Making its grand debut in 1996, the Pokémon franchise exploded in popularity to become a cultural phenomenon that rivals even Mario. Starting out as a pair of games on the humble Game Boy, Pokémon has expanded into TV shows, movies, toys, and trading card games. But no matter where the franchise goes, its core will always be video games.
The core Pokémon games all involve the catching, training, and battling of the titular pocket monsters. However, the franchise has seen all manner of spinoff games that give fans a deeper look into this beloved gaming world. With so many acclaimed games in Pokémon's library, some hold an especially cherished place in the hearts of fans.
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15 Pokémon Sword & Shield
While the Pokémon Sword & Shield isn't as memorable as other installments of the Pokémon franchise, the game provided a more free experience that made it incredibly fun for players. Players get to move around the wild areas while discovering Pokémon and engaging in battles, which makes it a very enticing experience.
However, as fun as Pokémon Sword & Shield is, it doesn't stand out in any area. The game doesn't have an interesting storyline. In fact, it gets boring and predictable at times. Furthermore, the game style becomes boring and repetitive after a while, so the game lacks more interesting dynamics that Nintendo later added on Pokémon Arceus and Pokémon Scarlet & Violet.
14 Pokémon Puzzle League
2000's Pokémon Puzzle League for the Nintendo 64 was unique among other Pokémon spinoffs for two key reasons. First, it was a Pokémon-themed spinoff of Nintendo's now-forgotten Panel de Pon series of puzzle games. Second, it broke from tradition by being directly based on the Pokémon anime.
The game brought anime-exclusive characters and their voice actors to the N64, which thrilled the anime's fans. By covering Panel de Pon with a Pokémon coat of paint, Pokémon Puzzle League managed to stand out more than its mother series—so much so that many subsequent Panel de Pon games in the West were called Puzzle League.
13 Pokémon GO
Pokémon GO is a free-to-play mobile game that allows players to catch Pokémon in an augmented reality platform. Players have to walk around finding Pokémon, Poké stops, and Pokémon Gyms around a map of their city. The game has become one of the most iconic Pokémon games as it allows players to have a more realistic approach to this universe.
Pokémon GO makes players feel like actually Pokémon trainers going on adventures. The game constantly updates the platform to include a wider variety of Pokémon, so it never gets old.
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12 Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky
Shifting the usual Pokémon video game dynamic, the Mystery Dungeon series follows a human who is suddenly transformed into a Pokémon. Players will control the Pokémon and fight in turn-based role-play battles as well as explore several dungeons to collect items and complete missions. In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky, the player will form an exploration team to try to find the Time Gears.
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of the Sky is considered to be the best installment of the Mystery Dungeon series. The game provides a great and substantial story that thoroughly engages the players and its interesting narrative and character development have marked many Pokémon fans.
11 New Pokémon Snap
The Nintendo 64's Pokémon Snap is one of the most beloved spinoffs in Pokémon's long history. Originally released in 1999, fans clamored for a sequel with each subsequent Pokémon generation. When New Pokémon Snap was released in 2021, there was much rejoicing.
Pokémon Snap was all about taking photos of Pokémon while progressing through stages on a rail. New Pokémon Snap did the same thing but on a much bigger scale. More Pokémon, more biomes, more branching paths, and more fun animations made the sequel an essential look at the world of Pokémon.
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10 Pokémon Scarlet & Violet
While the Pokémon Scarlet & Violet has received a lot of backlash for its many bugs and poor performance, there's no doubt this is still one of the best Pokémon video games. Set in the Paldea region (in the Iberian Peninsula), players select and customize a character who will move around a completely open-world game and journey through three different storylines.
Pokémon Scarlet & Violet offers a thrilling experience in terms of playability and narrative. The game allows players to engage in many tasks and quests as they explore the Paldea region, meet new and interesting characters, and get into thrilling Pokémon battles. Pokémon Scarlet & Violet has been especially praised because of great story and character development, aspects of the Pokémon franchise that are lacking at times.
9 Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen
The Pokémon franchise got its start on the Game Boy with Pokémon Red & Blue. These games served as an introduction to the wonderful world of Pokémon and are considered untouchable classics by many. When the series made the leap to the more powerful Game Boy Advance, fans were surprised when they received remakes in the form of Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen.
These remakes brought the venerable classics into Pokémon's Generation III, with all the graphical improvements, new types, and new moves that came with it. In addition to cleaning up some of the original's glitches, FireRed & LeafGreen added new areas to explore and new features.
8 Pokémon Legends Arceus
2022's Pokémon Legends Arceus took Pokémon fans by surprise when it was first revealed for the Nintendo Switch. The game offered a more open-world experience that required the player character to sneak around and dodge enemy Pokémon attacks. But what made it truly unique was its epic story set in a past version of the iconic Sinnoh region.
Players were transported to the distant past, where the relationship between humans and Pokémon was still tenuous. Legends Arceus was a fascinating look at a familiar world from a completely fresh perspective. Its new take on the familiar Pokémon formula made many fans desperate for a follow-up.
7 Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire
Pokémon Ruby & Sapphire were notable for being the first mainline games released on the Game Boy Advance and are fondly remembered as the franchise's first big jump forward. In 2014, the two received 3DS remakes in the form of Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire. These updated titles are considered by some to be the perfect versions of the GBA classics.
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire boasted vastly improved graphics thanks to the 3DS' powerful hardware, allowing Generation III's iconic Pokémon to appear as 3D models. The games also featured a more in-depth story, new forms for Groudon and Kyogre, new Mega Evolutions, and a brand-new epilogue. With so much content, it's no wonder these remakes supplanted the originals.
6 Pokémon Platinum
From Generation I to IV, the mainline Pokémon games added a third updated version shortly after the initial two games were released. The last of these games, 2009's Pokémon Platinum, is considered by many fans to be the best. While Pokémon Diamond & Pearl received a mixed reception from fans, Platinum is considered one of the best entries in the franchise.
Platinum won much acclaim for adding new content, and for fixing a lot of Diamond & Pearl's issues. But one of the most beloved changes it made was expanding the story and adding some depth to the previously bland villains. It also has one of the most visually impressive and surprisingly terrifying cutscenes of the pre-3D era.
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5 Pokémon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon
Pokémon Sun & Moon were beloved entries in the franchise's 3DS era and many fans were expecting them to receive an updated third edition like previous entries. These fans were surprised and confused when they instead received Pokémon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon in 2017. Not a sequel or a third version, these games were instead an alternate retelling of Sun & Moon.
After the confusion wore off, players considered these games to be the definitive versions of already beloved classics. Some characters received a change in personality which granted a completely fresh perspective on Sun & Moon's story. Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon also reintroduced a classic villain which won plenty of fans.
4 Pokémon X & Y
Released in 2013, Pokémon X & Y for the 3DS were the first mainline games to take the handheld series into the realm of 3D graphics. Fitting this monumental transformation, the games were given more updates than ever before. These included the new Fairy-type and the much-missed Mega Evolution forms.
These additions, plus the return of the beloved Kanto starters, made Pokémon X & Y a hit upon release. While some critics thought the games could be a little hand-holdy, the fun mechanics and introductions of some beloved new Pokémon more than made up for it. Pokémon X & Y marked the beginning of a new era for the franchise and earned a spot in gamers' hearts.
3 Pokémon Black 2 & White 2
Instead of releasing the Pokémon Gray that fans were expecting, Pokémon Black & White bucked tradition in 2012. Game Freak launched its first-ever sequels to a pair of mainline Pokémon games in the form of Pokémon Black 2 & White 2. Set two years after the original games, the sequels featured a new story set in the Unova region.
Instead of being a retread or reimagining of past games, the sequels were a completely new narrative. This included both new characters and returning characters who had undergone some character development. With excellent added features like PokéStars Studios and the Pokémon World Tournament, Black 2 & White 2 are considered cult classics.
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2 Pokémon Emerald
Released in 2004 for GameBoy Advance, Pokémon Emerald is the third version of the Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire. However, Emerald stands out because it contains the content of the two previous games as well as new content especially designed for Pokémon Emerald. The main storyline is pretty much the same, but hardcore Pokémon fans value the changes Emerald made to the overall game.
For example, Pokémon Emerald includes the Battle Frontier, which allows players to engage in different battle dynamics. This feature was highly treasured as it allowed players to continue catching Pokémon and playing the game after finishing the main storyline.
1 Pokémon HeartGold & SoulSilver
Many Pokémon fans consider Pokémon Gold & Silver for the Game Boy to be the best entries in the franchise. The games introduced the iconic Steel- and Dark-types and famously allowed players to revisit the past region of Kanto. Since they included all this and so much more, it stands to reason that 2009's Pokémon HeartGold & SoulSilver for the DS are even more beloved.
The remakes bring these beloved classics in-line with Generation IV, and add new features like a PokéWalker and the ability to have Pokémon come out and interact with the player. By taking the best of the franchise's high points and adding further improvements, HeartGold & SoulSilver cemented themselves as the best of the series.
