Your top 3 best Pokemon games

[PageEmp]

Yep, one of the simplest thread ideas ever! And you can mention anything with the Pokemon brand on it! But I am thinking of excluding ROM hacks, though.

But yeah, any main series, spinoff, or main series game without the traditional battle system, you are free to mention them as long as they are some of your favourites!

So as for me, from favourite to third favourite: Legends, Conquest, and Black 2.

Somehow, Black 2 is my favourite that has the traditional battle system. And admittedly it's a very close ranking between the first two.

So as for everyone else, what are your top 3 favourites?

 

[Lavemu☆]

1. Ultra Moon
2. Violet
3. Shield

here's mine!

 

[Devalue]

1. Sun/Moon. Offers good challenges on replays. (Usually trades in Pokemon for the challenges. Nullifies Ultra's main advantage.) Liked the story more than Ultra.

2. Crystal. Mostly on nostalgia. Appreciates the old music and visuals.

3. Scarlet/Violet. Waffled on what to put here. Considered Fire Red, Pinball, and Sword/Shield. Picked Scarlet/Violet because of having fun with Tera Raids using weak Pokemon and strategies you never pull out (see: a lot of Skill Swap).

 

[Rock_Salazar]

1. Heart Gold/Soul Silver.
There was no other game like it at the time. I remember hearing rumors as early as late 2008 and it got me curious. As a kid I knew nothing about gen 2. Only gens 1, 3 & 4. Once I saw trailers for it I was so hyped as a kid. First pre-order I ever made, got it day 1 with the Heart Gold/Soul Silver DS case and 3 starter stylists. I have been very critical about it in recent years, but I'll never forget how impactful it was for me. Having the pokewalker, pokeathon, following pokemon, and a whole 2nd region to explore is just so much.

2. Mystery Dungeon Red/Blue Rescue Team.
I asked for a pokemon game for Christmas one time and got this. I was surprised that it was a pokemon game but not the one I expected. Despite this I still played it and I got to experience one of the most engaging and memorable stories as a kid. Love the characters, the dungeon crawling, and the feeling of exploration that feels emersive for a GBA/DS title. I know the sequel is better but there's a reason I've only played this one for many years. Ending gets me every time.

3. Fire Red/Leaf Green.
Nostalgia reasons and one of my most played pokemon games. A better gen 1 experience and the game that taught me how to play pokemon the smart way (mostly team building).

Honorable Mentions:
Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire (4); Black/White 1 (5); Black/White 2 (6); Sun/Moon vanilla (7); Ranger: Shadows of Almia (8); Emerald (9); Yellow, my first pokemon game (10).

 

[dogparty]

1. Black/White: I really love the themes of Truth vs Ideal presented in the story. In my opinion this game packs the strongest punch lore-wise, these topics really get to me. And also I just think this is the best mainline Pokemon games have ever looked in 2D. The sprites for this game are full of personality (they also jump around...!), and since I'll be looking at them for the whole game this really makes a difference for me. And the 3D effect on the over world is so charming :') Pokemon-wise, I think it has a real solid dex. Some of my favorite mons are from this gen, and the starter trio is one of the best out there.

2. G/S/Crystal: Honestly I have no clue why I like these games as much as I do. I have so many complaints about it, yet I can't stop playing. It just makes me feel a sense of wonder, like I'm actually exploring that world. Maybe it's the music, or how 'empty' the maps feel. It comforts me instead of creeping me out.

3. Sun/Moon: Right outta the gate, I love the setting. It makes me feel relaxed and kinda at home. And I like how it differs from the other games with the trials! Feels very fresh. In fact, maybe 'fresh' is the best possible word to describe this game. The new pokemon designs are so out there in a good way, as well as the story. Lusamine creeps me tf out, I love the fact that a villain like her exists in a Pokemon game. It's so awesome to watch how Lillie and Gladion's development plays out. And the post game is extremely gratifying. I haven't played Ultra so I don't know which I'd prefer, but I love Sun/Moon as it is.

Honorable mention to Pokemon Picross. It's just a neat, pokemon-flavored logic game, and it got me addicted to picross puzzles.
I really need to play Colosseum... I feel like my list might change if I do c:

 

[Sheep]

Too many good ones. But I think...

1) Emerald
2) Black/White
3) Crystal

Perhaps..? I just love replaying Emerald so much, I have never once gotten bored. Always so sad when the story ends.

 

[_confused_piplup_]

- DPPPT
- Emerald (haven't played RS)
- HGSS

 

[CD0]

Coming from someone who has been a lifelong fan, and played every Pokemon game...

1. Emerald
2. Heart Gold / Soul Silver
3. Black2 / White2
HM. Ultra Sun / Ultra Moon

 

[Alex_Among_Foxes]

Currently it's:

1- Sword/Shield Favorite Legendary trio + best character customization.
2- Crystal I love returning to old places in games after time has passed. It makes for very bittersweet moments of storytelling for me.
3- Platinum Mostly because it's been so long since I've played BW2 that I can't remember it enough to contest Platinum's story, so Platinum takes this spot for now due to best story.

 

[mikey]

- Black & White 2
- Emerald
- HGSS

Colosseum & PLA honorable mentions

 

[ReKoil]

XY & ORAS are kinda tied for 1st for me.
SwSh after that.

 

[Elite Overlord LeSabre™]

1 and 2 are virtually tied.

1. Platinum for the most complete experience.
2. Leaf Green for being an excellent game, the best remake, and featuring Leaf, the best character in the franchise.
3. XD Gale of Darkness is another excellent game with greater team building options than the (also excellent) Colosseum.

 

[nl4real]

Ruby (1st actually PKMN game.)
FireRed
Tie between AS (First I physically bought) and Black (First non-GBA).

 

[icycatelf]

Silver, Snap, and HeartGold, maybe? Shoutout to Black for the story.

 

[Lysander]

1. HGSS, plenty of content with two regions, Pokéathlon, following Pokémon, Pokéwalker and the Red battle
2. Explorers of Sky, definitely my favourite spin-off game with my favourite story in any Pokémon game to this day
3. Platinum, easily the best Sinnoh game compared to DP and BDSP with the expanded PokéDex, Battle Frontier and increased Elite 4 levels after beating them the first time

 

[Scizor_285]

My favorites are black/white,black 2 white 2 and HeartGold soulsilver

 

[Pendraflare]

For me, B2W2, PMD Explorers of Sky, and Platinum, though the last one is interchangeable and might be some other like BW or maybe even XY depending on my mood and all.

 

[Sydian]

great question... i think i would say emerald, crystal, and colosseum. though if this is meant to be only main line, then i would swap colosseum with black 2/white 2. i enjoy all of the mainline games though.