Top 10 Best Pokemon Games

When it comes to Pokémon, everyone has their personal favorites, but some games clearly stand out above the rest. Whether you're a seasoned Trainer who's been catching 'em all since the early days or someone new to the world of Pokémon, deciding which titles belong at the top can be tough.

The series has expanded across generations of consoles, each game offering something unique. Some are known for their memorable regions, while others introduced innovative mechanics or unforgettable storylines.

The Top Ten

Pokémon Emerald

Generation 3 games have a special place in my heart. It is very hard to pick which Pokemon game is best, but this is the one that I feel the most attachment for. I've been a fan since Gen 1, but this one means so much to me because it came out at a time when Pokemon was losing its status as a worldwide phenomenon and people began shunning it.
But I still loved Pokemon. I'm so glad I gave this game a chance and didn't forget about Pokemon like 90% of my friends did at the time. It had a decent story by Pokemon standards and introduced a lot of cool new Pokemon like Metagross, Blaziken, Swampert, Absol, Gardevoir, and of course, Groudon, Kyogre, and Rayquaza, etc. I wouldn't say it has the best selection of Pokemon available, but it has my favorite overall soundtrack and my favorite region/map design.
There are also neat things that you won't see in the other games, like having your own Secret Base. There's also the lengthy and challenging post-game, the Battle Frontier. I cannot wait for the remakes, which have been confirmed today! Hoenn, I'm coming home!
Pokémon Platinum

Over my harsh past with Nintendo, I've had some happiness and upsets as well. This was my first game when I was about 5 or 6. I loved this game for giving me such a powerful bond with the gamer I am today.
It was truly a beautiful game, along with being a challenge. I lost all of my DS games due to issues at home when I was 9. Now that I'm almost 14 and have the game back, it just brings tears to my eyes.
Of all the Pokemon games, I can honestly say that, not due to favoritism but experience, if you play this you will love this game. Believe in yourself like I did and have an exciting adventure of your very own!
Pokémon FireRed

Those of you who are claiming that games like Diamond and Pearl can compete with the original Pokemon games or the remakes of the originals must have joined the Pokemon party late. The original games will forever be a masterpiece and hallmark of gaming.
Those games launched a frenzy in their heyday, the likes of which we will never see again. The nostalgia and memories will always make them the top dog.

Pokemon Fire Red was the first Pokemon game I ever played. If you say that the new generation of games (Platinum, HeartGold, and Diamond) are better than the old ones, you probably have never played them. But not every single old Pokemon game is as good as Pokemon Fire Red.
I mean, Charizard is the best starter evolution ever. The fire-flying combination and the way it looks is just the best Pokemon ever. I have played over 300 hours of this game on my Game Boy. That's 12 full days. And with the emulator, it doesn't give that special feeling to any Pokemon game that you've helped Nintendo by buying their products. It also just doesn't feel like Pokemon anymore.
Pokémon SoulSilver

The first Pokemon game I ever played was Silver, and it was shared among me and my two brothers. We had a blast playing through it. We must have had over 300 hours on it, and eventually, we couldn't save anymore because we had played too much.
I eventually got Ruby, FireRed, and eventually Pearl, but nothing was the same experience as this. When the news came out that Gold and Silver were being remade, I was ecstatic. This game has successfully kept everything that was wonderful in Silver - two regions, great Pokemon, awesome story - and made it better by updating it for the DS. It's by far the best game for me, although the original Generation Two games are classic.
Pokémon HeartGold

Easily the best Pokemon game ever. There are so many little pieces of extra plot and awesome mini-games that you get addicted to after a while (Pokeathlon, the bug-catching thing above Goldenrod City, the Battle Frontier, and the slot machines in Celadon City). Also, you can go in Johto, my favorite region of all, and Kanto.
The storyline is also my favorite, right after Emerald, which I feel is more important than anything else in a Pokemon game. I have clocked in more than 400 hours on this game, and I plan on playing one of the 2nd gen games to get more out of the story, which will be hard to do. This is easily the best Pokemon game in my eyes, and everything, and I mean everything, about it is crazy amazing. I just love it so much I am not even able to describe it all.
Just thinking about it makes me insane with joy. So many memories. I know it's just a game, but this game influenced my life forever.
Pokémon Diamond

Pokemon Diamond is the best. The graphics are good, but they don't overdo it like Black and White. This game has the best Pokemon ever, including Giratina and my favorite, Torterra.
This was my second game after Fire Red (Game Boy Advance version), so this was the game that actually taught me about Pokemon. It helped me understand Pokemon. I also like this game because it has more Pokemon to catch, the hardest Elite Four, and more legendaries than any other game.
Finally, this game was a great adventure because Sinnoh is the largest region. It let me explore and have a great time. I've played this game for 400 hours and I'm not stopping. Any real Pokemon fan should have this. And don't bother getting Black and White. It's the easiest game ever!
Pokémon Yellow

Ah, Pokemon Yellow. It's honestly a classic, and for a Game Boy game, there was just so much on it. I appreciate the extremely unfriendly rival who's always one step ahead of you, and an evil team that's essentially the Pokemon Mafia.
With colorful characters and a catchy soundtrack, this game holds a special place in my heart. Red, Blue, and Green were all pretty good, but Yellow feels like a slightly more complete version to me, and the addition of Pikachu is pretty adorable. I love the little dance he does if you leave him above a ledge after you jump off of it.

Yellow is not only my favorite Pokémon game but also my 13th favorite video game of all time. It was just pure awesomeness from the start. This was my second Pokémon game (Blue was my first), and after owning almost every generation, Yellow is still my favorite due to the newness of the concept at the time, the replay value, and of course, the nostalgia.
I even like how glitchy the game is. Aside from that, I think that Yellow and Crystal should be much higher.
Pokémon Black

When this came out in 2010, I bought it for $50 and played it all day and night. My parents were mad at me for playing it when I should have been doing homework. I was 11, and I really enjoyed it when it first came out.
All of the anticipation, build-up, and hype were the best parts of my craving for it. I was so excited for it, and I remember how long I played because I had a log for it just so that if my friends said they played longer than me, I could prove them wrong. I played for 56 hours, and 24 of those hours were in one straight day of me on my couch with my DSi, playing and playing.
I remember telling my parents, who were mad at me for spending $50 on it, "It's great!" and "I love it so much!" I calmed them down after a bit because they thought I had wasted quite a bit of my allowance. Chores earned me $6 a week, and I had recently made a deal that if I did something extra each week, they would give me an extra $1. The only reason I asked for that deal was that I wanted to buy it when it first came out, and I expected it to cost $60, so I saved that up. I was relieved to see that it was $50, so I wouldn't have to blow all my money on the game.
This game had the best plot and the greatest "new" Pokemon at the time. I think that the hype was the best part of the game, and I know that a lot of people don't like things just because of the hype. When there is hype, there often isn't a very good game soon to come out, and it is all "karma." I loved this game. I told you how many hours I played of it, and not many people remember the hype. Hype, hype, hype! It was great.... read more
Pokémon X

As many others have stated, this game boasts impressive graphics, but graphics don't make a great game all by themselves. This game adds a relatively small number of Pokémon, but after the Gen 5 games filled with Pokémon that were clearly added to meet the requirement of filling up a region, the team behind this game drilled down and made every new Pokémon unique and interesting, along with bringing back classics from the earliest generations.
Finally, and foremost for me, this game has an actual story with real character development. This might seem like a no-brainer, but this story is uniquely developed in the history of Pokémon. While not everyone loves this game as much as I do, it will forever hold a place in my heart as the best of the series.
Pokémon Crystal

This is hands down the best Pokemon game ever, with a great storyline. I adore how it's like you have to prove yourself to the legendary dogs (really Suicune), but the story doesn't prevent you from easily getting through the gyms, like in Black and White.
My one peeve is how easily Typhlosion can walk through the gyms, and how easy Victory Road is. That doesn't mean that this game is not challenging. The Ice Path can be very tough to figure out.
Another plus to this game is access to two regions! Sixteen badges of awesomeness and epic battles vs. Red packing level 80s. Pokemon Crystal is hands down the greatest Pokemon game of all time!

Crystal was when I first started playing Pokémon. The graphics suck, but adding more color was still a big step from the previous generation. This game has more stuff to do in it than just about any other version.
I can still remember all the best things from it: torching the Sprout Tower with Cyndaquil, raging at Whitney's Miltank, trying to catch that red Gyarados, buying RageCandyBars for no reason, and beating the Elite Four with the Electabuzz I hatched! And then it was on to Kanto to explore the rest of the world.
This game and region can't be beat. It had the right number of Pokémon, and I loved the artistic style of them. Crystal forever!

The Newcomers

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Pokémon Legends: Arceus

Pokemon Legends Arceus was a very intriguing break to the general formula that Pokemon games tend to follow. And although it had mixed reviews from many, it will always be a top game for me. The break in formula made it an extremely refreshing experience and I loved the game mechanics and visuals. The storyline was also very intriguing. Definitely in my top three, and even makes a good case for my personal favorite. The only reason I would not put this as a solid first is for nostalgias sake.

After years of mediocrity, Pokémon finally did the unthinkable: they decided to switch up the traditional formula and turn it into a pseudo-open-world game. And let me say that it works - mostly. No, I'm not a Game Freak shill or defender, but I think they tried their best to change the formula. Even though there are some problems that plague most modern Pokémon games - like the extremely long, unskippable cutscenes and graphics that range from decent to awful - I think it's solid enough.
Catching Pokémon doesn't waste time, and even if it does, you're still enjoying the game. There are many new characters that I can sympathize with (Adaman, I love you) and many ways to traverse Hisui.
That said, I can see why many people might get bored with this game due to its lack of anything groundbreaking. But what are we waiting for? Make this an anime or a Pokémon Adventures adaptation!
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Pokémon Shield

This game is insane. I love how you're literally a celebrity in stadiums, and it's set in Great Britain, which is awesome! You see Manchester, London, Bath, Liverpool, and Edinburgh. Plus, the colloquial dialects of the characters are insanely good.

Shield is cool, but Sword was my first (non-fan-made) Pokémon game, so it goes second on my favorites list.

The Contenders

Pokémon White

My game says I've spent more than 999 hours playing this game, and I think it might be true. I love this game and everything about it. I could have played it for hours, even during the night.
I remember battling with my friends during nights at my house. It was great, and I love the sequel even more for its gameplay and Pokemon. I've played all Pokemon games and I'm like an expert, and this game is in my number one place. Just with Diamond, Emerald, White 2, SoulSilver, and every other Pokemon game from the main series and Explorers of Time. Yeah, I have more than one game in my first place.

I really don't know why this game is so low on the list, because not only was it way better than Black version, it was one of the most challenging Pokémon games I've ever played.
I guess people just select Black because they think it's cooler, but in the end, you get the chance to catch Zekrom only in White Version.
Pokémon Silver

Ah, Pokemon Silver, in my opinion, is the peak of Pokemon gaming. The reason later Pokemon games pale in comparison is that they lack the depth and backstory that Silver managed to gain from being a sequel to Red and Blue. For example, Koga, a member of the Elite Four, used to be the gym leader of Fuchsia City (which everyone knows, of course).
All this backstory could be revealed after beating all the Johto gyms and the Elite Four, and then heading back to Kanto to beat the old gym leaders again. Having two regions was absolutely fantastic, giving Silver the longest post-game content out of any Pokemon game. Going back to Kanto and seeing what had changed since your Pokemon Red playthrough was simply amazing.
My favorite example of this is the eruption of Cinnabar Island and finding Blaine's gym in the Seafoam Islands. Silver was strengthened by the legacy of Red and Blue, and vice versa, making both sets of games truly better. Playing Red and Blue was essentially playing Silver in the past, knowing that in the future, you would be standing atop Mount Silver, fighting against your current protagonist, Red, in perhaps the best fight in the entire Pokemon franchise. With Pokemon in the high seventies (and some in the high eighties), Red was the most formidable trainer in the entire series. Not only were his Pokemon extremely intimidating, but you had played as Red yourself, beating the Elite Four and Team Rocket. You knew all his accomplishments, but his activities between your battle with Red and his victory over the Elite Four made him mysterious at the same time.
Pokémon Y

I thought that the original Pokemon games were the best until I played these masterpieces. Such detail, great Pokemon, amazing soundtrack, cool story, fun characters, meaningful messages, awesome legendary Pokemon - even though Xerneas just looks like the Great Forest Spirit from Princess Mononoke. But this game, I think, has a better Pokemon selection than X.
Both games are great though. And they definitely should be way higher on this list. I mean, some of these games took so long to even save that they were so hard to play. Definitely my favorite Pokemon game.

Why is X so much higher than this? The only main difference is that Yveltal is in this instead of Xerneas. Yveltal is way cooler anyway, especially with Oblivion Wing.
The game is pretty good with advanced graphics, 3D battles, Super Training, Wonder Trade, and the story is awesome.
Pokémon Red

I remember when there were only 150 of you, well technically 151 if you are counting Mew. But I digress. I guess I spent the best years of my life surfing Cinnabar Island to get 126 Revives. And I miss the Pokemon Center.
I miss the music too. And the way that Snorlax looked like Lapras on water. Pokemon, what happened to you? Now legendary means nothing to me, and one-of-a-kind creatures add up to thirty.
And I only want three choices for my Eevee. I won't accept your Leaf Green. They'll always be Red and Blue to me.

You can't beat the classics. It gives you three starters (no, one is not Pikachu), and I kind of like that. It gives you choice, and games have been missing that for a while (cough, cough, Call of Duty).
It also has the most iconic (and my personal favorite) starters in the game (Charmander, Bulbasaur, and Squirtle). And if you REALLY want a Pikachu, you can still catch one in the wild.
Pokémon Black 2

This game is below Pokemon Mystery Dungeon? That's a disgrace, in my opinion!
This is one of the best Pokemon games of all time, and just because it's a sequel and uses the same region, it doesn't mean this has to be at the bottom. Just look at Pokemon Silver. That was a sequel that reused the Kanto region and it's No. 3 on the list.
I've been a Pokemon fan since that generation, and I think this game deserves a chance. I can understand if nostalgic games such as Red & Blue are at the top of this list, but to me, this is the best Pokemon game to date and deserves to be closer to the top.

Pokemon Black 2 is the best, no doubt, hands down, everyone. Although I must admit, I'm not really a fan of the mascot in the game, Black Kyurem. Besides that, I think it's an absolutely wonderful game. I just absolutely love Humilau City. It's like a paradise island! The gym is just a great experience with relaxing music and all.
But besides that, you can even link back to the previous games, Black and White, and have flashbacks, which to me is really awesome. People might complain that since it's a remake, it's basically the same as the previous games. Wrong! Many new things, such as The Black Tower in Black 2, offer brand new challenges that are tough and difficult to face, just what anyone would want.
New characters, including Colress and two other gym leaders, Roxie and Marlon, make the game a lot more interesting to play. Also, the Xtransceiver has more features, including being able to talk to some of the main characters of the game and also participate in four-way calls. That way, a maximum of four players can wirelessly interact with each other just like in the game.
Also, I think a lot of Black 2 fans will agree that Hugh is the best rival a main character will ever have. Why? For once in a game, you don't get a rival who calls you a total loser or acts like a jerk and is arrogant in every way. Instead, he acts like a total friend. Also, he actually helps out nearly most of the time with your quest to defeat Team Plasma, which in other games, other rivals don't help as much.
Ok, so he asks you to watch his back, which is not too much to ask, and he doesn't come up with lame excuses as to why he lost or that you won because you were lucky or things like that. Besides, Hugh's theme song is just awesome. I mean, it really gets me fired up.... read more
Pokémon Sapphire

At the time this game was released, I was probably 5 or 6. I had no idea they would be releasing another Pokemon game. Before Sapphire, I had finally accomplished my goal of getting my Typhlosion to level 100 and was actually content. But once I started on this game, I doubled and almost even tripled the hours spent on Gold version. This game was so much fun for me, and I spent countless hours on it.
I don't think there is a best Pokemon game, but I do think the memories we have of them affect how we think of each of them. This game was truly my favorite not for the story or the game, but because of all the time I spent trading and battling my cousin. It's just not as common these days to battle and trade with friends either because everyone has grown up or they are too ashamed to be themselves.
I personally have been playing Pokemon for around 10 years now, and I am not in the least bit ashamed or embarrassed to admit it.
Pokémon White 2

This truly was my favorite of all, tying with Pokemon Pearl for one reason and one reason only: These games made me love Lucario so much. I was about 5 when I played through Pearl, and I got a Riolu egg from my brother. Before I could hatch it, I lost the game.
Five years later, Pokemon White 2 comes out and I train a Lucario, naming him Lux. I found my Pearl game afterward, forgetting about the egg. It hatched, and as a joke, I named the Riolu Lux (I now had like a level 89 Lucario who swept everything in its path, not boasting in any way) and soon after I got the idea for my Pokemon fan fiction series.
So, without this game, my characters wouldn't exist. And let me say, they are very important characters, each having their own sad backstory.
Pokémon Omega Ruby

Honestly, Heart Gold and Soul Silver are my favorites in terms of memories. I only played a bit of the original Red Version and skipped the original Gold, Silver, Crystal, Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald. After that, I got Heart Gold and my brother got Soul Silver, so I love them both. After that, I got Platinum and Black and White, but skipped Black and White 2 and X and Y, although I really want to get X and Y.
So when I played Omega Ruby, I was just blown away. Having watched the series as well, I was never much of a fan of Hoenn, but this game made me love it. Technically, it is the best, at least in my opinion, just not my favorite (that belongs to Soul Silver and Heart Gold), but boy, do I love this game.
Pokémon Blue

Honestly, even with all its flaws in type balance, I still really like this game. That's not to say it's the BEST game. I voted for Pokémon: Gale of Darkness, but it's still really good. I never had much problem with the amount of Pokémon, but I like the simplicity, most certainly. Though Generation One was my least favorite, I still like toying around with the various glitches. MissingNo., Mew, etc. It was all really interesting, especially finding MissingNo. without a guide. Overall, sheer nostalgia, simplicity, and glitches are keeping this near my heart.

This is the Alpha and Omega of not just the Pokémon game franchise, but the entire Pokémon empire as a whole! Think about it. Both Red and Blue versions are still among the top-selling games of all time. Without them, Nintendo wouldn't be the powerhouse they are today.
The other Pokémon games add more land, more items, and more Pokémon, but after #251, Celebi, they all sucked, which definitely improved the games in some respects. But nothing can compare to the eldest of them all.
Also, in the Blue and Red versions, you do actually have a chance to catch them all!
Pokémon LeafGreen

I voted for FireRed since they're essentially the same game, but this is the one I grew up with. I feel like Gen 1 wasn't actually that good. However, Gen 1 games in the Gen 3 engine are absolutely amazing. A lot of things in these games feel like they should've been in the first one. The abilities are fun additions, the items shake everything up, and the designs are mostly great, with a few failures such as Voltorb and Exeggcute.
The most you can do in the first game for post-game content is get all of the Pokémon and get every TM. Pretty boring. However, these games add so much cool content. There is beating the Elite Four some more, doing some fun activities, and even being able to complete the National Dex. These games are great.
Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness

This game and Colosseum both offered a much darker and grittier atmosphere than other Pokemon games. From the thugs running around in the littered town of Pyrite to the sinister factory of Cipher Key Lair, these games were something else. The concept is unique too.
Instead of running around through some tall grass hoping to catch something good, you simply snag powerful Pokemon from other trainers. Yes, you get to steal Pokemon in this game. These games also introduced shadow Pokemon, which are stronger than ordinary Pokemon. An evil organization is using them for wrongful deeds, which is why you steal the shadow Pokemon from other trainers and purify them so they can return to their normal state.
Not only that, this game is packed with double battles. About 95% of the battles in this game are double, which opens up many strategy opportunities and is really a cooler battling experience. If you are a Pokemon fan looking for something a little different, then look no further than Pokemon. And just as I mentioned before, Colosseum isn't half bad either. It has the same concept. This is my favorite Pokemon game of all time, and I really hope they do something like this again. It was such an awesome concept, and sadly, it appears they abandoned the idea of shadow Pokemon.
Pokémon Gold

Pokemon Gold is one of my favorite games of all time. I spent almost all my time on this when I was younger. Whenever I came home from school, almost instantly, I would pick up my Gameboy Color and spend hours upon hours.
It really is sad to see how low on the list this is, considering Silver and Crystal are way higher, when these games didn't have many differences besides the available Pokemon.

I have no clue why Silver is so high up on this list and Gold is so low. These two games were almost identical. This game is one of my favorites of all time.
I grew up playing this game and also the Red version. I am completely flabbergasted.
Pokémon Pearl

The story is fantastic, and the Pokémon are awesome. I don't understand why people think Dialga is better? I used to play Pokémon Yellow, Gold, and Emerald on emulators on my computer, but Pearl was my first purchased game. Sitting on my sofa the first night I got the game, battling with my Chimchar and watching the day turn to night, was the most magical experience I've ever had in a game.
With over 450 hours of gameplay and counting, I'm still not bored. I still feel exhilarated after beating Cynthia of the Elite Four. This game taught me everything I could ever know about Pokémon, and it did so in an unforgettable manner. My team and I were unbeatable. Even when I was unfairly outmatched, I enjoyed the game.
I miss my childhood days of playing this game with my friends and stealing each other's flags underground. I'll never forget this wonderful, magical game.
Pokémon Ruby

I played this game when I was 5, and it was probably one of the greatest games I ever got! I somehow beat it, and it was likely my greatest accomplishment as a 5-year-old.
I found it the other day, popped it into the GBA, played for a little bit, and then started crying. This game does - and always will - have a special place in my heart.

Sure, this game is practically a carbon copy of Pokémon Sapphire. However, I believe that the Ruby version was slightly superior. I felt that Team Magma acted more like true antagonists, and Groudon was way more awesome than Kyogre.
I am slightly biased towards this game since it was the first Pokémon game I ever played, and it was the one that made me fall in love with the franchise (and made me fail math in 7th grade...).
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team

This game's music is by far the best of any soundtrack. It brings back the most memories for me and is much more personal than any of the other games. The storyline is the best, as well as the post-game play.
The fact that you can get every single legendary is so much more fun because it doesn't limit one to a game, or even a few to a game. You can get any of them throughout the game.
Also, this game is awesome to play over and over again, because the gameplay changes each time you play, with each character.

The one I got was a recycled game and, apparently, it was hacked to be a creepypasta cartridge. Everyone I spoke to was like, "Help us. Help us." and I couldn't delete the save. It also took me to a background with "if you don't like gore, turn back now," featuring dead Pokemon in the background.
I swear, I want to get a sledgehammer and crush the thing to pieces and throw it off the peak of Mt. Everest so it can go to hell where it belongs. Worst game ever, and it has a bad plot too.
The point here is: never buy from a recycled game stock with a game that is a decade old.