There's a reason your mom knows Pikachu. Over the past three decades, Pokemon has gone from being Satoshi Tajiro's childhood dream to the highest-grossing entertainment franchise in the world.The pocket monsters' legacy includes a wildly popular anime, widely-scalped trading cards, a movie starring Ryan Reynolds and many, many games. As we gear up for Pokemon Day 2025 -- where we'll hopefully hear more about Pokemon: Legends Z-A and a new generation of mainline games -- it's time to take a look back at the best Pokemon games from years past.There's a Pokemon game out there for nearly every gamer, whether you love exploring new worlds, bonding with cuddly creatures, crawling through dungeons, solving mysteries or battling with other players.We've curated this list of the best Pokemon games you can play right now, including mainline games and spin-off titles from throughout the franchise's history.Best Pokemon games of all time Nintendo 25. Pokken Tournament DX If you've ever wanted more action from your Pokemon battles, the Pokken fighting game series is right up your alley. Pokken Tournament DX lets players put together teams of three and go head-to-head in the arena. There are 21 playable monsters, including classics like Charizard, Mewtwo, Gengar and Machamp -- but the roster also includes other fan favorites like Gardevoir, Garchomp and Decidueye.This fighting game doesn't have the greatest breadth of content and has a rather lackluster singleplayer campaign, but there's a lot of depth to be explored in player-versus-player combat. Players must learn multiple characters and build good team synergy between their chosen Pokemon. Additionally, 15 different "support Pokemon" can be chosen to aid your team (or hinder your opponent) as a match unfolds, adding another layer to Pokken's meta strategy.In order to succeed in Pokken Tournament DX, you need to learn move strings and master your characters, but you also need to play around with counters and learn team synergy. It's the perfect combination of a Pokemon game and an arena fighter.Release Date: Sept. 22, 2017Genre: Competitive 3D fighting gameDeveloper: Bandai Namco Studios Nintendo 24. Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee The Kanto region makes a return on the Nintendo Switch's Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee. These extremely kid-friendly games make generation one Pokemon accessible to anyone, by cutting out most wild Pokemon battles and giving players a cute (and strong) partner Pokemon. The Let's Go games are a retread of the original Pokemon gym challenge, but they incorporate 3D graphics and Pokemon Go catching mechanics to revitalize and refresh a tired adventure.As with many of the Nintendo Switch Pokemon games, it's very easy to draft up a competitive team with Exp. Candies, bottle caps that max out IVs and more. Shiny Pokemon hunting is also easier, with a new method allowing players to chain Pokemon catches from the same species in order to boost the odds of running into one of the elusive chromatic oddities. Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee aren't the hardest Pokemon games, and they're not the best generation one titles either -- but Pokemon Go on a home console is a very appealing prospect all the same.Release Date: Nov. 16, 2018Genre: Kanto offshoot incorporating Pokemon Go catch mechanicsDeveloper: Game Freak Nintendo 23. Pokemon Unite While multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs) have a bad reputation for building toxic communities, Pokemon Unite offers a fairly family-friendly alternative to games like League of Legends, DOTA 2 and Smite. Players participate in 10-minute long, five-versus-five matches where they need to evolve their Pokemon, gain power and beat their opponents by depositing points in goals around the map.Pokemon Unite limits text chat by default, and incoming voice chat can be turned off in the settings. There's no visible scoreboard, which is intended to prevent angry teammates from rage quitting before the end of the match. These quality-of-life features make it stress-free to solo queue and learn any of the 62 Pokemon featured within the game. Unite follows a free-to-play model and is a straightforward MOBA experience for new players -- making it great way for interested parties to dip their toes into the genre.Release Date: July 21, 2021Genre: Simplified multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA)Developer: TiMi Studio Group See at Nintendo Nintendo 22. Pokemon TCG Pocket The latest true pocket monster craze makes Pokemon TCG more accessible to casual fans, which is an impressive feat. Cutting through the feature creep that has defined the physical card game, Pokemon TCG Pocket has launched several "back to basics" expansions that focus on simple mechanics like Pokemon Ex cards, Pokemon tools and trainer and supporter cards. Prebuilt decks and AI battles teach the fundamentals of battling, removing a lot of pressure from new players looking to dive right in.If you're just a casual collector, TCG Pocket still offers the thrill of ripping two free packs every day. Events dish out hourglasses that let players earn even more packs, and it's possible to accrue a respectable repertoire of Pokemon cards without spending a cent if you log in consistently. Pokemon TCG Pocket balances beautiful new art with base set classics, and it's always exciting to fill in the empty spaces in your binder when new cards are released.Release Date: Oct. 30, 2024Genre: Trading card game with collecting and battling mechanicsDeveloper:DeNA See at Apps.apple Nintendo 21. Detective Pikachu Before Ryan Reynolds voiced everyone's favorite electric rat, Pikachu donned his trench coat and tweed hat to solve mysteries on the 3DS. This Creatures Inc. game will feel familiar to folks who enjoy a good visual novel mystery. In Detective Pikachu, players step into the role of Tim Goodman, whose father recently went missing after getting caught up in a sinister conspiracy. After finding his dad's talking Pikachu, Tim joins the Baker Detective Agency to solve the case.Detective Pikachu plays out like many other mystery procedurals, where players will scan scenes for clues, speak with nearby Pokemon and interrogate people to figure out what happened. There are multiple cases to solve that build up the overarching storyline. If you've seen the movie, you'll have an idea of what's going on here, but the plot is just different enough to catch you by surprise. At its core, Detective Pikachu understands what Pokemon is all about: the bond between human and monster as they work together toward a common goal.Release Date: March 23, 2018Genre: Mystery and adventure-filled visual novelDeveloper: Creatures Inc. See at Nintendo Nintendo 20. Pokemon Conquest Move over Fire Emblem: Pokemon Conquest is a tactical RPG about uniting warriors under one banner and overcoming great adversity to conquer the kingdoms of the Ransei region. Conquest derives its plot from historical events that took place during Japan's Warring States period, though here our hero needs to defeat all opposing forces to seek counsel with the local legendary Pokemon and restore the peace.Starting with a partner Eevee, players can add 200 species of Pokemon to their army. Each monster has a single skill to contribute to the battle, and warriors and warlords can provide one-time buffs to their Pokemon units. Players who are able to conquer the entire Ransei region will unlock an additional 16 postgame story chapters, many of which reference actual historical events.If Fire Emblem fans or Japanese history buffs have yet to experience the Pokemon franchise, Conquest serves as their introduction to the monster battler phenomenon.Release Date: March 17, 2012Genre: Unit-based tactical RPG in the vein of Fire EmblemDeveloper:The Pokemon Company, Koei Tecmo Nintendo 19. Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen The first mainline Pokemon remakes ever released might seem a little barebones compared to contemporary games, but they vastly improved on the original games from 1996. Pokemon Red and Blue were revolutionary for their time, but they were incredibly flawed games. If your Pokemon was frozen there was no random chance for them to thaw out. If they were trapped by a move like Fire Spin or Bind, they couldn't do anything for the duration of the effect, and certain type match ups didn't perform the way they were supposed to.FireRed and LeafGreen fixed these issues and added more content to the already aging gen one titles. In addition to a graphical facelift, mechanics and movepools were updated to reflect their current status in gen three games like Pokemon Emerald. This made battles less frustrating, while also giving players more autonomy to build their team in interesting new directions.Pokemon Red and Blue will always be revered for kicking off the franchise, but if you want to take a look at what kicked off the pokemania, you're better off picking up FireRed and LeafGreen.Release Date: Jan. 29, 2004Genre: Mainline titleDeveloper:Game Freak Nintendo 18. Pokemon Sword and Shield The first mainline Pokemon games to release on the Switch were a little rough around the edges and deeply embroiled in controversy (anyone remember Dexit?). Even so, Sword and Shield introduced novel mechanics and made building competitive teams simpler than ever before. The Galar region's Wild Area was a great way to connect disparate locations in a simple badge-hunting adventure, making Pokemon encounters feel more natural in the overworld.Dynamaxing may not have been as popular as Mega Pokemon, but it was the next best thing. Getting a power boost for only a few turns in battle added a new layer of strategy to competitive play, because it forced players to think about not just which Pokemon they wanted to Dynamax, but when they wanted to Dynamax their Pokemon. The Battle Tower wasn't an extensive amount of postgame content, but it allowed players to earn items to change natures, reset EVs and max out IVs on members of their team.Generation eight was perhaps the first time online battling with perfect Pokemon became accessible to more casual players without hacked Pokemon, and that's enough to make Sword and Shield stand out.Release Date: Nov. 15, 2019Genre: Mainline titleDeveloper:Game Freak Nintendo 17. Pokemon Colosseum Pokemon Colosseum was the first game to bring epic battles to the home console market, launching on the GameCube in 2003. The player is tasked with battling to the top of the ladder in the Orre region -- a difficult task, considering the arid desert landscape prevents the main character from encountering any Pokemon in the wild. It's up to you to snag new Pokemon from other trainers, piecing together a team through victory in battle.While Pokemon Colosseum featured a smaller roster of pocket monsters than other mainline titles, it renewed interest in double battles and introduced shadow Pokemon for the first time. The villainous Team Cipher abused these corrupted pocket monsters, which made snagging and purifying each partner Pokemon feel more important.Perhaps most importantly, Pokemon Colosseum laid the groundwork for Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness, making it one of the most important stepping stones in the franchise's history.Release Date: Nov. 21, 2003Genre: Evolution of Pokemon Stadium combining straightforward double battling with a novel redemption storyDeveloper:Genius Sonority Nintendo 16. Pokemon Rumble One of the simplest Pokemon games, Pokemon Rumble is a cathartic, family-friendly beat 'em up where tiny toy Pokemon battle by slamming into each other to exert dominance. The original 151 generation one Pokemon appear in hordes to battle through, dropping coins that let players purchase new companions or change their moveset. The addictive repetition of the gameplay loop is akin to a dungeon crawler like Diablo, but its complexity is pared down enough that a child could understand.Once players smack around enough fodder and level up their Pokemon, they get to enter the Battle Royale. Here, they need to take on dozens of Pokemon at once in an enclosed room to rank up and earn the chance to take on tougher foes. Eventually, even legendary Pokemon can show up in the scuffles. Pokemon Rumble certainly isn't for intensive teambuilding strategists, but it's a Pokemon battler that's good fun for fans of any age.Release Date: June 16, 2009Genre: Simple arcade-y beat 'em upDeveloper:Ambrella Nintendo 15. Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia The Pokemon Ranger series took full advantage of the DS's hardware to create a novel way to step into the role of some of the most important everyday heroes in the Pokemon world. Rarely were the touchscreen and stylus the main gameplay focus of a Pokemon game, but they were necessary peripherals to draw loops around wild monsters to recruit them to your cause in Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia.Throughout the region of Almia, the villainous Team Dim Sun is using new technology to bend Pokemon to their will, and only the Pokemon Rangers have the power to break the shackles placed on their minds. It's up to the player to ascend the ranks of the Pokemon Rangers, and stop the nefarious plot to enslave every Pokemon in Almia.Shadows of Almia vastly improves on its predecessor, allowing players to take on different partner Pokemon and upgrade their stylers, creating new gameplay styles and strategies. There are also 270 new Pokemon included in this version of Pokemon Ranger, creating hundreds of new situations for players attempting to tame out-of-control monsters. If you're wondering how normal people keep the peace in the Pokemon universe, Shadows of Almia is the action-adventure game that answers your questions.Release Date: March 20, 2008Genre: Action-adventure with unique Pokemon-world interactionsDeveloper:Creatures Inc. Nintendo 14. Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness This sequel to Pokemon Colosseum takes the concept of shadow Pokemon and runs wild, introducing the now-iconic shadow Lugia as a tool of the main antagonist. Taking place five years after the original game, the Orre region is now a more civilized place (though Team Cipher is still on the loose and causing havoc). There are 83 shadow Pokemon to collect, purify and use in battle, which gives Gale of Darkness players more flexibility with their team composition.Most importantly, the game ironed out many of the flaws present in Pokemon Colosseum. Players can now purify up to nine Pokemon at a time, making the critical mechanic less of a slog to engage with. Despite this, shadow Pokemon attacks also became super effective against non-shadow Pokemon opponents, so there was still tactical value for players to keep some of their Pokemon unpurified. Gale of Darkness added more depth to battles in one of the toughest Pokemon games.Players had to carefully consider their decisions in each double battle if they wanted to succeed, especially against overwhelming forces like Lugia. Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness still holds up as a challenging title when compared to more contemporary mainline games.Release Date: Aug. 4, 2005Genre: 3D action-adventure RPG with an emphasis on double battlesDeveloper:Genius Sonority Nintendo 13. Pokemon Pinball: Ruby and Sapphire The most feature-complete version of Pokemon Pinball added the novel thrill of catching 'em all to an arcade classic. With two machines themed to emulate the feel of the generation three games, Pokemon Pinball: Ruby and Sapphire encouraged players to complete a massive Pokedex as they shot for a high score.Special features across the board unlock Pokeball returns, a Pokemart opening and Pokemon-catching minigames that spawn pocket monsters from the third-generation games. Skilled players can activate special timed maps where they'll have a chance to catch rare Pokemon like Dusclops or legendary Pokemon like Groudon and Kyogre. Pokemon Pinball: Ruby and Sapphire is an alternative arcade solution to catching 'em all, and its addictive gameplay loop will have players returning even after they complete the Pokedex.Release Date: Aug. 1, 2003Genre: Arcade pinball with a Pokemon twistDeveloper:Jupiter Corporation Nintendo 12. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX A faithful remake of the game that kicked off the Mystery Dungeon series, Rescue Team DX serves as a reminder of just how fun Pokemon's other turn-based games are.This game laid the groundwork for the formula that Explorers of Sky perfected, establishing the human-turned-Pokemon narrative concept and tying it to simple but addictive dungeon-crawling gameplay. It's up to the player and their partner to prevent a series of escalating natural disasters from destroying the world, putting together an elite squad to deliver aid inside of dungeons.Rescue Team DX replicates the original beat-by-beat but elevates the experience with a beautiful new art style. Pokemon and landscapes are rendered in pastel watercolors, making the world feel like a painting come to life. This game is a fantastic entry point to the series, but it also gives veteran Mystery Dungeon players a reason to keep returning for more.Release Date: March 6, 2020Genre: Turn-based roguelike dungeon delve RPGDeveloper:Spike Chunsoft Nintendo 11. New Pokemon Snap Following in the footsteps of one of the original Pokemon games on the Nintendo 64, New Pokemon Snap revives the on-rails pocket monster photography series for the Switch. While the original Pokemon Snap included 63 generation one Pokemon, the sequel includes 234 different Pokemon pulled from various mainline games. The gameplay is smoother, there are more ways to interact with wild Pokemon and photography is more reliable in New Pokemon Snap.In addition to being a solid dose of nostalgia for Pokemon oldheads, the game embodies the spirit of older titles. There are tons of secret interactions throughout the different courses that spawn new Pokemon to photograph. New Pokemon Snap becomes a sort of logic puzzle where players experiment with using different items on new Pokemon to discover cute animated interactions.If you like the idea of experiencing Pokemon behavior in their natural habitats -- and not the aimless milling around of overworld spawns in games like Sword and Shield -- then New Pokemon Snap is the game for you.Release Date: April 30, 2021Genre: On-rails photography game with deep environmental interactivityDeveloper:Bandai Namco Studios Nintendo 10. Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon Improving upon the generation seven games Pokemon Sun and Moon, Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon add some sci-fi flair to the sunny Alola region. Though the narrative largely follows the island challenges established in the preceding games, dimensional shenanigans start to unleash strange Ultra Beasts as the story progresses. The player encounters multiple new Pokemon, including the legendary Necrozma, on their quest to beat the new Alolan Elite Four.By the time the player reaches the postgame, a dimensional displacement drags people and Pokemon out of their proper realities. That's the cue for epic nostalgia bait, as Team Rainbow Rocket forms under Giovanni, Cyrus, Archie, Maxie and Ghetsis -- villains from past games -- to threaten the Alola region. Defeating them unlocks the Ultra Wormholes and the ability to find Pokemon from other dimensions, which is a wacky and fun mechanic for the game to culminate with. Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon don't add quite as many new mechanics as other games and don't do anything new with Z-Moves, but mixing a Hawaiian vacation with science-fiction escapades makes for a solid set of Pokemon games.Release Date: Nov. 17, 2017Genre: Mainline titleDeveloper:Game Freak Nintendo 9. Pokemon X and Y As the first mainline games to make the jump to 3D graphics from pixel art sprites, Pokemon X and Y are lauded for their contributions to modernizing the franchise. As players explore the Kalos region, they discover the secrets of Mega evolution and run up against the evil Team Flare. The team's leader, Lysandre, aims to use an ancient weapon capable of destroying all life to strong-arm the region into submission. It's up to the protagonist to wield the power of Yveltal and Xerneas to put a stop to his evil plans.Pokemon X and Y introduced some of the best changes in modern Pokemon. Mega evolutions give new, inspired designs to older Pokemon -- and sometimes make them competitively viable where they previously weren't. The fairy-type is also an important counter to dragon-type Pokemon, which had few weaknesses across the type chart before generation six.The following generations tried to replicate the success of X and Y with Z-Moves, Dynamaxing and Terastallization, but none of these mechanics carried games the way Mega evolution did.Release Date: Oct. 12, 2013Genre: Mainline titleDeveloper:Game Freak Nintendo 8. Pokemon Go Forget experiencing the Pokemon world through video games -- in 2016, we finally got a chance to catch our favorite pocket monsters in real life (well, in alternate reality, which is the closest approximation there is).Pokemon Go was an instant hit, ushering in a brilliant summer in which it seemed everyone just wanted to discover virtual creatures together. People were mobbing Central Park for rare spawns, reporters were sneaking a peak at the game during White House press briefings and Hillary Clinton made a disastrous bid to get the youth to "Pokemon Go to the polls."Niantic's biggest game might not be at the peak of its cultural relevance anymore, but Pokemon Go is more feature-complete than ever before. Players can catch wild Pokemon from generations one to nine, participate in cooperative raids to catch legendaries and mythicals, fight for dominance over gyms, and battle the nefarious Team Go Rocket. There's a whole world out there to discover with your partner Pokemon.Release Date: July 6, 2016Genre: Real world AR Pokemon collectorDeveloper:Niantic Nintendo 7. Pokemon Legends: Arceus The first truly open world Pokemon game, Legends: Arceus, finally conveyed the awe and terror of life in a wild, untamed world with such powerful monsters. Players are integrated into the Galactic Expedition Team's Survey Corps in Hisui, an ancient version of the Sinnoh region. It's up to you to complete one of the first versions of the Pokedex, gather information about new Pokemon and try to figure out what has made them angry enough to rampage across the land.Legends: Arceus demands ingenuity and quick thinking from players chasing dangerous Alpha Pokemon, as these monsters move quickly and won't think twice about cutting you down. There are multiple approaches to battle outside of releasing your own Pokemon to fight, and you can sometimes avoid fighting altogether through light stealth gameplay. Pokemon Legends: Arceus feels like the first adventure highlighting more realistic wild Pokemon behavior, and the perilous Hisui region feels more alive than most other mainline game locales.Release Date: Jan 28, 2022Genre: Open world survival game with Pokemon creature collection and battlingDeveloper:Game Freak Nintendo