All 9 Pokémon Generations Ranked By Screen Rant Readers

In a poll asking which Pokémon generation is "the best of them all," ScreenRant readers had to pick one generation out of all nine as their very favorite. It's no surprise that the classic games fared better than some more recent entries, but the overall ranking isn't quite that simple or linear, with peaks and valleys appearing all along the way.

9 Gen 8 (Galar)

The eighth generation of Pokémon games had the task of bringing the series to home consoles and full 3D, a major challenge that could have also presented the franchise with an opportunity to achieve new levels of greatness. Unfortunately, it didn't quite swing the latter, and Pokémon Sword and Shield proved to be buggy, uneven games that struggled to take full advantage of the Nintendo Switch hardware.

There's still plenty to appreciate here, and highlights like the bioluminescent Ballonlea prove that Sword and Shield aren't lifeless across the board. Still, ScreenRant readers mostly agree that they're not the finest games Pokémon has to offer.

8 Gen 9 (Paldea)

Generation 9 didn't fare much better than 8, but it still saw an uptick in appreciation in the poll. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet share many of Sword and Shield's limitations, and they certainly don't solve any of the graphics and optimization issues on Switch hardware.They do, however, shake things up, with more of an open-world approach and some strong DLC content. It's hard to say where the dustwill settle on the most recent generations of Pokémon, but for now, Gen 9 appears to be taking the lead.

7 Gen 7 (Alola)

It's no particular surprise that Generation 7 is next in line, asPokémon Sun and Moon were also subject to plenty of criticism. That being said, they didn't have to deal with the challenges that the Switch brought to the table, sitting comfortably on 3DS hardware and building on the foundation established by Gen 6.

While Sun and Moon have a lot of narrative strengths, they also have plenty of pacing problems, which seemed to be a common theme in some of the biggest 3DS games. With a vibrant setting and holiday vibe, though, it's still easy for some fans to fall in love with the final handheld generation.

6 Gen 6 (Kalos)

Unfortunately for Sun and Moon, the earlier 3DS entries still appear to reign supreme in fans' hearts. Those interested in appreciating the charms of theirPokémon might find the most to enjoy in Pokémon X and Y, with the Pokémon-Amie mechanic letting players feed and petPokémon to increase bonds.

Common fan complaints, however, include the game's negligible difficulty, underwhelming post-game, and occasionally bland writing. Kids who started theirPokémon journeys here could easily consider them favorites, but they don't necessarily offer quite as much to veterans of the franchise.

5 Generation 2 (Johto)

Among the early generations of Pokémon, Generation 2 is the clear least favorite for ScreenRant readers. This isn't necessarily because it's bad, but more because Gen 1 and 3 proved to be game-changing for a larger percentage of players.

To their credit, Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal made some significant advances over Gen 1, introducing staples like breeding, held items, and an improved post-game. Without them, other Pokémon games could look very different, and they're iconic entries in their own right. Without the freshness of Gen 1 or the technical leap of Gen 3, though, they're playing second fiddle for some classic fans.

4 Generation 5 (Unova)

Generation 5 just barely edges out Gen 2 in the ScreenRant readers' poll, but if you ask Pokémon fans of a certain age about their favorite, Gen 5 would be a frontrunner. Pokémon Black and White have some passionate fans, and they avoid plenty of the foibles of the games that appeared later on the 3DS and Switch.

In reader polls, however, they might be taking a hit from their switch to a restricted Pokédex, as Black and White only allow players to catch new Pokémon in the main campaigns of the original versions, a change that many fans struggled to get on board with. Black 2 and White 2 opened things up again, however, and both iterations can be incredibly fun to play.

3 Generation 4 (Sinnoh)

The other problem for Gen 5 is that it has to compete against Gen 4 to win the hearts of DS owners, and that can be a tough battle to win. Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum didn't have the same Pokédex limitations, and new mechanics made competitive battling more popular than ever before.

In a way, Pokémon Diamond and Pearl feel like the ultimate versions of the classic games, benefiting from the DS hardware without starting to take the risks that appeared in Gen 5 and beyond. There isn't much of a popularity gap between Gen 4 and 5 in the ScreenRant poll, but it's not particualrly surprising to see the earlier DS games take a narrow lead.

2 Generation 3 (Hoenn)

Generation 3, on the other hand, handily clears the numbers attained by either of the DS iterations in the poll. As the only generation of new games on the Game Boy Advance, Pokémon Sapphire, Ruby, and Emerald aren't dealing with as much of a split vote, and they also stand as truly landmark entries in the series.

Unlike Gen 2, Gen 3 took the series to a totally new environment that came to vivid life on the GBA hardware. The Pokédex expanded with plenty of exciting options, and the addition of mechanics like double battles and Pokémon abilities significantly fleshed out the gameplay. Pokémon has tried out plenty of new ideas in the years since, but it might be hard for another leap forward to ever feel as big as this one.

1 Generation 1 (Kanto)

At the end of the day, Generation 1 is responsible for it all, and Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow manage to barely edge out Gen 3 in the ScreenRant readers' poll. While these games are simplistic compared to the iterations that followed, they were a revelation in the '90s gaming market, delivering robust adventures in the palm of players' hands and offering social opportunities that helped to turn the franchise into an immediate craze.

Even today, Gen 1 has a charm like no other, and the simplicity can actually feel refreshing in some ways. There's more to do in other Pokémon games, but even without childhood nostalgia as a factor, the first generation has an enduring magic like no other.

Hopefully, Pokémon will manage to deliver another strong generation with the upcoming release of Pokémon Winds and Waves, the first generation to arrive natively on Nintendo Switch 2 hardware. If they don't live up to all of fans' hopes and dreams, though, there will always be plenty of classic Pokémon generations to return to.