Pokemon Fire Red Let’s Play by TheHeatedMo

A remake of the original red and blue, it explores the region of Kanto yet again, fighting gym leaders and the infamous Team Rocket. It builds on and towers over its predecessor with the heightened Gameboy advance graphics and quality. It also adds new features, updating the game to be friendlier for newer players at the time and adding items that weren’t in the original, bettering the 1996 version. This added with the ability to catch Pokemon from after gen 1 in the post-game makes it good for anyone wanting some nostalgia.

One of the legendary bird in the new gen 3 graphics.

The grass starter, Bulbasaur, in the new graphics and battle background.

#8 Pokemon Let’s Go Eevee/Pikachu

              Released in 2018 for the Nintendo Switch

 

TyranitaurTube’s ongoing Let’s Go Eevee Playthrough

Let’s go Pikachu and Eevee combine the core Pokemon series and the Let’s Go mechanics in the best way possible for new players. It raises the difficulty back to something veteran trainers can’t just play through in one sitting, a nice refresher from Sun and Moon. Yet with it’s Let’ Go capture system it welcomes new fans to the series who are intimidated by the games’ long history. Exploring Kanto in new graphics for the first time on a home console, you and your partner fight through gym leaders and trainers to become champion while stopping Team Rocket in its tracks.

The custom animations for your starter are displayed every time they are sent out.

Unlike past games, Pokemon are visible in the overworld.

#7 Pokemon Emerald

              Released in 2004 for the Gameboy Advanced

 

MunchingOrange's nuzlocke playthrough of Emerald 

MunchingOrange’s Nuzlocke playthrough of Emerald

Pokemon Emerald is the third part of the gen 3 trio, building on its two predecessors. Exploring Hoenn you face off both team Magma and Aqua, both trying to create a new world, destroying the one you reside in. It allows you to catch more types of Pokemon while boosting gym leaders’ levels, making it a harder challenge to face. This among other changes, such as how the evil teams work and graphics changes, makes it while not the best game, hard to beat.

The new startup screen, custom for Emerald.

The water type starter Mudkip facing off the normal type Zigzagoon

#6 Pokemon Black and White 2

              Released in 2012 for the DS and 3DS

A playthrough of Black 2 by TheJWittz

The sequel to the original Black and White, it continues of the story several years later, tying into its past. Once again in Unova, players can see changes in towns and it creates a new adventure of climbing to the top while toppling the resurrection of Team Plasma. It includes Pokemon not included in the prequels and either change or completely creates new gyms to challenge. All while giving characters a deeper story than what previous generations offered. It’s an extremely satisfying game to lovers of the original Black and White.

A new feature of the post-game, the ability to battle trainers from previous games.

One of the two new sprites for players to choose from.

# 5 Pokemon Sun and Moon

              Released in 2006 for the 3DS

MunchingOrange’s walkthrough of Sun and Moon

The first set of games for the seventh generation rearranges the typical Pokemon formula and for the better. Instead of repeating the same method again, they gave players a breath of fresh air with its islands and trials, giving life to the franchise again. Getting rid of the HM system and lowering difficulty to new levels, it makes the games open for young players, bringing in a new generation of fans. Surfing between islands, players challenge the new trial system, the replacement of gyms while discovering that not every organization has good intentions buried underneath their actions

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The three new start Pokemon of the region.

The new Battle Royal battle type to try out.

4# Pokemon Black and White

              Released in 2010 for the DS and 3DS

  

PurpleRodri’s Let’s Play of Pokemon Black

New players in search of the classic Pokemon experience have one of the best games to start with. Black and White exclude all Pokemon from previous generations until the post-game, making the game less intimidating for new players. Based on New York the region includes the Battle Subway and two new types of battling, triple and rotation battles, the latter not included in following generations. In Unova players are met with a strong story of morals, questioning if Team Plasma’s intentions are truly horrible before uncovering the truth of their actions.

The new rotation battle system.

The two versions exclusive legendary Pokemon.

#3 Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire

              Released in 2002 for the Gameboy Advance

Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire playthrough by WiiLikeToPlay

The first two games before Emerald, it had the best graphics of the franchise when it was released. It introduced double battles and abilities among other things, these features known as some of the main staples of the franchise. Ruby and Sapphire set new standards to how a Pokemon game should be, making it one of the best. In the Hoenn region, you have the choice between fighting Team Magma or Aqua who wish to cover the world with land or water respectively. Exploring the region, you save the world from its destruction and become the champion of the region.

The sudo legendary’s first form Bagon.

The version exclusive legendary from Sapphire, Latios

#2 Pokemon Platinum

              Released in 2008 for the DS and 3DS

PokemonCinema’s let’s play of Platinum

 Pokemon Platinum takes place in Sinnoh where the player faces off Team Galactic who wish to create a new “perfect” world, destroying the one you live in. Taking them down and facing gym leaders to progress in the game, it contains several changes from its predecessors in the generation, bettering the game substantially. This being the lowering of several gyms’ levels for a more enjoyable experience while adding new features. Pokemon such as Giratina and Rotom have new forms while adding the new distortion realm and the legendary trios from gen one and three. With these new developments, the Pokemon company made this one of the best games so far, cleaner graphics and new things to explore, it is how all third parts to a generation should be.

The rival from Diamond and Pearl make a return

A double battle with your rival facing off an opponent.

#1 Pokemon Heart Gold and Soul Silver 

              Released in 2009 for DS and 3DS

AHeart Gold let’s play b y SimplyPressStart

A Heart Gold let’s play by SimplyPressStart

Released in 2009 Heart Gold and Soul Silver are widely considered the best Pokemon games. With beautiful graphics and the nostalgia of the original Gold and Silver, one is transported back to Johto fighting off the newly reformed Team Rocket while rediscovering the beautiful region. Before Let’s Go Eevee and Pikachu everyone asked for Pokemon that followed you as they did in these games, all the way from Johto to Kanto with the ability to go between them in post-game. Adding to the original games, it includes a new minigame called the Pokeathlon, letting your Pokemon to do different sport based minigames. All around this is the best Pokemon game as of now.

The Soul Silver Legendary Lugia

The second evolution of the fire type starter, Cyndaquil.

And with that, we end our list! Was there any you disagreed with? Any that you feel like deserve on the list? Comment below with your answers!

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