If you like a particular Pokémon generation, start with the region or Pokémon that drew you in—but choose the game by its play style and the console you own. For a classic Kanto adventure, look at Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! or Let’s Go, Eevee!; for open-world Paldea, consider Pokémon Scarlet or Violet; for research-focused exploration in historic Sinnoh, try Pokémon Legends: Arceus; and for Lumiose City, Mega Evolution, and a different battle approach, consider Pokémon Legends: Z-A.
What does it mean to like a Pokémon generation?
A generation preference can mean several things: affection for its region, favorite Pokémon, story era, or battle mechanics. Those interests do not always point to the same game. A remake can revisit an older adventure, while a Legends title can use the same region in a different era and with a different style of play.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Pokémon Pokopia - Nintendo Switch 2 | $69.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Pokémon Legends: Arceus - US Version | $54.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
![Pokémon FireRed Version Standard - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/413QNFueWML._SL160_.jpg)
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Pokémon FireRed Version Standard - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code] | $19.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Pokemon Shining Pearl - Nintendo Switch Shining Pearl Edition | $52.48 | Buy on Amazon |
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So treat the generation as a setting-and-roster filter, not a ranking of game quality. The official descriptions below identify representative options, not a complete catalog of every game for every generation.
Which Pokémon game should you play if you like a particular region?
Kanto: Let’s Go, Pikachu! or Let’s Go, Eevee!
Choose Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! or Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! if you want a modernized return to the original Kanto adventure and are interested in motion-based Poké Ball throwing controls. The Pokémon Company describes the games as an approachable entry point for newcomers while retaining depth for veteran Trainers. Pokémon’s parent guide and the official Let’s Go site outline that approach.
#1 Best Overall
- Shape the world and build a cozy new life with Pokémon as a Ditto transformed to look like a human.
- Use other Pokémon’s moves, like Bulbasaur’s Leafage, to revitalize and navigate the world around you.
- Meet and befriend more Pokémon as you help nature flourish.
- Gather materials to create items and furniture, till the fields to grow delicious crops, build homes for the Pokémon you meet, and more—there’s so much to do!
- Experience a world with varied weather, real-time days and nights, and other surprises.
Paldea: Scarlet or Violet
If you want an open-world Pokémon adventure, consider Pokémon Scarlet or Pokémon Violet. Pokémon’s parent guide identifies three goals: become Champion, track down Titan Pokémon, and battle Team Star. That structure suits players who would rather pursue several major objectives than follow only one central route. The guide also describes exploration with friends and family. See Pokémon’s description of the games.
Sinnoh: choose between a remake and a past-era adventure
For Sinnoh, decide whether you want a remake of the original region adventure or a distinct story set in its past:
Rank #2
- Action meets RPG in this new take on the Pokémon series
- Study Pokémon behaviors, sneak up on them, and toss a well-aimed Poké Ball to catch them
- Unleash moves in the speedy agile style or the powerful strong style in battles
- Travel to the Hisui region—the Sinnoh of old—and build the region’s first Pokédex
- Learn about the Mythical Pokémon Arceus, the key to this mysterious tale
- Brilliant Diamond or Shining Pearl: The Pokémon Company described these as remakes of Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl in its February 26, 2021 announcement.
- Pokémon Legends: Arceus: Choose this if surveying, catching, and researching wild Pokémon is the draw. Its official site describes a journey through a long-gone era of Sinnoh and the effort to complete the region’s first Pokédex. Visit the Legends: Arceus site.
The 2021 announcement presents Legends: Arceus as a new adventure with action and RPG elements, rather than as another remake of Diamond and Pearl.
Kalos: Pokémon Legends: Z-A
If your interest is Lumiose City, Mega Evolution, and a different approach to battling, consider Pokémon Legends: Z-A. Its official site describes a story set in Lumiose City and highlights Mega Evolution and a new way of battling. Read the official Legends: Z-A information.
Rank #3
- Set off on a grand adventure to become the Pokémon League Champion—now on Nintendo Switch!
- Celebrate 30 years of Pokémon with this Nintendo Switch version* of the Pokémon FireRed Version game originally released on the Game Boy Advance system!
- Additional games and systems required for multiplayer mode. Sold separately. 2004 Pokémon. 1995-2004 Nintendo/Creatures Inc./GAME FREAK inc. Pokémon and Nintendo Switch are trademarks of Nintendo.
Choose by the kind of play you want
The generation you like narrows the setting; the gameplay and story structure can make the final choice clearer. This is a practical editorial comparison of the official product descriptions, not a quality ranking.
| Game or pair | Experience described by Pokémon | Consider it if you want |
|---|---|---|
| Let’s Go, Pikachu! / Let’s Go, Eevee! | Modernized Kanto adventure with motion-based Poké Ball throwing controls; described as approachable for newcomers. | A familiar region and an accessible entry point. |
| Scarlet / Violet | Open-world Paldea adventure with three goals: Champion, Titan Pokémon, and Team Star. | Exploration and multiple parallel objectives. |
| Brilliant Diamond / Shining Pearl | Remakes of Diamond and Pearl, according to the Pokémon Company’s 2021 announcement. | A remake of the earlier Sinnoh adventure. |
| Legends: Arceus | Exploration, surveying, catching, and researching Pokémon in Sinnoh’s past. | A research-and-catching-focused journey in a historic setting. |
| Legends: Z-A | Lumiose City story, Mega Evolution, and a new battle approach. | Kalos and the features highlighted for this Legends adventure. |
Check the console and edition before choosing
Do not assume every Pokémon title works on every console you own. In particular, Pokémon’s May 27, 2025 release notice gives Legends: Z-A an October 16, 2025 release date and describes separate Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 editions. It says the Switch 2 Edition offers improved graphics and frame rates, can be upgraded from a Switch copy with an upgrade pack, and can also be played on Switch with content the same as the Switch software. Check the current edition details and availability in your region before buying.
Rank #4
- Revisit the Sinnoh region from the original Pokémon Pearl Version game and set off to try and become the Champion of the Pokémon League
- The Pokémon Shining Pearl game brings new life to this remade classic with added features
- Explore the Grand Underground to dig up items and Pokémon Fossils, build a Secret Base, and more.
- Test your style and rhythm in a Super Contest Show
- A reimagined adventure, now for the Nintendo Switch system
- Confirm the exact game and edition in the listing, including whether it is the Nintendo Switch or Switch 2 version where applicable.
- Check the listing for your own console and region rather than relying on the generation or region name alone.
- If considering the Switch 2 Edition of Legends: Z-A, verify the current upgrade-pack details if you already own the Switch copy.
- For paired games, compare the specific version you plan to buy; do not assume the two editions are identical.
Should you play the original, a remake, or a Legends game?
Choose based on what you want from revisiting a favorite region. A remake is the option when you want the earlier game reworked; a past-era Legends adventure is the option when a changed setting and different play focus appeal more. For Sinnoh, the official distinction is clear: Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl remake Diamond and Pearl, while Legends: Arceus is a separate adventure in Sinnoh’s past.
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