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The Pokemon is one of the largest franchises in the gaming world and it has captivated the heart of numerous players from around the globe since the launch of Pocket Monsters Red and Green in 1996. The titular Pocket Monsters captured the hearts of millions, leading to dozens of games, as well as multiple animated series, feature films, and a metric ton of merchandise.
Although the series may have been able to survive with its multimedia projects alone, the games are what make it so special to so many fans. From trainers exploring Kanto in the original Game Boy to players roaming Paldea on Nintendo Switch, the franchise has been a gaming mainstay for Nintendo for decades. It is also its highest earner when it comes to intellectual property.
However, which Pokemon games rank as the best in the franchise? It ultimately depends on the perspective of who's being asked, but there are many consensus titles that fans have adored for years.
Note: This list is subjective and solely reflects the opinions of the writer
Ranking the top games of the Pokemon franchise as of April 2023
The top 10 Pokemon games to be ever released on all the platforms are as follows:
10) Pokemon Snap
Although Pokemon Snap did receive a Nintendo Switch remake recently, it's hard not to appreciate the original.
The spin-off arrived on the Nintendo 64 and changed how fans looked at the Pocket Monsters franchise right away. Instead of catching the titular creatures and battling them, players were thrust into on-rail safaris through multiple environments to take snapshots of different species for Professor Oak's research.
In this game, players can witness Pokemon in their natural habitat and interact with them, thanks to the addition of items like apples and Pester Balls. By triggering certain behaviors, trainers can find new ways to ride along the game's courses and witness Pocket Monsters evolve or group together in different ways. In the past, fans could even get their snapshots printed at local stores!
9) Pokemon Legends: Arceus
For much of the Pokemon franchise's history, players would expect similar gameplay with a few twists and features thrown in for good measure. However, this changed in a pretty big way when Legends: Arceus arrived on the Nintendo Switch. Fans were thrown into the ancient Hisui region, which would one day become known as the Sinnoh region from the Generation IV titles.
Legends: Arceus introduced a new way to play Pokemon. Trainers were given the ability to traverse multiple sectors in Hisui and catch Pocket Monsters without even battling them. Attack styles were introduced, as well as regional species that took on a different appearance and elemental typing from their well-known predecessors.
Legends: Arceus wasn't without its shortcomings, but it certainly raised the bar when it came to gameplay. It has become something of an ambitious title for Game Freak, which has allowed them to build on future Switch titles.
8) Pokemon Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon
Pokemon Sun and Moon were remarkable in their own way, thanks to the debut of regional species and the ability to travel on the back of certain Pocket Monsters. However, the two games' sequels pushed the limits even more.
Not only did several iconic characters and creatures from across the series return, but arguably the most deadly group of villains appeared in these titles in the form of the Giovanni-led Team Rainbow Rocket.
Additionally, the first appearance of the Ultra Beasts from beyond the stars was another huge feature. Throw in the altered Solgaleo/Lunala from the corruption of the mighty Necrozma, and you have a series title with tons of content and a great story to match.
7) Pokemon Scarlet/Violet
Although they received a somewhat divisive reception from fans, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet deserve credit for what was done well. Sure, the titles suffered from performance issues and subpar modern graphics, but the gameplay and quality-of-life changes were very well-received.
Thanks to in-game picnics, Tera Raids, and the ability to Terastallize in battle, Scarlet and Violet have shone bright with features and gameplay improvements. They also brought plenty of new fans into the fold, thanks to the Nintendo Switch platform.
Scarlet and Violet also have some upcoming DLCs, which should prove to broaden adventures in the Paldea region even further. They may not have had the smoothest start to their release, but the sales figures attached to the games speak for themselves.
6) Pokemon Colosseum
Although the Pokemon Stadium series is widely beloved for its 3D renderings of Pocket Monsters bringing the Game Boy titles to life, Colosseum improved on the existing formula. It also added creatures from the Generation III titles Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald. The game introduced the notion of Shadow Pokemon, which would be replicated in future titles for years to come.
All in all, Colosseum has found a huge cult fanbase years after its release, thanks to its visuals, soundtrack, story, and difficulty. For fans who think the franchise has gotten easier over time, there's no denying that Colosseum ranks as one of the most challenging titles in franchise history, if not the hardest one available.
5) Pokemon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire
The series' Generation III games Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald are some of the most beloved of all time. It was no surprise then that years after their release, trainers began to beg Game Freak and Nintendo for remakes.
Fans finally got their wish in 2014 when Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire landed on the Nintendo 3DS. These titles lovingly reintroduced players to the Hoenn region in 3D while adding plenty of new features and bonus content along the way.
Although the story remained the same for much of Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, the advent of the Primal Forms of Groudon and Kyogre allowed for new story beats that hadn't been seen before. The Mega Evolution mechanic from the X and Y games also returned, giving the Generation III starter creatures a super-powered overhaul.
4) Pokemon Yellow
It's no secret that the franchise would be nothing without its first iteration of games. Pokemon Red, Blue, and Green still hold up to this day and remain some of the most beloved titles in the entire franchise.
However, the Yellow Version doesn't often get the credit it deserves for improving on the Generation I titles that came before it. Not only do players start the game with the beloved Pikachu, but they also have the ability to acquire Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle in one playthrough without needing to trade.
The introduction of Pikachu's ability to follow the player and change its mood was also a huge first for the series and would be seen in later titles like HeartGold and SoulSilver as well as Let's GO! Pikachu/Eevee. Yellow also improved the visuals from previous Gen I entries, and trainers could even print out their Pokedex entries as stickers, thanks to the Game Boy Printer.
3) Pokemon FireRed/LeafGreen
While the Yellow Version certainly deserves credit for its improvements on Generation I games, it can't hold a candle to what FireRed and LeafGreen accomplished.
Released in 2004, these two titles brought the beloved region of Kanto to the Game Boy Advance, complete with crisp and gorgeous sprite artwork, reimagined and more complex music, and plenty of new Pocket Monsters to capture. This is all thanks to the game taking place during Generation III.
FireRed and LeafGreen quickly became the recommended way to enjoy the Generation I games and were incredibly helpful for newcomers. The titles even introduced a mechanic that would remind players what they were doing before their last save game, allowing them to pick up where they left off after a break.
2) Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver
While some fans may not be aware, the Generation II Silver and Gold versions essentially saved the franchise. Generation I's success threatened to bury the developers at Game Freak, who were working on multiple projects and couldn't delegate tasks to other developers at Nintendo due to the jumbled code of the original Gen I games.
Fortunately, HAL Laboratory president and future Nintendo president Satoru Iwata offered to help. He helped clean up the code so it could be deciphered by other coders and saved space on the game cartridge to add new Pocket Monsters. Players were also given the ability to return to the Kanto region after playing through the Johto region.
As iconic as Gold and Silver were, HeartGold and SoulSilver were remakes that improved on the originals in just about every way. The ability for a Pocket Monster to follow the player returned, and the creatures could even find items in the environment.
A Pokewalker device was boxed with the games that would allow players to walk around with their Pocket Monsters and earn watts for rewards, and several Pokemon from throughout the series' generations could appear in HeartGold and SoulSilver.
Toss in the ability to trade and battle over WiFi, as well as the chance to play new minigames thanks to the Pokeathlon, and it's hard to knock HeartGold and SoulSilver for their full-hearted approach to remaking the games that saved the franchise.
1) Pokemon Emerald
For many Pokefans, Generation III was their gateway into the game franchise. Ruby and Sapphire were certainly in a league of their own, but Emerald is crowned by many players as the best game in the entire franchise. It took what made Ruby and Sapphire special, combined their collective stories, and introduced postgame content like the Battle Frontier, which was immensely replayable.
Players could once again play as a female protagonist like in the Generation II Crystal Version. Additional Generation II Pocket Monsters were added to the game that wasn't initially available in Ruby and Sapphire.
Emerald had fantastic visuals on the Game Boy Advance, an iconic soundtrack, and the ability to catch both Groudon and Kyogre along with the creatures Latios and Latias. It isn't difficult to see why so many fans revere it as the best Pokemon game of the bunch, even in 2023.
