From Game Boy to Switch, the Pokémon Games That Still Hit

Many kids from the 90s know Pokémon. Cards at lunch, the show after school, a Game Boy on the bus. The games below still feel great today, old or new, and they make sense if you are starting fresh or coming back.

How to pick your Pokémon game in 1 minute

Here is a quick match between what you want and where to start. Pick the line that sounds like you.

• Play with a child. Let’s Go Pikachu or Let’s Go Eevee on Switch. Big bright towns, simple catching, drop in partner play.

• Want classic with a light touch up. FireRed or LeafGreen on Game Boy Advance, or HeartGold or SoulSilver on DS. Old routes, cleaner menus.

• Want freedom and catching in the field. Pokémon Legends Arceus on Switch. Move, aim, throw, then battle if you want.

• Care most about story and mood. Black and White on DS. Strong cast, bold tone. Sun and Moon on 3DS is another great pick.

• Want hard side modes after the story. Emerald or Platinum for the Battle Frontier. Black 2 and White 2 for the tournament.

• Want co op moments. Let’s Go for local partner play. Sword and Shield or Scarlet and Violet for raid battles.

• Want only Switch games. Let’s Go, Sword and Shield, Legends Arceus, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, Scarlet and Violet.

Best first Pokémon to play today

Gentle and friendly starts

Let’s Go Pikachu or Let’s Go Eevee makes a kind first run. You see a classic Kanto map with easy to read paths. Catching uses a simple toss. A second player can shake a Joy Con and join your team. Wild battles do not slow you down. Menus are clear, with move info right on screen. For a young player or a family night, this is the most relaxed start on Switch.

Sword and Shield is also a soft start. The maps are clean, towns feel quick to cross, and the Wild Area gives you room to learn. The Dynamax raids teach team play in short bursts. If you grab the later island add ons, you get more space to explore and more training tools.

A modern start that still feels fresh

Pokémon Legends Arceus bends the loop in a good way. You walk, crouch, and throw a ball right in the field. You can sneak in grass, distract with berries, then catch without a fight. When a battle starts, turns flow fast. Research tasks push you to try new moves and styles. It is the best blend of classic catching and action motion on Switch.

Scarlet and Violet gives full map freedom. You can pick your path, tackle gyms, hunt Team Star bases, and face the titan quests in any order. It is great for players who want to roam and sample many small goals.

Best story and characters that still land

The games where the plot carries you

Black and White on DS still hits hard. The region feels alive, the cast has clear goals, and the rival is more than a rival. The theme asks what it means to own and care for a partner. Town music shifts by time and place. Even today, the run has a strong arc that sticks in your head.

Sun and Moon on 3DS has warm island life and a soft edge of mystery. Trials replace gyms for a while, so the story flows more like a trip than a ladder. The leaders feel like people you could meet in a town square. It is a cozy ride with real heart.

Follow ups that build the world well

Black 2 and White 2 return to the same region after time has passed. You see how cities change and how people grow. The post game adds a big tournament where past leaders and heroes show up. It is a true sequel that respects the first pair and adds smart layers.

Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon fix small pain points and add more to do. If you liked the mood of the base games and want more side content and a bigger end stretch, these are worth it.

Best single player adventure on Switch

Explore at your own pace

If you want to get lost in the best way, start with Legends Arceus. Each zone is a big slice of land with its own feel. You fill the Pokédex by doing tasks, not just by catching one of each. Even a short session can fit a full loop. Run a path, mark a few notes, craft more balls, then try a new route.

Scarlet and Violet also leans into free play. You can move from a gym to a base to a titan in one night. Your ride gets new skills as you play. The map opens step by step. It feels like a road trip with small goals spread across the map.

Catching that feels new again

Legends Arceus changes how the field works. You can hide behind a rock, watch a route, and pick the right time to throw. Strong and Agile styles let you trade power for speed or the other way around. It rewards planning and brave throws. Even long time players say it made catching fun again. If you plan to try megas next, read our look at the new Mega designs in Pokémon Legends Z A.

Best for co op or playing with kids

Easy controls and local play that works

Let’s Go has drop in partner play. A second player tilts a Joy Con and helps catch or battle. It is simple, fast, and fun for a couch night.

For short team events, Sword and Shield raids are perfect. You see a beam, match with others, and face a big foe. Rounds are quick, so a kid can play a few before bedtime.

Scarlet and Violet lets friends ride across the same map. You can roam, trade, and take on raids as a group. It is loose and social.

Best challenge and deep battles

Post game arenas worth grinding

If you want a long skill climb, the older carts shine.

Emerald and Platinum have the Battle Frontier. You take strict rules and face long streaks. It teaches move sets, items, and risk.

HeartGold and SoulSilver bring that style forward with more modes to try.

Black 2 and White 2 add the Pokémon World Tournament. You face past gym leaders and champs under set rules. It is a clean test of smart play.

Systems that reward smart planning

Held items and abilities matter. A scarf can make a slow striker move first. A sash can save you at one health. Some partners heal in sun or get faster in rain. Training points, sometimes called EVs, shape your stats as you fight. On newer games like Sword and Shield and Scarlet and Violet, mints, bottle caps, and training items make team building faster. You can build a team for a weekend event without weeks of grind.

Older gems that age well

Pixel eras that still feel great

FireRed and LeafGreen keep the charm of the first region with maps that read fast. Emerald adds a strong end game and easy travel between towns. Platinum tightens the Sinnoh trek and fixes slow spots. HeartGold and SoulSilver gives you two regions in one cart and a partner that follows you on the road. Black and White finish the pixel era with bold art and strong pacing.

Remakes that actually improve the originals

HeartGold and SoulSilver is still the gold bar for remakes. You get quality of life gains, a full end stretch, and the feel of the old games. Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire update the Hoenn trip with sharp tools and a light extra story after the credits. Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl stick close to the base games with cleaner menus and a few handy tweaks.

Quick picks by system

Game Boy and Game Boy Color

• Red, Blue, Yellow. Pure start, simple routes, the base loop in its raw form.

• Gold, Silver, Crystal. Day and night, a phone, and a second region at the end.

Game Boy Advance and DS

• FireRed, LeafGreen. Clean remake of the first region.

• Emerald. Strong end content and fast travel between key towns.

• Platinum. The best Sinnoh run.

• HeartGold, SoulSilver. Two regions, a full post game, and a partner that walks with you.

• Black, White. Great story and set piece towns.

• Black 2, White 2. True sequels with strong side modes.

3DS

• X and Y. A soft jump to 3D with easy team tools.

• Omega Ruby, Alpha Sapphire. Strong remake with a short extra story after the credits.

• Sun and Moon. Warm mood and trials.

• Ultra Sun, Ultra Moon. More side tasks and a sharper end run.

Switch

• Let’s Go Pikachu, Let’s Go Eevee. Best for a first run or couch play.

• Sword and Shield. Clean main path and quick raids. Add ons add open zones.

• Pokémon Legends Arceus. Fresh field play with fast loops.

• Brilliant Diamond, Shining Pearl. Faithful trip through Sinnoh.

• Scarlet and Violet. Open routes and many mini goals. Strong in a group.