• Our software update is now concluded. You will need to reset your password to log in. In order to do this, you will have to click "Log in" in the top right corner and then "Forgot your password?".
  • Forum moderator applications are now open! Click here for details.
  • Welcome to PokéCommunity! Register now and join one of the best fan communities on the 'net to talk Pokémon and more! We are not affiliated with The Pokémon Company or Nintendo.

2nd Gen Blue And Silver; Which Rival is the best?

Which Rival Is Better?


  • Total voters
    68

Whitney's Shaymin

Creator Of Pokemon Grace
596
Posts
11
Years
Theres only 7 battles in GSC and 8 in RBY so i did 7th battles for both

Final battle for silver

Totadile chosen
Sneasel Crobat Magneton Gengar Alakazam Meganium
Level 48 Level 45 Level 48 Level 46 Level 46 Level 50
Chickorita chosen
Sneasel Crobat Magneton Gengar Alakazam Typhlosion
Level 48 Level 45 Level 48 Level 46 Level 46 Level 50
Cyndaquil chosen
Sneasel Crobat Magneton Gengar Alakazam Feraligatr
Level 48 Level 45 Level 48 Level 46 Level 46 Level 50

Blue
Squirtle chosen
Pidgeot Alakazam Rhyhorn Growlithe Gyarados Venusaur
Level 47 Level 50 Level 45 Level 45 Level 47 Level 50
Bulbasaur chosen
Pidgeot Alakazam Rhyhorn Gyarados Exeggcute Charmander
Level 47 Level 50 Level 45 Level 45 Level 47 Level 50
Charmander chosen
Pidgeot Alakazam Rhyhorn Exeggcute Growlithe Blastoise
Level 47 Level 50 Level 45 Level 45 Level 47 Level 50

Now you choose
 

Pinkie-Dawn

Vampire Waifu
9,528
Posts
11
Years
Blue wins for better rival. Silver is too stubborn to think he's not the strongest trainer of all after constantly being beaten by you. His team also lacks, aside from his starter, a Grass, Fire, and Water type like Blue's team, thus lacking coverage on some types.
 

Lucariotoes

Ah-woo.
105
Posts
14
Years
Blue was kind of a jerk, but Silver... man, I remember how much of a jerk he was, for different reasons. Blue was just attempting to be a tough guy. Silver WAS a tough guy.

Hence why I named him Damien the first time I played Silver -- I remembered that, from an early South Park episode, that Damien was Satan's kid. Before anyone asks, yes, I know Damien was also a name used in The Omen for the same character. Blue was a tool, but Silver... even to this day, I still feel the kid's just plain evil.

Not to say I dislike Blue, though, especially with the fan theory that Red kept crushing his dreams throughout Pokemon R/G/B/Y. Regardless, Silver... he's a scary one, and the better example of the negative rival archetype in the first two generations.
 
112
Posts
14
Years
  • Age 29
  • Seen May 13, 2021
Blue is my favourite rival, Silver was an arse. Blue sorta was too, but in a good way.
 

MattyJ

Serial Procrastinator
40
Posts
11
Years
It's interesting, I seem to be voting against the trend when I say Blue. I would have thought he'd be a runaway vote getter!

I guess, for me, Blue seems to be the out-and-out better rival. I remember playing Gold version for the first time (yes, I actually named my rival "???" because that's what he told me his name was!). One restart later Playing through the game and getting to each gym and noticing that my Rival hadn't been there and beaten it first was a bit odd for me. I liked the fact that Blue was always one step ahead, like you were always chasing him, and that, at the end of the Elite Four, it was revealed that he was the Champion. Of course, Blue comes back in the Metal gen as a leader in Viridian too, which is a good final touch.

To me, he's just more well-rounded, more competitive, and more driven to 'be the best' than Silver. Silver felt like a spoiled brat with no understanding of Pokemon (for the most part, anyway). It was good that they gave his character a bit of development, but I feel that Blue already understood what it meant to be a Pokemon trainer, which is why his character perhaps didn't show as much development.
 
1,544
Posts
14
Years
I preferred Blue as a character, I liked his team better and "Smell Ya Later!" haha :)

Although in terms of the purpose of a rival, Silver was very well created I thought.
 
48
Posts
11
Years
  • Seen May 12, 2013
See, I'm going to have to go with Blue. The rival that started it all. And the guy that I was afraid was going to try and smell me every time. Ahh...the good old days.
 
16
Posts
11
Years
I personally can't choose. I prefer Silver as a rival 'cause he's just plain mean and makes me want to win him. Meanwhile, Blue is a little nicer rival and he's a friend at the same time. It makes me smile.
 

Caelus

Gone
2,691
Posts
15
Years
  • Seen May 26, 2013
I'm going to have to go with Blue just for the fact that he ends up becoming a gym leader in Generation II. Both were great rivals and I liked how Silver started becoming a better person near the end of the games but I like Blue's design more and I've had more difficulties going against his team than against Silver's team.
 
2,732
Posts
14
Years
I liked Blue better because of his personality.
Blue was a bit more energetic than Silver.

"WHAT? Unbelievable! I picked the wrong Pokemon!" and "Bonjour! <player>! Imagine seeing you here! <player> were you really invited?"

and Silver was pretty depressing and quite mean.

"I hate the weak. Pokemon, Trainers. It doesn't matter who or what. I hate to see them hanging around."

Blue's rudeness was much better than Silver's hatred for everything. Even though Silver eventually lightened up, I still preferred Blue.
 
16
Posts
11
Years
  • Seen Mar 1, 2013
Blue just had that.....rival feel to him. In 96 this was one of the first games most of us completed (If you early 20's like me) and what a twist to go to. You have the pride of not only beating on your smug neighbour rival who was always a step ahead when you head towards victory road right after beating the mob boss Giovanni, but right after you go through the hardest battle against Lance he tells you that your joy of winning this battle is stripped away because you rival is the first Champion....Its just heart sinking and makes that battle better because you thought you were done with him, you beat the Elite Four, and became the best only to find out you're second fiddle to him AGAIN. It was just a better story I find for a rival itself.

Silver had more character yes, but it wasn't a real "rival" feel like Blue was. Also have to keep in check that Blue/Red will always have a nostalgia factor for a lot of people as it was the first pokemon game
 

Yoshistar64

Kanrinin-saaannnnnn!!!
348
Posts
17
Years
Silver is just what we call pure hate, he hates you, he hates tam rocket, he hates gym leaders, he just wants to beat everyone's a**es and conquer the world.

I really agree, and although I didn't think it was this extreme back then, this kind of attitude is what has always endeared him to me this whole time. His standoffish, cool and composed attitude resembled how I viewed my "older brother" that I always used to chill with, the guy I always wanted to be as cool as. Not only was Silver the rival of my favourite game in the series (I mean, it was my first game and I played it during the best times of my life) which makes it very biased, but he also reinforced an ideal that I strove for.

I like Silver better. One BIG reason is he doesn't want to 'smell you later' that's creepy.

Nostalgia blinding...
 

Necrum

I AM THE REAL SONIC
5,090
Posts
11
Years
I have warmed up to Blue in recent years, as I finally managed to separate him from is Anime counterpart, who was a total jerk early in the series. Even so, Silver has always been my favorite rival, because he is the ideal antihero. He is the most interesting rival from a character development standpoint, and actually grows as much as the player theoretically does throughout the story. Plus he's got red hair. :D Of course, I'm sure you can all tell by my avatar and sig that I like villains and such, so maybe I'm just different...
 
19
Posts
11
Years
Blue's my favorite rival, I like the personality he has in R/B/Y as well as him having all the badges (before you). Silver apparantly wasn't that interested in the gym battles and therefore it felt quite odd to always be one step ahead. And of course the fact that Blue became a gym leader in the second Generation gives him a significant role in both games.

Also, Silver is way too weak level-wise in (almost) every fight. I mean, it was rare when my levels were actually lower than his levels, and I played the game a lot. And no, I didn't train my pokemon a lot vs. wild pokemon, I just beat trainers. The first battle vs Silver is no big challenge as your level usually is higher. The second fight in Azalea Town is in my opinion the hardest fight vs Silver. But the only one that's actually difficult to win..

Also, I think Blue is more like a Rival than Silver, because he has the same goal like you have - become the best trainer by winning 8 badges and the E4. Silver however, even though he states that it is his dream to become the best trainer, I also think that another goal of himself is to find his way. That's why Silver's story has more depth, but my favorite rival is Blue. While the levels of Blue's pokemon have raised significantly, which makes him a really tough enemy, the levels of Silver's pokemon in the last two fights are just pathetic. Blue, the last gym leader, has pokemon above level 50, while your rival's pokemon are not higher than 50, and I don't like it. Also the battle at Mt. Moon must be the best example. All Gym Leaders you beat till that point (except for Janine) have higher levels than your rival.. that's what I think is pretty dumb. My last point is that I like how Blue's team varies depending on the starter you/he take(s), which makes his team more interesting. I don't like that the team of Silver always stays the same.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top