Some of us just can’t get enough of Pokémon (I am us)! And with the TCG, anime and video games, Pokémon certainly has a lot to offer for fans. But 2024 seems to lack a mainline release; that hasn’t happened since 2016! Don’t get me wrong, the series certainly needs it right now. Because while I am of the mind that Scarlet and Violet are some of the best games the series has to offer (as you’ll soon come to see), even I have to admit that the games could’ve used more development time.
So, without a release this year, how are us fans meant to get our Pokémon fix? Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m going to replay a previous entry for the thousandth time. And you should too! “But which one do I pick?” you ask? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. Here is every (mainline) Pokémon game ranked by replayability. Keep in mind that, because I’ll be ranking these based on replayability, remakes and “third games” will likely rank much higher than their original versions.
Red & Blue | First is the Worst
The first Pokémon games released in North America, Red & Blue. 1998(NA)
The games that started it all. While it’s unfortunate to put them so low on the list, they just haven’t aged very well. Now, if you’ve never played them, it may be worth picking them up! Red & Blue are certainly still fun, they just lack the quality of life features the new games have. Plus, with the 6(!!) other games you can experience Kanto in, the originals just aren’t as great for a replay.
To be more clear, I don’t think the games have aged terribly graphics-wise. It’s certainly not a style you’d see very often, if at all, in 2024. But, hey, they do the job. The real issue with going back today is the tedium. You can only carry a certain number of items, it’s a pain to unlearn HMs and arguably the biggest advancement in the series, the Physical/Special split, had yet to be implemented.
Yellow | Unique?
Yellow is a re-imagining of Red & Blue, based loosely on the anime. 1999(NA)
Pokémon Yellow, realistically, could be in the same tier as Red & Blue. The only reason it ranks better is because it’s more unique than its predecessors. It’s the same region, with some extra characters and revamped teams based on the anime. Starting with a Pikachu is interesting, and the ability to acquire all three Kanto starters is very nice. Much like Red & Blue, Yellow is still fun, but hard to go back to.
Gold & Silver | Old & Unbalanced
Around a year after the first generation, Pokémon Gold & Silver were released as a “Gen 2”. 2000(NA)
Generation two’s original games are typically looked at as some of worst balanced games, level-wise. And, well, that’s why they’re ranked so low. Gold & Silver certainly get some credit for their size, however. Being able to play through all of Johto and Kanto is absolutely a huge deal. That combined with the number of Pokémon being nearly doubled make these games more replayable. And, while the situation is often over-exaggerated, you can’t forget the contributions of Nintendo’s former president. You may be interested in reading about the late, great Satoru Iwata’s contributions to Pokémon.
And yeah, like Red, Blue & Yellow, these two games are hard to go back to.
Crystal | Johto’s Mid-Tier
Gold & Silver’s follow-up, similarly to Yellow, changes up the story a decent bit, while keeping most of the region itself the same. 2001(NA)
Pokémon Crystal is sort of the “definitive edition” of Johto (for now). The story is different, revolving around Suicune rather than Ho-oh or Lugia. Although you are still able to obtain the latter two. The only real negative is the loss of a few Pokémon that were obtainable in Gold & Silver. The biggest loss, in my opinion, is the Mareep line; they feel like a Johto staple. And if you’re playing the 3DS Virtual Console version of Crystal, you can also catch Celebi after the Elite Four!
With all that said, Crystal is a game that you definitely should play at least once and will certainly enjoy. Replayability, though? There’s just not quite enough variety there.
Let’s Go Pikachu & Eevee | Unique? (But 3D)
Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu & Eevee were the first remakes based on a generation’s third game. That game being Pokémon Yellow. 2018(Worldwide)
The fifth games on this list to feature Kanto, Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu & Eevee are pretty unique. They were designed to help transition players from Pokémon GO over to the main series. As a result, the games have no wild battles; you simply catch wild Pokémon. This is a fun gimmick and certainly is a nice departure to keep you from getting bored. That being said, if you’re interested in which Pokémon games to replay, you’re likely not bored with the classic formula anyway.
I would say it’s one of the better ways to experience Kanto, though. And with it being one of the easiest games on this list to acquire, it’s definitely a good option. However, with only the original 151 and no option to transfer National Dex ‘mons in, there are only so many unique teams you can use.
Sun & Moon | Put Your Button-Mashing to the Test
Generation 7 took a risk and focused much more heavily on story compared to previous entries. Sun & Moon are a bit divisive for this reason. 2016(Worldwide)
Replayability has never been more of a question with Pokémon games than Generation 7. Their focus on story combined with no way to skip dialogue or cutscenes? They can be a slog after your first time through. That being said, Gen 7 currently has the most Pokémon of any other game.
With 802 Pokémon available, if you include transferring via Pokémon Bank. And, even with online services shut down, it is still very easy to transfer Pokémon between games. However, as much as dex size is a huge part of replayability, the story is just way too intrusive. Especially considering there are improved versions of Sun & Moon, I just can’t rank them very high.
Diamond & Pearl | delelele whoop
As the first games to introduce key-mechanics to the series, Diamond & Pearl are lovely games. 2007(NA)
As a big fan of Sinnoh, it hurts a bit to put them so low. Luckily, there’s good reason for that, which we’ll get to later. Don’t get me wrong, Diamond & Pearl are fantastic games! They just have tough competition. We’ll get to that competition later on though.
But, on a more positive note, a huge bonus for these games is that they introduced the Physical/Special split. That alone is great, but Sinnoh is also just a great region! It’s got a great variety of Pokémon, without even considering National Dex ‘mons. That is, unless you’re looking for fire types. Hope you like Ponyta!
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl | I’m Sorry.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl are not very good remakes but fine games, I guess. 2021(Worldwide)
I hope you know that this truly hurts me. I don’t want to put Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl above the originals. But, I think I have to. They’re more widely available than Diamond & Pearl, they added the fairy type and they still have online features. Other than the graphics and some small additions though, BDSP are pretty much the same as Diamond & Pearl, which is why they’re not ranked much higher.
Ruby & Sapphire | Hoenn Rules
Ruby & Sapphire are fantastic games with even more fantastic remakes. 2003(NA)
I think it’s safe to say the original Ruby & Sapphire are the worst versions of Hoenn. Right? Don’t get me wrong, Ruby & Sapphire are great! These games being ranked as low as they are is more a testament to how amazing the other Hoenn games are.
In terms of replayability, there are 202 Pokémon in the regional dex. Not counting Legendary and Mythical Pokémon, you have 192. A pretty solid number! You do still have the typical pre-Gen 7 issue of HMs being required. And I would say Hoenn requires the most HMs of any region. Even still, you can’t deny the charm of Ruby & Sapphire and they’re an excellent choice for any playthrough.
Black & White | Truly Amazing
These were the first games in the series to feature full animations for Pokémon! And a good story too? Unheard of. 2011(NA)
Both Black & White and their sequels are maybe the best Pokémon games if I were ranking them based on first-time playthroughs only. They’re legitimately beautiful games and, despite the bad rap they get, the Pokémon designs are some of the best the series has. Black & White are also great to replay!
Though their regional dex is one of the smallest, you can still transfer in whatever Pokémon from the previous 4 generations you’d like. One of my favorite parts of replaying Black & White is seeing the animations for Pokémon you don’t typically see in Gen 5. On top of that, the story is actually decent enough that you might want to re-experience it every once in awhile.
So, why is ranked at number 12? Black 2 & White 2 have a greater variety of Pokémon and the region is mostly the same. If you can only get your hands on these games though, they’re awesome and I can’t recommend them enough.
Legends Arceus | A Bold New Direction
Legends Arceus changed up the Pokémon formula, by incorporating new battling and catching mechanics. 2022(Worldwide)
This one was tough for me. On the one hand, it’s super unique compared to the other games. On the other hand, if you’re wanting to replay a Pokémon game, it’s different enough that it may not scratch that itch. Either way, I felt it was best to put it right around the middle of the list.
FireRed & LeafGreen | Almost Perfect
Even with their flaws, FireRed & LeafGreen are probably the best way to experience Kanto currently. 2004(Worldwide)
You might be wondering at this point if I just hate Kanto. And, I mean, I don’t really hate it. It’s just got by far the most representation throughout the other games. That plus the fact that the region itself isn’t all that interesting, makes me feel there are better options. If you like Kanto, that’s totally fine, obviously! And, if you want to play through the region, this is the way to do it.
There is still a huge problem with these games if you want to replay them. For some reason you can’t trade Pokémon outside of the Kanto Pokédex until the postgame. Why they did this I cannot tell you. But they did, and so you’re limited to the original 151 unless you’re playing by other means. It’s truly unfortunate, because these games could’ve ranked higher if there wasn’t that pointless restriction put on trading.
Emerald | Timeless
The “third version” of Gen 3 is Emerald. It’s typically considered one of the best Pokémon games out there. 2005(NA)
This one might be controversial. I should lead off by saying Emerald is one of the best. Unfortunately, I just don’t think it’s better to replay than the games above it. There are a good amount of Pokémon but, I mean, it was Gen 3! Nearly 20 years ago! We’re just spoiled for choice now.
I know I’ve mentioned it a few times, but it bears repeating. The Physical/Special split was huge for Pokémon. It may not be quite as big an issue if you’re used to the pre-split battle system though.
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon | One for the Price of Two
Oh boy! What once was one is now two and we have an extra “third version” for Gen 7. 2017(Worldwide)
The “third game” tradition returns! Except this time there’s two of them. Yes, rather than getting the “Pokémon Star” we all wanted, we instead got Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon. And they’re good games, they just didn’t really need to be two games.
But they are and they’re definitely the definitive versions of Sun & Moon. They add a few new Pokémon and two minigames. Are they actually that different from Sun & Moon? No, but there’s really not much reason to play the originals over these. Hence the big difference in ranking.
Platinum | Sinnoh Confirmed
Platinum revamps Diamond & Pearl’s story and makes a few tweaks to really bring Sinnoh to its full potential. 2009(NA)
Here it is! Sinnoh has been given justice and is in the top 10. Platinum is just a significantly better version of Diamond & Pearl so of course it’s a lot higher. I don’t have a ton to say that I didn’t say about Diamond & Pearl. The ability to get Rotom much earlier is a nice touch to give you just a bit more variety on your team.
Black 2 & White 2 | Truly Amazing Too
The sequels to Black & White are excellent and add quite a bit more to the games. 2012(Worldwide)
The original Black & White are already great games, but their sequels improve upon them significantly. You can now catch Pokémon outside the Unova dex, which opens up a lot more opportunities for teambuilding. Just like their predecessors, Black 2 & White 2 both have a pretty good story, if you’re interested. If not, they’re pretty easy to skip through.
X & Y | The Modern Era Begins
The oft-forgotten X & Y were the series’ first try at 3D visuals. 2013(Worldwide)
Pokémon X & Y. They’re probably the most forgettable games in the series. And yet they’re still very replayable. They have the biggest regional dex at 457 Pokémon and almost all the staples of modern Pokémon. You’ve got the Physical/Special split, the Fairy Type, Pokémon-Amie; really the only thing that’s off is the inclusion of HMs.
Sword & Shield | Yeah. That Happened.
Sword & Shield are fun because they caused a huge controversy that caused people to call for a boycott. Gotta Catch ‘Em All! 2019(Worldwide)
Okay, so, the whole National Dex controversy was rough. But Sword & Shield are actually pretty great to replay. You can skip cutscenes, which alone is huge. Honestly though, the story isn’t all that intrusive anyway. There’s a lot of variety with the Wild Area and with the free updates that came alongside the DLC, there are a lot of Pokémon that can be transferred in super easily.
HeartGold & SoulSilver | What More Can I Say?
Debatably the most beloved games in the franchise. 2010(NA)
Yeah, we all knew this would be high on the list. Johto has some level-balancing issues, sure, but these games are just so good. Similar to the Gen 5 games, HeartGold & SoulSilver are fun to transfer Pokémon outside the regional dex into. You get to see their little following sprites. Cute!
I really don’t know what more I can say here. HeartGold & SoulSilver are incredible.
Scarlet & Violet | Running Out of Quirky Things to put Here
After releasing with extreme performance issues for most players, Scarlet & Violet have largely been fixed and are a great time. 2022(Worldwide)
Despite their issues at release, Pokémon Scarlet & Violet are really fun! They have tons of Pokémon with the DLC updates and are fairly open in terms of what order you wanna do things in. A huge bonus for replayability is the multiplayer aspect. You can play alongside a friend and actually see each other in-game!
You can also very easily shiny hunt in this game! Hey, are you interested in the easiest shiny hunts for beginners in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet? Good thing there’s a handy hyperlink right there!
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire | Too Much Water
These were the last games to add new mega evolutions. For now! 2014(Worldwide)
Here we are, the grand finale! I believe Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire are not just the most replayable Pokémon games. They are also the best Pokémon games. That’s all my opinion, of course, but they are fantastic games. The story is wonderfully non-intrusive, there are a ton of Pokémon available via the National Dex, we still have Mega Evolutions and the list goes on.
I think maybe best of all is that they’re 3DS games. I haven’t really mentioned it yet, but there are incredibly easy ways to make Pokémon games more fun on this console. Insert topical 3DS meme here. Unrelated, have you ever heard of a program called PKSM?
Which Region is Best?
A map of the Pokémon world; from the anime’s 10th anniversary. Source: Bulbapedia
If you don’t own all of the Pokémon games, you may want to approach the previous list a bit differently! Maybe Platinum is the definitive version of Sinnoh, but if you only own Diamond or Pearl, that doesn’t really matter. So, here are just the regions ranked from best to worst.
- Hoenn (Ruby & Sapphire; Emerald; Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire)
- Paldea (Scarlet & Violet)
- Galar (Sword & Shield)
- Kalos (X & Y)
- Unova (Black & White; Black 2 & White 2)
- Sinnoh (Diamond & Pearl; Platinum; Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl)
- Johto (Gold & Silver; Crystal; HeartGold & SoulSilver)
- Alola (Sun & Moon; Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon)
- Hisui (Legends: Arceus)
- Kanto (Red & Blue; Yellow; FireRed & LeafGreen; Let’s Go Pikachu & Eevee)
In Closing
Making this list, I’ve realized not just how many Pokémon games there are. But also how almost all of them are still great games to play today. Anyways, go play Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire! Bye.
