Ranking All 151 Original Pokémon From Worst To Best

11. Aerodactyl

Ok, this is the last time I'm going to use the argument about prehistoric Pokémon being a cool idea brilliantly executed, promise. But yeah, it is, and it was, and Aerodactyl is the ultimate proof of this.

If you're not playing Pokémon for things like giant-flying-rock-dinosaurs they, frankly, why are you even here? Reviving Aerodactyl from the Old Amber towards the end of the game all of a sudden adds an absolutely monstrous option to your party. It's one of the founding members of the 130 Speed club and can get that stat up to almost 400, meaning if it comes for you, you're pretty much *always* screwed.

10. Eevee

There's a fair argument that, despite how heretical it sounds, players should have started Red and Blue with an Eevee instead of one of the three traditional starters. Pitchforks down please, I don't personally subscribe to it, but having a normal type with you from the start, and then being given the option to evolve it one of three ways would have been a great game dynamic.

You see, there's just an eternal appeal to Eevee - as proven by the fact that almost every single game since has build on its core concept by adding another type to its line of evolutions - and chances are your opinion on the best Eevee-lution is as strong and as entrenched as your opinion on which is the best starter. In short, they nailed it here.

Even from a design point of view, this relatively simple concept is still spawning different character models some 20 years after it was first created. Sylveon, Glaceon and Leafeon look as much like an Eevee as Jolteon, Flareon and Vaporen do.

9. Gyarados

As with Aerodactyl, if you're not here for giant-terrifying-flying-sea-dragon then what are you even doing with your life. The ultimate proof of my Magikarp analogy, Gyrados is you if only you'd apply yourself properly and stop going out every single weekend.

Even the fact that its water/flying type duality gives it some ridiculous weaknesses, when it should very clearly have been changed to water/dragon in later games, doesn't detract from the fact that it's one of the most fearsome and powerful Pokémon in the entire game.

However, just like with Onix, the game's developers have bottled creating sprites of Gyrados in all of its alleged 21ft glory. Shame on them.