-Leonardo Da Vinci
The first time I ever played a video game was in 1994 when I was 5 years old. It’s one of my earliest memories – my auntie, a teenager at the time, let me play her copy of Dr. Mario on the Game Boy and I immediately fell in love with videogames, and Nintendo. I was completely in awe of the Game Boy, and regularly played Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins. But, it was when I received a copy of Pokémon Red that my appreciation for handheld consoles and my understanding of their necessity within the videogame industry, was formed.
Pokémon Red is a titan of a videogame. If you’re looking at sales figures alone, Red/Blue sold an impressive 60 million units making it the best selling Nintendo game of all time (technically Wii Sports has shipped 80 million – but that came bundled with the Wii, so it’s like, you know…). Sales aside, Red/Blue are 100% culpable for the success of the Pokémon franchise within video games – obviously, the playing cards were a big part of the franchise’s success as a whole. Sure, Red/Blue haven’t aged as well as other Pokemon games, but what always brings me back is the original 150 Pokémon from Kanto and the promise of a simpler time. It’s much easier to “catch ‘em all” when the Pokédex isn’t 932 Pokémon deep. This was the first time we were introduced to Pokémon’s different art styles and aesthetic, the complex battling mechanic, and the need to have a full collection. It’s a feeling I recall all too easily which is only amplified by nostalgia when I boot the game back up for another playthrough.
The original 150 ‘mon from Kanto are so iconic within the series – whether that’s because you’ve memorised them all or enjoy a nice listen of the Pokérap. They’ve continued to appear in newer generations and titles – even today, competitive teams are including Pokémon from the original 150. I often see a lot of Snorlax, Raichu, Gengar, Arcanine and Gyarados when I’m being pummeled online! That being said, I wanted a little slice of that late 90’s video game nostalgia, so I’ve put together my Top 10 Kanto Pokémon – hopefully, there’s a ‘mon in here that can take you back to a less complicated time.
Did You Know?
- Released in 1998.
- Sold nearly 60 million units making it the best selling Nintendo game of all time (if you don’t include Wii Sports, which I don’t).
- Introduced version exclusive ‘mon – no Blue exclusives make this list as I owned Red.
10) Jolteon
They say that nothing in life is free. True, but if you can look past that you had to technically pay for the game, well, you’d be able to scoff at that sentiment when you arrive in Celadon City and bag yourself a no-strings-attached Eevee. In Pokémon Red/Blue, there were only three “eeveelutions”, and on my first playthrough I needed an electric-type – enter Jolteon. Speedy, and with access to a powerhouse attack in Thunderbolt, Jolteon was a go-to sweeper in my original team. My 9-year-old brain didn’t understand any tactical nuances so I used to have 4 attacking moves, but even with that setup, Jolteon reigned supreme. I’ve picked Vaporeon and Flareon in other playthroughs, but they never impressed me as much as this lightning fueled fiend.
9) Gengar
Nowadays, you can’t move for Ghost Pokémon, but back in Gen I, there was only Ghastly, Haunter and Gengar – and they’re all on the same evolution line! Gengar could only be obtained by receiving a Haunter through trade, which then evolved – but if you were lucky enough to get your hands on one, you’d be in a position to create a very strong team for sure. With access to Hypnosis and Dream Eater, Gengar could leisurely put his foes into a state of serenity, whilst feasting on their subconscious dreams and regaining health back in the process. Chuck in a strong Poison and Ghost move to fill up the other two slots and you’ve got yourself a nightmarish purple menace.
8) Butterfree
I mentioned in my Top 10 Bug Pokémon blog my love for butterflies, and although Butterfree landed 4th on that particular list, it doesn’t climb quite as high here. Butterfree was a big part of my very first Pokémon team. I chose a Charmander so going up against Brock left me caught between a rock and a hard place (the puns just don’t get any better). Luckily, I’d captured a Caterpie in Viridian Forest and, as you only need to get it to Level 10 to evolve into Butterfree, I was able to make the Gym battle slightly more bearable. Despite not having a decent Bug move in Red/Blue, Butterfree does get access to all the powder moves for status effects, alongside Psybeam – which is incredibly good against Bruno in the Elite Four. That’s if you keep Butterfree that long!
7) Alakazam
Another ‘mon that required a trade from a friend (of which I had few – thank god for brothers) is Alakazam. Prepped with two spoons as if he was about to go to town on some Ben & Jerry’s, this Psychic ‘mon was super-powerful, and also available early game. Caught on route 24 on the way to Bill’s house, you could bag an Abra by immediately launching a Pokéball before it teleports out of battle. Level it up, trade (and trade back), and before you know it you’ve got a special attacking brute with access to Psychic, Reflect and other mind-bending moves. I know Uri Geller’s not going to be pleased seeing this ‘mon make the list.
6) Rhydon
Remember the Safari Zone? Unable to battle, and armed with nothing but bait and Safari Balls, trainers had to try and capture ‘mon without weakening them – the danger equivalent of being allowed to just go and pet a Lion in a real-life zoo. One of the harder Safari ‘mon to catch was Ryhorn, which eventually evolves into Rhydon. I say eventually because at Level 42, Ryhorn has one of the highest levels for evolution in Red/Blue. But, it’s for good reason. This Rock/Ground Pokémon has an incredibly high attack, HP and defence stats making it difficult to KO. It’s got access to moves like Rock Slide, Earthquake and Thunder, all of which have a base attack of 100+, and it’s on Giovanni’s team – so it’s obviously got style. Rhydon of course goes on to get another evolution in later generations, which is still used frequently in trick room teams to date!
5) Arcanine
Owning a copy of Pokémon Red meant I was privy to catching a Growlithe (you can keep your Vulpix Pokémon Blue). Using a Firestone caused Growlithe to evolve into the formidable Arcanine – who made up my Fire Pokémon of choice during my second playthrough, when I chose Bulbasaur as a starter. Arcanine doesn’t learn any moves after evolving so you had to build up Growlithe’s move pool, or arm him with TMs such as Fire Blast and Dig – a great coverage move against daunting rock types. Arcanine has also gone on to be a solid Pokémon in future generations – Generation III introduced Abilities for Pokémon and Arcanine’s intimidate is greatly used in the competitive scene for lowering an opponent’s attack right off the bat. Chuck in the above-average speed stat and great, flame-esque design and it’s hard not to love this pyrotechnic-pup.
4) Venasaur
Like I said above, my second playthrough of Pokémon Red saw me choose Bulbasaur as a starter, which eventually evolved into the ferocious Venusaur. I chose Charmander in my first playthrough which made the first two gym battles against Brock and Misty a tad difficult, being rock and water types respectively. My Bulbasaur playthrough was the complete opposite – with Grass being super effective against both rock and water, Bulbasaur tore through those gyms like a child tearing through wrapping paper on Xmas morning. In fact, of the eight Kanto Gyms, Venusaur has favourable match-ups in four of them, the most of the three starter ‘mon available. Most people don’t know that, of the starter ‘mon’s final evolutions, Venusaur is the tallest at 6 foot 7 inches, making him taller than Michal Jordan. Someone pass that plant a basketball.
3) Electabuzz
Look – I’ve put two Electric types on this list and none of them are Pikachu. It’s fine. I get there’s a lot of love for Pikachu but he’s so prevalent as the mascot, and in the anime, that I didn’t want to fill up my team with him too. A Pokémon that does make sparks fly is Electabuzz, another Pokémon Red exclusive. Obtained from the Power Plant, Electabuzz is electricity personified. The sharp yellow colour accurately pushes the type, whilst the black, lightning-bolt pattern across his body reinforces the message that if you cross Electabuzz, you’re gonna get shocked. I definitely think he’s one of the cooler designed Kanto Pokémon and, with access to a good move pool, he’s not a Pokémon you want to sleep on.
2) Gyarados
In Pokémon Red/Blue, there’s an unbelievable amount of Water Pokémon. They populate the wild more than any other type, and it’s for that reason why I never chose Squirtle as a starter. There’s 20 Water Pokémon you can catch, or get as gifts/fossils – Gyarados isn’t one of them. Only obtained by evolving Magikarp, the juxtaposition of the two Pokémon is truly unique. Magikarp is a bit useless as a ‘mon, it only knows Splash and Tackle, so battling with him is truly an arduous task. But persevere until level 20 and the sweet reward of a monstrous and brutal Gyarados lets you know your efforts weren’t in vain. Gyarados learns both Hydro Pump and Hyper Beam, two of the strongest moves in Red/Blue, so you know he’s no joke. The menacing design is also one of the best in the game – sharp teeth, sharp angles, sharp scales…he’s just pretty damn sharp. The combination of power and the shock evolution made Gyarados really stand out for me, so much so that, in every title since, I’ve had a Gyarados on my team.
1) Charizard
Here it is, the oh-so-obvious number one choice of Charizard. I’ve already mentioned a few times that I started my first playthrough with Charmander, I chose Pokémon Red, I was lucky enough to own a shiny Charizard Pokémon card – hell, even my Dad told my gullible 9-year-old self that he saw a Charmander in a pet-shop…and I believed him (I was heartbroken when he revealed the stone-cold lie). All of these combined with a kick-ass design, powerful moves and wonderful memories of Charizard getting me out of some tight spots not only make him my favourite Kanto ‘mon – but my favourite ‘mon of all time. It’s always sad when Charmander isn’t available in other entries within the series, but on the flip side, that only amplifies that nostalgic driven love for Charizard, and Pokémon Red.
Even though it was a much more simplistic landscape during Pokémon Red & Blue, choosing this Top 10 was still difficult. With 150 Pokémon, each of which could easily land a place on this list (except perhaps Jynx, what in tarnation even is that thing?!), I’d be surprised if my choices came close to anybody else’s. But that’s the beauty of Pokémon Red and Blue, even in their obvious simplicity when compared to other Pokémon titles, there’s still a whole load of layers, complexity, and variety to be found – and loved.