Pokemon core series plots ranked from worst to best

Every Pokemon generation has a unique story behind it, here is a list that ranks these stories from worst to best and explains why.

Every Pokemon generation has had a unique plot to it. While the central theme in every game is raising Pokemon, collecting gym badges, and becoming the Pokemon League Champion, there has always been a story involving a team of villains trying to wreck havoc on the world. These stories are not all created equal, however, so here is a list that ranks them from worst to best.

7. Pokemon X/Y

Pokemon X and Y were undoubtedly fun games, but they feel incomplete as far as the story goes. These are the only games in the series that have not received a remake or a sequel, and the story felt rushed and unfinished. There were plenty of references to a great war and the past, but none of this really ever found its way into the plot outside of Az, the 3,000 year old ancient king. There are plenty of rumors about how Kalos might make a reappearance in Pokemon Sword and Shield.

Aside from feeling incomplete, the story from this game simply did not feel very memorable. The characters from the plot all felt somewhat generic or cheesy, and did not leave a lasting impression. Team Flare’s and their leader, Lysandre, felt predictable and underwhelming. Serena was by far in a way the most memorable from this game, but even she felt lacking in personality.

6. Pokemon Sun/Moon/USUM

The story from these games was pretty far out in left field with all the wormholes and ultra beasts. While this doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be bad, the whole family drama with Lillie and Lusamine felt cheesy and could have been executed much better. The plot did feel better in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, but still not quite great.

Fortunately for generation seven, the games did have more memorable characters. Lillie and Hau were solid sidekicks, and Professor Kukui had an eccentric personality that gave him a lot of flavor. The family drama also helped build up more character depth in the villains. Team Skull also provided a good amount of comic relief to the story.

Photo: Pokémon The Series: The 1,000th Episode/The Pokémon Company International, Nintendo Image Acquired from The Pokemon Company International Officially Press Site

5. Pokemon Diamond/Pearl/Platinum

Generation four is one of the most beloved generations in Pokemon, but its story falls short of other stories from the franchise. Team Galactic provided a decent amount of comic relief for a group of people dead set on creating a new universe. The premise for the story is pretty far out, and the story itself is basically just like the other stories from the Pokemon series outside of the first two generations.

These games did provide a lot of insight into the Pokemon universe, and had amazing lore, despite the core plot. The character cast in these games was also amazing with notable characters such as Cynthia and Dawn. Overall, the main thing keeping generation four from being a little higher is the fact that the other games were just better.

4. Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald

Photo: Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire Artwork/The Pokémon Company International, Nintendo Image Acquired from The Pokemon Company International Officially Press Site

This was the first generation that did not feature Team Rocket as the enemy team. Instead, there were two rivaling teams, Team Aqua and Team Magma, each with an outlandish view of their own utopia. This game had some great ideas behind it, such as having two opposing forces as enemies, but their ideals seem a little far fetched.

Fortunately, the story did wind up pretty good, and helped establish the archetype for future stories where the enemy team attempts to use the legendary Pokemon to achieve their goals. Generation three also had some memorable characters and moments that helped develop the Pokemon universe.

3. Pokemon Black/White/B2/W2

Generation five was the only generation where the core series games got a direct sequel following the events of the original story. The plots from these games also felt more mature and thought provoking than the any other story from the series. Team Plasma asks a question that most Pokemon players have asked themselves at some point: should Pokemon be forced to battle? This story explores the morality behind this question and also includes a solid twist at the end, and gets continued in the second edition of these games.

While generation five may not have had the most memorable cast of characters, it certainly did a great job telling the story. This generation was a pleasant surprise for older Pokemon players, as it honestly felt more mature than other games from the series. The fact that the games had entirely different stories but had the same villains in the same place tied up a lot of loose ends and helped push it up the list.

2. Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow

1999 (L To R) Vulpix, Geodude, Pidgeot, Charizard, Onix, Staryu, Coldeen, Zubat, And Psyduck In The Animated Movie “Pokemon:The First Movie.” (Photo By Getty Images)

The first generation of Pokemon established the foundations of the Pokemon world, and also provided a great story for players to get inducted with. Journeying through Kanto while taking on Team Rocket will be a fond memory for most Pokemon players, and for good reason. Team Rocket also had reasonable and achievable goals, such as using stealing Pokemon and using them to make money.

This generation undoubtedly has the most recognizable cast of characters. Players will always remember Professor Oak, Misty, Brock, Lance, Red, Giovanni, and the many others that were introduced here. On top of that, Giovanni’s mysterious exit left the plot wide open for a sequel. The story was well written and did a great job introducing the series.

1. Pokemon Gold/Silver/Crystal

These games and their remakes are the highest rated games in the franchise according to Nintendo Life, and they do not fall short in many areas, including their plots. The protagonist must take down Team Rocket as they attempt to make a resurgence in Johto. After taking them out, the player can also venture back to Kanto where they can attempt beat the original eight Gym Leaders. If all this was not enough, the player can then take on Red in Mount Silver.

This story is by far the most extensive and brings back notable characters and themes from the first game, as an ideal sequel should. The character cast and development is great and adds on to the first generation. While all of this ended for the most part in generation three, this generation acted as a true sequel to the first generation and was very well done.

All these games are great games, and their stories have helped enhance the Pokemon world. Hopefully Sword and Shield deliver another great plot to add to the list. This would be a great start for the next generation on the Nintendo Switch. Which stories are your favorites from the core series?