The 30 Best Pokémon of All Time
30 years. It feels like a lifetime (and for some of us it us, including Ash Ketchum, it is!) That’s how long Pokémon has been a part of our world.
And what a lifetime it’s been. There’s a lot to celebrate in the year of Pokémon’s 30th anniversary, from the vast library of amazing games, the phenomenon that was and is Pokémon Go, and the long-running anime that opened our hearts up to an electric rat.
But the real stars of this gargantuan, multi-faceted franchise are the pocket monsters themselves. And that’s why we’re ranking the very best of them.
30. Bulbasaur
Let’s get this place humid! From its place as one of the original starters, to its newly found role as one of [Ditto’s first friends in _Pokopia_](https://www.ign.com/wikis/pokemon-pokopia/Bulbasaur_Favorites,_Habitats,_and_Specialties), Bulbasaur has long had a place in players’ hearts.
29. Arceus
Within the Pokémon universe, Arceus is basically God. They’re certainly [not always an altruistic deity](https://www.ign.com/articles/pokemon-legends-arceus-tragic-story), kidnapping children, banishing Giratina for potentially dubious reasons, and blowing up players’ phones with more cryptic fervor than a situationship.
28. Metagross
Essentially an arachnid-adjacent supercomputer, Metagross is the perfect embodiment of both arachnophobia and technophobia in a four-brained package.
27. Dragonite
Considered a pseudo-legendary by many fans, it would be impossible not to include Dragonite on this list.
26. Hawlucha
From how much aura Hawlucha has, you would never guess it’s only a couple feet tall. Despite it’s small size, it’s got just as much fighting prowess as Pokémon like Machamp, and with more flair for the dramatic.
25. Ditto
Ditto has risen to more prominence than ever before following the [release of _Pokopia_](https://www.ign.com/articles/pokemon-pokopia-review), but this amorphous critter has been charming since its very first iteration in Gen 1.
24. Piplup
Piplup is arguably one of the most adorable [starters in the entire _Pokémon_ franchise](https://www.ign.com/articles/the-best-starter-pokemon-from-each-generation), a diminutive cutie-pie that can elicit an “aww” from even the most hardened of hearts.
23. Flygon
Though you might assume Flygon would be a Bug/Dragon type (and honestly, many fans are still confused on how its not all these years later), it’s actually one of the very few Ground/Dragon type Pokémon, giving it a veritable list of immunities, resistances, and types it’s effective against.
22. Eevee
Aside from Ditto and Mew, Eevee is probably the most genetically complex Pokémon, able to evolve into eight different creatures depending on the conditions.
21. Lucario
Lucario is a certified Pokémon star, serving as protagonist in one of the [franchise’s best movies](https://www.ign.com/articles/best-pokemon-movies), _Lucario and the Mystery of Mew_, as well as essentially being the poster boy for Mega Evolution.
20. Mimikyu
Based on its appearance, Mimikyu would be one of the most convincing Pokémon across the entire roster to play the antagonist in a horror film, but its actually a secret softie.
19. Dialga
Handcrafted by Arceus to control the flow of time, Dialga is certainly in the upper pantheon of Pokémon gods.
18. Absol
Absol is a Pokémon that feels straight out of Greek mythology, able to sense incoming natural disasters and in turn be blamed for them, thus becoming seen as a doom bringer to humanity when they were only trying to help.
17. Snorlax
Arguably one of the most relatable Pokémon, Snorlax embodies the slacker that lurks within all of us.
16. Gyarados
Gyrados is one of the biggest examples of a glow-up within an evolutionary line.
15. Tyranitar
Let’s be honest, this guy is straight up a dinosaur, and that absolutely rules.
14. Greninja
Somewhere along the way, the Pokémon franchise shifted from saying Greninja’s shuriken were made of compressed water to saying they were made out of mucus, the latter of which is decidedly less appealing, but both options are still unequivocally badass.
13. Gardevoir
There’s a reason this iconic Pokémon earned themselves a life-size figure, and it’s not to appease creepy dudes on the internet.
12. Ho-Oh
Ho-Oh is the master of first impressions.
11. Psyduck
A chronic headache sufferer that’s riddled with anxiety, Psyduck is a very relatable Pokémon.
10. Garchomp
This guy looks like a combination between a jet and a land shark, which is iconic in and of itself, but their role as Cynthia’s partner Pokémon makes them a true hall-of-famer.