Top 10 Best Pokemon Video Games

The Pokémon franchise has been around since it first debuted in Japan in 1996 and has released numerous main series games, remakes and spin-offs--but which of those Pokémon games is the very best, like no game ever was? IGN's resident Pokémaniacs got together and ranked the Top 10 best Pokémon video games. Newer games such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus and New Pokémon Snap enter the discussion alongside classics like Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, Pokémon Colosseum, Pokémon Emerald and more. With so many Pokémon games in the debate and various factors to consider, it was a tough whittling our list down to just the ten best Pokémon games. Check out our picks on the top Pokémon video games and let us know which ones you would choose in the comments.

[EndoDizzy]

Emerald will forever be my favorite. The Hoenn region was just supreme

[GregPlaysGames]

Sword and Shield has no business being above Legends Arceus in my opinion

[battlept]

IGN really put Sword/Sheild and some puzzle spin off no one's ever heard of in here ahead of Platinum smh

[staticshock]

Nice to see Black/White 2 and HeartGold/SoulSilver at the top 2. But the lack of Platinum is sad.

[TheLogotero]

Sword and shield better than Arceus? Ign did it again 🤦🏽‍♂️

[pablosirius]

Emerald is top tier for me! Almost all my top favorite Pokemon came in Gen 3 and Rayquaza is just incredible.

[Anonymous-pyix]

As someone who grew up playing Soulsilver, it made me smile seeing it at #1

[kevinlasher]

They really put Sword and Shield ahead of Legends Arceus 😂😂😂😂😂👌👌

[Nick-K]

Pokemon Silver was the best. You get the first region. Then when you beat that, you get to do the original region. You can even go find Trainer Red and essentially battle yourself from Pokemon Red. Great game. Would love a Switch remake release

[funnyfergi]

You can tell this list wasn't put together by an actual pokemon fan.

[andresromero]

Soul Silver and Emerald will always be my favorites, prob the best pokemon experiences I've had. Arceus has been really a lot of fun, so hoping for nothing buta great next game.

[tommyj]

Disrespect to platinum. My opinion is goes ruby, platinum and legends (so far it has been one of my most favorite games, still haven’t finished it)

[pietervercruysse]

What about Colosseum and XD Darkness on Gamecube? Definitely top 3 for me!

[nedgo]

The original silver and gold were the perfect sequel, especially if you played gen 1 as it was new and experienced gen 2 right after. They added so much stuff that literally just made it that much better. It’s pokemons terminator 2.

[dominicmallano]

1) HGSS
2) BW2
3) Platinum
4) Emerald
5) Fore Red/Leaf Green
6) Legends Arceus
7) Conquest
8) Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Sky
9) Pokémon Stadium
10) New Pokémon Snap

[justinarney]

Any other Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Fans out there? Have so many great memories with them and DX was a wonderful experience

[jonesygrets]

Omega ruby and alpha sapphire should be on this list
Great remakes

[ameliakkkk]

I'm surprised by many games listed here but what surprised me THE MOST was that none of the PMD games made it on the list. They're truly MASTERPIECES

[DrowningCaptain]

Platinum and soulsilver will always revive my childhood 💙

[primoscarab]

1. Platinum
2. Hg/Ss
3. Emerald
4. Fr/Lg
5. Black/White + 2
6. Colosseum + XD
7. Sun/Moon + Ultra
8. X/Y
9. Stadium
10. Snap