The Pokemon franchise has been able to capitalise on its massive popularity not only through video games but also through television shows, movies, card games, plush toys, and every other pop culture avenue one can imagine. Pokemon is perhaps the single most iconic franchise in the history of video gaming, managing to gross as an entire entity a whopping 90 billion dollars. This number is three times the most of the next highest franchise, Mario, despite Mario outselling in pure game copy sales.
Pokemon Has Become the Greatest Gaming Franchise in Pop Culture
Pokemon is a true pop culture phenomenon. Nothing about the game itself is incredibly revolutionary. It is a true-blue, pure turn-based JRPG. At the start, the monster-catching mechanic was a novel idea. The game took typical RPG elements, such as level growth, elemental attacks, and status effects, and uniquely applied them. That was a recipe for success with the first entry, and the rest, as they say, is history.
What is unique about the Pokemon series is that each mainline game is nearly copy-paste in format, with only slight changes in storyline, tweaks in mechanics, and new additions to the Pokedex. Game Freak knows what sells and leans into it. They have tried new things in each entry, but the general premise stays largely the same: catch Pokemon, train them, and work to become the ultimate trainer in the region while fending off some “evil” company. Yet still, each generation feels like its own.
With so many Pokemon spinoffs, it is hard to compare the different game genres. Therefore, the focus here is purely on the mainline series. That means original generations and their remakes, but no other series like Dungeon, Ranger, Colosseum and Champions, or mobile games. Pokemon Legends, however, are considered part of the mainline series timeline and thus apply. While the mainlines are similar, some aspects make certain entries the peak of the series, ones for fans new and old to jump into and enjoy immediately.
5. Pokemon Scarlet/Violet (Gen 9)
The newest entry in the series may turn some heads, being this highly rated. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet had some serious flaws upon release, so much so that they even became an online meme. Specifically, the glitches present at launch were as comical as they were annoying. The graphics were shockingly mediocre for a current-generation release in 2022. Overall, Game Freak seemed to rush the release, and even with patches, they have not fixed the glaring holes.
That said, what this generation does well is truly reset what fans can expect from the series. Generation 8 used the Wild Area, and Pokemon Legend Arceus set the stage for an open world with the five Wild Zones, but it was Scarlet and Violet that truly adopted the open-world experience. Going anywhere to do anything was an exciting addition, and the three simultaneous storylines that could be completed as a player wanted gave options and creativity in the game. The monsters introduced for the region were good, and the full Pokedex was added to the game.
For a series that follows a standard formula, Scarlet and Violet tried more than any other entry to flip the script. In large part, it worked brilliantly. Exploration was fun, and the storyline was one of the more powerful in the series. This generation will become one of the best and most influential for the future, despite the obvious issues.
4. Pokemon Pearl/Diamond/Platinum (Gen 4)
In the earlier generations, remakes tended to improve upon the original. They kept what made the original great and added new mechanics that improved on everything else. This generation of Pokemon was the first to hold up better than its associated remake (Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl for Nintendo Switch). That says something, maybe partially about the quality of the newer games, but also about the fantastic development of this collection.
Not only was the generation of Pokemon strong, but the character development and post-game were as well. Distortion was fun, and the addition of online trading marked the beginning of the true opportunity to complete an entire Pokedex. Platinum, specifically, is the class of the generation, making dramatic quality-of-life improvements and storyline changes that kept fans fully engaged. This generation as a whole had the potential to be the very best if it had made its region and storyline more memorable.
3. Pokemon Black 2/White 2 (Gen 5 Sequel)
Pokemon Black 2 and White 2 began the period for the franchise where Game Freak was remaking or creating sequels for the generation immediately after its release. Except, they were not exactly remakes either, as they felt more like the equivalent of the third game/sequel in older generations (Yellow for Gen 1, Crystal for Gen 2, Emerald for Gen 3, and Platinum for Gen 4). However, by shifting to the two starting games and two remake/sequel mechanics, they also did away with the naming conventions. Are they a remake? Are they a sequel? You can decide.
Semantics aside, it is clear these were the better versions of generation 5, and they fixed the main issues with the originals that made this region even more enjoyable to play. The whole generation brought in new elements to switch up the stale formula a bit, which gave a new feel to a classic series. Expanding upon the Pokedex to give players a chance at some of the old classics combined with the divisive new monster entries, as well as implementing a difficulty setting, were two of the bigger hits for this version. Add in the setting, which is one of the best of the series, and you have the formula for success.
2. Pokemon Fire Red/Leaf Green (Gen 1 Remake)
Once again, despite the originals being fantastic entries, it was the remake version that stood out the most here. It stayed true to the classics but improved upon them. The graphics hold up better, but it is much more than that. The edition of a new set of islands that give you opportunities for all different Pokemon from a new region, as well as chances to trade for the Gen 3 entries, really expands the Pokedex and creates a fantastic “post game” of additional gameplay to make it worth your while to try to “catch them all”.
They still have what I’d argue is one of the best generations of Pokemon to date. The originals these are based upon are also the only games to date to not have a blueprint before being created. Other games added new elements. Generation 1 built the foundation that is still being used today. Essentially, one could nearly copy and paste for eight straight generations. The fact that its frameworks have that level of longevity, at the end of the day, carries the generation to be up near the top. The ones that started it all, all these years later, are still some of the best, and the remakes took those strengths and nearly perfected them.
1. Pokemon Heart Gold/Soul Silver (Gen 2 Remake)
One of the consensus highest-ranked games for a reason, Pokemon Heart Gold/Soul Silver was about as close to perfection as the series has ever gotten. Objectively, Gen 2 took a Pokemon collection and truly mastered it into a fantastic lineup, probably the best collection that any release has seen. These games were also by far the most developed in terms of things to do, with essentially two full regions to complete. Everything about the originals was pretty close to nailed.
Taking what was already a great entry, these two remakes enhanced everything about their predecessor. Better sound effects, better mechanics including allowing your Pokemon to follow you, and even some enjoyable mini-games. Add that to an already strong collection of Pokemon and storyline, and these games were destined for greatness. Challenging but achievable, these games hold up over ten years after they were made. This was Game Freak putting on a masterclass in game development.
Final Thoughts
Pokemon is the most recognizable franchise, not just for Nintendo but across the entire gaming landscape, for a reason. Game Freak took a formula and absolutely nailed it to the point where children and adults alike cannot get enough. Whether taking the basic formula and enhancing it or shaking up the entire premise and setup, each entry has brought something different to the legacy. With 1000+ Pokemon in the collection to date, there is no shortage of fun to have with your PocketMonster pals. Newcomers to the franchise and those here since day one were impacted by the game that has shaken pop culture to its core.
