I Have Played All Pokemon Games, And These Are The Best Pokemon By Generation

Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen on Switch followed by Pokemon Pokopia and then Pokemon Champions was not something I expected going into 2026, but here we are, and I’m very happy with all these Pokemon games being released — especially since I’ll have to wait until 2027 for Gen 10. I estimate that I have spent something in the ballpark of over 10,000 hours in Pokemon games since I was a kid, and I have played all mainline games and most spin-offs so far. I’ve come to appreciate all Pokemon games and all critters, even if I have my preferences. But, as much as I would like for each Pokemon to be equal, this is far from the truth.

Some Pokemon never have their time in the limelight, and most of these often have bad stats, bad moves, bad abilities, bad types, or a combination of all these traits. For example, one of my favorite Pokemon is Joltik, and as much as I adore it, it will basically never have any form of competitive presence in VGC. Some unevolved Pokemon in Pokemon Champions, like Clefairy and Dusclops, would probably change the meta, but they are not going to be added for the foreseeable future. This goes to show that a Pokemon doesn’t have to be fully evolved to be good, but evolution doesn’t determine the opposite, either.

After 300+ hours played in every generation of Pokemon games, with over 500 hours in Pokemon Legends: Z-A and another 524 in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet combined, of which at least 100 were spent in competitive games, I believe I have a very good grasp of what the best critters overall are. Typically, you don’t need to have these Pokemon to beat their respective debut games or following titles, but they are simply the best of their generations.

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The Best Pokemon in Gen 1

• Charizard
• Gengar
• Venusaur

Charizard, Gengar, and Venusaur are possibly some of the most iconic Pokemon ever, and while it may seem that I’m a shill for them, I genuinely believe them to be the best critters in Gen 1. And that’s from someone who doesn’t really like Charizard.

Charizard has access to two different Mega Evolutions and a G-Max form, all of which are incredibly powerful. Mega Charizard Y is OP in Pokemon Champions, and even more so when paired with Venusaur, as it’s a sun setter for dedicated teams, and it still packs a good kit of moves. G-Max Charizard has a broken signature move that warped Gen 8’s meta when it first came out, and will inevitably do so again in Pokemon Champions.

Venusaur has a similar power level with its G-Max form, as it also has an incredible signature move. Mega Venusaur is equally strong, though it’s built more as a slower wall than the devastating attacker or support as G-Max or regular Venusaur. Finally, base Venusaur is already one of the best Grass-type Pokemon ever on its own, as it has Chlorophyll to become extremely fast in the sun, Sleep Powder to control the field, and various attacks to keep the pressure on the opponent.

Finally, Gengar is a fast Pokemon with an incredibly high base Special Attack, and it becomes even more dangerous in its Mega form. Mega Gengar becomes faster, bulkier, and has more Special Attack, all while getting the Shadow Tag ability to keep opposing Pokemon trapped in. This becomes a major part of the strategy involving Mega Gengar in some teams, as it can be used alongside Perish Song to stall the opponents for three turns and then make them faint. With Shadow Ball and Sludge Bomb, Gengar can be a huge threat.

The Best Pokemon in Gen 2

• Porygon2
• Smeargle
• Tyranitar

It’s hard to talk about the best Gen 2 Pokemon without mentioning Porygon2, as it became one of the single most used and powerful critters in competitive over time. This is because it has an evolution, but using Porygon2 with Eviolite makes it much bulkier and allows for various strategies. Porygon2 can be used as a wall, as a support, as an attacker, as a Trick Room setter, and as a mix of these things. It’s so good that it’s arguably always better than Porygon-Z.

Smeargle is an OP Pokemon in every game it’s available in, and that’s because of its signature move, Sketch. This allows Smeargle to copy and permanently learn the last move used in the battle, which is problematic on its own because this Pokemon has incredible freedom to play however you like, and it’s also unpredictable. Even worse is the fact that it can learn moves that were never meant to be used in VGC, such as Darkrai’s Dark Void, becoming the ultimate support Pokemon with infinite options.

Finally, Tyranitar is one of the best Pokemon of all time, let alone in Gen 2. Despite a flawed type combination of Rock/Dark, making it four times weak to Fighting, Tyranitar is an incredible Pokemon thanks to its stats, moves, and ability. It’s bulky, it can deal massive damage with some scary physical moves like Rock Slide and Knock Off, and it sets up a sandstorm when it comes in. On top of that, Tyranitar’s Mega Evolution becomes even more powerful and relevant in the meta whenever present.

The Best Pokemon in Gen 3

• Metagross
• Pelipper
• Torkoal

Gen 3 has some of the most memorable VGC Pokemon ever. Two of them are Pelipper and Torkoal, which got the abilities Drizzle and Drought, respectively, and went on to become competitive staples for all teams as weather setters. Pelipper is still considered the single best rain setter ever, and most of the best teams in Pokemon Champions use it over Politoed due to its access to STAB Hurricane and good bulk, all while being immune to Ground moves.

Torkoal is in a similar situation, as it’s still one of the best Pokemon to use in competitive overall, especially when combined with Trick Room, as it is very slow. Often used with Choice Specs to make Eruption deal massive damage in the sun, Torkoal is bound to remain a VGC staple for a long time.

Metagross is one of those Pokemon that are always good. It has a fantastic base form with powerful attacks and abilities, as well as amazing stats, and it also gets access to a Mega Evolution with even more staying power. Bullet Punch, Psychic Fangs, Earthquake, Thunder Punch, and Ice Punch all give Metagross and Mega Metagross a lot of coverage, making them worth using over most other Pokemon in the series.

The Best Pokemon in Gen 4

Much like weather setters are to this day some of the best Gen 3 Pokemon, the same goes for Abomasnow in Gen 4. Despite its quad weakness to Fire, Abomasnow’s Snow Warning makes it a great snow setter (previously hail), and it also has some good attacks to use with it. Furthermore, Mega Abomasnow becomes an incredibly bulky Pokemon with great offensive capabilities.

Garchomp is one of those Pokemon that need no introduction. It got its iconic status as one of Cynthia’s Pokemon in Gen 4 games, setting the bar very high for all future Champions and Elite Four members. It had one Mega Evolution as of Gen 6, and even got another as Mega Garchomp Z in Pokemon Legends: Z-A, losing its Ground type in favor of more Special Attack and new build options. In its base form, it’s one of the most used Pokemon of all time, and even when there are counters for it, it still shines in every format it can be used in as a physical attacker.

While one could argue that Lucario is more iconic than Rotom, the latter has more proven results in competitive. Rotom has multiple forms, all with the Levitate ability to make them immune to Ground attacks, meaning that the likes of Rotom Heat go from 4x weak to Ground to being immune to it. However, the best form competitively is often Rotom Wash, the Electric/Water variant. This Pokemon can outspeed some of the fastest critters with Choice Scarf, can deal massive damage with Hydro Pump, and then has amazing coverage options with Volt Switch and Thunderbolt.

The Best Pokemon in Gen 5

• Amoonguss
• Volcarona
• Whimsicott

I’m sorry if this sounds overly confident, but I firmly believe that Amoonguss is one of the best Pokemon of all time, even counting Legendaries. It’s the ultimate support Pokemon: it has Regenerator to heal itself when switched, it has Spore to put opponents to sleep with 100% accuracy, it has Pollen Puff to damage opponents or heal allies, it has Rage Powder to redirect attacks, and it’s very bulky. It works in all teams, and it’s even a prime candidate for Trick Room.

Pokemon‘s Volcarona is an iconic Gen 5 critter, and when you look at its VGC history, it has some receipts to show for itself. It has redirection with Rage Powder combined with Flame Body to punish physical attackers, which is taken to the next level when using Rocky Helmet. It can sweep with Quiver Dance, it has spread moves like Heat Wave, and it’s very versatile in how you can build it.

Whimsicott is one of the best support Pokemon in the series, and it comes with the powerful Prankster Tailwind combo. Not many Pokemon have access to it, to the point that in Gen 9 VGC, players started using Eviolite Murkrow with Prankster Tailwind just to have it. On top of that, Whimsicott has other great moves that cement its status as a support Pokemon, such as Encore, Helping Hand, and Moonblast for damage.

The Best Pokemon in Gen 6

• Aegislash
• Sylveon
• Talonflame

Though Gen 6 only added a bit more than 70 Pokemon, it does have some very strong ones. Pokemon Legends: Z-A‘s Aegislash was terrible due to the Speed stat changes in the game, but in turn-based combat, Aegislash can be a huge threat. This is because it has access to King’s Shield, a variant of Protect, that returns it to its Shield Forme, whereas any attack turns it into Blade Forme. It’s a versatile Pokemon that makes positioning and attacking vs. protecting even more important.

Sylveon has always been a fan favorite and is often considered one of the best evolutions for Eevee due to its bulk and offensive builds. It always sees competitive play whenever present, as it can deal massive spread damage with Hyper Voice while packing good resists and HP. Sometimes it can even use Quick Attack to finish off opponents thanks to Pixilate, making the move Fairy-type.

Another Gen 6 Pokemon that always finds success in competitive is Talonflame, which is a frail, but powerful attacker capable of dishing out some great damage with moves like Brave Bird and Flare Blitz. Plus, it can act as a support with Gale Wings, which makes Flying-type moves used by Talonflame have +1 to their priority level as long as Talonflame’s HP is full. This also means it can go faster with Brave Bird, becoming a tactical nuke.

The Best Pokemon in Gen 7

• Incineroar
• Kartana
• Mimikyu

Again, I don’t want to be that person, but there is no “best Pokemon” list without mentioning Incineroar. Despite getting a nerf in Pokemon Champions, Incineroar is still one of the most fundamentally broken Pokemon in history. It has access to Intimidate for lowering opponents’ Attack stat when it enters the field, it has Fake Out to make them unable to act, it has Parting Shot to reduce their Attack and Special Attack by 1 stage and switch out (so it can do everything all over again), and it also has good attacks. I believe only removing Fake Out could maybe make Incineroar see less play, but even then, I’m not sure.

Kartana is the best Ultra Beast in Pokemon Gen 7 by a huge margin thanks to its type combination, which only makes it weak to Fire (though 4x), and thanks to its Beast Boost ability to snowball with each KO. It also learns very powerful moves, like Knock Off, Sacred Sword, Leaf Blade, and Smart Strike. Its base Attack stat of 181 seals the deal, making Kartana a phenomenal VGC threat.

Mimikyu also has a storied history in VGC, and it’s always seen lots of play because of its Disguise ability. This allows Mimikyu to only take 1/8 of its HP as damage from the first move that hits it, regardless of the damage it would have done. This makes Mimikyu exceptionally durable, and it works even through Life Orb, which means that Mimikyu can typically attack two or three times for great damage before it’s taken out. Also, since it’s a Ghost-type Pokemon with Fairy as a secondary type, it can be great into Dragon-type teams or against some Trick Room or Psychic Terrain abusers.

The Best Pokemon in Gen 8

• Rillaboom
• Sneasler
• Ursaluna

I know, Sneasler and Ursaluna are in Pokemon Legends: Arceus rather than Gen 8 games themselves, but they still count as Gen 8 Pokemon. Admittedly, I had a lot of issues coming up with just the three best Pokemon in Gen 8, seeing how Grimmsnarl, Hatterene, Indeede female, and others have all had good VGC performance. Rillaboom was the most obvious pick, though, as its hidden ability lets it set Grassy Terrain and then abuse it with Grassy Slide, while also packing moves like High Horsepower, Wood Hammer, Fake Out, and U-Turn. Yes, this means it can repeat the cycle endlessly, like Incineroar, making it an OP Pokemon overall.

Ursaluna is undeniably one of the best Pokemon ever, and one of the best Trick Room abusers ever, too. It has Guts, which pairs perfectly with Flame Orb to burn Ursaluna and increase its Attack stat. It’s a Normal/Ground-type Pokemon while at it, making it immune to Ghost. Its signature move, Headlong Rush, is also a fantastic offensive asset. I still remember how Ursaluna beat Volo in Pokemon Legends: Arceus for me, like it was nothing, even if it went up against seven Pokemon (technically eight, considering Giratina’s form change). In VGC, it’s equally strong, and it’s a shame it’s missing from Pokemon Champions.

What is not missing in Pokemon Champions is Sneasler, another Hisuian Pokemon that managed to become one of the most broken ever. Its signature move, Dire Claw, deals massive Poison damage and then has a 30% (previously 50%) chance to inflict a random status between sleep, paralysis, and poison, making it disgustingly strong all around. With very high Speed and Attack, Sneasler can destroy its opponents with Close Combat, and it also has access to Fake Out to make them flinch and miss the turn.

The Best Pokemon in Gen 9

• Dondozo
• Flutter Mane
• Raging Bolt

Gen 9 was arguably the most competitive-dense generation ever, in my opinion, as it spawned so many Pokemon that ended up winning tournament after tournament. I honestly struggle with the idea of picking just three Pokemon from Gen 9, but my final choices reflect the fact that I think Pokemon Scarlet was better than Violet in terms of exclusives.

Dondozo is such an iconic Pokemon that has been meta since its inception, and I couldn’t leave it out, even if critters like Archaludon and Sinistcha have seen massive usage over time. With all the many good Paradox Pokemon, the likes of Ceruledge and Armarouge, Palafin, Garganacl, Maushold, Gholdengo, and even Meowscarada and Skeledirge, picking three Pokemon was very hard. I still think Dondozo deserves the spot because, when played well, it simply dominates the game. With a two-stage omniboost and the option to boost its stats further with Order Up, the pair of Dondozo and Tatsugiri terrorized VGC for months.

Even better than Dondozo is Flutter Mane, which ended up having some of the highest usage percentages in the series from the moment it became legal in Gen 9. While Pokemon Scarlet and Violet‘s Flutter Mane is not available in Pokemon Champions, it very much proved to be one of the best Gen 9 critters, and one of the best Pokemon, period. It has incredible stats, with low HP, Attack, and Defense, but very high Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed. It also has great typing in Ghost/Fairy, can have amazing moves, and can be built in many ways, including with three different main stats when holding Booster Energy.

Probably on the same level as Flutter Mane is The Indigo Disk’s Raging Bolt, an Electric/Dragon Pokemon with some of the best moves in the series. Its signature move, Thunderclap, is basically an Electric-type, special-damage version of Sucker Punch, and it’s so powerful because it makes games very tense with lots of mind games. With very few weaknesses and great stats, alongside optimal moves to learn, Raging Bolt ended up being one of the best Pokemon available in VGC, with it being used on most tournament-winning teams.

Pokemon Champions

Systems

Released

April 8, 2026

ESRB

Everyone / Mild Fantasy Violence

Publisher(s)

Nintendo

Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer

Cross-Platform Play

Full

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