30 years. It feels like a lifetime (and for some of us it us, including Ash Ketchum, it is!) That’s how long Pokemon has been a part of our world. And what a lifetime it’s been. There’s a lot to celebrate in the year of Pokemon’s 30th anniversary, from the vast library of amazing games, the phenomenon that was and is Pokemon Go, and the long-running anime that opened our hearts up to an electric rat. But the real stars of this gargantuan, multi-faceted franchise are the pocket monsters themselves. And that’s why we’re ranking the very best of them. Don’t worry about catching ‘em all – these are the 30 Pokemon you really want.
And why would you want these 30, as chosen by our most Pokemon-obsessed editors? Because they’re the greatest, that’s why. There are many methods we could have used to rank these monsters, from analysing their battle proficiency to assessing how many appearances they make across games, anime, cards, and plushies. But we’ve ultimately gone with our hearts rather than heads – these are the 30 Pokemon that we feel best capture the magic and wonder of one of pop culture’s most important universes. So who’s on our team? Let’s run them down.
30. Bulbasaur
Let’s get this place humid! From its place as one of the original starters, to its newly found role as one of Ditto’s first friends in Pokopia, Bulbasaur has long had a place in players’ hearts. Garnering nutrients from the seed on its back, it’s often debated within the Pokémon universe whether Bulbasaur is more plant or animal — though arguably a better question to be asking based on what we learn in the anime episode “Bulbasaur’s Secret Garden” is “is Bulbasaur in a cult?” Regardless of the answer to either question, this green little guy is undoubtedly one of the most recognizable and nostalgic Pokémon in the entire Pokédex.
29. Arceus
Within the Pokémon universe, Arceus is basically God. They’re certainly not always an altruistic deity, kidnapping children, banishing Giratina for potentially dubious reasons, and blowing up players’ phones with more cryptic fervor than a situationship. However, they did shape the entire universe, so we can kind of give them a pass. Alongside creating the world, Arceus is the only Pokémon that can utilize the Judgment move or have the Multitype ability, and their design also makes it look like they’re wearing a really slay pair of boots — they’re an absolute icon.
28. Metagross
Essentially an arachnid-adjacent supercomputer, Metagross is the perfect embodiment of both arachnophobia and technophobia in a four-brained package. Though there are many arguably terrifying Pokémon, Metagross manages to make you question just how scary creatures like Banette really are when you learn things like how Metagross enjoys pinning down opponents with their extremely heavy body and consuming them with the giant mouth on its belly. And don’t even get me started on its Mega form, the description for which in Ultra Sun reads, “Its intellect surpasses its previous level, resulting in battles so cruel, they’ll make you want to cover your eyes.” They’re utterly horrifying, and certifiably badass.
27. Dragonite
Considered a pseudo-legendary by many fans, it would be impossible not to include Dragonite on this list. Outside the nostalgia factor of being one of the original 151, it’s also one of the kindest Pokémon, known for rescuing drowning people and ships lost at sea. It even canonically gets nicer with its Mega Evolution, but don’t let that kindness fool you — it will still pummel you and your Pokémon into the ground if provoked. However, according to the Legends: Z-A Pokédex entry for its Mega form, “It finishes off its opponents with mercy in its heart.” Isn’t that sweet?
26. Hawlucha
From how much aura Hawlucha has, you would never guess it’s only a couple feet tall. Despite it’s small size, it’s got just as much fighting prowess as Pokémon like Machamp, and with more flair for the dramatic. This showboating can sometimes get it into trouble, leading enemies to counterattack while Hawlucha spends too much time launching into a move, but if anything that just makes this diva even more lovable. Despite Hawlucha’s flair for the dramatic, it prefers to live a quiet life. They don’t flock together, and their only known enemies in the wild are loud groups of Primeapes — it’s hard not to stan an independent luchador who hates noise pollution.
25. Ditto
Ditto has risen to more prominence than ever before following the release of Pokopia, but this amorphous critter has been charming since its very first iteration in Gen 1. This purple blob is deceptively simple, able to change its DNA at the drop of a hat. It can reconstitute its entire cellular structure with no lasting harm to its own wellbeing, copying both its target’s appearance and moves, which in a way makes it one of the most powerful Pokémon around. Of course, it’s not flawless, often faltering in its representation due to laughter or misremembering, but that just makes Ditto even more relatable.
24. Piplup
Piplup is arguably one of the most adorable starters in the entire Pokémon franchise, a diminutive cutie-pie that can elicit an “aww” from even the most hardened of hearts. Funnily enough, as much as this Pokémon looks built for being scooped up and held like a baby, it’s one of the hardest to get close to due to its extreme sense of pride. It doesn’t like accepting food from its trainers or bonding with them, and will angrily puff its chest out after falling over — which it does often. However, much like a petulant cat refusing affection, Piplup’s resistance to bonding just makes us want to squish its little face even more.
23. Flygon
Though you might assume Flygon would be a Bug/Dragon type (and honestly, many fans are still confused on how its not all these years later), it’s actually one of the very few Ground/Dragon type Pokémon, giving it a veritable list of immunities, resistances, and types it’s effective against. Though the franchise has seen several more Dragon Pokémon since Flygon arrived in Gen 3, its sleek-yet-cute appearance and the whimsical noise it makes – the flapping of its wings sounds like a woman singing – have given it a special place in many players’ hearts several generations later.
22. Eevee
Aside from Ditto and Mew, Eevee is probably the most genetically complex Pokémon, able to evolve into eight different creatures depending on the conditions. Sure, everyone has a favorite Eeeveelution, but none of them would exist without the OG itself. Seen as a sort of scientific mystery within the Pokémon universe, its DNA potentially holds the answer to how all evolution works, but no one has figured it out yet. At a glance, Eevee is adorable, but relatively simple – basically just a fox cat – but it’s one of the biggest enigmas, and its potential lineages also make it one of the most important.
21. Lucario
Lucario is a certified Pokémon star, serving as protagonist in one of the franchise’s best movies, Lucario and the Mystery of Mew, as well as essentially being the poster boy for Mega Evolution (theorized to be the first Pokémon to ever Mega Evolve). Able to detect the auras even of invisible creatures, sense emotions from half a mile away, and understand human speech, it’s no wonder why its been paired with some of the most iconic trainers across the series, like Cynthia and Bruno. Lucario’s star continues to rise even decades after its initial introduction, recently playing a big role in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, cementing its legacy as one of the most iconic Pokémon.
20. Mimikyu
Based on its appearance, Mimikyu would be one of the most convincing Pokémon across the entire roster to play the antagonist in a horror film, but its actually a secret softie. Underneath the shoddily-made costume lurks a mysterious entity that’s made everyone who’s seen it pass away soon afterwards, so it dons the outfit in an effort to get closer to others. Having chosen its Pikachu disguise based on the yellow fella’s huge popularity, Mimikyu just wants to be loved. If that wasn’t enough reason to adore it, it’s also great in battle — with its exclusive Disguise ability letting it tank the first hit, Mimikyu can be a very effective Swords Dance sweeper.
19. Dialga
Handcrafted by Arceus to control the flow of time, Dialga is certainly in the upper pantheon of Pokémon gods. Whether you know it as the selling point for Pokémon Diamond, a villain in the Mystery Dungeon series, or the Almighty Sinnoh worshipped by the Diamond clan in Legends: Arceus, this powerful creature has an extremely storied history in the Pokémon series. Its Steel/Dragon typing also gives them a bevy of resistances, and, combined with higher HP, makes them a great defensive option, especially compared to their counterpart Palkia.
18. Absol
Absol is a Pokémon that feels straight out of Greek mythology, able to sense incoming natural disasters and in turn be blamed for them, thus becoming seen as a doom bringer to humanity when they were only trying to help. They look like an edgy, emo cat, and with its Mega Absol and Mega Absol Z forms it goes completely “I could be your angle or yuor devil” mode in the best way. They have immense power, but don’t abuse it — they’ll try to cut down their foes in a single blow out of mercy, which their Mega Z Pokédex entry calls “an act of kindness to keep them from suffering.”
17. Snorlax
Arguably one of the most relatable Pokémon, Snorlax embodies the slacker that lurks within all of us. Caring only about snacks and naps and resting peacefully as children play on their stomach, they’re living the kind of idyllic lifestyle that we humans can only dream of. Snorlax is always finding new ways to be even more chilled out, like their Mosslax form in Pokopia — it’s quite inspirational, really. They’ve also been a longstanding part of the metagame, serving as one of the most effective stall walls for players setting up their teams in both the VGC and TCG.
16. Gyarados
Gyrados is one of the biggest examples of a glow-up within an evolutionary line. Their transition from silly useless fish Magikarp to badass water dragon is one for the history books, and is also a large part of what made Gyrados so special when it was introduced in Gen 1: the exercise in patience of coddling Magikarp to level 20 for a powerful reward. They’re one of the angriest Pokémon in the canon, often engaging in city-destroying rampages that can go on for a month at a time — Gyrados is not to be messed with, and absolutely ace to have on your team.
15. Tyranitar
Let’s be honest, this guy is straight up a dinosaur, and that absolutely rules. They’re also canonically kind of a jerk, but in a hilarious way. Because their tough exterior makes them impossible to injure, they’re constantly picking fights knowing they’ll win, and they’re described in Silver as having an “insolent nature that makes it not care about others.” Tyranitar can cause huge earthquakes simply by walking, has been known to bring down entire mountains just to make a nest, and its Mega form is basically Godzilla — everything about them is over-the-top and awesome.
14. Greninja
Somewhere along the way, the Pokémon franchise shifted from saying Greninja’s shuriken were made of compressed water to saying they were made out of mucus, the latter of which is decidedly less appealing, but both options are still unequivocally badass. Though intimidating as an opponent, the anime also showed the soft side of Greninja as well, endearing them to many fans as they watched them grow up from just a wee Froakie. Ash and Greninja solidifying their bond to unleash the Pokémon’s special Ash-Greninja form was particularly charming, and there really hasn’t been a comparable transformation before or since.
13. Gardevoir
There’s a reason this iconic Pokémon earned themselves a life-size figure, and it’s not to appease creepy dudes on the internet. Gardevoir has had a persistent presence in the TCG meta, with almost every tournament having at least a few players running some sort of Gardevoir deck. Even recently, Gardevoir ex was one of the most high-value cards from the Mega Evolution set. Last year, the TCG Masters champion at Pokémon Worlds won with a Gardevoir deck, and the same strategy will likely be seen again this year.
12. Ho-Oh
Ho-Oh is the master of first impressions. When western audiences saw Ho-Oh flying through the sky in the first episode of the anime, everyone collectively said, “What on earth is that?!” and have been enraptured by the mysterious rainbow bird ever since. Based on the legend of the ever-resurrecting Phoenix, Ho-Oh has the ability to bring creatures back to life, and revived Raikou, Entei, and Suicune after the Brass Tower fire, making them an integral part of Pokémon lore. Ash seeing Ho-Oh in the pilot is also potentially why he never ages — legend says those that see it are granted eternal happiness, and journeying with his Pokémon is where the trainer derives the most joy.
11. Psyduck
A chronic headache sufferer that’s riddled with anxiety, Psyduck is a very relatable Pokémon. The Pokédex sometimes roasts Psyduck a bit, calling it “unaware and totally vacant,” but fans have spent many hours watching them serve as a loyal companion to Misty in the anime, proving there’s more to them than meets the eye. To be fair to the Pokédex, though, Psyduck is canonically unaware of their own powers, having no memory of whenever they unleash it, but that just makes this confused duck even more endearing.
10. Garchomp
This guy looks like a combination between a jet and a land shark, which is iconic in and of itself, but their role as Cynthia’s partner Pokémon makes them a true hall-of-famer. Cynthia knew what she was doing with that choice — Garchomp’s well-rounded stats and its Rough Skin ability make it an absurdly good addition to almost any team. Garchomp doesn’t just look like a jet plane, either. It’s able to fly at sonic speeds and known to eat entire flocks of birds mid-air, which is admittedly horrifying, but also a perfect example of this Pokémon’s expansive power.
9. Suicune
For many players, Suicune was who the Master Ball was for. They turned heads as the Legendary box art star for Crystal, and the opening title sequence to the game just cemented their coolness. Basically an environmentalist in a leopard-esque body, it has the ability to purify any water source, dashing around the world on the wind to do so. Their role in Pokémon 4Ever can’t be overlooked, either, especially in the climax of the film as they try to help Celebi, showing this imposing Pokémon has a heart of gold.
8. Mew
From the early days of searching for it under a truck, Mew has always had a certain mystique about it for players. It’s said to contain the DNA of every single Pokémon, with every other Pokémon potentially being a Mew descendent. This complicated DNA structure means Mew has the ability to learn every move, giving it the biggest pool of any Pokémon, and it can transform itself into almost any other Pokémon at will (something that’s sparked a lot of speculation in the fandom about the relation between Ditto and Mew). It’s also been the subject of some of the most iconic Pokémon cards to date, like the Bubble Mew and Ancient Mew, further cementing its legacy as an enduringly-popular Pokémon.
7. Squirtle
Our fearless, sunglasses-wearing leader of the Squirtle Squad was inevitably going to wind up on this list. Deftly walking the line between cutie pie and cool guy, Squirtle is a favorite amongst the original starters for many fans, and poring over the hard data suggests it actually is the strongest choice. However, its place on this list is truly cemented by its anime legacy, having some of the best moments of the entire series. From its introduction in the Squirtle Squad, to its heartwarming goodbye with Ash, to the weird-yet-engaging plot of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Team Go-Getters Out of the Gate! where a human boy is transformed into a Squirtle, this little guy has brought viewers joy for years.
6. Celebi
Many players have always been fascinated by Celebi’s rarity – from its introduction in Gen 2, it’s consistently been one of the trickiest Pokémon to acquire, often only available through events or trading. Its starring role in Pokémon 4Ever further catapulted it to stardom, introducing more time-traveling lore as guardian of the forest. Because it can exist simultaneously throughout time, Celebi serves as a beacon of hope, with its Alpha Sapphire Pokédex entry stating that “so long as Celebi appears, a bright and shining future awaits us.”
it also takes the cake for one of the most satisfying meta builds in the history of Pokémon TCG Pocket, potentially landing dozens of hits on an opponent at a time.
5. Gengar
Gengar possesses some of the creepiest Pokédex entries of all time, and I mean that in a very complimentary way. They’re all littered with references to Gengar laying curses on people, hiding in their shadows, and stealing their lives. Perhaps the scariest is from Pokémon Sun: “Should you feel yourself attacked by a sudden chill, it is evidence of an approaching Gengar. There is no escaping it. Give up.” Gengar undoubtedly set a terrifyingly cool precedent as the final evolution of the very first ghost Pokémon line, and its hilarious appearances in the anime further solidified its fan-favorite status. Even decades after Gengar’s introduction, a recent survey showed it still ranks within the top three most popular Pokémon.
4. Rayquaza
What’s cooler than a Legendary Dragon Pokémon that looks like a snake and a missile had a baby? A missile-snake dragon that is also obsessed with world peace, obviously. Rayquaza, the face of Pokémon Emerald, is both the guardian of Earth and keeper of the peace between ancient beefing gods Groudon and Kyogre. Its resides in the Earth’s atmosphere, subsisting on water and space dust as it protects the planet from threats like aliens and meteors. Though Rayquaza aims to keep the peace, its ability to control the weather makes it a literal force of nature, and it’s the only Pokémon that can Mega Evolve without a stone, instead possessing a dedicated organ for the purpose.
3. Mewtwo
Many fans who enjoyed Pokémon: The First Movie as children probably found Mewtwo terrifying. Honestly, it still is from an adult perspective, especially when you run into a TCG opponent with Mewtwo on their team. Aside from those that are literal gods, Mewtwo is arguably one of the most powerful Legendary Pokémon. With absurdly strong psychic powers, it possesses basically every cool ability you can think of, from telekinesis to mind erasure to the capability for human speech via telepathy. Its lore as a genetic experiment is also one of the deepest in the franchise, sparking philosophical questions about what identity really means.
2. Pikachu
Ash and Pikachu are the dynamic duo in the Pokémon franchise fandom. It’s hard to imagine what the anime possibly could’ve looked like without Pikachu by the trainer’s side (it was almost Clefairy instead!), with fans having had their heartstrings pulled at by episodes like “Pikachu’s Goodbye” for decades. Since then the little lightning bolt boy has taken up the mantle as the overall mascot for the series. They’re in almost all marketing materials, and people will trek from across the globe just to get Pokémon Center-exclusive Pikachus — there is undoubtedly no character more synonymous with the overarching legacy of Pokémon than Pikachu.
1. Charizard
Truly who else but Charizard could’ve taken the number one spot in this list? The subject of some of the most iconic TCG cards of all time, a simultaneously badass and meaningful companion to Ash in the anime, and a Pokémon team staple going back to the very first game, Charizard is the undisputed G.O.A.T. Since it appeared on the original box art for Pokémon Red, it was the first favorite for many, and to lots of fans nothing has been able to dethrone it since.
And those are our picks for the 30 best Pokemon of all time. Did we catch your favorite, or do you think we missed one of the all-time greats? Let us know in the comments.
