I don’t find out about you, however I’ll all the time have fond recollections of Kanto, and holding that large gray Gameboy behind my guardian’s automotive in the summertime holidays. I needed to angle the sunshine good so I might see what I used to be doing, and the Pokémon had been made up of about ten pixels and appeared like somebody dropped a pile of lego bricks on the ground. But that didn’t cease my creativeness, inflicting me to fall in love with every monster I caught.

25 years on, and Kanto continues to be going sturdy, although remakes, and the resurgence of the Pokémon franchise in Pokémon Go clearly play a component. But, we’re right here immediately to separate the Meowths from the Bellsprouts with our information to the greatest gen 1 Pokémon. I really like every monster from Pokémon Red and Blue, however when push involves shove, a few of these creatures are merely higher than others. I imply, come on, it’s a seal referred to as seel… did they even attempt?

Before we dive into what’s certain to be a controversial listing, we should always point out we didn’t embrace any starter Pokémon or legendary Pokémon, as they’d take up too most of the picks (love you Blastoise). But if you wish to see these and extra, you may as well increase your nerdy blood stress with our guides to the very best canine Pokémon, cat Pokémon, monkey Pokémon, starter Pokémon, and even the very best legendary Pokémon. There aren’t any dangerous Pokémon within the eyes of our lord Arceus, however some are simply constructed in another way.

Let’s wade via the forest of opinion, open up the Pokedex of controversy, and catch the legendary monster often called our greatest gen 1 Pokémon information.

Best gen 1 Pokémon

Ditto

Why be only one factor once you may be something? Ditto is a prevalent drive within the franchise because of its distinctive capacity to remodel into every other Pokémon, copying their look and their strikes. It’s grow to be the go-to ‘mon when gamers must breed, particularly if you may get a Ditto with good IVs, and my private Ditto is chargeable for extra eggs than the easter bunny.

The pink gelatinous blob can be simply endlessly endearing, and as time has gone on, I’ve grow to be slowly obsessive about the Pokémon plushes that characteristic standard Pokémon with Ditto’s trademark button eyes and cute smile. It’s only a nice little inclusion, and I’ll always remember the time Team Rocket reveals it an illustration of a Dratini to get it to remodel, and Ditto as an alternative turns into the e-book the image was from. God bless you Ditto. You tried your greatest.

Lapras

While many Pokémon from the primary era have had totally different types or evolutions over time, one Pokémon I all the time suppose deserves extra love is Ash’s stalwart companion throughout the Orange Islands, the one and solely Lapras. It’s synonymous with travelling throughout the water within the video games and relies on the loch ness monster. It’s additionally only a majestic beast in its personal proper, and outdoors of a Gigantamax kind in Pokémon Sword and Shield, I’d like to see it revisited with a brand new variation or evolution down the road.

Lapras can be one of many few Pokémon that don’t talk by saying their very own title, as an alternative letting out a joyous noise paying homage to whale sounds. It did reappear in New Pokémon Snap as a homage to its look within the authentic, and it appears to be like completely unimaginable within the attractive artwork type of the current images sport. Lapras has been there for seafaring trainers because the very starting, and I want it acquired extra love. Read our information to the very best water Pokémon in Pokémon Go for extra.

Eevee

We all know Pikachu is the face of the Pokémon franchise, however Eevee might be someplace close by, eagerly standing behind Charizard, ready for its time to shine. The cuddly canine Pokémon has a incredible design, and whereas we’ve moved away from the illustrative work of Ken Sugimori, Eevee simply appears to get cuter with every iteration. It even has its personal starring title with Pokémon Let’s Go Eevee, however let’s hope it will get a greater sport to its title sooner or later.

Importantly, Eevee additionally modified how we view evolution within the Pokémon video games, with its capacity to show into certainly one of many different creatures relying on numerous circumstances. Vapereon, Flareon, and Jolteon are the unique evolutions, however we’ve seen Espeon, Umbreon, Leafeon, Glaceon, and the wonderful Sylveon added through the years. Every era I hope for extra Eevee evolutions, and I’m certain we’ll see a pair extra sooner or later.

Gengar

I don’t even know begin right here. Personally, I feel Gengar is the only greatest design out of the unique 151 Pokémon. It conveys a lot allure, mischief, and continues to be so malleable as we frequently see Gengar dissolve into the shadows and creep onto the battlefield. It’s gotten a LOT of affection through the years as properly, showing on extra merch than Hatsune Miku, and receiving the honour of each a mega evolution and a dynamax kind.

Gengar has additionally managed to remain forward in aggressive battles, because of its spectacular particular assault and pace. Whoever is in command of the Pokémon stats clearly loves Gengar, because it frequently will get love and a focus in each sport. The solely draw back is a type of disappointing shiny types which are solely marginally totally different to the bottom color, however each its mega and dynamax kind ditch the boring colourway for a spooky all-white sheen. Keep it up Gengar. You rule. Read our information to the very best ghost Pokémon in Pokémon Go for extra.

Arcanine

What a very good boy. Growlithe is already a incredible Pokémon, as any canine Pokémon is mechanically nice (each single one, struggle me), and Growlithe has its attractive flame-coloured stripes and fluffy fur. But Arcanine. My boy Arcanine. It’s the proper evolution, taking every part good in regards to the authentic design and making it so, so, significantly better.

Ash using an Arcanine and leaping into the air from the unique Pokémon anime intro is burned into my retinas. Arcanine instructions a legendary presence, wanting regal and highly effective multi function fell swoop. And whereas we want the unique look, we have now to say the wonderful Hisuian variations of Growlithe and Arcanine from Pokémon Legends: Arceus. They add a contact of Chinese mythic design to the ‘mons, and curiously make them joint fireplace/rock sort. No matter what sort of Arcanine you may have, it guidelines. Read our information to the very best fireplace Pokémon in Pokémon Go for extra.

Slowbro

It is likely to be pretty unassuming, coming from the Pokémon with the distant stare often called Slowpoke, however Slowbro is one other nice evolution that expands on what makes the unique so good, whereas additionally having some fascinating implications for the precise means of evolution. To this present day, whereas we all know {that a} Shellder should clamp on the tail of a Slowpoke to create a Slowbro, we by no means uncover why the Shellder then takes on a unique kind.

Perhaps the Pokémon connected to Slowpoke’s tail is definitely a type of Cloyster, or possibly it’s all one ‘mon, with the parasitic Shellder unable to survive without Slowbro. Either way, we adore the lazy but earnest nature of Slowbro, and surprisingly it’s no slouch both, with a terrific movepool mixing water and psychic assaults and an enormous defence stat. To confuse issues even additional, the type of Shellder adjustments much more when Slowpoke evolves into both Slowking, Galarian Slowbro, or Galarian Slowking. We don’t know what’s occurring, however we adore it. Read our information to the very best psychic Pokémon in Pokémon Go for extra.

Scyther

While a variety of the primary era of pokémon may be thought of just a little…foolish, Sugimori and the gang took issues very significantly when creating the bug Pokémon with weapons for arms often called Sycther’ It’s all the time given a really imposing impression, and the very fact it’s so robust to seek out in Pokémon Red and Blue’s Safari Zone solely provides to the mysticism surrounding the creature.

And whereas this can be a listing of the very best gen 1 Pokémon, there’s no method in hell I’m not going to say Scizor. I’ve talked so much about nice evolutions, ones that take the very best components of the unique and broaden on it, and Scizor is well among the finest examples of how a brand new era revisits a earlier Pokémon. This brilliant pink steely monster simply appears to be like unimaginable, and attending to evolve the already badass Scyther from Red and Blue into one thing that was by some means even cooler? Well, that’s a top-tier childhood reminiscence. Read our information to the very best grass Pokémon in Pokémon Go for extra.

Gyarados

Don’t underestimate Magikarp. While you get bought one within the authentic Pokémon Red and Blue in what looks as if a basic fishing rip-off (sorry), the ineffective little pink fish can really slowly splash its method up the degrees, and finally flip right into a fearsome and terrifying large creature that towers above most Pokémon. It additionally offers us among the finest moments within the authentic Pokémon Snap, after any participant that fastidiously knocked that poor Magikarp midway down the valley into the waterfall was rewarded with the wonderful Gyarados bursting out of the water and roaring in type.

Interestingly, Magikarp and Gyarados are based mostly on a Chinese fable of a koi carp that was decided to swim up a waterfall. Eventually, after a number of arduous work, the koi reached the highest of the waterfall, and the gods praised its willpower and turned it right into a golden dragon, an emblem of energy and energy. Gyarados additionally gave many trainers their very first shiny Pokémon after the pink Gyarados appeared within the Lake of Rage in Pokémon Gold and Silver, so it’s nonetheless a shiny I really like and treasure to this present day.

Dragonite

In Pokémon Red and Blue, dragon Pokémon are a really uncommon factor. Before Salamence, Hydreigon, and Garchomp took over the meta, Dragonite and its evolutionary line had been the only real recipients of the coveted dragon-type, and it made them a drive to be reckoned with on the playground battlefield. Luckily, Dragonite additionally appears to be like wonderful, with its lovable spherical design and antenna. Its jovial look within the first Pokémon film because the Pokémon postman enamoured many younger followers, and it’s remained a favorite ever since.

Interestingly, that is one other Pokémon that’s by no means been revisited for an extra kind. As such a agency fan favorite, it seems like a bizarre omission from any attainable regional variants or expanded types, and one, specifically, feels very unusual. Back within the authentic Pokémon anime, one episode based mostly round a lighthouse revealed a gigantic-sized Dragonite that was the stuff of legends. This is considerably canonised with dynamax types finally, but it surely felt unusual to not get a gigantamax from linking the 2, like how Gyarados’ eventual mega evolution was a nod to its unusual look within the anime. Read our information to the very best dragon Pokémon in Pokémon Go for extra.

Bellsprout

Let me have this one. While a lot of the picks on this listing are clear fan favourites who seem in numerous media through the years, this one’s for me. Bellsprout is likely one of the most endearing Pokémon from the primary era, and its relative weak point and foolish voice have all the time make me simply need to shield the poor plant and name one my very own. I can’t say I like its evolutions wherever close to as a lot, even when James’ Victreebel is nice for fun, however nothing can contact the minuscule and minimalist design of the unique little man.

Raichu

“Pikachu, Pikachu, Pikachu!” The crowds cheer, holding up Pikachu indicators, banners, dolls, carrying t-shirts with its face, and someplace buying and selling one of many million totally different playing cards that includes the electrical yellow mouse. But someplace, silently within the background, is a Raichu wanting on in horror, shocked on the adoration the INFERIOR rodent is getting, when Raichu will not be solely extra highly effective, higher designed, but in addition associated. Imagine you had just a little wimp for a youthful brother, an actual rat, only a smelly little nuisance, and by some means regardless that you’re doing higher and had gone to college, your mother and father nonetheless solely sang your brother’s praises to all their mates.

If Raichu has 1,000,000 followers, I’m certainly one of them. If it has 100 followers, I’m certainly one of them. And if it has a single fan, that will likely be me (and my editor Ruby who really has a Raichu tattoo). I merely can not fathom how Raichu isn’t universally adored on a degree just like its pathetic predecessor when it has these cute ears, a beaming smile, and that beautiful orange colourway. If that doesn’t do it for you, then how about a fair cuter Raichu that has psychic powers and surfs on its tail? If Alolan Raichu didn’t change the tide of opinion, I actually don’t know what else The Pokémon Company can do. I don’t even dislike Pikachu (a lot), however come on people, you realize Raichu guidelines. Read our information to the very best electrical Pokémon in Pokémon Go for extra.

Kayleigh has to level out that not everybody at PT considers Pikachu to be a nuisance. We’re not united on this, although we do all love Raichu.

Alakazam

There are just a few Pokémon from the unique era which are based mostly on real-world figures (in all probability earlier than the video games had been large enough to fret about authorized points), and the wonderful Alakazam is certainly one of them. This spoon-wielding unit with immense psychic energy relies on the notorious conman Uri Gellar, who spent years pretending to have psychic powers for clout. Well, Alakazam has REAL psychic powers Uri (I do know he’s not actual, let me have this) and he’s superior.

Not solely is Alakazam an absolute powerhouse within the authentic video games, being one of many few challengers to the almighty Gengar, however the two Pokémon seem collectively in my favorite episode of the unique Pokémon anime, when gigantic prehistoric model of the 2 ‘mons appeared and had a kaiju fight. With its absurd special attack and its awesome bearded mega evolution, Alakazam has also kept a steady spot in the Pokémon meta, and it holds the honour of perhaps being the Pokémon with a name that’s probably the most enjoyable to say. Read our information to the very best psychic Pokemon in Pokémon Go for extra.

Alright people, that’s it, for now, put down the pitchforks. We love each single Pokémon from the unique gen (aside from you Seel), however this was only a listing of our private favourites and a few which have had the very best legacy since their authentic launch. If you need to see much more of our favorite Pokémon although, be sure you try our information to the Pokémon Legends: Arceus greatest Pokémon subsequent.