Our Pokémon Faves: The picks of the Pokémon litter

Twenty years, 700 Pokémon – surely you couldn’t just pick one right? Well no and that’s why we’re picking two of our favourite Pokémon ever. One from the ‘early generations’ and one from the ‘later’.

But this isn’t just about us, we want to know you’re favourites as well leading up to Pokemon Day on the 27th.

We’ll have more features through the week but first up, favourite Pokémon!

Josh 

Gen 1-3: Hitmonchan

I have many favourite Pokemon, so picking just two to talk about is tough. Out of the older gens, I think I’d have to say my favourite is Hitmonchan. I really like his design, and thought he’d be a great Pokemon to play as in Smash Bros. or a Pokemon fighting game. His trading card was one of my favourites to use in real life and in the videogame version because it offered some really powerful attacks for little cost. He was also one of the Pokemon made really valuable by having to choose between him or Hitmonlee in the first generation of games. I thought Hitmonlee looked really weird at the time, and I remember hearing his name came ffrom Jackie Chan, so I had to go for him (little me didn’t know who Bruce Lee was). In Gen 2 the Hitmon- line got more interesting with the addition of Tyrogue, so it was exciting seeing who your Tyrogue would evolve into. I loved Hitmonchan ever more when I found out Tyrogue could learn Hitmonlee’s kicking moves as Egg Moves, so I would raise punching Hitmonlee and kicking Hitmonchan just to psyche out my friends.

Gen 4-6: Malamar

In the newer games I’ve had a new favourite Pokemon each generation. In Gen 4 it was Drifloon, Gen 5 it was Sigilyph, and Gen 6 it’s without a doubt Malamar. I always like making gimmicky teams based around unusual, underused Pokemon, and there are few Pokemon who fit that description more than Malamar. When looking for something to base my team around for the 2014 VGCs I stumbled upon Malamar’s Contrary ability and signature move, Topsy-Turvy. It was perfect. I didn’t do too well in that VGC, but my team was a lot of fun to use, and I met some cool people there that year. I spent ages preparing another team for the next year’s VGC testing it out on Pokemon Showdown. Malamar gave my team a totally different playstyle to what I was used to, and led to some really interesting matches. When the VGC finally came around again, I got to play a match on the big screen. I flipped my opponent’s stats with Topsy-Turvy at a critical moment, and the audience lost their minds. It was amazing. Unfortunately since my favourite Pokemon are never ones that become hits, I don’t get to enjoy them in spin-offs and crossovers very often, but I guess now I can hold out hope that they could appear in Pokken at some point.

Steven

Gen 1-3: Quagsire 

I’m not sure exactly what drew me to Quagsire. It might be because it evolves from a Pokémon named Wooper (what a freaking wonderful name, really), it might be the fact that being a ground type means it can destroy Electric types that typically best Water types. It might just be it’s silly face.

Whatever the reason, the moment I saw Quagsire in early magazine previews for Pokémon Gold & Silver I knew I had to have one in my team. Quagsire just looks like they will be your friend no matter what. Additionally, there are few things more enjoyable than watching the look of defeat on an opponent’s face as your blank faces blue swamp dweller unleashes a devastating earthquake on their carefully constructed team of champions.

Gen 4-6: Garbador

I love Garbador for everything it represents in the Pokémon world. It represents the ridiculousness of Pokémon designs as more and more are added to the line up, while also serves as a reminder of how silly Pokémon designs have been for a long time.

It proves that while animal based designs and super powerful Pokémon have a place in the games, there will always be room for wonderfully dumb monsters as well. I mean, if a candle and a rock with arms can be a Pokémon then why the heck not a trash bag? I don’t really mind how appropriate it is for competitive play, or its move set.

I just love that there is an actual official Pokémon that is a big old bag of garbage.

Troy

Gen 1-3: Dragonite

My all time favourite Pokemon is and always has been Dragonite. Yes, I know… he’s dopey looking, waste of the awesome name “Dragonite”, doesn’t fit in with his prior evolutions… but I don’t care. He’s super cuddly, really big and tall, but fully capable of dropping some serious damage if you hurt them, or anyone they care about. Maybe Dragonite just has a lot of qualities I value… maybe he’s one of my favourite colours. In any case, I want a real one.

Gen 4-6: Glaceon

As for my favourite from the newer generations, I’d probably go with Glaceon. I absolutely adore Eevee and all its evolutions, but Glaceon is just gorgeous. With neck-tie-esque bangs, a beautiful sand blue coat, and that ice-kitten charm, Glaceon has been a regular in my party. Not exactly the most useful compared to some heavy hitters I keep around, but I’ve always been in the camp of keeping my favourites around. They might be digital, but you do sorta get attached to them…

Daniel P 

Mawile

Had you asked me what my favourite Pokemon was a few years ago, I would have said Blossom. She’s so cute, she was from my favourite generation of Pokemon, and while in the games she’s nothing special I still used one every-time I played (along with an Ampheros for some reason).

Cut to Pokemon X & Y, Mawile get’s a fairy subtype, in comes Mega Evolutions and Mega Maile along with it. Move over Blossom we have a new favourite! For me, to judge a Pokemon the anime helps a lot. That’s partly why I liked Bellossom as she was always featured in the anime, Specially in Pokemon Short before the movie; Pikachu’s Rescue Adventure. I got back into the anime with Black & White since they finally changed up the show, and in X & Y Mawile is amazingly adorable. I just love the idea that this little innocent creature can Mega Evolve into something ferocious and powerful enough with it’s Fairy subtype to make it a very valuable addition to your team if you chose to use it.

Shes always portrayed as down right adorable and lovable in the anime and I love the design of the Mega Evolution going from something that looks harmless to ripping your head off, but you still want to hug it. I don’t own many Pokemon toys anymore, but Mega Mawile Plushie was the greatest thing I got in Japan. Second was my Klefki Keyring.

Daniel V

Gen 1-3: Blastoise

I’m a bit of a hypocrite here, Pokemon Red is ‘my’ Pokemon game, but I love the jesus out of Blastoise. First off, he they evolve from Squirtle – also the best starter Pokemon by far. Then we’ll just casually ignore Wartortle and at level 36 you get the hulking dual wielding power that is Blastoise.

At what you get, sure he’s fat and slow but he’s built literally like a tanks. Not just with one cannon but with two. His shell protects him from pretty much anything and helps out when there’s charging to be done.

My Blastoise on Pokemon Blue was the first Pokemon I got to Level 100 and I managed took him all the way through Johto as well. He’s still sitting there, stuck in Generation 2 but he had some good times.

Gen 4-6: Vivillon

Well if Mega Charizard X doesn’t count as a Generation VI Pokemon then I’ll have to go with something else won’t I?

Vivillon, yeah a normal bug flying type Pokemon! This one is more aesthetic then anything else, I don’t know how well Vivillon fights and they’re not particulary rare or tradtionaly ’cool’ looking but the fact that have over 20 different forms based on region is cool to me. P

laying Pokemon X for the first time and learning about their different forms was great fun, a lot more interesting that 28 different Unown.

Artwork: Viking011 on Deviantart