8 Essential Pokémon Games, Ranked

Image via Game Freak Published Jul 31, 2026, 8:02 PM EDT Born with Autism (formerly classified as Asperger syndrome), Tyler B. Searle has been obsessed with storytelling since he was old enough to speak. He gravitated towards fairy tales, mythology, the fantasy genre, and animated movies and shows aimed at family audiences. When not writing, Tyler enjoys watching more cartoons and reading fantasy books in his home in Ontario, Canada. Sign in to your Collider account With its simple yet ingenious premise of capturing elemental creatures who transform into new forms, the Pokémon franchise became a keystone of 1990s culture. Beginning as video games released on the Nintendo Game Boy, the franchise soon released a trading card game, manga series, and anime, which transformed it into a multimedia juggernaut. The number of Pokémon themselves has reached over 1000, and that number is set to increase even further in the upcoming games, Pokémon Winds and Waves. The franchise is far from perfect, however, and plenty of criticisms have been levied, especially since the games started releasing on the Nintendo Switch. However, there is still a lot to love about the games, and some that are worth playing, either as a first-time enjoyer or a long-term fan. 8 Pokémon Red and Blue Originally released as Pokémon Red and Green in Japan in 1996, Red and Blue were updated with better sprites and coding for an international release. They're the games that started it all, bringing audiences to the Kanto region and introducing them to the original 151 Pokémon. Compared to later games, the story is also very simplistic, with your character traveling the world to become a Pokémon Master, and occasionally stopping the criminal organization Team Rocket. If you're more used to modern Pokémon games, going back to the originals can be jarring due to the technical limitations and the plethora of bugs. Aside from that, the games play very well, offering a more casual experience that can be completed relatively quickly, as there's not so many side-stories or long cutscenes dragging things out. Plus, it's cool to see where the franchise began and how later games built off its success. 7 Pokémon Colosseum/XD Gale of Darkness Image via Nintendo Ever since Pokémon Stadium for the Nintendo 64 allowed players to see 3D Pokémon battles, fans were excited for a true Pokémon adventure on a console. During the era of the Nintendo GameCube, two were released: Pokémon Colosseum and its sequel, Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness. Developed by Genius Sonority, these games were set in the Orre region, and saw the protagonist facing off against Pokémon whose hearts had been closed off, transforming them into violent Shadow Pokémon. The games had a limited roster of Pokémon, forcing players to use a snagging mechanic to steal Shadow Pokémon from the villainous Team Cipher and purify them. This limited roster worked well for the spin-offs, as it caused players to think more strategically, especially since the games are played in double battles. Both games are equally good for different reasons: Colosseum has a more interesting protagonist as a former criminal, while Gale of Darkness has a larger roster of Pokémon to choose from, and the iconic Shadow Lugia. Image via Nintendo The games released on the Nintendo Switch have been divisive to say the least, but the best received has been Pokémon Legends: Arceus. This spin-off game sees the protagonist summoned by the Alpha Pokémon, Arceus, and flung into the distant past to avert a catastrophe. They arrive in the ancient Sinnoh region, known at this time as Hisui, and must help the Galaxy Expedition Team explore the region, discover Pokémon, and deal with time and space anomalies that are causing Pokémon to rampage. The game does away with gym battles and Pokémon Leagues, instead focusing on the exploration of Hisui and understanding its myths and history. It also brings with it a new battle system that allows Pokémon to increase or decrease the damage to their moves for more or less attacks overall, and mini-boss battles with rampaging Noble Pokémon. But the best aspect of it is that you can walk among Pokémon in the wild and observe their different behaviors, with some running away from you if spotted, and others trying to attack you. 5 Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver Image via Nintendo The generation two games, Pokémon Gold and Silver, brought massive quality of life changes to the franchise and new mechanics, like the day and night cycle and breeding, alongside a new region and 100 new Pokémon to collect. Nine years later, the games were re-made for the Nintendo DS. Along with updated graphics and new mechanics to take advantage of the DS' touch screen, the games also included elements from Pokémon Crystal, such as a side-story involving Suicune. To this day, Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver are heralded as possibly the best remastered games in the series. The updated graphics and new mechanics from generation four, such as the physical-special split, make navigating Johto more rewarding than ever. They also came with new mini-games, such as the Pokéathlo, and allowed the lead Pokémon in your party to walk beside you. 4 Pokémon Black and White Image via Nintendo For generation five, set in the Unova Region, GameFreak decided to give the franchise a soft reboot. Until the post game of Pokémon Black and White, players cannot use Pokémon from older generations, instead having to pick from the roster of 156 new ones. The story, meanwhile, saw the player facing off against Team Plasma, a group who believe in Pokémon liberation, and a mysterious young man named N. These games are often labeled as the pinnacle of Pokémon storytelling, with lots of emphasis being placed on character development for the rivals, N's complex backstory and motivations, and the region's gym leaders being more active in the plot as opposed to one-and-done fights. On a technical level, the games pushed the capabilities of the DS to their limits, creating a rich, visually distinct world that sells Unova as a way more urbanized region than past ones. It also made the great artistic choice of having the battle sprites constantly moving, which infuses the Pokémon with even more personality. 3 Pokémon Emerald Image via Nintendo Generation three was a major turning point in the franchise. The Game Boy Advance allowed for more complex and colorful sprites to bring the world and Pokémon to life like never before, while natures and abilities added more strategy to the game. While Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire are both great games, it's the improved third game, Pokémon Emerald, that is seen as the best way to experience generation three's Hoenn region. The game combines elements from the other two games, including the presence of both eco-terrorist teams, Team Aqua and Team Magma, as they battle to expand the land or sea respectively. Gym leaders are also given stronger teams, dungeons are completely re-designed, and more trainers who can engage you in double battles. But overall, Emerald's best strength is how fun it is; every inch of the Hoenn region is enthralling thanks to the vibrant colors and changing weather, which work together to sell Hoenn as a region where humans and nature come together in harmony. Collider Exclusive · Universe Personality Quiz Which Iconic Universe Do You Belong in the Most? Star Wars · Lord of the Rings · Harry Potter · Game of Thrones · Star Trek Five legendary universes. Five completely different visions of what the world could be — or already was. One of them is the world your instincts, your values, and your particular way of existing were built for. Eight questions will tell you which one. 🚀Star Wars 💍Lord of the Rings 🧙Harry Potter 👑Game of Thrones 🖖Star Trek FIND YOUR UNIVERSE → 01 What gives your life its deepest sense of meaning? Every universe is built around a different answer to this question. ABeing part of something larger than myself — a cause, a rebellion, a fight for freedom that outlasts me. BThe journey itself — the places I'll go, the companions beside me, the world I'll discover on the way. CLearning — unlocking what I'm capable of, understanding the world's hidden mechanics, growing into something more. DLegacy — the name I leave behind, the power I build, the mark I make before the world moves on without me. EUnderstanding — exploring what exists beyond the horizon and asking what it means to be alive in a universe this vast. NEXT QUESTION → 02 Which kind of world do you most want to inhabit? The environment shapes who you become. Choose carefully. AA galaxy of planets, each with its own culture — connected by conflict, trade, and the Force. BAncient lands of breathtaking beauty, deep history, and a creeping darkness at the edges. CA world hidden inside our own — full of wonder, community, and magic waiting to be learned. DA brutal, beautiful continent where power is everything and every alliance is a calculation. EA future where humanity has reached the stars — and must decide what kind of species it wants to be. NEXT QUESTION → 03 How do you prefer your conflicts resolved? The shape of a world's conflicts tells you everything about its soul. AThrough sacrifice and courage — someone has to make the impossible choice so others don't have to. BThrough fellowship — the impossible becomes possible when the right people walk the same road. CThrough growth — confronting what you fear, understanding what you lack, and becoming equal to the challenge. DThrough strategy — outthinking, outmaneuvering, positioning yourself so the outcome was never in doubt. EThrough dialogue — finding the third option, the peaceful resolution, the answer that doesn't require a body count. NEXT QUESTION → 04 Who do you want beside you when things get difficult? Your ideal companions reveal the world you were made for. AA small crew — a pilot, a rogue, a warrior — each broken in their own way, unbeatable together. BA fellowship of different kinds of people, bound by purpose and deepened by the long road. CFriends who grew up alongside me — who knew me before I knew myself, and stayed anyway. DAllies whose loyalty I've earned — and tested — and whose ambitions align with mine, for now. EA crew of brilliant, curious, principled people from every corner of known space. NEXT QUESTION → 05 What is your relationship with power? How you seek, wield, or resist power is the map of who you are. AI want to use it to protect — and I'm terrified of what I might become if I'm not careful. BI distrust it. The most important power in this story is the courage to give it up. CI want to earn it — through knowledge, through effort, through becoming someone worthy of it. DI want to wield it. Preferably before someone else decides to wield it against me. EI want to understand it — its structures, its limits, its ethical dimensions. Power without accountability is the real threat. NEXT QUESTION → 06 How does your universe treat good and evil? A world's moral architecture tells you more about it than any map. AThere is a dark side and a light side — and the choice between them is always present, always personal. BEvil is real and ancient and patient — and goodness, however small, is the only thing that can undo it. CGood and evil are real, but they live inside people — and people are complicated, always capable of both. DGood and evil are mostly a matter of perspective and proximity. Power is the only honest currency. EEvil is usually the result of ignorance, fear, or broken systems — and understanding it is the first step to solving it. NEXT QUESTION → 07 What role would you naturally fall into? Every universe has archetypes. Which one fits you without trying? AThe reluctant hero — ordinary origins, extraordinary moment, changed forever by the choice to act. BThe unlikely carrier — the one nobody expected to matter most, quietly bearing the weight of everything. CThe student — not yet who I'll become, learning through every mistake, growing into something the world needs. DThe player — sharp enough to see the game for what it is, ambitious enough to try to win it. EThe explorer — drawn to the unknown, driven by curiosity, most alive when standing somewhere no one has stood before. NEXT QUESTION → 08 What do you ultimately believe about the future? The answer to this is the clearest window into which universe already lives inside you. AThat hope is real — that even in the darkest galaxy, a new hope is always possible. CThat even the smallest person can change the course of the future, if they have the courage to try. CThat love and friendship and doing what's right will matter in the end, even when everything says otherwise. DThat the wheel keeps turning — that power shifts, winters end, and what endures is those willing to fight for it. EThat humanity — or whatever we become — is capable of extraordinary things, if we choose to be. REVEAL MY UNIVERSE → Your Universe Has Been Chosen You Belong In…Your answers point to the iconic universe your values, your instincts, and your particular way of seeing the world were built for. This is where you would find your people — and your purpose. Star WarsYou believe in the cause — in the idea that freedom is worth fighting for even when the odds are impossible and the empire is vast. You are drawn to the moral clarity of a universe where hope itself is a form of resistance. You'd find your people in the Rebellion — a ragtag coalition of true believers held together by conviction more than resources. Star Wars is fundamentally a story about ordinary people choosing to matter in an extraordinary conflict — and that is exactly your kind of story. The Force may or may not be with you. But the will to use it for something larger than yourself certainly is. Lord of the RingsYou understand, in the deepest part of yourself, that the journey matters as much as the destination — and that the world's beauty is worth protecting even at great cost. Middle-earth is a world of ancient wonder, deep friendship, and a darkness that only retreats when enough small acts of courage accumulate. You would thrive here because you value the fellowship more than the glory — the road more than the arrival. Tolkien's universe rewards patience, loyalty, and the willingness to carry something heavy across a very long distance. Those are not burdens to you. They are simply how you move through the world. Harry PotterYou believe that love, loyalty, and doing what's right are not naive sentiments — they are the most powerful forces in any world, magical or otherwise. The Wizarding World is a place of wonder hidden in plain sight, where learning is transformative and the bonds you form at school follow you into every battle. You would flourish here because you take both the magic and the friendships seriously — and you understand that one without the other is incomplete. Harry Potter's universe ultimately rewards those who choose to stand for something even when standing is terrifying. That choice — made quietly, without guarantee — is something you understand completely. Game of ThronesYou see the world clearly — its power structures, its hypocrisies, its brutal arithmetic — and you are not paralysed by that clarity. You use it. Westeros is a world that rewards intelligence, adaptability, and the willingness to understand that every alliance is also a negotiation. You would survive here — possibly thrive here — because you don't confuse the world as it is with the world as you'd like it to be. Game of Thrones is a story about what happens when the idealists and the realists collide. You are sharp enough to know which one lasts longer. Winter always comes. You are already prepared. Star TrekYou believe the future is worth building — that curiosity, cooperation, and the expansion of understanding are not just ideals but the most practical path forward for any civilisation. Star Trek is a universe where the questions matter as much as the answers, and where encountering something utterly alien is cause for wonder rather than fear. You would belong here because you are fundamentally optimistic about what intelligence and decency can achieve — while being honest about how hard that achievement is. The Federation is the universe's most ambitious thought experiment: what if we actually got better? You don't just hope that's possible. You think it's the only thing worth working toward. ↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ 2 Pokémon Platinum Image via Nintendo Generation four is one of the most important generations thanks to introducing the physical/special split, but it started off rocky. Pokémon Diamond and Pearl felt like unfinished games: they ran at a snail's pace, there were only two Fire-type evolutionary families in the whole region despite having a Fire-type Elite Four member, and the boss of Team Galactic, Cyrus, is allowed to walk away, leaving that story to feel unresolved. Fortunately, the third game, Pokémon Platinum, addressed these concerns and then some. Platinum has it all: a vibrant world full of ancient myths to explore, memorable characters, new features like the underground, and a fantastic roster of old and new Pokémon. Cyrus is also vastly improved, going from a nobody to one of the franchise's most intimidating villains thanks to his sociopathic desire to create his own world free of human spirit. The legendary Pokémon also help contribute to the lore of the franchise, as the main trio of dragons precedes over Time, Space, and Antimatter, while other legendaries, like the Lake Guardians, represent willpower, memory, and emotions. 1 Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky Image via Nintendo The Pokémon Mystery Dungeon games are ingenious spin-offs: a human wakes up suddenly to find themselves transformed into a Pokémon based on a personality quiz, and they team up with others to go on rescue missions in dangerous and ever-changing dungeons. Amidst this fun gameplay loop are mature and complex stories that touch on themes of responsibility, consequences, and identity. Nowhere is this seen better than in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky, which was the Pokémon Platinum to generation four's mystery dungeon games, Explorers of Time and Darkness. This game adds a lot of bonus content not found in the original two, such as expanded lore for many of the beloved side characters and new locations tied to the mythic Pokémon Shaymin. This adds even more emotional moments to an already emotionally gripping story about friendship, sacrifice, and determinism vs predeterminism. The Mystery Dungeon games are worth trying out because of how they mix up the usual beats of a Pokémon game, so why not go with the one that is most beloved by the community?