Ranking All 151 Original Pokémon From Worst To Best

25. Blastoise

Yeah, a giant turtle with water cannons coming out of his shell is pretty difficult to argue with. Good movepool, decent stats, near legendary status from being the mascot of Pokémon Blue. In an age of Michael Bay enhanced-Turtle power, Blastoise remains an icon of a better time.

24. Moltres

The legendary birds all carry a huge mystique to them, being some of the only Pokémon in Gen 1 with anything resembling a backstory. However despite their strength, they're largely interchangeable in the game itself, and it's a big missed opportunity they weren't integral to the story.

23. Zapdos

Exactly as above, but with a much cooler design. Zapdos had a woefully shallow moveset in Gen 1, but what it did have - Thunder, Light Screen, Drill Peck etc - packed a punch.

22. Articuno

And rounding off the trio is Articuno. Despite the pairing of Ice and Flying having four type-weaknesses (4x weak to Rock as well), Articuno pips the other two by virtue of being absolutely invaluable for defeating Lance in the games. There were better ways to get Electric and Fire into your team than Zapdos and Moltres, but no better way to get Ice than Articuno.

21. Magikarp

Right. No. Hear me out. Please.

Ok so Magikarp is, unquestionably, the most useless Pokémon in the entire game. For the first 15 levels all it can do is Splash, before picking up Tackle, the weakest attack going. But it's not about that.

Somehow Magikarp has become a cultural phenomenon. A meme unto itself about what we'll all be capable of "one day". A life lesson that, no matter how pathetic and useless something is on the outside, deep down there is extraordinary power and righteous fury within. With a lot of struggling, a lot of splashing, one day even the most pointless creature is capable of greatness.

Look in the mirror, because Magikarp is you.