The 18 Best Pokemon Games of All Time

Thirty years of monster-catching, from two Game Boy cartridges to open-world Switch releases. Every mainline generation is here — vote for the one you would hand a newcomer.

1

Pokemon Red and Blue

The 1996 Game Boy pair that started the franchise and sold the idea of trading monsters over a link cable.

2

Pokemon Yellow

The 1998 Game Boy revision that put Pikachu behind you and followed the anime.

3

Pokemon Gold and Silver

The 1999 sequel that added a second region, breeding and a day-night clock.

4

Pokemon Crystal

The 2000 third version that animated sprites and introduced a playable female lead.

5

Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire

The 2002 Game Boy Advance entry that rebuilt the series with abilities and double battles.

6

Pokemon Emerald

The 2004 Hoenn definitive edition, remembered for the Battle Frontier.

7

Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen

The 2004 remake that rebuilt Kanto for the Game Boy Advance.

8

Pokemon Diamond and Pearl

The 2006 DS debut that split physical and special moves and put battles online.

9

Pokemon Platinum

The 2008 Sinnoh revision with a faster pace and the Distortion World.

10

Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver

The 2009 Johto remakes that let any Pokemon walk behind the player.

11

Pokemon Black and White

The 2010 reboot that used an all-new roster for the entire main story.

12

Pokemon Black 2 and White 2

The 2012 direct sequel, still the only numbered follow-up in the series.

13

Pokemon X and Y

The 2013 3DS entry that moved the series to 3D and introduced Mega Evolution.

14

Pokemon Sun and Moon

The 2016 Alola games that dropped gyms for island trials.

15

Pokemon Sword and Shield

The 2019 Switch debut with the Wild Area and Dynamax battles.

16

Pokemon Legends: Arceus

The 2022 open-field experiment set in ancient Hisui.

17

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

The 2022 fully open-world pair with three parallel story paths.

18

Pokemon Legends: Z-A

The 2025 Lumiose City entry that brought back Mega Evolution and sold 12.79 million copies by March 2026.