Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver, Platinum, Crystal and so on. If you were to search for the greatest Pokemon game of all time, these would all be popular choices. It’s fair to say, though, that there is no definitive answer to this question.
Pokemon is a unique phenomenon in gaming. It’s one of the few series where you can compare two releases 25 years apart and observe similar mechanics in both. Sure, Pokemon has changed a lot in two decades, but you can see the bones of Pokemon Scarlet/Violet in Pokemon Red/Blue.
With all the mainline games iterating on their predecessors, I believe the question of which Pokemon game is the best is actually a personal one, rather than an objective fact. Think back on your history with the series; which game brings forth the fondest memories? For a lot of us, it’s going to be the generation that we grew up with.
Why do we see Generation Four so over-represented whenever this question crops up? Well, I think the answer is simpler than you’d think. If your favourite game is from Generation Four then it was probably one of your first generations, meaning you’re likely between the ages of 23 and 28. This is a popular demographic on the Internet, especially among gaming communities, meaning these games are going to be praised a lot in these circles.
If you’re closer to 30, then perhaps Pokemon Crystal or Pokemon Emerald is the pinnacle of Pokemon for you. The point is; that unless you came to the series later in life, then in your eyes, the best Pokemon game is likely to be the one you played at a certain time in your life. For me, that game is Pokemon Platinum, with an acknowledgement that HeartGold/SoulSilver was an amazing experience too.
Nostalgia is an important factor in shaping present opinions; that’s not a hot take. However, I believe that Pokemon is especially prone to this because of how evergreen the series is. To contrast it with an entirely different series with an objective best entry, I played Mass Effect when I was younger, and while I have very fond memories of that game, even I had to admit that Mass Effect 2 blew the first entry out of the water when it was released three years later.
This isn’t the case with Pokemon, though. You could make a case for any Pokemon game being the best. They’re all structured so similarly that no matter which one you play, you’re going to get a relatively similar experience. Pokemon isn’t about the battle mechanics or the plot, and it’s not even about the actual Pokemon. It’s about how it made you feel when you played it.
Catching that normal type on the first route, hatching a mysterious egg, triumphing over a brutal elite four, that first awe-inspiring encounter with a legendary. I’m not kidding, I felt a palpable nervous fear the first time I saw Dialga atop Spear Pillar. A close battle with friends, watching a trade evolution magically arrive as something else. Your first evolution. If you were lucky, your first time catching a shiny (mine was Magcargo). Syncing the damn Pokewalker at school.
What’s the best Pokemon game you ask…? It’s whatever you think it is, friend.