Every Pokémon Generation Ranked From Worst To Best
Sometimes you get badass dragons, sometimes you get bags of trash.
Pokémon is one of the most iconic and beloved gaming franchises of all time. From Pokémon Red and Blue, released in the late '90s on the original Game Boy, to Pokémon Go now, as well as anime, manga and film adaptations, multiple generations of kids and adults alike have delighted in catching, training and battling the varied monsters of the series.
The Pokémon themselves are a large part of what has made the franchise such a success. Unlike contemporaries such as Digimon, Pokémon has so many awesome characters you'd be hard pressed to name all your favourites.
Charizard is an icon of cool, the Eevee line have basically become a brand in their own right, and Pikachu is only a step or two below Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny in terms of international recognition.
Sadly, not all Pokémon are created equal, and while many are highly sought after, some are best left in the long grass. While no generation of Pokémon is entirely bad, some definitely had a higher level of quality, with later games in particular seeming to suffer from creative drought. But which generation is the very best (like no one ever was)?
7. Generation 5 (Pokémon Black & White)
Gen 5 is truly Pokémon's nadir. While every generation has its weak points, Pokémon Black and White has more than its fair share. Admittedly, there are some great creatures in the Unova region. The Sandile line is pretty good, with final evolution Krookodile being a formidable fighter. The Litwick line is deservedly popular, Tepig is adorable, and Zekrom is one of the most badass legendary Pokémon in the entire series.
However, the bad far outweighs the good. Infamously, Trubbish and Garbador are literal bags of rubbish, but they're from the only dreck in these games. Cubchoo and Beartic are bears whose gimmick revolves around them having a runny nose, the Vanillite line are increasingly large ice cream cones, and the Gothita line are nightmarish humanoid creatures that make Jynx look lovable. The names, too, are widely poor. While Foongus and Amoonguss are clever plays on the title of an Incubus album, Timburr and Gurdurr are cringe-worthy, and Klink, Klang and Klinklang have monikers that are as awful as their designs.
Gen 5 has some solid ideas, but overall, it's the drizzling sh*ts, and the Pokémon that debuted in these games are unlikely to appear in any greatest hits parades.