Best Pokemon Main Series Games of all time

Pokemon is one of the highest-selling video game series of all time. It has been almost 24 years since the series started and they have been a huge part of people's childhoods and even adulthood during this time.

Besides Mario, Pokemon games have been one of the main reasons why Nintendo consoles have been selling so well. The games first came out for the Gameboy and transitioned into every console so far and they will continue on in the future.

But how do they rank and how have they performed over the years? Here is a list of the best Pokemon games of all time from the main series.

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#6. Pokemon Black and White

Pokemon Black and White was the 5th Generation of Pokemon games, released for the Nintendo DS. The region introduced the Unova region with a ton of new original Pokemon. The games were an innovative take on the Pokemon games since Generation 4 only introduced new evolutions and lacked originality.

Pokemon Black and White also received sequels, Black 2 and White 2 which are on par with these games. Black and White also features a great original story and a threatening villain team, some of whom you could sympathize with.

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#5. Pokemon Sword and Shield

The latest entry and the 8th generation of games, Pokemon Sword and Shield makes it into the list. The games feature the best graphic updates ever seen in any Pokemon game so far. Set in the Galar region, this is the first main series entry for the Nintendo Switch.

Sword and Shield have introduced some new mechanics to the Pokemon games as well and it fully takes advantage of the power of the Nintendo Switch console. There is also going to be an Expansion Pass, which is pretty much a DLC for the games and the first of it's kind.

Although the game fell behind on the number of Pokemon available and on the difficulty, Sword and Shield still proves to be a really fun game.

#4. Pokemon Platinum

Generation 4's Diamond and Pearl were quite disappointing as it lacked originality, the game was a bit of clutter and the Gym Leaders/Elite Four line up didn't make sense. Two years later, Pokemon Platinum was released and redeemed all the flaws of Generation 4.

Pokemon Platinum is set in the Sinnoh region. The villain team, Team Galactic, is one of the best villains ever seen in any Pokemon game so far. The game introduced more content compared to its predecessors. It featured a very rich story, a fun and challenging game as well as a plethora of Legendary Pokemon available.

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#3. Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald

Generation 3 introduced the Hoenn region with the games Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald. The game introduced several features such as Diving underground, cable cars, and a huge sea. The main antagonists of the game are fighting for dominance of land and sea. These games are also the only games to feature two villain groups.

Generation 3 was a pleasant surprise for how good the story and gameplay was. Several new Pokemon were introduced, along with older Pokemon. The games were remade for the 3DS with Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, which enhanced the graphics of the game.

Still, even with the enhanced graphics and new Pokemon, they didn't quite capture the magic of Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald. There were many positive things about this game that resonated really well.

#2. Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow

The original. The firsts. Although there may be a bit of nostalgia bias, Pokemon Red and Blue are by far one of the best if not the best Pokemon games ever. Pokemon Yellow followed suite from these games but you could only choose your starter as Pikachu.

The year was 1998 and the world outside Japan was introduced to the Pokemon series for the first time. Set in the Kanto region, you had to navigate the region, defeat Gym Leaders and get badges and you gotta catch 'em all! 151 Pokemon were introduced in these games.

The success of the Pokemon series really stemmed from the success of Red, Blue, and Yellow. Red and Blue were remade for the Gameboy Advance after Generation 3, with FireRed and LeafGreen versions. It was the same game but introduced several new regions and introduced Pokemon from Generation 2 and 3 into the game.

A simpler version of Pokemon Yellow was also released for the Switch, with Pokemon Let's Go: Pikachu and Let's Go: Eevee. None of the remakes could capture the original essence.

These games were the last Pokemon games that were legitimately hard. You could not heal Pokemon by storing them in the PC, types were limited, items were limited and HM moves could not be erased. There was a real challenge to the game which does not exist anymore.

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#1. Pokemon Gold/Silver/Crystal

The number 1 spot goes to Gold, Silver, and Crystal (this was a hard choice to make). Set in the Johto region and in Generation 2, Gold and Silver introduced new Pokemon to the region and also introduced several concepts that were not available in the original Red/Blue/Yellow.

The best part of these games were after defeating the Elite Four, you could travel to Kanto, the region from the original games. No other Pokemon game in the past 20 years has allowed this to happen. You can battle a total of 16 Gym Leaders and there was just so much content in the game.

Pokemon Crystal was the same concept as Gold and Silver. It had a few changes such as the introduction of the Battle Tower and more focus on the Legendary Dogs (Suicine, Entei and Raikou). This generation was also the first to introduce the Dark Type.

Pokemon Gold and Silver were remade in 2009 for the Nintendo DS as HeartGold and SoulSilver. It is the same game but features enhanced graphics and the introduction of the Safari Zone, which was not available in the original.

It also featured Pokemon from Generation 3 and 4. The best part of those games were Pokemon following you, which has never been seen again.

Pokemon Gold and Silver and their remakes feature the best gameplay and one of the best stories available in Pokemon games. They have features that were never seen again in any other Pokemon game. Their uniqueness and delight makes them the best Pokemon game of all time.