The save files
that raised us.

Ranked by nostalgia, highest first. Original North American release years shown. Originals and remakes get separate entries; filtered views keep their overall ranks.

1. 01

   The nostalgia champion

   Pokémon Gold, Silver & Crystal

   Game Boy Color · 2000–2001 US · Johto + Kanto · 16 badges

   Screen / 01● ●

   

   A cartridge with its own clock. A world that changed after dark. Then the game handed you another whole region. For the Game Boy Color generation, this is the crown jewel: small screen, absurdly big adventure.

   The core memory

   Wait. There’s another whole map?

   Reaching Kanto after the Johto League. You thought the credits meant the end; suddenly the old roads and Gym Leaders were waiting again.

   Gym flashback Whitney’s Miltank. An entire generation learned to respect Rollout.

   Pick your first partner.

   • Chikorita
   • Cyndaquil
   • Totodile

   Choose one of these three in all three versions.

   Pal’s pick: Cyndaquil. A pocket-sized campfire for the greatest road trip.

   The legendary headliners.

   • Ho-Oh
   • Lugia
   • Suicune

   Featured legends across the family; Crystal gives Suicune a bigger role.

   Game notes & screenshot credit

   Gameplay image: Nintendo’s official archive ↗. Silver · official gameplay image with Game Boy Color border. The screenshot illustrates the game; the memorable moment is described separately.

   Game references: Game overview ↗ · Additional official archive ↗. Copyright Nintendo / Creatures Inc. / GAME FREAK inc. / The Pokémon Company. Editorial commentary and rank: Pallet.Club.

2. 02

   Playground royalty

   Pokémon Red, Blue & Yellow

   Game Boy · also played on Color · 1998–1999 US · Kanto · 8 badges

   Screen / 02● ●

   

   This is where the schoolyard became a strategy guide of wildly mixed quality. Link cables, a rival with an extremely personal nickname, and the feeling that absolutely anything might be hiding beyond the next route. The rough edges are part of the photograph.

   The core memory

   The quiet cave after becoming Champion.

   Finding Mewtwo in Cerulean Cave. After eight badges and the League, one last enormous question mark was still waiting in the dark.

   Gym flashback Brock: the first badge, and a very different problem depending on your starter.

   Pick your first partner.

   • Bulbasaur
   • Charmander
   • Squirtle
   • Pikachu

   Red / Blue: choose Bulbasaur, Charmander or Squirtle. Yellow: start with Pikachu; the original trio are later gifts.

   Pal’s pick: Bulbasaur in Red / Blue. Yellow gets Pikachu by design. Respect the original deal.

   The legendary headliners.

   • Mewtwo
   • Articuno
   • Zapdos
   • Moltres

   In-game headliners. Mew was a separate event distribution, not a normal starter or wild encounter.

   Game notes & screenshot credit

   Gameplay image: Nintendo’s official archive ↗. Yellow · official Virtual Console gameplay capture. The screenshot illustrates the game; the memorable moment is described separately.

   Game references: Game overview ↗ · Additional official archive ↗. Copyright Nintendo / Creatures Inc. / GAME FREAK inc. / The Pokémon Company. Editorial commentary and rank: Pallet.Club.

3. 03

   The SP under the blanket pick

   Pokémon Emerald

   Game Boy Advance / SP · 2005 US · Hoenn · 8 badges

   Screen / 03● ●

   

   Hoenn in its richest shade of green. Secret Bases made it feel like your world, the Battle Frontier gave you a reason to stay, and Rayquaza gave the whole cartridge main-character energy. This is the GBA SP’s victory lap.

   The core memory

   Rayquaza tells the weather to calm down.

   The Sootopolis showdown: Rayquaza descends to stop Groudon and Kyogre. A tiny screen somehow manages a properly huge entrance.

   Gym flashback Tate & Liza. Two Gym Leaders, one double battle, and no room for a lazy team.

   Pick your first partner.

   • Treecko
   • Torchic
   • Mudkip

   Treecko, Torchic or Mudkip: choose one at the start.

   Pal’s pick: Mudkip. The face says harmless. The Hoenn run says otherwise.

   The legendary headliners.

   • Rayquaza
   • Kyogre
   • Groudon

   Rayquaza leads the story; Kyogre and Groudon are also obtainable in Emerald.

   Game notes & screenshot credit

   Gameplay image: Nintendo’s official archive ↗. Emerald · official gameplay capture. The screenshot illustrates the game; the memorable moment is described separately.

   Game references: Game overview ↗ · Additional official archive ↗. Copyright Nintendo / Creatures Inc. / GAME FREAK inc. / The Pokémon Company. Editorial commentary and rank: Pallet.Club.

4. 04

   The reunion tour

   Pokémon HeartGold & SoulSilver

   Nintendo DS · 2010 US · Johto + Kanto · 16 badges

   Screen / 04● ●

   

   Your childhood got a beautiful second printing. A Pokémon walking behind you is still one of the series’ simplest, best ideas. Add the Pokéwalker and sixteen badges, and this is the remake that feels like someone kept every good part of the memory.

   The core memory

   The summit of Mt. Silver.

   Walking through the snow to face Red. Very little talking. An awful lot of history. The battle does not need to explain why it matters.

   Gym flashback Morty in Ecruteak: ghost stories, gorgeous atmosphere, and a very real badge to earn.

   Pick your first partner.

   • Chikorita
   • Cyndaquil
   • Totodile

   Choose Chikorita, Cyndaquil or Totodile; your lead Pokémon can follow you.

   Pal’s pick: Totodile. Bring a tiny, enthusiastic menace on the reunion tour.

   The legendary headliners.

   • Ho-Oh
   • Lugia
   • Raikou
   • Entei
   • Suicune

   Ho-Oh and Lugia both appear; the version changes when and how their stories unfold.

   Game notes & screenshot credit

   Gameplay image: Nintendo’s official archive ↗ (a gameplay panel is framed from the original promotional image). HeartGold / SoulSilver · Japanese promotional gameplay detail. The screenshot illustrates the game; the memorable moment is described separately.

   Game references: Game overview ↗ · Additional official archive ↗. Copyright Nintendo / Creatures Inc. / GAME FREAK inc. / The Pokémon Company. Editorial commentary and rank: Pallet.Club.

5. 05

   The DS at its moodiest

   Pokémon Platinum

   Nintendo DS · 2009 US · Sinnoh · 8 badges

   Screen / 05● ●

   

   Snowy routes, heavy mythology and a Champion who could make an otherwise confident trainer go very quiet. Platinum turns the DS into a pocket-sized mystery novel. It earns its spot on atmosphere alone; the Distortion World seals it.

   The core memory

   Gravity leaves the conversation.

   Stepping into the Distortion World with Cynthia. Floors stop behaving like floors, the map turns strange, and Giratina suddenly feels like something you should approach carefully.

   Gym flashback Candice in Snowpoint. By then, Sinnoh has made you earn the walk north.

   Pick your first partner.

   • Turtwig
   • Chimchar
   • Piplup

   Choose Turtwig, Chimchar or Piplup.

   Pal’s pick: Turtwig. The little tree was always a long-term investment in good vibes.

   The legendary headliners.

   • Giratina
   • Dialga
   • Palkia

   Giratina takes center stage; Dialga and Palkia can also be encountered later.

   Game notes & screenshot credit

   Gameplay image: Nintendo’s official archive ↗ (a gameplay panel is framed from the original promotional image). Platinum · Japanese promotional gameplay detail. The screenshot illustrates the game; the memorable moment is described separately.

   Game references: Game overview ↗ · Additional official archive ↗. Copyright Nintendo / Creatures Inc. / GAME FREAK inc. / The Pokémon Company. Editorial commentary and rank: Pallet.Club.

6. 06

   Kanto, freshly charged

   Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen

   Game Boy Advance / SP · 2004 US · Kanto + Sevii Islands · 8 badges

   Screen / 06● ●

   

   For plenty of ’90s kids, this was the first Kanto that really belonged to them. Bright colors, familiar routes, and trading without the old cable if you had the Wireless Adapter. The Sevii Islands made the old adventure feel like it still had a few new secrets.

   The core memory

   The eighth Gym Leader is Giovanni.

   Returning to the Viridian Gym and discovering who is finally behind that closed door. A familiar face turns your last badge into a proper story beat.

   Gym flashback Sabrina: the Saffron teleport maze is still a test of patience before the actual battle.

   Pick your first partner.

   • Bulbasaur
   • Charmander
   • Squirtle

   Choose Bulbasaur, Charmander or Squirtle.

   Pal’s pick: Charmander. Sometimes the starter decision is made by the box art.

   The legendary headliners.

   • Mewtwo
   • Articuno
   • Zapdos
   • Moltres

   The classic Kanto legends return. Charizard and Venusaur are cover stars, not Legendary Pokémon.

   Game notes & screenshot credit

   Gameplay image: Nintendo’s official archive ↗. FireRed / LeafGreen · Japanese promotional gameplay. The screenshot illustrates the game; the memorable moment is described separately.

   Game references: Game overview ↗ · Additional official archive ↗. Copyright Nintendo / Creatures Inc. / GAME FREAK inc. / The Pokémon Company. Editorial commentary and rank: Pallet.Club.

7. 07

   A whole new kind of blue

   Pokémon Ruby & Sapphire

   Game Boy Advance / SP · 2003 US · Hoenn · 8 badges

   Screen / 07● ●

   

   The leap to the GBA felt enormous: richer color, dramatic weather, secret hideouts and an ocean that seemed to go on forever. Emerald takes the higher slot here, but the original trip to Hoenn has a warmth that no revision can replace.

   The core memory

   Leaving the surface behind.

   Using Dive to explore Hoenn’s underwater routes. Familiar water becomes a second layer of the world. Suddenly every dark patch feels like an invitation.

   Gym flashback Norman in Petalburg. Your dad is a Gym Leader, and the family discount is zero badges.

   Pick your first partner.

   • Treecko
   • Torchic
   • Mudkip

   Choose Treecko, Torchic or Mudkip to help Professor Birch.

   Pal’s pick: Treecko. The cool kid of a very strong starter class.

   The legendary headliners.

   • Groudon · Ruby
   • Kyogre · Sapphire
   • Rayquaza · both

   Groudon and Kyogre are version counterparts; Rayquaza is a later encounter in both.

   Game notes & screenshot credit

   Gameplay image: Nintendo’s official archive ↗. Ruby / Sapphire · Japanese promotional gameplay. The screenshot illustrates the game; the memorable moment is described separately.

   Game references: Game overview ↗ · Additional official archive ↗. Copyright Nintendo / Creatures Inc. / GAME FREAK inc. / The Pokémon Company. Editorial commentary and rank: Pallet.Club.

8. 08

   The Wi-Fi sleepover era

   Pokémon Diamond & Pearl

   Nintendo DS · 2007 US · Sinnoh · 8 badges

   Screen / 08● ●

   

   Two screens. The Underground. A world that felt a little larger and a lot more connected. Yes, the pacing asks for patience. Nostalgia is allowed to remember the snowy routes, secret bases and first Sinnoh team more loudly than the loading bars.

   The core memory

   Spear Pillar feels very far from home.

   Reaching the top of Mt. Coronet to confront Team Galactic and your version’s Legendary Pokémon. The kid who started near Lake Verity has come a long way.

   Gym flashback Volkner in Sunyshore: the last badge before the long run at the League.

   Pick your first partner.

   • Turtwig
   • Chimchar
   • Piplup

   Choose Turtwig, Chimchar or Piplup.

   Pal’s pick: Piplup. Small penguin, immense confidence.

   The legendary headliners.

   • Dialga · Diamond
   • Palkia · Pearl
   • Uxie
   • Mesprit
   • Azelf

   The cover legend is version-specific; the lake trio appears in both.

   Game notes & screenshot credit

   Gameplay image: Nintendo’s official archive ↗. Diamond / Pearl · Japanese promotional gameplay. The screenshot illustrates the game; the memorable moment is described separately.

   Game references: Game overview ↗ · Additional official archive ↗. Copyright Nintendo / Creatures Inc. / GAME FREAK inc. / The Pokémon Company. Editorial commentary and rank: Pallet.Club.

9. 09

   The growing-up chapter

   Pokémon Black & White

   Nintendo DS · 2011 US · Unova · 8 badges

   Screen / 09● ●

   

   The series grew a little older right as its original audience did. Animated sprites, busy city streets and N’s big questions give Unova a different emotional register. It ranks lower for early-childhood nostalgia, not for ambition. The soundtrack has a very persuasive appeal.

   The core memory

   N’s Castle changes the ending.

   A castle rises around the Pokémon League. The familiar road to Champion suddenly becomes a confrontation about what your whole adventure has meant.

   Gym flashback Elesa in Nimbasa. The roller-coaster Gym has style, and the battle knows it.

   Pick your first partner.

   • Snivy
   • Tepig
   • Oshawott

   Choose Snivy, Tepig or Oshawott.

   Pal’s pick: Oshawott. A tiny otter with the confidence to face a philosophical crisis.

   The legendary headliners.

   • Reshiram · Black
   • Zekrom · White
   • Kyurem · both

   The white dragon is in Black; the black dragon is in White. The names really do cross over.

   Game notes & screenshot credit

   Gameplay image: Nintendo’s official archive ↗. Black / White · Japanese promotional gameplay. The screenshot illustrates the game; the memorable moment is described separately.

   Game references: Game overview ↗ · Additional official archive ↗. Copyright Nintendo / Creatures Inc. / GAME FREAK inc. / The Pokémon Company. Editorial commentary and rank: Pallet.Club.

10. 10

    The final DS mixtape

    Pokémon Black 2 & White 2

    Nintendo DS · 2012 US · Unova · two years later · 8 badges

    Screen / 10● ●

    

    A proper sequel, not just the same trip with a new coat of paint. Returning to a changed Unova feels especially good when the first save file still means something to you. For late-’90s kids, this one may deserve a much higher number. We will hear your case.

    The core memory

    The World Tournament is a reunion.

    Meeting Gym Leaders and Champions from earlier regions in the Pokémon World Tournament. The old favorites are back—and they have not come to hand you a participation badge.

    Gym flashback Roxie in Virbank: a poison-type badge with its own band rehearsal.

    Pick your first partner.

    • Snivy
    • Tepig
    • Oshawott

    Snivy, Tepig or Oshawott return as your starter choices.

    Pal’s pick: Snivy. Immaculate sequel energy.

    The legendary headliners.

    • Black Kyurem · Black 2
    • White Kyurem · White 2

    These are Kyurem forms, not two separate species. Version-specific fusion is part of the story.

    Game notes & screenshot credit

    Gameplay image: Nintendo’s official archive ↗. Black 2 / White 2 · Japanese promotional gameplay. The screenshot illustrates the game; the memorable moment is described separately.

    Game references: Game overview ↗ · Additional official archive ↗. Copyright Nintendo / Creatures Inc. / GAME FREAK inc. / The Pokémon Company. Editorial commentary and rank: Pallet.Club.