and Blue set us on the path to be the
04:29very best like no one ever was, and we haven't looked back since. The world of Kanto still
04:33feels just as magical as it ever did, and the original 151 Pokemon are still the most
04:38memorable in the franchise's history, right down to the classic starters Bulbasaur, Squirtle
04:43and Charmander. The Gameboy graphics have a nostalgic charm you don't quite get with
04:47the later entries, and it's still very playable to this day, which is a testament to just
04:52how good it is.
05:00After Pokemon Red and Blue put the world into a Pokemon frenzy, the sequel had some big
05:04shoes to fill, and thankfully, Gold and Silver delivered. Bigger and better than before,
05:09the second generation introduced 100 excellent and memorable additions to the Pokemon library,
05:14along with two new Pokemon types, and a whole host of new moves. It introduced a day and
05:19night cycle, added time-specific challenges, and brought in Pokemon that could only be
05:23caught at certain times of the day. Gold and Silver had all the hallmarks that made the
05:27first game so enjoyable, but expanded on the experience to cement itself as the superior
05:32Pokemon game. And better yet, when you reached the end of the game, you unlocked the Kanto
05:36region from Red and Blue, which allowed you to revisit all of the gyms and trainers.
05:41So that's our ranking of the best Pokemon games. Obviously, as we mentioned, everyone
05:45has their own favourites and their reason for that choice, so why not leave a comment
05:48explaining what's yours and why.