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Pokemon games continue to be one of the most sought-after franchises on Nintendo consoles. With several entries in the series thus far, there are many picks for newcomers to check out while waiting for the upcoming Nintendo Switch entry. Many installments have seen a lot of success while others have been relatively lackluster.
With Scarlet & Violet, developer Game Freak aims to introduce many new firsts as well as changes to the formula. Here are some of the best picks to play in while waiting for the upcoming title.
5 Pokemon games to help players prepare for Scarlet & Violet, ranked
5) Pokemon Platinum
Released for the Nintendo DS in 2008, Platinum is an enhanced version of DIamond & Pearl. Players get to explore Sinnoh once again, this time with a new subplot concerning the Ghost/Dragon-type legendary Giratina.
With a decent post-game, private villa, new legendary Pokemon forms and more, it is one of the best games in the series.
On a related note, the Sinnoh generation titles received a remake for the Nintendo Switch in the form of Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl. They are decent entrypoints for newcomers, although Platnum has them beat in terms of content and challenge,
4) Pokemon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon
Ranking the Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon (USUM) games higher than Platinum might seem otrageous to some, but hear me out. This swan-song alternate edition of Sun & Moon for the Nintendo 3DS improved upon the originals in many ways while retaining those elements that impressed, like Trials not replacing Gyms.
The Alola region is also refreshing to explore, especially with the addition of Ultra Wormholes, regions where legendaries not native to Alola can be discovered. Not to mention, the challenge definitely ramps up the disappointingly easy X/Y.
3) Pokemon Black & White/Black 2 & White 2
Another series of DS-era games, the fifth generation is by far the best when it comes to the "2D" games in the franchise.
A big step up in both visuals and gameplay, Black/White told a bold and surprisingly mature story that the took fans by surprise, and hopefully Scarlet & Violet too will expand upon this, if rumors are to be believed.
The successor games, Black 2/White 2, are also actual sequels instead of just improved refreshes of the originals. They introduced a new story, characters, locations and more, which makes each main entry in the Unova saga worth experiencing.
2) Pokemon Sword & Shield
Sword & Shield are very divisive games for the fandom. On the one hand, the leap to a new console generation marked a massive step up in quality (even though it falls short in many areas). The removal of random encounters (replaced with roaming monsters), many quality-of-life improvements and more were applauded.
Unfortunately, the low level of difficulty, a relatively small roster of monsters, shallow endgame, and poor visuals were criticized. Thankfully, the DLC expansions, Crowned Tundra and Armored Isles, improve the overall Galar region experience.
1) Pokemon Legends Arceus
The latest entry in the series, Legends Arceus was a curious experiment for Game Freak. It isn't a mainline title, but rather a prequel to Diamond & Pearl. As such, it takes place in an ancient Sinnoh and embraces a host of entirely new elements.
A full open-world to explore, new sneak-to-catch-monster mechanics, the introduction of styles for combat, and seamless battle transitions were just the tip of the iceberg. Creature reactions and AI in the wild were drastically overhauled as well. A more action-oriented focus to gameplay was introduced, with the player character being vulnerable to monster attacks for the first time.
Going forward, Scarlet & Violet will likely take a lot of inspiration from this entry and as such, it is the best Pokemon game fans need to play before stepping into the upcoming region of Paldea.
Scarlet & Violet will launch on November 18, 2022 for Nintendo Switch.
