After finishing Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen on my Switch, I immediately knew I wanted to replay another classic. I dug out my old Special Edition Nintendo 3DS – the one I used to play Pokemon X and Y – and started up Pokemon HeartGold. Even now, the Johto region is my absolute favorite, Totodile is still my top starter Pokemon (and Water-type!), and I truly believe Pokemon HeartGold is the best game in the series.
The 86 hours mentioned in the title are just from my most recent game. I’ve been playing Pokémon Gold since I was a child, and I also played HeartGold when it first came out, as well as both HeartGold and SoulSilver several times since then.
I’ve decided to rank all the Pokémon originally introduced in the Johto region. While many players love the first 151 Pokémon, I’m focusing specifically on those numbered 152 to 251 (with the exception of Celebi, due to its legendary status and limited availability). In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, some new Pokémon and evolutions were added that weren’t originally part of Johto (like Togekiss and Mamoswine). To keep things simple, I’m including these new evolutions because I still consider them part of the Johto family.
This ranking focuses on the final evolved forms of Pokémon, judging them based on how strong they are within the HeartGold game and how cool they look. Their placement within specific tiers isn’t important, and this list is made for playing through the game, not for competitive battles.
S-Tier: S is for S-Definitive Johto Pokemon That Dominate the Region
- Ampharos
- Mamoswine
- Slowking
- Kingdra
- Espeon
- Lugia
- Tyranitar
- Raikou
S-Tier Pokémon are incredibly strong and can often win games on their own. In the Johto region, Electric-types like Ampharos are particularly valuable due to their effectiveness against many Gym Leaders and the Elite Four. Ampharos was a reliable choice even before the introduction of Mega Ampharos. Raikou is a great alternative if you prefer a different Electric-type. Tyranitar, a powerful Pseudo-Legendary Pokémon, is also very effective in Johto, though it may be obtained later in the game. Psychic-types, however, are generally overpowered. Strong Psychic Pokémon like Slowking and Espeon can easily defeat the Elite Four, as even Pokémon designed to counter them aren’t very effective.
A-Tier: A is for A Solid Pokemon Important to the Johto Experience
- Typhlosion
- Feraligatr
- Steelix
- Yanmega
- Lanturn
- Hitmontop
- Heracross
- Quagsire
- Donphan
- Scizor
- Xatu
- Honchkrow
- Umbreon
- Ho-Oh
- Ambipom
- Crobat
- Togekiss
- Mismagius
- Houndoom
- Porygon2
- Blissey
- Entei
- Suicune
This group includes Pokémon that are very strong within their specific roles, even if those roles aren’t always common or they have certain drawbacks. For instance, Pokémon like Porygon2 and Togekiss are obtained so late in the game that they don’t have much impact on a standard playthrough. Many Pokémon from the Johto region, however, are valuable to catch early on to build a strong team. Sometimes, a Pokémon’s strengths aren’t useful against regular opponents – Umbreon is a fantastic defensive Pokémon, but you rarely need to defend against NPCs. Overall, these Pokémon are top-tier choices that can really enhance your team. This tier also includes the starters from Pokémon HeartGold, like Feraligatr and Typhlosion.
B-Tier: B Is for Not Bad, But Could Be Better Pokemon
- Meganium
- Politoed
- Magcargo
- Delibird
- Girafarig
- Skarmory
- Noctowl
- Sudowoodo
- Corsola
- Weavile
- Shuckle
- Dunsparce
- Ursaring
- Azumarill
- Gligar
- Octillery
- Mantine
- Granbulll
- Miltank
The Pokémon in this tier are decent choices, but you can likely find stronger options. It’s not that these Pokémon are bad – just that others from the Johto region might be a better fit for your Pokémon HeartGold or SoulSilver game. For example, Shuckle is popular and strong in battles, but isn’t really needed for a typical playthrough. While Miltank can be helpful after a tough battle with Whitney, a powerful Gym Leader, it doesn’t quite measure up later in the game.
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There are a couple of interesting points about this tier. First, many people mistakenly believe Magcargo is from the Hoenn region instead of Johto, which unfairly impacts how it’s perceived. Second, this isn’t about disliking Meganium—it simply lacked that extra something to really stand out, which is why fans so strongly requested a Mega Evolution for it.
As a huge Pokémon fan, I’ve learned that honestly, you can build a winning team with almost any Pokémon! With a little training and the right strategy, even ones people don’t usually think of can really pull their weight and help you beat the game.
C-Tier: C is for Could Easily Swap These Pokemon for Something Better
- Baby Pokemon: Cleffa, Igglybuff, Smoochum, Elekid, Magby, Tyrogue
- Unowns
- Ledian
- Ariados
- Forretress
- Furret
- Jumpluff
- Sunflora
- Stantler
- Bellossom
- Qwilfish
- Smeargle
C-Tier Pokémon are generally weak and should be replaced with stronger team members as soon as possible. While no one would normally use a baby Pokémon throughout Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver – unless attempting a special challenge – many of these evolve into Pokémon from the Kanto region. This tier list focuses on Johto Pokémon, and while Psychic-types are powerful in Johto, Unowns are more of a novelty than a truly impactful part of the region’s gameplay.
Generally, Grass and Bug type Pokémon from the Johto region are quite weak, even compared to other Pokémon of those types. While Forretress has a cool design and I thought about ranking it higher, its low attack and special attack stats, combined with many weaknesses, ultimately hold it back.
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Take This As You Sign to Go Play Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver
Johto is a consistently strong and popular generation of Pokémon for good reason. All of the Pokémon introduced in this region are well-designed and fit naturally into the overall world, which isn’t true of every Pokémon created. This means we can confidently say the lowest tier for Johto Pokémon is C-tier – there aren’t any truly weak or poorly designed Pokémon that would justify a D-tier ranking.
I’m definitely a fan of the Johto region in HeartGold and SoulSilver, but it’s always a fun experience to play through. If you’ve already finished FireRed and LeafGreen on Switch, then exploring Johto is a fantastic next step.
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2026-04-19 12:09