For most people asking “Which Pokémon game should I play first?”, Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! or Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! is the clearest starting point: Pokémon describes both as approachable for newcomers and offers intuitive catching controls. Choose FireRed or LeafGreen for a classic Kanto adventure, or Pokémon Legends: Z-A if real-time, action-oriented battles sound more appealing. The best fit depends on the kind of play you want and the Nintendo system you own—not a universal difficulty ranking.
Which Pokémon game should I play first?
Start by deciding what you want your first adventure to feel like. These options offer different ways into the series, rather than a simple easiest-to-hardest ladder.
| # | 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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| If you want… | Consider… | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| A newcomer-friendly introduction with familiar Pokémon and intuitive catching | Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! or Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! | Pokémon identifies these games as approachable for people new to the series. Catch using button controls or a Joy-Con motion throw. The partner and wild encounters vary by version. Official Pokémon: Let’s Go page |
| A classic Kanto journey | Pokémon FireRed Version or Pokémon LeafGreen Version | The original Game Boy Advance games became available on the Nintendo Switch family in 2026. They are the original games, not newly modernized remakes. Pokémon’s 2026 availability announcement |
| Real-time, more action-oriented battles | Pokémon Legends: Z-A | Battles involve real-time movement and decisions about move timing, reach, area of effect, and execution. Choose it for that style, not on the assumption that it is the easiest entry. Official gameplay overview |
| Playing together on one system | Either Let’s Go edition | Support Play lets a second player join the adventure to help catch Pokémon and battle. Internet battles and trades are separate features. Pokémon Support: playing with a friend |
Why Let’s Go is the clearest newcomer recommendation
Pokémon explicitly says that people who have never played the series can dive in, describing the games as approachable for newcomers while offering depth for experienced players too. Catching is designed around straightforward choices: use button controls or make a motion throw with a Joy-Con. That makes Let’s Go a strong default when you want a friendly introduction and familiar Pokémon.
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The two editions are not just different covers. Your partner Pokémon changes, and each version affects which wild species appear and how often you encounter them. Pick the partner you would rather travel with, then check the version-specific Pokémon list if particular encounters matter to you.
#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.
Consider whether you want shared play
Support Play allows another person to join the same adventure locally, helping with catching and battles. That is different from internet play: Nintendo Switch Online is required for internet battles and trades, according to Pokémon Support.
When to choose FireRed or LeafGreen
Choose Pokémon FireRed Version or Pokémon LeafGreen Version if you specifically want the classic Kanto adventure in its original Game Boy Advance form. Pokémon announced their availability on the Nintendo Switch family in 2026; the rerelease preserves those games rather than rebuilding them as modern remakes. See the official availability announcement for the release details.
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
If moving Pokémon between games matters to you, check the current status and rules for Pokémon HOME before choosing. Pokémon announced that these Switch versions were set to link with HOME beginning in October 2026, and warned that a Pokémon moved into HOME cannot return to those games. Read the HOME announcement and confirm the current status. HOME is not universal, unrestricted transfer between every game: Pokémon HOME’s service page notes that restrictions apply.
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Pokémon Legends: Z-A suits someone drawn to action-oriented battles more than the traditional turn-based flow. Its battles ask you to move in real time and consider when moves are used, their reach and area of effect, and how they execute. Those differences may be exciting for one new player and less appealing to another; the available official information does not establish a comparative difficulty ranking.
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.
Check your Nintendo system before buying
The cited choices are Nintendo Switch family titles, but confirm the exact listing, edition, region, and system compatibility before purchase. This matters especially if you are comparing versions or buying a game for someone else. Let’s Go is a Nintendo Switch game; FireRed and LeafGreen became available on the Switch family in 2026; and Pokémon describes Legends: Z-A on its current gameplay page.
- Check which Nintendo Switch system the player owns.
- Confirm the exact game edition and regional listing.
- For Let’s Go, decide whether partner Pokémon, version-specific encounters, or local Support Play will guide the choice.
- If future transfers matter, verify the current title-specific Pokémon HOME rules.
Is there an objectively easiest Pokémon game?
There is no official comparative difficulty ranking in the cited information. Pokémon does endorse Let’s Go as approachable for newcomers, making it the best-supported recommendation for someone who wants an accessible introduction. But “easiest” depends on what feels comfortable: intuitive catching and shared play, a classic adventure, or real-time battles.
Quick Recap
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
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
