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There's always going to be divided opinions when it comes to ranking the best Pokémon games. With so many fantastic options spanning generations, we all have strong feelings about our Pokémon adventures. Whether it's because we grew up playing a certain entry, or there's one that holds a special place in your heart for one reason or another.

This list focuses on core games, like Pokémon Legends: Arceus and Pokémon Sword and Shield, to the series origins with Pokémon Red and Blue, and more.
Transcript
00:00There's always going to be divided opinions when it comes to ranking the best Pokemon
00:16games. With so many fantastic options spanning the generations, we all have strong feelings
00:20about our Pokemon adventures. Whether it's because we grew up playing a certain entry
00:24or there's one that holds a special place in your heart for one reason or another.
00:28This list focuses on core games from the most recent additions like Pokemon Legends Arceus
00:33and Pokemon Sword and Shield to the series origins with Pokemon Red and Blue and more.
00:37So let's take a look at our rankings of the best Pokemon games to date.
00:48Pokemon Diamond and Pearl didn't do anything too groundbreaking, but one notable thing it
00:52did do was bring Pokemon trading into the modern age. Instead of using a link cable, it made
00:57use of the Nintendo DS's WiFi connectivity to trade Pokemon with other players. While
01:02some other new features did come into play too, most of them building on things previously
01:06introduced in Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire, it does also deserve some credit for its story.
01:11The evil Team Galactic conducts science experiments to try and take control of the legendaries in
01:16the Sinnoh region in some rather weird ways.
01:18Pokemon X and Y took Pokemon into the world of 3D on the Nintendo 3DS and was a significant change from
01:34titles before it. It truly marked the start of a new era, with the charming sprites of yesteryear turned
01:39into gorgeous 3D models, elevating battle sequences to all new animated types. The Pokemon Ami system was also
01:45introduced for the first time, which lets you interact with your Pokemon companions and form
01:49bonds with them. It was a welcome touch that finally let you pair and play with your favourite battling
01:54buddies. X and Y also brought in a lot more customisation, allowing you to change the look
02:00and style of your trainer. It also introduced yet more interesting Pokemon, including the new
02:04addition of the fairy type, as well as new social features.
02:15Arceus is as close as the franchise has gotten to a reboot in its long history. It's the first game
02:20that really opens up the world, giving you the chance to run into Pokemon in the wild, just like
02:25you would if we actually lived in a world populated by pocket monsters. We have an incredible story that
02:30takes you back in time and new gameplay elements that give the series a bit of a refresh. Pokemon
02:35legends Arceus is a fantastic addition to the franchise that takes the tried and true formula
02:40and expands it outwards.
02:56Pokemon Sword and Shield was the first entry in the core series to land on Switch and introduce the
03:01Galar region, a delightful setting based on the UK, as well as Galarian form Pokemon variants. Getting to
03:06bond with your mons using the new camp feature was also a welcome touch. In our review, we said it's a
03:12Pokemon game for the new generation, thanks to some of the more accessible features it introduced,
03:16allowing new players to ease into the formula we know and love. While it might be a touch easier than
03:21the entries in the series, Sword and Shield offers a fantastically memorable experience, with a cast of
03:26colourful characters and Pokemon, and it's easily the best looking Pokemon game to date.
03:39While a lot of the formula remained unchanged, Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire took the series into a
03:43vibrant world of colour on the Gameboy Advance, letting the Pokemon sprites pop from the screen
03:48like never before. This was also the first Pokemon game to introduce a lot of elements and features
03:52that continued throughout the series. Things like 2v2 double battles appeared for the first time and
03:57Pokemon were also attributed with different natures which affected their overall stats. An
04:02extensive list of new abilities were also introduced, which were specific to different
04:07types adding more depth into battles. Contests were also brought in to add new challenges. The Hoenn
04:12region was also a great setting with some memorable legendary Pokemon in the shape of Groudon and Kyogre.
04:22Going back to where it all began, Pokemon Red and Blue set us on the path to be the very best like
04:29no one ever was, and we haven't looked back since. The world of Kanto still feels just as magical as it
04:35ever did, and the original 151 Pokemon are still the most memorable in the franchise's history,
04:40right down to the classic starters Bulbasaur, Squirtle and Charmander. The Gameboy graphics have a
04:45nostalgic charm you don't quite get with the later entries, and it's still very playable to this day,
04:50which is a testament to just how good it is.
05:00After Pokemon Red and Blue put the world into a Pokemon frenzy, the sequel had some big shoes
05:04to fill, and thankfully, Gold and Silver delivered. Bigger and better than before,
05:09the second generation introduced 100 excellent and memorable additions to the Pokemon library,
05:14along with two new Pokemon types, and a whole host of new moves. It introduced a day and night cycle,
05:20added time specific challenges, and brought in Pokemon that could only be caught at certain
05:24times of the day. Gold and Silver had all the hallmarks that made the first game so enjoyable,
05:29but expanded on the experience to cement itself as the superior Pokemon game. And better yet,
05:33when you reached the end of the game, you unlocked the Kanto region from Red and Blue,
05:37which allowed you to revisit all of the gyms and trainers. So that's our ranking of the best
05:42Pokemon games. Obviously, as we mentioned, everyone has their own favorites and their reason for that
05:47choice. So why not leave a comment explaining what's yours and why.

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