The 10 Best Pokémon Games
This wiki has been updated 28 times since it was first published in November of 2017. With millions of young and young-at-heart gamers hooked on the franchise, Pokémon is one of the most popular video game series in the world. Whether you're a veteran looking for the next game to buy or a newcomer who wants to try the series for the first time, these titles will provide countless hours of battling, catching, and training monsters on different Nintendo consoles. When users buy our independently chosen editorial choices, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
1. Ultra Sun and Moon
2. Pokken Tournament DX
3. Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX
Editor's Notes
June 24, 2020:
Pokemon has come a long way from the classic Red and Blue releases for the original Game Boy. Most of the games have a similar structure, wherein the player starts off with a signature Pokemon and progresses through the story while capturing and training enough pocket monsters to field a powerful team. Sword and Shield is the newest of this type and the only one yet released for the Nintendo Switch, and while it's a fantastic game overall, it has received some criticism from ardent fans both for its perceived lack of a challenge and its sometimes lackluster graphics. Nonetheless, it's quite a bit of fun. Let's Go Eevee and Pikachu is another one on the Switch that's sure to be good fun. It's even more streamlined than Sword and Shield, which makes it a great choice for beginners.
Ultra Sun and Moon, for the 3DS system, takes the popular Sun and Moon entry and expands its content, resulting in one of the most successful and accessible titles in the franchise. Both experienced veterans and newbies are sure to enjoy it. Similarly, Pokemon X is an all-around enjoyable game, although its story isn't quite as compelling as most others. Omega Ruby brings a relatively old title up to date on more recent hardware without altering the actual content. For dedicated followers of the Pokemon universe, though, it's hard to beat Black Version 1 and Black Version 2, both of which feature a rich story, diverse landscapes, and notably impressive soundtracks.
Given the franchise's popularity, though, it's no surprise that Game Freak has published other titles that take place in the same universe but aren't in the same mold as the classic games. Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX puts you in the shoes of the Pokemon themselves as you adventure through a variety of environments to save friends who have run into trouble. Pokken Tournament DX is even more unconventional, as it incorporates the lovable pocket monsters into a Tekken-like dueling game that's packed with fast-paced action and lightning-quick moves.
Special Honors
Pokemon Go This free-to-play smartphone app revolutionized the Pokemon universe by bringing it directly in to the real world in the form of augmented reality. In it, you can capture pocket monsters, take over a gym, and battle against all comers to prove your superiority, but you can't do any of it from the comfort of your own home; you'll have to actually go outside. pokemongolive.com
4. Black Version 2
5. Pokemon Platinum
6. Omega Ruby
7. Black Version 1
8. Pokemon X
9. Let's Go Eevee and Pikachu
10. Sword and Shield
Building PCs, remodeling, and cooking since he was young, quasi-renowned trumpeter Christopher Thomas traveled the USA performing at and organizing shows from an early age. His work experiences led him to open a catering company, eventually becoming a sous chef in several fine LA restaurants. He enjoys all sorts of barely necessary gadgets, specialty computing, cutting-edge video games, and modern social policy. He has given talks on debunking pseudoscience, the Dunning-Kruger effect, culinary technique, and traveling. After two decades of product and market research, Chris has a keen sense of what people want to know and how to explain it clearly. He delights in parsing complex subjects for anyone who will listen -- because teaching is the best way to ensure that you understand things yourself.