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

I didn’t anticipate seeing Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen, followed by Pokemon Pokopia and Pokemon Champions, on the Switch by 2026, but I’m thrilled with all these new Pokemon games – especially knowing I’ll have to wait until 2027 for the next generation. As a lifelong Pokemon fan, I’ve probably spent over 10,000 hours playing the games – I’ve played every main series title and most of the spin-offs. I enjoy all Pokemon games and creatures, though I definitely have favorites. However, despite wanting every Pokemon to be equally viable, that’s just not the case.

Many Pokémon remain overlooked, and usually this is because they have weak stats, poor moves, unhelpful abilities, unfavorable types, or a combination of these issues. For instance, while I personally love Joltik, it’s unlikely to ever be a strong competitor in battles. Some basic-form Pokémon in Pokemon Champions, like Clefairy and Dusclops, could potentially shake up the competitive scene, but it doesn’t seem like they’ll be added anytime soon. This demonstrates that a Pokémon doesn’t need to be fully evolved to be powerful, but being unevolved doesn’t automatically make it weak either.

I’ve spent over 300 hours playing each generation of Pokemon games, and more than 1000 hours combined in Pokemon Legends: Z-A and Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, including at least 100 hours battling competitively. Because of this extensive experience, I feel confident in identifying the strongest Pokemon from each generation. While you don’t need these Pokemon to win the games they appear in, they consistently stand out as the very best.

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I’m leaving out Legendary and Mythical Pokémon because they’re usually stronger and have better abilities than other Pokémon. Some, like Xerneas and Kyogre, are simply too powerful.

The Best Pokemon in Gen 1

Charizard
Gengar
Venusaur

Charizard, Gengar, and Venusaur are definitely among the most recognizable Pokémon, and I truly think they’re the best from the original generation. I say this even though I’m not a big fan of Charizard myself!

Charizard is exceptionally strong thanks to its multiple powerful forms: two Mega Evolutions and a G-Max form. In Pokemon Champions, Mega Charizard Y is particularly dominant, and even more so when used alongside Venusaur, where it can define a team’s strategy with its sun-boosting abilities and versatile moves. G-Max Charizard also boasts a remarkably powerful signature move that significantly impacted the game during Generation 8, and is expected to do so again in Pokemon Champions.

Venusaur remains powerful even in its G-Max form, boasting a strong signature move. While Mega Venusaur is just as strong, it plays a different role – it’s slower and focuses on defense, unlike the more aggressive G-Max or regular Venusaur. Even in its original form, Venusaur is a top-tier Grass-type Pokémon, thanks to its ability to become incredibly fast in sunlight (Chlorophyll), control the battle with Sleep Powder, and a diverse range of attacks to overwhelm opponents.

Gengar is a quick Pokémon with a very powerful Special Attack, and it becomes even more formidable when it Mega Evolves. Mega Gengar is faster, tougher, and boasts an even higher Special Attack, plus it gains the Shadow Tag ability, which prevents opponents from switching out. This ability is key to some strategies, allowing players to use moves like Perish Song to slowly wear down opponents over three turns before they faint. Combined with attacks like Shadow Ball and Sludge Bomb, Gengar can be a serious threat to any team.

The Best Pokemon in Gen 2

Porygon2
Smeargle
Tyranitar

When discussing the strongest Pokemon from Generation 2, Porygon2 always comes up. It became incredibly popular and effective in competitive battles, especially when equipped with the Eviolite item, which significantly boosted its defenses. Porygon2 is versatile – it can excel as a durable defender, a team supporter, a powerful attacker, or even as a setup for slower teams using the Trick Room strategy. Many players consider it a consistently better choice than its evolved form, Porygon-Z.

Smeargle is a very powerful Pokémon in any game it appears in, largely due to its unique move, Sketch. Sketch lets Smeargle copy and permanently learn the last move used by its opponent, which gives it huge versatility and makes it hard to predict. What makes Smeargle especially strong is its ability to learn moves that aren’t normally allowed in competitive battles, like Dark Void from Darkrai, turning it into an incredibly adaptable support Pokémon with almost limitless possibilities.

Tyranitar is widely considered one of the greatest Pokémon ever, especially in Generation 2. Even though its Rock/Dark typing leaves it very vulnerable to Fighting-type attacks, Tyranitar is a powerhouse thanks to its impressive stats, diverse movepool, and unique ability. It’s incredibly durable, hits extremely hard with moves like Rock Slide and Knock Off, and automatically creates a sandstorm when it enters battle. Plus, its Mega Evolution makes it an even more dominant force whenever it’s used.

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The Best Pokemon in Gen 3

Metagross
Pelipper
Torkoal

Generation 3 introduced some of the most iconic Pokémon for VGC battles. Pelipper and Torkoal stand out, as they each brought unique weather effects – rain with Drizzle and sun with Drought. These abilities made them essential parts of many competitive teams. Pelipper is still widely considered the best Pokémon for creating rain-based teams. Many top teams in Pokemon Champions prefer it over Politoed because of its powerful STAB Hurricane attack, solid defenses, and immunity to Ground-type moves.

Torkoal remains a strong choice for competitive Pokémon battles, particularly when used with the Trick Room strategy due to its slow speed. It’s frequently paired with Choice Specs to maximize the power of its Eruption attack in sunny conditions, and it’s likely to be a common sight in VGC tournaments for the foreseeable future.

Metagross is consistently a strong Pokémon choice. Its base form is already powerful with great attacks, abilities, and stats, and its Mega Evolution makes it even more durable. With moves like Bullet Punch, Psychic Fangs, Earthquake, Thunder Punch, and Ice Punch, Metagross and Mega Metagross can effectively counter a wide variety of opponents, making it a top-tier Pokémon in most battles.

The Best Pokemon in Gen 4

Abomasnow
Garchomp
Rotom

Just like certain Pokemon are known for reliably creating sunny weather even today, Abomasnow excelled at setting up hail in Generation 4. Although very weak to Fire-type attacks, its ability, Snow Warning, consistently brought on hail, and it had decent moves to take advantage of it. Plus, when Abomasnow Mega Evolves, it becomes extremely tough and powerful.

Garchomp is a hugely popular Pokémon, instantly recognizable thanks to its appearance as a key member of Cynthia’s team in the Generation 4 games. It set a high standard for future Champion and Elite Four Pokémon. While it originally received a Mega Evolution in Generation 6, it gained another in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, trading its Ground typing for increased Special Attack and new strategic possibilities. Even in its standard form, Garchomp remains a consistently powerful and frequently used Pokémon, excelling as a physical attacker despite the existence of Pokémon that can counter it.

Although Lucario might be more popular, Rotom is generally more successful in competitive battling. What makes Rotom so effective is its ability to change forms, and each form has the Levitate ability, which protects it from Ground-type attacks. For example, Rotom-Heat, normally very weak to Ground, becomes completely immune. The most popular competitive form is Rotom-Wash, an Electric/Water type. It’s fast enough to outspeed many opponents when equipped with a Choice Scarf, hits incredibly hard with Hydro Pump, and has excellent move coverage with Volt Switch and Thunderbolt.

I was playing a team featuring Mega Delphox in Pokemon Champions. Even though Mega Delphox is incredibly fast, it was instantly knocked out by a Scarf Rotom Wash using Hydro Pump, so trust me – this is a serious problem!

The Best Pokemon in Gen 5

Amoonguss
Volcarona
Whimsicott

Okay, I know it might sound like a bold statement, but I genuinely think Amoonguss is up there with the very best Pokémon, even compared to the Legendaries! As a fan, I just love how supportive it is. It’s got this amazing ability, Regenerator, that heals it whenever you switch it out. Plus, Spore is incredible – a guaranteed sleep move! Then you’ve got Pollen Puff, which can either hurt opponents or heal your teammates, and Rage Powder, which redirects attacks away from your bigger threats. Seriously, it’s super durable and fits on pretty much any team. It’s even fantastic in Trick Room teams, which is saying something! It’s just an all-around amazing Pokémon, in my opinion.

Volcarona, a popular Pokémon from Generation 5, has proven itself in competitive battling. It’s known for using moves like Rage Powder to redirect attacks and its Flame Body or Rocky Helmet ability to punish physical attackers. Volcarona can also become a powerful sweeper with Quiver Dance, and its movepool includes spread attacks like Heat Wave, making it a flexible Pokémon to build and use in battle.

Whimsicott is a top-tier support Pokémon, largely thanks to its unique ability to use Tailwind with the Prankster trait. This combination is so valuable that some players even use other Pokémon, like Murkrow, just to gain access to Tailwind in Generation 9 VGC battles. Beyond Tailwind, Whimsicott boasts other helpful moves like Encore and Helping Hand, and can even deal damage with Moonblast, solidifying its role as a versatile support Pokémon.

The Best Pokemon in Gen 6

Aegislash
Sylveon
Talonflame

Generation 6 introduced just over 70 new Pokémon, and a few of them are particularly powerful. While Aegislash in Pokémon Legends: Z-A wasn’t very strong because of changes to how quickly Pokémon move, it’s a real threat in traditional turn-based battles. This is thanks to its move, King’s Shield, which switches it to a defensive form, while attacks automatically change it to a stronger, offensive form. This makes Aegislash a flexible Pokémon where smart positioning and knowing when to attack or defend are crucial.

Sylveon is a consistently popular and strong Eeveelution, known for both its durability and attacking power. It’s a common pick in competitive battles because of its ability to deal significant damage to multiple opponents with Hyper Voice, along with its solid defenses and HP. Its ability, Pixilate, can also turn the move Quick Attack into a powerful Fairy-type attack, letting it quickly finish off weakened foes.

Talonflame is a consistently strong Pokémon in competitive battling. While it’s not very durable, it hits incredibly hard with moves like Brave Bird and Flare Blitz. What really sets it apart is its ability, Gale Wings, which lets its Flying-type moves go first as long as it’s at full health. This makes Talonflame a fast, powerful attacker that can quickly eliminate opponents.

The Best Pokemon in Gen 7

Incineroar
Kartana
Mimikyu

I hesitate to declare anyone’s favorite, but Incineroar absolutely deserves a place in any discussion of top Pokémon. Even after being slightly weakened in Pokémon Champions, it remains incredibly powerful. Its ability to lower opponents’ Attack with Intimidate, combined with moves like Fake Out and Parting Shot – which further reduce opposing stats and allow it to switch out safely – makes it exceptionally strong. It also hits hard with its attacks. I think only removing the move Fake Out might reduce how often Incineroar is used, but I’m still not entirely sure.

Kartana stands out as the strongest Ultra Beast in the seventh generation of Pokemon. Its unique typing gives it only one significant weakness – Fire – and its Beast Boost ability quickly increases its power each time it knocks out an opponent. Powerful moves like Knock Off, Sacred Sword, Leaf Blade, and Smart Strike further enhance its capabilities. With an incredible base Attack stat of 181, Kartana is a truly dominant force in VGC battles.

Mimikyu is a popular and consistently successful Pokémon in VGC battles, largely due to its Disguise ability. This ability drastically reduces the damage from the first attack it receives, only taking 1/8 of the normal damage. This makes Mimikyu incredibly resilient, often allowing it to attack two or three times with significant power before being defeated, even while holding a Life Orb. As a Ghost/Fairy type, it’s also a strong counter to Dragon-type teams and can disrupt strategies that rely on Trick Room or Psychic Terrain.

The Best Pokemon in Gen 8

Rillaboom
Sneasler
Ursaluna

I realize Sneasler and Ursaluna debuted in Pokemon Legends: Arceus, not the core Gen 8 games, but they still feel like part of that generation. Honestly, it was tough picking just three top Pokemon from Gen 8, considering how well Pokemon like Grimmsnarl, Hatterene, and female Indeedee performed in VGC battles. Rillaboom was the clearest choice, though. Its hidden ability allows it to create Grassy Terrain and then powerfully utilize moves like Grassy Glide, alongside options like High Horsepower, Wood Hammer, Fake Out, and U-Turn. This lets it repeatedly set up and attack, similar to Incineroar, making it a really strong Pokemon overall.

Ursaluna is a truly powerful Pokémon and excels in battles using the Trick Room strategy. Its ability, Guts, combined with a Flame Orb, boosts its attack power by inflicting a burn. Being a Normal and Ground type gives it a key advantage – immunity to Ghost-type moves. Plus, its unique move, Headlong Rush, is a strong attack. I especially remember how easily Ursaluna defeated Volo in Pokémon Legends: Arceus, even facing seven (or eight, counting Giratina’s form change) Pokémon! It’s just as formidable in VGC battles, which makes its absence from Pokémon Champions disappointing.

Sneasler, a Pokémon from the Hisui region, is a particularly powerful addition to Pokémon Champions. Its special move, Dire Claw, does a lot of Poison damage and has a 30% chance (it used to be 50%) to either put the opponent to sleep, paralyze them, or poison them – making it incredibly versatile and strong. Thanks to its high Speed and Attack stats, Sneasler can quickly defeat opponents with moves like Close Combat, and it can even use Fake Out to make them flinch and lose a turn.

The Best Pokemon in Gen 9

Dondozo
Flutter Mane
Raging Bolt

Generation 9 was incredibly competitive, with a lot of Pokémon consistently winning tournaments. It’s tough to pick just three favorites, but my choices are influenced by my feeling that Pokémon Scarlet had better exclusive Pokémon than Violet.

Dondozo is a consistently powerful Pokémon that’s been a top choice since it was released, so I had to include it, despite the rise in popularity of Pokémon like Archaludon and Sinistcha. With so many strong Pokémon available – including Paradox Pokémon like Ceruledge, Armarouge, Palafin, Garganacl, Maushold, Gholdengo, Meowscarada, and Skeledirge – choosing just three was a real challenge. However, I believe Dondozo still deserves a place because, in the right hands, it’s incredibly dominant. Its ability to quickly boost its stats with Omniboost and further enhance them with Order Up made the Dondozo and Tatsugiri combination a major force in VGC battles for months.

Flutter Mane quickly became one of the most popular and effective Pokémon in Generation 9, even surpassing Dondozo. Though it’s not available in Pokémon Champions, it proved to be a top-tier Pokémon overall. Flutter Mane boasts impressive stats – while its HP, Attack, and Defense are relatively low, its Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed are exceptionally high. Its Ghost/Fairy typing and diverse movepool allow for flexible builds, and holding Booster Energy lets it focus on three different key stats.

Raging Bolt, found in The Indigo Disk, is as strong as Flutter Mane and boasts some of the most effective moves in the entire Pokémon series. Its unique move, Thunderclap, is like a powerful, special Electric-type version of Sucker Punch, creating a lot of strategic tension in battles. Thanks to its few weaknesses, excellent stats, and the best possible moves, Raging Bolt quickly became a top Pokémon in competitive VGC battles, appearing on nearly every winning team.

2026-04-13 03:08