Best ways to collect all Pokemon/Play the Pokemon games?

[MultipedBeatle]

Hello, sorry for the strange title. I'm sure the question has been asked before, but what is the best way to play Pokemon to experience all it has to offer? I don't exactly have the time to play every version in each generation (as much as I wish I did), but I did find the hack FR/LG+. Is there a way to play the later generation games in the same way? The hack adds a version toggle before starting the game to allow all Pokemon from each version to spawn, but I also would like to know if there is a way to collect each starter without resetting my save file. I'm hoping to collect as many Pokemon as possible in one playthrough as I am trying to beat all of the games to bring myself back into the community. If there is any way to bring that into one cohesive experience for each game, or just some, please let me know! Thank you!

 

[Gardevoir1]

For gen 1-5 you can always emulate a game and run it through the universal randomizer. Don't randomize anything just hit the toggle that lets you get trade evos from leveling or stones, and the toggle for "make all pokemon available". For 6 and beyond, I'm sure there are improvement hacks out there but a lot of these, especially the switch games, are recent enough its better to just get an official copy if you have a friend with the opposite version.

 

[Fairy]

Emulator is the most obvious answer, but honestly, I think you might have a more rewarding experience 100%ing the games as physical cartridges. It's kinda nice, to have them all together in one place. :)

Local game stores, used copies, begging friends, garage sales, craig's list, internet in general... there's definitely ways to get digital and physical copies of the oldest and newest games.

 

[MultipedBeatle]

I have a friend with one copy of HS/SS, and I have all the games from Black 2 onwards. I just cannot for the life of me spend that kind of money! As much as I hate it, I got the ROMs for the games I do not own.