# 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.

*By YPB Team · Published August 14, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/the-18-best-pokemon-games-of-all-time*

---

## Current results (0 votes)

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.

Tags: nintendo, rpg, pokemon, game boy, video games