All Pokemon mainline games, ranked by difficulty

When considering all the Pokemon mainline games, players might wonder which one is the most difficult. At the outset, this is a highly subjective area to explore since the titles are spread over nearly 30 years, and the technological advancement, as well as what age you played them, would determine their difficulty level.

That said, considering that one played all the Pokemon mainline games in succession, one can definitely note a trajectory, and some pop up as more difficult than others. This article will rank all the mainline Pokemon games based on their generally perceived difficulty level.

Note that this list will include only the defining games of each Pokemon generation and exclude remakes. Additionally, Black 2, White 2, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon cannot be considered later-generation remakes since they came out soon after their prequels and contain a lot of narrative additions.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer's opinions.

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What are the most difficult Pokemon mainline games?

12) Pokemon X and Y

Pokemon X and Y (Image via TPC)

The Gen VI Pokemon mainline games appear to be the easiest due to the availability of the Mega Evolution mechanic early on in the game. You are given one of the Kanto Starters and a Lucario capable of this gimmick in the early parts.

While Pokemon X and Y have the most number of rivals, none of them pose a real threat. The Gyms are also relatively low leveled, and the only real challenge is posed by the Champion, Diantha.

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11) Pokemon Gold, Silver, and Crystal

Pokemon Gold, Silver, and Crystal (Image via TPC)

Pokemon Gold, Silver, and Crystal were among the first Pokemon mainline games to come out for the Gameboy Color. They offer strong Pocket Monsters early on, and the opponents you face are relatively low-level, especially compared to the Gen I games.

These games run smoothly but can be a walk in the park for most players. The Kanto part of these titles gets progressively difficult. However, that may be considered post-game content and is therefore not considered when ranking these Pokemon mainline games' difficulty level.

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10) Pokemon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum

Pokemon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum (Image via TPC)

Generation IV is one of the most defining Pokemon mainline games. The Gym Leaders here boast some challenging aces, and Cynthia is widely acknowledged as the most difficult Champion to take down.

Despite that, the game is not among the most difficult. This is owing to the Pocket Monsters you can catch early in your Sinnoh journey. Chimchar, Piplup, and Turtwig are all strong starters, and access to Starly (that evolves into Straptor), Shinx (that evolves into Luxray), and Gible (that evolves into Garchomp) makes Pokemon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum relatively easy to play through.

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9) Pokemon Black and White

Pokemon Black and White (Image via TPC)

The reason why players might consider these Pokemon mainline games difficult is that they were the only ones (outside of the pilot generation) to have only new Pocket Monsters in the initial gameplay phase.

That said, Black and White made things quite easy by giving players access to critters they are about to face off against in Gyms and other important battles.

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8) Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (Image via TPC)

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are a mixed bag. They can be as easy or difficult as you like them to be. Given that they offer the first-ever open-world Pokemon mainline games experience, your paths are endless.

That said, the absence of level scaling means you can linearly play Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, going from easy to difficult. What makes the games even easier is that you have access to the Terastallization function early on, and the late-game enemies succumb to your power as long as you play your cards right.

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7) Pokemon Sword and Shield

Pokemon Sword and Shield (Image via TPC)

Pokemon Sword and Shield contain challenging battles against Gym Leaders and Champions from previous generations. Dynamax and Gigantamax make the titles even more difficult. However, this is a double-edged sword. While your opponents have access to this generational gimmick, so do you.

The presence of Max Raid battles, especially the rewards you receive from them, makes Sword and Shield one of the easier new-gen Pokemon mainline games. You receive several Exp. Candies from these challenges that you can use to power up your team, which makes it relatively easy to take down late-game opponents.

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6) Pokemon Sun and Moon

Pokemon Sun and Moon (Image via TPC)

Pokemon Sun and Moon kick off the tougher half of the mainline games. Totem Pokemon are the primary reason behind this. They are incredibly strong and make use of challenging battle mechanics and strategies.

Be that as it may, that is where the difficulties end. Your allies constantly heal your team throughout the playthrough, and the removal of HMs means you have more free attack slots on your team. Z-Moves might be one of the less popular generational gimmicks, but they can help you escape sticky situations easily.

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5) Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald

Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald (Image via TPC)

The Gym Leaders in Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald pose a serious threat to players. Starting with Flannery, there isn't a single Gym or Elite Four battle that you can simply walk in with without a strategy (unless, of course, you are running an over-leveled Swampert).

That said, to balance things out, you can also access strong Pokemon to help you on your journey. These Pokemon mainline games require more strategizing and grinding than any other titles preceding it in this list.

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4) Pokemon Legends: Arceus

Pokemon Legends: Arceus (Image via TPC)

What makes Legends: Arceus one of the most difficult Pokemon mainline games is that it introduces many new battle mechanics. Similar to the original Gen V titles, there is a lot to get used to in this title. The fact that wild Pocket Monsters attack your character doesn't make things any easier.

That said, Legends: Arceus also offers a bunch of strong critters you can have by your side to deal with all the threats the world poses. At the end of the day, it is this title's challenging nature that contributes to it being considered one of the most beloved games in the franchise.

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3) Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow

Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow (Image via TPC)

Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow are some of the most difficult games. However, this is not because of the reasons you would expect. Players of the Gen I Pokemon main series games run into many technical errors that make playthroughs extremely challenging.

These titles also have a host of unbalanced mechanics, such as critical-hit ratio, status conditions, overpowered elemental types (Psychic), and so on. These make the playthrough experience one of the most difficult in the series.

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2) Pokemon Black 2 and White 2

Pokemon Black 2 and White 2 (Image via TPC)

Pokemon Black 2 and White 2 are more challenging than their other Gen V counterparts. These Pokemon mainline games have a highly developed AI and include special Challenge Modes that can put your skills to the test.

Gym Leaders and Champions in these games have Berries and other helpful items and strategically use their typing. To come out on top without frequenting the Pokemon Center hundreds of times over the course of your playthrough, you need to strategically plan and take every step carefully.

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1) Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon

Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon (Image via TPC)

While Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon were not well-received when they came out, they pose a serious threat to all players. Totem Pokemon and Ultra Variants make the title challenging as it is. To make things even tougher, important opponents have larger teams with stronger movesets.

As a cherry on the difficulty cake, you have Ultra Necrozma. It already has a whopping 754 base stat total, further boosted during the battle. This will make things extremely difficult for you to take it down.