Although each new generation of Pokemon games typically brings with it plenty of new additions and features, there are certain things that never really change. Players will always have a rival, for example, and will also need to overcome a series of challenging gym battles in order to complete the game. Then, of course, there is that hugely important decision that they'll be expected to make almost immediately after they first begin playing.
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Which starter Pokemon to pick is a question that many people have spent a lot of time agonizing over. The choice can definitely be a lot easier in certain games though, as there can often be a pretty big disparity between the three available options. Likewise, the strength of the starter trio can vary quite a lot from game to game as well, with some being a lot more powerful and popular than others.
Updated August 3, 2021 by Tom Bowen: With the releases of Pokemon Brilliant Diamond, Shining Pearl & Legends: Arceus all now looming large on the horizon, it won't be too much longer until Pokemon players are once again faced with a difficult decision regarding their Pokemon starters. There have been some great ones over the years, though not all starter Pokemon are created equal, nor does every generation of Pokemon games offer the same standard of starters. Some trios are let down by one weak link, while others just don't measure up to those which came before them.
8 Gen 8 (Grookey, Scorbunny & Sobble)
Grookey -> Thwackey -> Rillaboom
Scorbunny -> Raboot -> Cinderace
Sobble -> Drizzile -> Inteleon
The gen 8 starter Pokemon may become more popular as more time passes. As things stand though, they are definitely the pariahs of the pack. Not only did they arrive at a time when hundreds of other Pokemon were being cut from the Pokedex, but their designs are also fairly mediocre when compared to most of their predecessors.
To make matters worse, each one of them is limited to a single type which seriously hurts their versatility and thus their viability in battle. Granted, their final evolutions and Gigantamax forms are pretty cool, but there are far better options for their respective elements when it comes to putting together a team.
Best Gen 8 Starter: Grookey
Much like Bulbasaur in the first generation games, Grookey gets the nod ahead of its fellow starters due to its usefulness in the early stages of the games. It should breeze through the first two gyms without any issues and, if players are playing Sword, it will also be strong against Gordie in the game's sixth gym. If players are playing Shield, however, Scorbunny isn't a bad option, though in Rillaboom, Grookey definitely offers the best final stage evolution regardless of which version players own.
7 Gen 5 (Snivy, Tepig & Oshawott)
Snivy -> Servine -> Serperior
Tepig -> Pignite -> Emboar
Oshawott -> Dewott -> Samurott
The starter Pokemon from Black & White are all pretty interesting, but they also happen to be some of the weakest starters in the history of the series. When it comes to base stat totals, both Oshawott and Snivy's are lower than all of the other grass and water-type starters, while only Fenekin has a lower total than Tepig. This isn't helped much by Snivy and Oshawott both being limited to a single type either.
When it comes to their designs, their starter forms are not too bad, although as they begin to evolve, things start to go a little pear-shaped. What's more, none of them have been given Mega Evolutions just yet, nor do they have access to Gigantamax forms either. In their defense, this doesn't make them inherently bad Pokemon, although it does put them at something of a disadvantage when compared to other starters that do.
Best Gen 5 Starter: Oshawott
Despite Tepig having an advantage against more of the games' gym leaders, Oshawott's final evolution Samurott is just too good to pass up on. It will destroy the Elite Four without breaking a sweat and has access to a rich and varied learn set that allows for a variety of different builds. Tepig is by no means a bad choice though, and can still help carry a player through most of the game.
6 Gen 6 (Chespin, Fennekin & Froakie)
Chespin -> Quilladin -> Chesnaught
Fennekin -> Braixen -> Delphox
Froakie -> Frogadier -> Greninja
Although the gen 6 starters haven't been around too long when compared to some of their older peers, they've still made quite the impression with fans of the series. It certainly helps that Greninja was one of Ash's strongest Pokemon in the anime, as too does the fact that all three of them are dual type Pokemon.
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Another thing that makes the trio so interesting is that the one chosen by players in X & Y has a direct impact on which of the three Legendary Birds will appear later in the game. That their second stage forms can also be caught in the Friend Safari is also a big plus as it allows players to build a team with all three of them fairly easily if they so wish.
Best Gen 6 Starter: Delphox
Picking a gen 6 starter is incredibly difficult as there are two exceptional candidates to choose from. Froakie's final form, Greninja, is probably the better of the three third-stage evolutions and will crush the Elite Four, but Delphox has a type advantage against more gyms. Given that players should already have a pretty well-balanced team by the time they reach the end of the game though, Delphox is probably the more useful of the two.
5 Gen 7 (Rowlet, Litten & Popplio)
Rowlet -> Dartrix -> Decidueye
Litten -> Torracat -> Incineroar
Popplio -> Brionne -> Primarina
Just as it was beginning to feel like the designers at Game Freak were starting to run out of ideas, they churned out some of their best designs in years for the release of Sun & Moon. Litten's evolutionary line is particularly well-designed, although all three starters look great when compared to some of the other more recent starters.
When it comes to combat, Litten once again leads the way, with Incineroar's fire and dark-type combination making it incredibly useful in certain situations. The other two also have some fairly unique type combinations as well though and this can make building a team around them considerably easier than it is in certain other generations.
Best Gen 7 Starter: Popplio
Litten and Popplio both have their strengths, but the former's struggles during some of the games' opening stages make Popplio the better choice. Its stats are generally quite well-balanced and it has a decent learn set available to it too. Those looking for a Pokemon that will be strong in the end-game may want to opt for Litten instead, however.
4 Gen 4 (Turtwig, Chimchar & Piplup)
Turtwig -> Grotle -> Torterra
Chimchar -> Monferno -> Infernape
Piplup -> Prinplup -> Empoleon
Sinnoh's starters are perhaps the cutest trio that players have seen to date, but they're also pretty competent in battle too. They all have decent stats, boast dual typing, and have access to a wide variety of moves. Empoleon is arguably the pick of the bunch, but all three can hold their own in most situations.
Although none of them have yet received Mega Evolutions or Gigantamax forms, that's likely to be changing fairly soon. With the Diamond & Pearl remakes set to arrive before the year is out, it would be incredibly surprising if the team at Game Freak don't add in new forms for the trio. Even if they don't though, their long-awaited return will likely see their popularity rise quite a bit.
Best Gen 4 Starter: Chimchar
Despite being weak against all three of Roark's Pokemon in the Oreburgh City gym, Chimchar is still the best starter to choose in gen 4. Its final evolution, Infernape, is one of the strongest Pokemon in the titles and will be able to carry players through most of the games' key battles thanks to its excellent offensive stats.
3 Gen 2 (Chikorita, Cyndaquil & Totodile)
Chikorita -> Bayleef -> Meganium
Cyndaquil -> Quilava -> Typhlosion
Totodile -> Croconaw -> Feraligatr
Filling the shoes of the Kanto starter Pokemon was never going to be easy, but Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile did a truly admirable job. Their designs are emblematic of the golden era of the series and this quality also extends to their second and third stage evolutions as well.
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Their single typing is a little unfortunate, however, and the trio were incredibly unlucky that the Gold & Silver remakes happened when they did. With Mega Evolutions not being added to the series until a few years later, they were effectively skipped over; leading many to wonder if they'll ever get their turn.
Best Gen 2 Starter: Cyndaquil
For as adorable as Chikorita and its evolutions are, it finds itself at a disadvantage in many of the games' gyms. With that in mind, Totodile and Cyndaquil are by far the safer options, with the latter just edging it thanks to its stronger special attack-centric learn set. Truth be told though, there's very little to choose between the pair.
2 Gen 3 (Treecko, Torchic & Mudkip)
Treeck0 -> Grovyle -> Sceptile
Torchic -> Combusken -> Blaziken
Mudkip -> Marshtomp -> Swampert
For as wonderful as the gen 2 starters are, they are comfortably outclassed by the starters from Ruby & Saphire. All three of them have dual typing and feature some of the best third-stage evolution designs in the entire series. What's more, they each have their own Mega Evolutions thanks to the games' 2014 remakes.
Many consider Mudkip to be up there with the three OG starter Pokemon and Treecko isn't too far behind either. With this in mind, quite a few eyebrows were raised when Oshawott was selected ahead of Mudkip for Pokemon Legends: Arceus; especially given that the former is limited to a single type.
Best Gen 3 Starter: Mudkip
Blaziken and Swampert are both excellent final evolutions, but the latter's bulkier stats make it a bit more useful in the long run, particularly when playing Pokemon Emerald. On the whole, Mudkip's evolutionary line has fewer weaknesses throughout the games too, making it a safe and solid choice for first-time players.
1 Gen 1 (Bulbasaur, Charmander & Squirtle)
Bulbasaur -> Ivysaur -> Venusaur
Charmander -> Charmeleon -> Charizard
Squirtle -> Wartortle -> Blastoise
For more than a quarter of a century, the Pokemon series has brought joy to millions of people and it all started with just three Pokemon. Together with Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Charmander are the cornerstones on which the series has built much of its success and this is a big part of why they are so popular with fans of the franchise.
Of course, it also helps that they are incredibly powerful Pokemon who each have access to both Mega Evolution and Gigantamax forms. In fact, Charizard even has two of the former; making it one of only two Pokemon who does so. That this also allows the fire-type Pokemon to change its secondary typing is absolutely huge in battle and makes it a solid pick for any team.
Best Gen 1 Starter: Bulbasaur
Though Charmander is undoubtedly the most popular of the gen 1 trio and is also a great choice for tackling some of the late-game content, Bulbasaur is definitely the smarter choice. The grass-type Pokemon has a type advantage in the first two gyms and can hold its own just fine in the two that follow. It does struggle a bit later on, but by this point in the game, players should have a decent selection of Pokemon to choose from and so shouldn't be anywhere near as reliant on their starter as they were in the games' opening stages.