The Pokémon franchise has been around since it first debuted in Japan in 1996 and has released numerous main series games, remakes and spin-offs–but which of those Pokémon games is the very best, like no game ever was? IGN's resident Pokémaniacs got together and ranked the Top 10 best Pokémon video games. Newer games such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus and New Pokémon Snap enter the discussion alongside classics like Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, Pokémon Colosseum, Pokémon Emerald and more. With so many Pokémon games in the debate and various factors to consider, it was a tough whittling our list down to just the ten best Pokémon games. Check out our picks on the top Pokémon video games and let us know which ones you would choose in the comments.
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IGN really put Sword/Sheild and some puzzle spin off no one’s ever heard of in here ahead of Platinum smh
@ioasis yumich or maybe you just have bad taste smh
@Jonathan you tripping swsh is one of the best main line games you people didn’t do enough grinding to enjoy it
@Bolt 3887 swsh is mediocre garbage, arguably the worst game in the entire series up there with bdsp also being the worst in the series.
this comments section is not even just toxic, its nuclear radiation
@ioasis yumich You play JRPS.
Nice to see Black/White 2 and HeartGold/SoulSilver at the top 2. But the lack of Platinum is sad.
@Z Z :(( why does gen 7 get so much hate
@SMOKEFRMDA6IX 25 Yeah xD
@Z Z nah it’s great, especially USUM.
@Daniel Andersen guessing you’re 20-25? Nostalgia is helluva factor
Id get rid of sword and shield for platimum
As someone who grew up playing Soulsilver, it made me smile seeing it at #1
@ioasis yumich Low effort unfinished? You mean Sword and Shield? That game wasn’t finished at all. Legends Arceus was more finished then it.
@Terrence Ray she’s talking about the games not the pokemon itself
lmaoo dude fr
@Andman8210 how? Ho oh stats are better
I’m so glad it is number one
The original silver and gold were the perfect sequel, especially if you played gen 1 as it was new and experienced gen 2 right after. They added so much stuff that literally just made it that much better. It’s pokemons terminator 2.
Agreed!
100%
Glad to see HG/SS at #1. There’s really no better Pokemon game out there…16 badges…facing off against “yourself” aka Red from the previous game..
Doesn’t get better than that
It simply doesn’t
It’s not a bad list but Platinum and Omega ruby and sapphire were both game breaking. They definitely deserve to be in the top 5
Gale of Darkness should have been up here and Arceus could definitely be top 5 worthy when so many Poketubers have stated that it is maybe the best game in the series.
Thank you for giving the Gen 5 games the respect they deserved!
I’m surprised by many games listed here but what surprised me THE MOST was that none of the PMD games made it on the list. They’re truly MASTERPIECES
Pokemon Silver was the best. You get the first region. Then when you beat that, you get to do the original region. You can even go find Trainer Red and essentially battle yourself from Pokemon Red. Great game. Would love a Switch remake release
@Ved Aryan HGSS isn’t meant to be a speed run though, that’s why red is so overlevelled, it’s meant to be a grind to beat him, just rematch the elite 4 till you level up
@Revan Minnam this. The balancing is horrible in those games. Gen 3 is so much better and gen 4 while slow at start has much better ost and Pokemon designs and balancing is much better.
There’s a reason why no generation since has a extra region. Balancing around a new region can be really hard.
Which is why the remakes are #1 on this list. They are just better versions of Gold/Silver/Crystal
@Marcel McFadden “gen 2 is carried by the fact that its gen 2”, lol thats basically what ur saying
@Face of Bear Its literally a fact tho
It’s emerald no question the depth introduced with Evs and ivs plus the difficulty of battle frontier, pure perfection.
Omega ruby and alpha sapphire should be on this list
Great remakes
Certainly better experiences than sword and shield.
Soul Silver and Emerald will always be my favorites, prob the best pokemon experiences I’ve had. Arceus has been really a lot of fun, so hoping for nothing buta great next game.
Emerald is top tier for me! Almost all my top favorite Pokemon came in Gen 3 and Rayquaza is just incredible.
But prior to Pre Register Yes Save the game. LOL
Gen 3 lovers u’re the best🤩💪🏼 Nice to see someone like me xD
Best gen ever!!!! Mainly all Pokemon are all unique. All look cool, badass and the starters…
@Stormtrooper 2323 one word… M E T A G R O S S
Platinum and soulsilver will always revive my childhood 💙
Sword and Shield has no business being above Legends Arceus in my opinion
Was just about to say this…
It has no business existing as a debut main story line Pokémon on switch and being that bad.
it had no business being on the list at all
Or being in the top 10. Its got to be bottom tier. Jesus
@State Of The New York Knicks podcast Podcast something you must be used to as a Knicks fan
Seeing Pokémon Conquest get the recognition it deserves always puts a smile on my face.
Fr
What about Colosseum and XD Darkness on Gamecube? Definitely top 3 for me!
Probably cuz there not published by game freak. They don’t wanna bring those games up. It’s like how the fallout franchise pretends new Vegas doesn’t exist. It was one of the best but Bethesda didn’t make it so they don’t like to talk about it.
@Captain Picard They weren’t… but like half this list weren’t mainline games.
100%
@Captain Picard 🤦♀️
@Captain Picard Sadly yeah, but who can forget that classic “MAINLINE” puzzle game. SMH.
Emerald will forever be my favorite. The Hoenn region was just supreme
3RD GEN BUDDY HELL YEA 3RD IS BEST GEN STILL FEELS NEW TO PLAY IN 2022
Same
Hoenn is by far the best region
Agreed.
ORAS is better than Emerald
I’m glad Gold/Silver/Crystal and HG/SS are still considered the best Pokémon games and the list even came from IGN!! So there is no question here. Hands down to the greatest Pokémon games of all time. 💯