Re-Doing Ranking

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Pokémon is a series of video games developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company as part of the Pokémon media franchise

*Full Reviews Of Each In The ‘Video Games’ Category Of The Site*

1. Pokémon: HeartGold/SoulSilver (2010)

Back & better than ever – with the best starters, new creature designs, and feature additions like shinies, day/night cycles, & buddies alongside phenomenal box legendaries, mythicals, rich Kansai/Tokai/Shikoku-inspired Japanese region, and the only game to shockingly include TWO regions for 2x the adventure (+ Post-Game) value, G/S/C/HG/SS are the Greatest Pokémon Games Of All-Time. 10/10.

3. Pokémon: Omega Ruby / Alpha Sapphire (2013)

The greatest legendaries of All-Time from Mayan-apocapytic themed gods Kyogre, Groudon, & Rayquaza to our personal favorites Latias/Latios to Regi’s to Deoxys, a breathtaking new (water-surfable) Kyūshū island-based region, new features like double battles and Abilities changing the meta, serviceable Mudkip-led starters & final evolutions, 135 strong new Pokémon, a massive evolutionary leap in graphics from the 8-Bit Game Boy -> GBA, and brand new dual-team villains entirely separating versions with differential storylines based on natural (elemental) awe make R/S/E and their breathtaking evolutions OR/AS the 3rd – and 3rd best – Generation. 9.8/10.

2. Pokémon: Red/Blue/Green/Yellow (1996)

The worldwide pop culture revolution is one encompassing RPG, puzzle, fighting, pet, mission, spy, action, mythology, strategy, hunting, collection, science, etc. games in a singular package: one that took a lifetime to dream and ~10+ years to build by Satoshi Tajiri, turning $20 cartridges into a $100B+ kingdom with the crown of biggest media empire of all-time. The ultimate fictional concept ever made reimagining nature to let you command & wield its powers, Generation 1 epitomizes the magic of video games to transcend life within its own contexts for maximum fantasy experience and one of the greatest video games of all-time – a groundbreaking $100M+ once-in-a-century IP and blueprint/overworld mechanization of pure brilliance decades ahead-of-its-time with 151 legendary pocket monster designs of realism, elementalism, mythology, allegory, humor and soul bridging the gap between our worlds and to-date amongst the most beloved ever created, breathtaking region/culture modeled after real-life Japan, pure adventure in a panegyric to childhood, highly-diverse customizability whose depth breathes universal gaming allure, nostalgic charm in 8-bit A/V bursting with personality, the best characters and story/villain in the series, and provocative challenge behind every gym, catch, battle, route, and objective on the mission to catch ’em all. 10/10.

4. Pokémon Diamond/Pearl/Platinum (2006)

Expanding the mythology with a beautiful new Hokkaidö-inspired region in Sinnoh, great (but not Emerald-level) legendaries led by brilliant-standout demonization Giratina, a third version that’s far different from its previous two in Platinum, fantastic Empoleon-led starters, gender differences and 3DS Wi-Fi features while reinventing several classic Pokémon evolutionary-lines with clever additions like Togekiss, secret bases, Pokémon contests,& a revamped battle mechanic importantly distinguishing physical and special moves regardless of type, D/P – despite a comparatively-primitive audio track – are another great round of Pokémon adventures. 9.2/10.

2. Pokémon: Let’s Go Pikachu/Eevee (2018)

The worldwide pop culture revolution is one encompassing RPG, puzzle, fighting, pet, mission, spy, action, mythology, strategy, hunting, collection, science, etc. games in a singular package: one that took a lifetime to dream and ~10+ years to build by Satoshi Tajiri, turning $20 cartridges into a $100B+ kingdom with the crown of biggest media empire of all-time. The ultimate fictional concept ever made reimagining nature to let you command & wield its powers, Generation 1 epitomizes the magic of video games to transcend life within its own contexts for maximum fantasy experience and one of the greatest video games of all-time – a groundbreaking $100M+ once-in-a-century IP and blueprint/overworld mechanization of pure brilliance decades ahead-of-its-time with 151 legendary pocket monster designs of realism, elementalism, mythology, allegory, humor and soul bridging the gap between our worlds and to-date amongst the most beloved ever created, breathtaking region/culture modeled after real-life Japan, pure adventure in a panegyric to childhood, highly-diverse customizability whose depth breathes universal gaming allure, nostalgic charm in 8-bit A/V bursting with personality, the best characters and story/villain in the series, and provocative challenge behind every gym, catch, battle, route, and objective on the mission to catch ’em all. 9.8/10.

7. Pokémon Black/White (2010)

Despite ~mix roster, B|W|2: city gothic medieval greco-rome ‘merica zoroastrian VG fairy-tale w. best story, [N] characterization, villain, bold/complex themes of PKM: truth v. idealsm, liberation, politics, civilization, law, youth, man, violence, lv. 9.6/10.

3. Pokémon Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald (2003)

The greatest legendaries of All-Time from Mayan-apocapytic themed gods Kyogre, Groudon, & Rayquaza to our personal favorites Latias/Latios to Regi’s to Deoxys, a breathtaking new (water-surfable) Kyūshū island-based region, new features like double battles and Abilities changing the meta, serviceable Mudkip-led starters & final evolutions, 135 strong new Pokémon, a massive evolutionary leap in graphics from the 8-Bit Game Boy -> GBA, and brand new dual-team villains entirely separating versions with differential storylines based on natural (elemental) awe make R/S/E and their breathtaking evolutions OR/AS the 3rd – and 3rd best – Generation. 9.7/10.

1. Pokémon Gold/Silver/Crystal (1999)

Back & better than ever – with the best starters, new creature designs, and feature additions like shinies, day/night cycles, & buddies alongside phenomenal box legendaries, mythicals, rich Kansai/Tokai/Shikoku-inspired Japanese region, and the only game to shockingly include TWO regions for 2x the adventure (+ Post-Game) value, G/S/C/HG/SS are the Greatest Pokémon Games Of All-Time. 9.4/10.

8. Pokémon Stadium 2

Although with phenomenal box legendaries in Xerneas & Yveltal paralleling a life & death motif, polygonal 3D graphics, Fairy-type addition shaking up the meta, and brilliant/game-changing introduction of Mega-Evolutions reinvigorating, improving, or redeeming All-Time classic Pokémon entirely, X/Y are a better-than-B/W but weaker addition than generations-past – by an entirely-forgettable villain team, thin & melodramatic storyline, over-straightforward French Kalos region, muted colors, problematic textures, no Z version for Zygarde, & continually-lazy new creature designs. 8.7/10.

8. Pokémon Snap

Although with phenomenal box legendaries in Xerneas & Yveltal paralleling a life & death motif, polygonal 3D graphics, Fairy-type addition shaking up the meta, and brilliant/game-changing introduction of Mega-Evolutions reinvigorating, improving, or redeeming All-Time classic Pokémon entirely, X/Y are a better-than-B/W but weaker addition than generations-past – by an entirely-forgettable villain team, thin & melodramatic storyline, over-straightforward French Kalos region, muted colors, problematic textures, no Z version for Zygarde, & continually-lazy new creature designs. 8.5/10.

8. Pokémon Stadium (1999)

Although with phenomenal box legendaries in Xerneas & Yveltal paralleling a life & death motif, polygonal 3D graphics, Fairy-type addition shaking up the meta, and brilliant/game-changing introduction of Mega-Evolutions reinvigorating, improving, or redeeming All-Time classic Pokémon entirely, X/Y are a better-than-B/W but weaker addition than generations-past – by an entirely-forgettable villain team, thin & melodramatic storyline, over-straightforward French Kalos region, muted colors, problematic textures, no Z version for Zygarde, & continually-lazy new creature designs. 8.2/10.

7. Pokémon BW2 (2012)

A peculiar idiosyncratic visual style, compelling social justice animal rights activist-team Plasma, & fine soundtrack can’t save this overall slog that claims the title of worst Pokémon game of All-Time – by the worst new Pokémon of All-Time (ultimately the singular most important thing you come to a PKMN game for) and most boring (literally monotonic) box legendaries ever. 8/10.

New Pokémon Snap (2020)

5. Pokemon Sun/Moon (2015)

Shaking up the formula with increasingly lush graphics, a breathtaking new Hawaii-based region, brilliance in tropical Kanto forms remixing or redeeming previously-forgotten Pokémon entirely, & the best box legendaries since Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald in royal-luminescent Solgaleo/Lunala, but polarizing Island Challenge motif feeling dramatically un-Pokémon-like & too much condescension in hand-holding, Sun/Moon are a flawed but overall-strong new generation. 7.5/10.

8. Pokémon X/Y (2013)

Although with phenomenal box legendaries in Xerneas & Yveltal paralleling a life & death motif, polygonal 3D graphics, Fairy-type addition shaking up the meta, and brilliant/game-changing introduction of Mega-Evolutions reinvigorating, improving, or redeeming All-Time classic Pokémon entirely, X/Y are a better-than-B/W but weaker addition than generations-past – by an entirely-forgettable villain team, thin & melodramatic storyline, over-straightforward French Kalos region, muted colors, problematic textures, no Z version for Zygarde, & continually-lazy new creature designs. 5/10.

8. Pokémon Go (2016)

Although with phenomenal box legendaries in Xerneas & Yveltal paralleling a life & death motif, polygonal 3D graphics, Fairy-type addition shaking up the meta, and brilliant/game-changing introduction of Mega-Evolutions reinvigorating, improving, or redeeming All-Time classic Pokémon entirely, X/Y are a better-than-B/W but weaker addition than generations-past – by an entirely-forgettable villain team, thin & melodramatic storyline, over-straightforward French Kalos region, muted colors, problematic textures, no Z version for Zygarde, & continually-lazy new creature designs. 8/10.

1. Pokémon FireRed/LeafGreen (2004)

Back & better than ever – with the best starters, new creature designs, and feature additions like shinies, day/night cycles, & buddies alongside phenomenal box legendaries, mythicals, rich Kansai/Tokai/Shikoku-inspired Japanese region, and the only game to shockingly include TWO regions for 2x the adventure (+ Post-Game) value, G/S/C/HG/SS are the Greatest Pokémon Games Of All-Time. 6.7/10.

5. Pokemon Ultra Sun / Ultra Moon (2017)

Shaking up the formula with increasingly lush graphics, a breathtaking new Hawaii-based region, brilliance in tropical Kanto forms remixing or redeeming previously-forgotten Pokémon entirely, & the best box legendaries since Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald in royal-luminescent Solgaleo/Lunala, but polarizing Island Challenge motif feeling dramatically un-Pokémon-like & too much condescension in hand-holding, Sun/Moon are a flawed but overall-strong new generation. 5.2/10.

6. Pokémon Sword/Shield (2019)

A storybook feel achieved through plush tracking visuals, rich English-themed terrain, Dynamax kaijuism in the perfect gym redesign, and the best starters & new PKMN since G/S/C recapturing the magic of its ’90’s early-series creature designs, but mixed box legendaries & no National Dex: a *massive,* game-breaking omission/betrayal of the foundation of Pokémon as a concept. 7.6/10.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl