Pokemon games never really seem to get old, and gamers have been soaking up these beloved adventures across different platforms for decades. From those classic turn based battles and Pokemon collecting, to open world wandering and more intense stories, the whole Pokemon game series keeps pulling in players worldwide with its offline and online games.
Fan Favorites like Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Charizard and other Pokemons keep the excitement alive. There are lots of fun options to pick from on PC and Nintendo Switch too and it makes sense to rank them so you can sort of decide which ones you wanna start with first. Here are the best Pokemon games ranked!
Why are Pokemon games so popular?
Pokemon games stay popular because they mix this kind of simple but surprisingly sticky gameplay loop with exploration, collectibles, battling, and also characters that you actually remember. You get to build your own team, bump into and train brand new Pokemon, trade places with rivals or just compete with friends, have interesting battles, and then basically live through totally different adventures every single generation.
At the same time, the series keeps shifting things around, adding new mechanics and new features, but it still hangs onto that familiar Pokemon formula that longtime fans really love. There’s a lot of action, adventure, and exploration that Pokemon games offer that still stays unmatched.
All Pokemon Games in Order
- Pokémon Red & Green (1996) 🇯🇵
- Pokémon Blue (1996) 🇯🇵
- Pokémon Red & Blue (1998) 🌎
- Pokémon Yellow (1998)
- Pokémon Gold & Silver (1999)
- Pokémon Crystal (2000)
- Pokémon Ruby & Sapphire (2002)
- Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen (2004)
- Pokémon Emerald (2004)
- Pokémon Diamond & Pearl (2006)
- Pokémon Platinum (2008)
- Pokémon HeartGold & SoulSilver (2009)
- Pokémon Black & White (2010)
- Pokémon Black 2 & White 2 (2012)
- Pokémon X & Y (2013)
- Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire (2014)
- Pokémon Sun & Moon (2016)
- Pokémon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon (2017)
- Pokémon Let’s Go, Pikachu! & Let’s Go, Eevee! (2018)
- Pokémon Sword & Shield (2019)
- Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl (2021)
- Pokémon Legends: Arceus (2022)
- Pokémon Scarlet & Violet (2022)
- Pokémon Scarlet & Violet — The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero (2023) — DLC
- Pokémon Legends: Z-A (2025)
- Pokémon Champions (2026)
All Pokemon Games Ranked
Here are the 10 best Pokemon games ranked.
| Rank | Game | Year | Why |
| 1 | Pokémon HeartGold & SoulSilver | 2009 | This one’s an amazing remake with 2 regions, following Pokemon and a huge amount of content |
| 2 | Pokémon Platinum | 2008 | Excellent Sinnoh adventure, great Pokedex, Battle Frontier and a strong story |
| 3 | Pokémon Black & White | 2010 | Best storytelling in the series with memorable characters and unique regional Pokedex |
| 4 | Pokémon Emerald | 2004 | Fantastic Hoenn adventure + Battle Frontier + legendary Pokemon |
| 5 | Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen | 2004 | Excellent Kanto remakes that have polished gameplay |
| 6 | Pokémon Black 2 & White 2 | 2012 | Tons of content and great post-game. It’s arguably the best traditional Pokémon experience |
| 7 | Pokémon Legends: Arceus | 2022 | Major gameplay change with open-world exploration and catching mechanics |
| 8 | Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire | 2014 | Beautiful Hoenn remake with Mega Evolution and lots of content |
| 9 | Pokémon Scarlet & Violet | 2022 | Excellent open world concept and strong story despite technical issues |
| 10 | Pokémon X & Y | 2013 | 3D transition, Mega Evolution, Fairy type, customization |
Nintendo Switch Pokemon Games Ranked
- Pokémon Legends: Arceus (2022)
- Pokémon Sword & Shield (2019)
- Pokémon Scarlet & Violet (2022)
- Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl (2021)
- Pokémon Let’s Go, Pikachu! & Let’s Go, Eevee! (2018)
Final Takeaway
When it comes to the best Pokemon games ranked, every title brings its own little vibe and adventure, but the ones up at the top really shine for their gameplay, exploration, story, and replayability too. From those timeless classics to newer, modern adventures, Pokemon games keep changing, still it holds onto the main experience fans actually come back for. Our Switch Pokemon games ranked give the most enjoyable, and honestly memorable moments for players. So yes, just choose the attractive titles among the list and start playing!
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