Pokemon has been around for over 20 years, spawning eight generations of mainline games and countless spinoffs. We've seen series come and go in that time, some quietly fading from existence and others, like Fire Emblem and Zelda, evolving.

The Pokemon series has a rich legacy to build on with every new entry, though surprisingly, the evolution of Pokemon is less straightforward than merely improving every time. 

Pokemon's journey is thornier than an angry Ferrosseed, full of tweaks and experiments that should have worked but didn't, some that did work and got left behind, and some that completely baffle the mind.

With the latest Pokemon games — Sword and Shield — smashing sales records left and right, we decided to dig into what makes the series work and where it falls flat. We're only talking mainline games in this retrospective, though, because the spinoffs are a whole 'nuther creature.

The Best and Worst Pokemon Regions

Pokemon didn't start having actual stories until Gen V, so there's not much use comparing them. Instead, it's the region that helps contribute to each generation's personality.

Some regions are bland, but hassle-free, while other regions present more challenge and visual interest at the expense of convenience. It's understandable, though, because designing a host of new creatures and an entire world for them is a lot for a small team working on tight deadlines.

When You Give Pokemon Crayons and Construction Paper

Mentioning Sinnoh right away seems a bit contradictory. It's the place that introduced "HM bloat" after all. Whoever thought creating Defog and Rock Climb while making them mandatory HMs was obviously in desperate need of an extended vacation.

Outside of that and some iffy bits on Mt. Coronet, Sinnoh may be the last great Pokemon region in overall design — at least for a while.

Sinnoh presents a good balance of long, tough routes with plenty of environmental points of interest, plus some shorter routes that cram challenges in a tiny space. On top of that is a generally wider variety of designs, especially compared to Hoenn, with snowy routes, mountaintops, sea routes, flower fields, and stone cities. Every section of Sinnoh is unique.

That's part of the game's central premise, too: the idea of a diverse and varied world full of different kinds of life. What's particularly interesting here is how it builds on failure.

Hoenn tries to create a region based on a plot theme in land versus sea, but that flops. In theory, a region split between land and water sounds interesting. However, you can't do all that much on the water other than swim. Diving is just swimming underwater, and then you swim some more. The towns and cities are afterthoughts.

Sinnoh benefits from being a bit less rigid with making the theme the central focus, letting the general idea of a wild world created by different Pokemon take hold.

PokeGlobe Trotting

And then it stopped.

Easily the worst aspect of region design is when Game Freak decided to explore other cultures. It's a noble idea, exposing young people to different ways of life. But the result — at least for a while — turned out like a Pokemon version of "It's a Small World," prioritizing over-the-top references to other cultures instead of doing anything exciting or meaningful.

Gen V's Black and White started a trend towards PokeTourism, moving away from the idea of a region built around a story concept and making the region itself the concept.

The only thing is, Pokemon's NPCs are too one dimensional to make that push towards other cultures work well, so it relies on the entire region to pull it off. Unfortunately, the U.S.-vibe Unova is supposed to give off doesn't continue outside Castelia City, and even then, it doesn't serve much purpose other than showcasing the Nintendo DS' hardware capabilities.

There's the entertainment city Nimbasa, but Jubilife and Goldenrod already have that covered. Opelucid is just Blackthorn with a twist. The entire eastern half of Unova has no relevance to the main game. And then you get places like the vast Icirrus Moor, which is big, and that's it. 

Kalos is a Unova repeat, sending you around a big circle, hitting all the main terrain notes: rocky, ice, seaport, flashy big city, and so on. There are a few French-inspired things added as dressing, with some story about a 3,000-year-old zombie king that can be filed under "H" for "hash-induced."

Alola does the same thing, making a meal out of the Hawaiian location without integrating it into the story or gameplay mechanics.

Galar, The Happy Medium

Sword and Shield's Galar region is a happy marriage of these two concepts, of planned design that emphasizes culture. It's inspired by a specific culture again, yet it's just a few aspects that get the focus. These are built into the area's core, like the Champion Cup. Everything else flows from there.

That makes Galar a sharp contrast to the superficial regional flavors of Alola that are constantly shoved in your face but don't do much else.

It's true we still have some forced regional dialogue in Galar. Again, we also have vast open spaces, exciting cities, and enough varied geography to offset the same-y-ness of the ice, forest, and rocky settings. The routes are still not quite as impressive as those well-worn Sinnoh paths, but the Wild Area exists to make up for that.

If Game Freak is going to keep creating regions based on specific cultures, hopefully, the changes we saw with Galar continue.

The Best and Worst Gym Leaders

Outside of the regions themselves, another important aspect of any Pokemon game is who you face as your primary opponents: the Gym Leaders and the Elite Four.

The Gym theme is one of the staler aspects of Pokemon and has changed the least over time. You can bet there's always going to be a Fire, Water, Grass, and Rock-type Gym, with other types in rotation, like Psychic, Ice, and Dragon. That means there are only two candidates for "best Gym Leader rosters."

Shattering Expectations in Diamond and Pearl

The first two games of Gen IV shook up the Gym system. Not like Sun and Moon did, through complete abolition, but by throwing curveballs with Gym-themed Pokemon that can take out your team.

A good many of the leaders toss in at least one dual-type Pokemon after the second leader — Maylene's Lucario and Meditite, Byron's Bronzor, Candice's Medicham, and half of Volkner's team. Crasher Wake might be more traditional, but his Gyrados can crush a fragile Electric-type in seconds.

Typically, you get Gym Leader rosters with either pure types. Platinum nerfed this feature with more traditional and less challenging Gyms, unfortunately, and we haven't seen it since.

Even the Galar Gyms in Sword and Shield are relatively traditional, though the inclusion of Gigantamax Pokemon — with special Gigantamax moves — from the third Gym on does shake things up.

Alola, The Confused One

Talking about Gyms and changes throughout the series means we must naturally touch on Alola — again. There isn't much to say here, though your opinion will naturally vary.

Gen VII replaced Gym challenges with Trials, but these can't be considered improvements. Some people like them, but I don't see how "which dancing Marowak is different??" can compare in any way to "challenge this super-strong Gym leader."

These always end with a battle against a turbo-powered Pokemon anyway, so why even bother with the goofy mini-game? It was a further step towards patronizing players and assuming young children are naturally stupid, and it's a mechanic that hopefully never comes back.

If something has to be changed, why not go for typeless Gym Leaders, taking the original Sinnoh concept further?

Then there's Galar's move towards putting Gym Leaders in your path more often, which also opens some possibilities for the future of Gym challenges. In short, significant change isn't always for the better, especially if that change is done only for the sake of change.

The Best Elite Four

Unlike Gym Leaders, the Elite Four does tend to vary wildly from game to game, though with no real visible trend (unless you count "rehash"). With a different set of trainers focusing on different types, you'd think there wouldn't be a way to compare them.

However, there are some definite winners and losers when it comes to the Elite Four, and the Elite Four exemplifies the struggle with the change that Pokemon has faced from the beginning.

Karen Will Be Your Opponent

Johto does a lot of things right, but the Elite Four isn't one of them. Will is an altered Lorelei, Bruno is as ridiculously easy as ever, and Koga isn't much better. Then we have Karen, the Agatha of Johto.

Karen is a trainer meant to take advantage of an underused type, except oops — there aren't enough Pokemon of that type to make it work. Johto introduces the Dark-type Pokemon, with a total of three Dark-type Pokemon: Umbreon, Houndour/Houndoom, and Murkrow.

Karen uses them all, though Murkrow doesn't count. And even though Murkrow isn't a pushover, the Pokemon wasn't much to write home about until Gen IV introduced its evolved form, Honchkrow.

So Karen has to supplement that missing piece with two non-Dark types the same as Agatha, opting for Poison instead. Sorry, but the manager says you're wrong: Vileplume isn't a Dark-type, KAREN.

Hoenn — Prepare for Trouble

After the too-familiar Johto Elite Four, Hoenn's diverse types and brutal opponents are hugely welcome, and you can see a bit of that Sinnoh Gym Leader philosophy on display here.

If a member of the Hoenn Elite Four doesn't have a dual-type 'mon to mess you up, they pack obnoxious status moves or monster Pokemon — like Walrein or Drake's Altaria — that can destroy you before you even have a chance to do anything.

The big standout here, though, is Steven. No, a Rock-type Pokemon trainer isn't that special on its own. Two generations of Brock then Roxanne saw to that. What makes Steven unique alongside his dual-type team from Hell is how he's the first Champion who isn't Lance, which means he's also the first Champion who doesn't use Dragons.

Steven didn't completely shake up the Champion mechanic — that happened with Cynthia — but it was an injection of newness into a formula that would have become stale very quickly with another Dragon master.

Sinnoh — And Make It Double

The Sinnoh Elite Four follows a similar path as the Hoenn League and ups the challenge — like, y'know, the strongest trainers in the region should do.

Diamond and Pearl toss dual-types and weird roster members in the mix, much like Flint's Lopunny and Drifblim. Diamon and Pearl was the first time it seemed like the top trainers earned that title since they tried to be well rounded. Plus, it forced players to bring a well-rounded team, except Bertha, who was crap.

Platinum nerfed that again but increased the overall power of each Elite Four member's team with more and stronger Pokemon for each — except Bertha, who is still crap.

Cynthia is the real star, though, even more than with Steven. That she's the first lady Champion is one thing, though Pokemon never had problems with strong women. It's not even because she is like Lance 2.0 with the significant role she played in the story. No, Cynthia is the first Champion with a diverse roster of Pokemon custom-made to trash you no matter what, and it's telling she's the only trainer not to get a significant roster change in Platinum.

Remember Me?

Alola doesn't really have an Elite Four until it does at the end. Then it's just the same Kahunas you already fought — for the most part.

There's some interesting story integration, but it's a bit stale feeling.

Kukui has a few glaring weaknesses and a roster seemingly chosen at random that make the fight anticlimactic compared to Cynthia or even Kalos' Diantha. This, combined with the story that takes center stage throughout the games, means your League fight is sort of just a thing that happens and whatever.

Moving Back Towards the Center with Galar

Galar, unfortunately, has a similar setup, where you fight some of the same Leaders you fought before. However, it improves on the Alola formula in a few key ways.

The story integration works a bit better in Galar since Sword and Shield are built around everyone vying for a spot in the League against the Champion. Plus, you end up with a total of seven fights instead of the usual five. It's the closest to the Pokemon anime that any game has gotten, with the idea of multiple rounds.

More importantly, each opponent has at least one 'mon meant to throw you off like the Hoenn and Sinnoh Leagues, with Raihan's near-invincible Duraludon being the best example of the lot.

Leon is one of the best Champions since Cynthia as well. Not only does he give you your first Pokemon, but he's also held up as the pinnacle of the Pokemon world. It imbues the match with an urgency missing for a long time, helped by Leon's relatively challenging and Cynthia-like roster that will put your skills to the test.

It's a good lesson, and one Game Freak hopefully takes to heart. 

The Pokemon — Best and Worst Pokemon Design

Pokemon design doesn't follow much of a trend, either, though one could argue the road got a bit bumpier after Gen III. It's easily the most divisive topic as well. You might hate my favorite Pokemon, and I could think your favorite Pokemon is complete garbage. Heck, some Pokemon literally are complete garbage.

Pokemon design has always bordered on the bizarre. There are animal-inspired designs like the Squirtle family mixed in with seductive Psychic humanoid creatures and genetically modified mutants. That doesn't leave much room for saying any Pokemon is "bad" or "weird," but it's safe to say Game Freak tends to do its best work when the developer isn't tied down to previous generations.

When Old Was Still New — Johto and Hoenn

Johto is a bit of an exception to that rule. Game Freak designed 100 new Pokemon to populate the region. Still, instead of rehashing the Kanto bug trilogy or making another new bat 'mon, these older Pokemon live alongside the new ones. Such a design felt like a healthy balance between nostalgia and newness, with plenty of fresh designs to make it sparkle.

Gen III did the exact opposite, and it was a smart move despite being a bit of a gamble. For it to work, the designs had to be exciting and engaging — and they were. Gone are most of the familiar faces, and in their place waddle strange little rabbits called Whismur, deadly sloths, and a familiar-seeming caterpillar. Still, none of these have much to do with their specific region; they just exist.

Look, It's New! Just Kidding, It's the Same Thing

Looking back, you can see Gen IV is where things started to get a bit confused. The Sinnoh Pokedex is notable for how few completely new Pokemon it adds, with many of them just being different variations on existing 'mon. Some can reasonably be called palette swaps as well, like the Starly line that isn't Pidgey — but is basically Pidgey — or Fat Persian, er, I mean "Purrugly."

Gen V tried adopting a Hoenn model, with a whole massive new roster of completely new 'mon, but it also suffers from Sinnoh syndrome.

Yeah, a lot of these new Pokemon were great, like Zebstrika and the Litwick family. But a lot of them were variations of what came before, and it just seemed like ticking the boxes: Rock-type and Fighting-type families that require trade to evolve? Check. Normal/Flying bird trio? Check. Two bug lines, one aggressive, the other not? Check. Version exclusive Grass lines? Sigh...check.

From there, the trend has been increasingly towards the familiar, with Gens VI and VII giving us massive Pokedexes with less than memorable new Pokemon, or if they are memorable, they get swamped by the hundreds of other 'mon vying for attention.

Regional Pokemon Flavo(u)r

Interestingly, Gen VIII has the fewest new Pokemon of any recent game, yet these stand out the most. Part of that is because we didn't see them all until later. But the other part is how they're handled. Just some slight tweaks to the formula keep it seeming fresh.

Your Rock-type Rolycoly is a dual Fire-type, is fast, has high special attack (??), and doesn't have to be traded to get its final evolved form. There's a cutesy Normal-type right at the beginning, but it's a freaking monster squirrel-tank that can power through most opponents. There's a new Bug line, but it's weird, and it's a Psychic radar to boot, and the new Flying line is part Steel — not new in itself (Skarmory), but it's how it's handled that makes a difference.

The familiar is still here, and you can forget Blipbug and get your Caterpie if you want. Like in Gen II, the new and old complement each other, and like Gen III, there's enough difference in how they're handled to convince long-time players this is a brand new adventure.

Even the silly ones like Alcremie have a purpose, and more importantly, you get to interact with them. You have to whip Milcery (not literally) to get Alcremie, find out if Sinistea is authentic or forged, and push Farfetch'd to greater heights of bravery until it evolves.

Like with the Champion Cup, this is yet another way the Galar region makes the Pokemon world feel more alive and closer to the anime. Even if there aren't as many new Pokemon, this is the best way forward for the series. It doesn't require shaking the formula up that much.

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It's surprising to see a series as revered as Pokemon have a bit of a design potluck from the beginning.

The core gameplay might remain the same, but there have been a lot of changes in how these things are implemented. Region design experienced a bit of a crisis when it went from Japan-only inspiration to global. Still, hopefully, the design team has a better idea of how to make them interesting from here on.

The same goes for the Gym Challenge and Elite Four. Chances are, though, feedback on difficulty and overall goals for the next gen mean there probably won't be any identifiable pattern or logic in how the games' challenges move forward.

Fairy Beautiful (Gym Leader Valerie) by TashaLeeArtistry

Photography by Robert Velasco

This Valerie cosplay by TashaLeeArtistry is another great example of a fictional Pokémon character come to life. The wing-like sleeves are almost perfect!

Calem by KyoudaiCosband

Photography by Trisha

This Calem cosplay is so spot on, that if I did not know any better I would say that Pokémon characters have started climbing out of the game cartridge and into the real world. One can certainly dream...but, admittedly, we should be careful what we wish for.

Champion Iris by DeLore Cosplay

While Champion Iris may look a bit childish and even goofy in her fancy Champion outfit, DeLore Cosplay manages to take this character and make her look mature and beautiful.

Cynthia by Jamberrii

Photography by Nudelsieb

This interpretation of Cynthia from generation IV is as accurate as they come. The hair, ornaments and clothing, even the expression on Jamberrii's face seem especially fitting.

Team Aqua Salute by ClumsyClueless

Though I would definitely be afraid if Team Aqua were real (I am not sure how they cannot see that creating more ocean might just kill people and Pokémon or leave them stranded and homeless), this cosplay is faithful to the original Ruby and Sapphire versions of the Team's grunts. The cosplayer even chose an excellent location to shoot the picture!

Bellossom by Yû Cosplay

If this cosplay does not evoke thoughts of Bellossom, the sun-summoning, dancing Pokémon evolution of Gloom, then I do not know what will. The dress is accurately reminiscent of leaves, and though Bellossom does not appear to have hair, the green wig fits with the interpretation.

Gold (and Silver) from Pokemon by slightlysalted and GunBlazeEx

Though I am not sure Gold and Silver are still named "Gold and Silver" in the HeartGold and SoulSilver remakes of the original gen II games, this cosplay is extremely faithful to the new versions of these characters, and even references the Pokémon Adventures manga, given the Pokémon he is holding is a Totodile.

Legendary Birds by karebare89, Chibi_Mony, and chikade

Those wings are pure awesome. Not only did they probably take hours to make, they are also so fitting for the three birds of Pokémon legend.

Vaporeon Gijinka Cosplay by usagiyuu

This Vaporeon Gijinka cosplay is pretty minimalist, but it works well. The cosplayer, usagiyuu, tries to imitate the appearance of a tail with the end of the dress, and I think it is appropriate given that this is a humanoid version.

Shiny Gyarados by CosmosFox Cosplay

I know, I know, there is already a Gyarados cosplay in here. But this was such a strikingly different take on the Pokémon from what I originally chose to showcase. The cosplay is so beautiful I almost forget what a foul temper Gyarados has...

Samurai Gyarados by starryeyedq

This take on Gyarados is something I have not seen elsewhere in Pokémon cosplay. I do not think I could have imagined Gyarados as a samurai before this, but starryeyedq pulls off the samurai look brilliantly.

Fury Cutter (Scyther) by TerminaCosplay

Photography by VordigonPhotography

This cosplay is pretty incredible! The wings on the costume look surprisingly realistic, and the scythe weapons are detailed. 

VICTREEBEL, LET-ME-GO by Nefzinha

Photography by Remy

Comparison image, James and Victreebel, by Orne-Phantom

This might not be directly from a Pokémon game, but this is so perfect that I just had to include it. This started a bit of a running gag in the Pokémon Anime that James' grass-type Pokémon would always bite or attack him when coming out of the Pokéball, to comedic effect, but presumably as a form of affection. Obviously some of us still cannot get over it.

Team Rocket Grunt Cosplay by pokey93

The addition of the exclamation points over the cosplayers' heads makes this cosplay pretty amusing, and more true to the games given that is the way a Team Rocket grunt will initially respond to your presence most of the time. Just do not make eye contact...

Zubat by TwinklebatCosplay

Photography by Maboroshi

Did you seriously think you would get away without being ambushed by a Zubat? Wild Zubat jokes aside, this Gijinka (in short, an animal in human form, or anthropomorphized) cosplay captures Zubat excellently.

Pokémon fans range from young children to full fledged adults, and among them are cosplayers of all kinds who visit conventions in their incredible costumes.

Here are a few awesome Pokémon cosplays worth taking a look at:

Ever wanted that awesome looking black Charizard? Or maybe a purple Vaporeon? Whatever your favorite Pokémon is, there is an alternate colored version of it called a shiny.

A lot of people know about shiny Pokemon, but many do not know how to obtain them. This guide is here to give you three methods to catch shiny Pokémon. I have used each of these, and they have all worked for me.

Chain Fishing

This method has had a pretty great rate of success for me. What you will need is as follows:

• Old Rod, Good Rod, or Super Rod (depending on which Pokémon you are trying to catch)
• A Pokémon with the Suction Cups or Sticky Hold ability. A Pokémon with one of these abilities should lead your party, as both abilities ensure that you will always get a bite using your fishing rod. Some Pokémon who have these abilities include Octillery, Inkay, Malamar Lileep, and Cradiliy.

Find a fishing spot that is surrounded by rocks and is blocked off. This gives you a better success rate, and traps the Pokemon in.

Now that you have all of your tools, you are ready. What you need to do is just keep fishing. This process works by simply encountering Pokémon; you do not need to battle them, simply continue to hook Pokémon on your fishing rod, and run from the battle. Continue to do this and you have a shot at catching a shiny. 

A warning: do not move from your spot while you are trying to chain fish. If you move your character at all you will break your chain. Just stay still and make sure you hit A when you get a bite. 

Masuda Method

This one is fairly straight-forward and is named after Junichi Masuda, who first programmed the method into Pokémon Diamond and Pearl.

You breed 2 Pokémon who are from different countries, and it increases the chance of breeding a shiny. An example is breeding a Japanese male Eevee with an American female Eevee. This would give you a better chance of breeding a shiny Eevee, as opposed to just breeding two American Eevee or two Japanese Eevee. 

Masuda Method will give you a 1 in 1366 chance of hatching a shiny, which is obviously still rare. The upside to Masuda Method is that you can choose almost any Pokémon you want to try to hatch. In that sense, it is better than Chain Fishing, which limits you to catching only Pokémon able to be caught while fishing. 

Shiny Charm

This is by far the most difficult method, but it will increase your chance of catching and hatching shiny Pokémon. By completing the Pokédex in both XY and ORAS, you receive the Shiny Charm from the game's professor. This increases your chance of catching a shiny in the wild or hatching one.

(Image from Gamefaqs)

These are my three tips for catching shiny Pokemon. I hope they helped, and happy hunting.  

While there are many aspects of Pokemon gameplay that draw players to the series, without villains to scoot each game's narrative along there wouldn't much of a game. 

In honor of these villains' supreme importance, we're ranking the villains from each generation of Pokemon from worst to best. Judgments will be made based on evil masterplans, memorability, costume design, maniacal personalities, and anything else that pops to mind. While that means this is a pretty subjective list, there are definitely a few things we can all agree on. 

5.) Team Flare, Pokemon X and Y

Team Flare might be the most stylish group of villains to grace the Pokemon games, but these bad guys from Pokemon X and Y feel uninspired compared to previous generations. 

This isn't for any lack of trying, however. Instead of introducing Team Flare as a group of crazy evil-doers set on world conquest, Pokemon X and Y sets them up as a group set on preserving the world for the good and decent people who won't ruin it. 

Lysandre, the billionaire philanthropist leader of Team Flare, frequently complains that the world is full of bad people, and predicts disaster, overpopulation, and stagnation because of this. 

This attempt at connecting Team Flare to real and prevalent issues in our own society falls flat through his maniacal ramblings and illicit doings. It's clear from the player's first meeting with Lysandre that his ideals are perverted, and it comes as no surprise when he announces that he has decided to wipe out all life on the planet. 

Overall Team Flare fails to endear themselves to players, being neither comically bad nor reaching true anti-hero status. Lucky for us that Pokemon X and Y had so much else to offer. 

4.) Team Galactic, Pokemon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum

Like Team Flare, Team Galactic is not exactly the most memorable bunch of villains that Pokemon has offered up. Despite logging hundreds of hours on Pokemon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum I still had to do a quick google search to remember who they were. 

Led by Cyrus, Team Galactic is convinced that the human spirit is ruining the world. Therefore with the help of Palkia and Diagla (they have special powers that can mess up the space/time continuum), they want to re-vamp reality.

At the time that Pokemon Diamond and Pearl were released, Team Galactic was the first group of Pokemon villains to blame human beings for the world's ills, making them stand apart from Team Rocket and Teams Aqua/Magma from previous generations. 

Despite that innovation, the team fails to stand out narratively and visually, ultimately feeling like a Team Aqua/Magma clone. You've got to hand it to Cyrus though, he did pick some rather lovely ladies as administrators for the team. 

3.) Team Magma/Aqua, Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald

Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire's release in November signals the return of Teams Magma and Aqua for  Pokemon fans everywhere, and if we were solely ranking Pokemon villains based on intelligence they wouldn't have made it this high on the list. 

Team Aqua is convinced that the world's surface should be comprised solely of water based on their love of aquatic Pokemon, while Magma attempts to add more landmass to the world due to their love of land. 

No matter which team you end up facing in the end (which is based on which version of generation 3 you play) it's clear that neither team has fully understood the consequences of their actions by the way they panic once they succeed in waking Groudon/Kyogre. 

As the silliest and perhaps the stupidest team of villains in Pokemon history, they are particularly memorable - though easily dealt with. Though each team leader will wield a Mega evolved Pokemon in the upcoming remakes, it's unlikely the teams have evolved beyond their childish ideas in any way. 

2.) Team Plasma, Pokemon Black and White, Black 2 and White 2

If Teams Magma and Aqua are the least intelligent Pokemon villains, then Team Plasma is the most intelligent group. 

Instead of seeking world domination in one form or another, Team Plasma seeks to separate Pokemon from humans due to their belief that humans don't treat Pokemon properly, and inhibit their ultimate development. 

If you've ever gotten a Pokemon nicknamed "Peni5" in WonderTrade, or sat down and thought about the hundreds of Pokemon you "released" while trying to breed a shiny, then you might have noticed that players don't always take the best care of Pokemon - which is fine, it's just a game. 

While Ghestis - the leader of Team Plasma - eventually confesses that his altruistic rhetoric was just a ploy so that he would be the only Pokemon user in the world, the narrative resonated with many Pokemon players. 

1.) Team Rocket, Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow

I honestly spent quite a long time debating whether or not Team Rocket deserved to be the best-ranked Pokemon villain team. After watching so many episodes of the Pokemon anime, it's hard to separate Jesse, James, and Meowth from the original Team Rocket that appeared in the video games. 

Yet more so than any other group, Team Rocket is just a rotten group of straight-up criminals. 

Whenever you encounter Team Rocket in Pokemon Red and Blue or Pokemon Gold and Silver, they're just sitting around trying to make money by any evil means they can think of. Sometimes this involves stealing Pokemon, sometimes this involves cutting off Slowpoke tails, and sometimes this involves experimenting with Pokemon evolution. 

Whatever Team Rocket is doing, they're doing it for the sake of power and domination - never for misguided altruistic goals and never ever for the sake of Pokemon. 

With the least ludicrous narrative and the highest concentration of pure malice, Team Rocket is definitely the best villainous group in the Pokemon games. 

The Pokémon World is filled with mystery. Since the 90's, Pokémon Trainers have travelled "across the lands, searching far and wide" to uncover the secrets of this world inhabited by strange, beautiful, and captivating creatures. The Pokémon games have changed tremendously since the release of Pokémon Red and Blue (and Green in Japan). We're going to take a look back through the games and reveal some facts you may have not known about your favorite Pocket Monsters:

1. In Generation I (Red, Blue, and Yellow) Bite and Gust were normal-type moves.

Starting with the very first games, this fact is very weird for those of us who have gotten used to these attacks now. Imagine picking up a Game-boy with Pokémon Red, and furiously tapping A yelling "Pidgey why isn't your Gust sweeping all these grass-type Pokémon!" Sounds terrible, doesn't it? Even worse, dark-type Pokémon didn't exist! These attacks were changed in Generation II and onward. Bite became a dark-type move, and Gust became a flying-type move. There you go Pidgey, now you can defeat those Oddish.

2. In Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue there's an invisible PC in the Celadon Hotel. 

Most likely an overlooked detail, the Celadon Hotel contains a fully functional PC that you cannot see. In fact, you can even walk through it. The hotel's design is based on that of a Pokémon Center, thus if you walk to the area where you would normally find a PC inside a Pokémon Center you can access this ghost machine.

3. Dragonair (13'01") is bigger than Dragonite (7'03").

I admit this may not be that interesting, but I bet you didn't know! Dragonair is almost twice the height of Dragonite. Evolving may make it shorter, but at least it gains some curves.

4. Pokémon Crystal is the first Pokémon game where you could play as a Female.

This was a huge deal for girl Pokémon fans. Before this game, one always had pretend to be a boy. Girls wanted to feel identified in the world of Pokémon as well. Clearly, the demand was heard. Since Crystal, female protagonists have always been offered. In fact, starting in Generation III, a female can even be your rival. 

5. A level 100 Shuckle can potentially deal the most damage in a single attack.

Honestly, this is just something for fun. It's legitimate, but I can't see it actually working out in battle. I can't even begin to rephrase this so:

A level 100 Shuckle can potentially deal the most damage in one single attack through the use of numerous stat boosters; by using Helping Hand by two different Pokémon in a Triple battle, holding a Metronome, Power Trick, a Skill Swap to Pure Power or Huge Power, 6 Attack boosts, and a Mimicked Me First used on a slower Pokémon using the Defense Curl/Rollout combo. Also, Shuckle's partner must have the ability Flower Gift and the weather must be sunny. On the 5th turn of using Rollout consecutively without any misses, if used against a level 1 Ledyba, Yanma or Combee with minimum Defense stats, that have been hit with negative Defense modifiers (such as Screech), it can deal 481,266,036 damage with a critical hit.

Wow. Who would have guessed?

6. Brendan, from Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, does not have white hair. His hair is actually black, and only looks white due to his hat. 

In the upcoming remakes of Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire (Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire) this detail is more apparent. However in the previous game versions, most people thought Brendan's hair was actually white and that he wore a bandana. What a strange hat, Brendan. Oh well, look at you now. All tan and showing us all that your hair is, indeed, beneath that white cap.

7. Heatran (Generation IV) is the first, and so far only, Legendary Pokemon that can be Male or Female.

There are some Pokémon that just change the rules of the game. Legendary Pokémon have rarely even had genders. Heatran is a special exemption: it can be Male or Female. Don't get too excited though, this doesn't mean you can make little baby Heatran. This legendary Pokémon is still unavailable for mating, but this fact is pretty interesting considering the rules of breeding.

8. Cryogonal (Generation V) can learn the move Attract, despite lacking a Gender.

Attract does not affect genderless Pokémon. In fact, the only other genderless Pokémon that can learn Attract is Mew for the reason that it can learn ANY attack. For both, however, the attack is useless. So much love to give, yet no love on the receiving end... What a tragic tale.

9. Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 are the only core series games in which the Pokémon Day Care is inaccessible before entering the Hall of Fame. 

You usually encounter a Pokémon Daycare around the beginning of your adventure. You've been breeding two Pokes since Generation II, and listening to how "no one knows where the eggs came from". But Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 take that comfort away from you. You must first beat the Elite 4, and then you'll get some breeding time.

10. Pokémon X and Y are the first core series games that give Running Shoes at the start of the game.

This was, personally, the nicest surprise in the most recent Pokémon game. If you've ever played Generation I, you had to deal with walking speed until you got the bike. Thank god things have changed. Not only do you move fast in Pokémon X and Y, you skate. This results in actually having to take a break from the speed and appreciate the walking feature as well.

 I hope these facts were new to most of you. There are still many facts hidden within the regions of Pokémon, it's our job to find 'em all. Are there any strange Pokémon facts you know that weren't mentioned?

Pokémon is one of the best-selling games of all time. The franchise takes the number one spot in best-selling game for Gameboy/Gameboy Color, Gameboy Advanced, and Nintendo 3DS.

I've been a Pokémon fan since as far back as I can remember. Along with books, games were an escape from day-to-day reality; which as a kid, can sometimes be daunting. Between curfew, always having to go with my parents EVERYWHERE (oil changes were the worst), and school, there are always certain things kids turn to for "escape". For me it was anime, novels, and Pokémon. Pokémon hold its own category because it was so massively important to me. The show, the cards, the video games. To this day I collect plushies and figures. I have played every Pokémon game to date, and would like to rank the handheld games from best to worst.

Please keep in mind that this is an opinion piece and it does not represent the official thoughts of GameSkinny. 

#1. Pokémon Gold & Silver/Crystal

RATINGS
IGN: 10/9

GAMESPOT: 8.8/ 8.4

COPIES SOLD: 23 Million

As I have mentioned, this is a personal ranking, and the reason for Generation 2 being my favorite go beyond just the game. The first time I played Gold and Silver, I really enjoyed the new types, 16 gyms, story, legendaries, etc. But when my father brought home Crystal one day, I could not contain myself. I didn't care that it was roughly the same game because I could play as a girl. Pokémon adventures were for girls too! I was only 8 years old. In fact, I had played every Pokémon game from Red, Yellow, and Silver that same year. I had also felt embarrassed to tell my friends who were girls that I loved Pokémon so much, especially since you could never play as a girl. But now, that had changed. 

G/S/C brought two new types: Dark and Steel, the chance to go back to Kanto and complete the 8 badges after the Johto League, and 100 new Pokémon. They were the first Pokémon games to incorporate day and night. The new legendary Pokémon, Ho-oh and Lugia, had captivating stories behind them, as did Suicune in Crystal. All around, these games were perfect. Game sales wise, this game (Gold and Silver) sold 23 million copies worldwide. Crystal sold less, with 3.85 million.

In 2009, Gold and Silver remakes were released with updated graphics, an adorable feature where the first Pokémon in your party followed out around (Yes, even Wailord), and a Pokéwalker. The Pokéwalker allowed you to transfer one Pokémon to the device, and carry it around on your belt or pants. It had a pedometer, and with each step, the Pokémon inside would gain experience. You could also catch Pokémon and collect items, then transfer them to your game. Pokémon Heartgold and Soulsilver sold 12.72 million copies, staying in the top 10 best selling games for Nintendo DS. 

#2. Pokémon Ruby & Sapphire/Emerald

RATINGS 
IGN: 9.5/8

GAMESPOT: 8.1/ 7.5 

COPIES SOLD: 16.22 million/6.32 million

These games are pretty much tied with my #1 choice. Ranking is difficult...

I was 10 years old when Ruby and Sapphire released, and I literally replayed the story about 5 times. How could I not? It's the best-selling GBA game for a reason. The graphics improved miles past the previous generation, the digital scenery is wonderful, you have a dad. With 135 new Pokémon, new types of Pokéballs, Pokémon Contests, secret bases, and, in Pokémon Emerald, the introduction of Battle Frontier, Pokémon R/S/E revolutionized the Pokémon games. Pokémon Emerald went even further, with a wireless adapter that, finally, took Pokémon battling and trading to a new technological level. The story involved two criminal organizations, one that wanted to flood the world, and the other that wanted to cover it in land. Pretty ridiculous. But Pokémon battles within deserts, volcanos, and oceans are unforgettable. Taking the cable car up the Mt. Chimney and diving were two of my favorite things.

Remakes of Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire were announced this year, titled Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. To see this amazing game in 3D graphics is beyond exciting. R/S/E brought so many fun features to the table. They are easily one of the best generations and I cannot wait for the remakes.

#3. Pokémon Red & Blue/Yellow

RATINGS
IGN:10/10

GAMESPOT: 8.8/8.9

COPIES SOLD: 23.64 million 

As the games that begun a whole era, sold 23.64 million copies worldwide, and made so many people fall in love with Pokémon, Pokémon R/B/Y are probably the top game for some. If I could, I would put the first 3 in my ranking as #1. Alas, that is impossible.

Pokémon Red and Blue changed the gaming world. Pocket Monsters coming to life, travelling the world at 10 years old, and being oh, so patient in doing so (referring to the walking speed). Oh the years without running shoes. Despite the flaws, which are easily pointed out now over 16 years later, Pokémon R/B/Y was the perfect game. It was such a satisfying adventure, to travel Kanto kicking butt and catching Poke's. Pokémon Yellow only made it better with an adorable Pikachu following you and trainers that were oh so eager to give up their really rare starter Pokémon. Yeah it's cliche, but my team was Pikachu, Charmander, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Pidgey, and Caterpie immediately (You'd be proud, Ash). 

Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen only improved the adventure. Updated PC, bag space, and the ability to run! The wonders 8 years can do to walking speed. Plus the début of wireless trading and battling, detailed Pokémon sprite designs, and more of your favorite rival "smelling ya later." This game is nostalgia painted beautifully. The remakes sold 11.82 million copies worldwide, becoming the 2nd best-selling GBA game after Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire. In fact, Pokémon dominated the GBA charts, taking spots #1,#2, and #3 (with Emerald). 

#4. Pokémon X & Y

RATINGS
IGN: 9

GAMESPOT: 8

COPIES SOLD: 12.26 million

I almost put this game lower on the list because I found that it tried to avoid some of the fundamental things that make a Pokémon game what it is: grinding. I also found it terribly easy. I know, I know, I'm older now, it should be easier, but when you beat the Elite Four + Champion with only a Lapras, there is a problem. 

Regardless, Pokémon X and Y were thoroughly enjoyable. Finally Pokémon surpasses the 3D graphics of Pokémon Stadium. Although the graphic jump from game to game is always giant, from Black and White 2 to this, the jump was massive. Full 3D characters, Pokémon, and cities; Pokémon with facial expressions, and an attractive Professor! This game had it all. Pokemon-Amie, Mega Evolutions, Character designs, movie-making, facilitated trading, Wonder-trading, a new Dragon-slaying Fairy Type, Super-training, the list goes on.

With Mega evolution as the big reveal, Pokémon X and Y has become the turning point for new Pokémon games. There are still so many Pokémon to be Mega-Evolved and so much time. This is the best-selling Nintendo 3DS game to date, and well deserved. The new game mechanics are very well-done, the story is heartfelt, and the there are hundreds of things to do even after beating the game.

#5. Pokémon Black 2 & White 2

RATINGS
IGN: 9.6

GAMESPOT: 6.5 

COPIES SOLD: 7.81 million

These sequels definitely were an improvement over their predecessors. It could be because of my age, but it was very satisfying to see familiar Pokémon. I also enjoyed the idea of a sequel, rather than just a 3rd game with slightly new and improved features, like all the previous games had done. 

Bit by bit, Pokémon is adding new things to get used to. This game introduced DNA splicers and allowed the mascot Pokémon, Kyurem, to "absofuse" with either Reshiram or Zekrom, creating Black Kyurem or White Kyurem. The Dream World feature was also cool. But overall the game didn't keep me as entertained as earlier ones. Even though I enjoyed it more than Black and White, it felt strange given that Team Plasma kept with their same "free the Pokemon" argument after what was uncovered in the prequels.

#6. Pokémon Diamond & Pearl/Platinum

RATINGS
IGN: 8.5/ 8.8

GAMESPOT: 8.5/ 8

COPIES SOLD: 17.63 million/ 7.06 million

As the first Nintendo DS Pokémon games, Pokémon Diamond and Pearl sold 17.63 million copies worldwide. The story tackles the creation of time and space, and features 107 new Pokémon to catch and love.

Some of my fondest memories of this game are making Poffins to feed my Pokémon and the contests which, although did not surpass Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald contests, were still pretty cute. I liked accessorizing my Pokémon and making them dance. Also, the Elite Four Champion, Cynthia, is probably my favorite champion after Blue. It's nice to see Champions using all types of Pokémon; it makes it more challenging. The Pokétch was another cool feature. It came loaded with useful "apps" like a calculator, dowsing machine, a Pokémon daycare tracker, move tester, and more.

Despite this, I thought the new Pokémon designs were bland. Platinum brought a whole new world to the game, the Distortion World, but it was a letdown after the amount it was advertised. Don't get me wrong, these games were good, really good, but they did not best their predecessors. 

#7. Pokémon Black & White

RATINGS
IGN: 9

GAMESPOT: 7.5

COPIES SOLD: 15.58 million

Being last on the list does not mean these games were bad, it just means I didn't enjoy them as much as the ones above. Ratings and sales-wise, they did great. The story introduced a new ethical question that Pokémon games had never addressed before: Is it wrong to use Pokémon to battle? The main antagonist, N, spends the game telling you that Pokémon should be free, and simultaneously, battling you with Pokémon. Unfortunately they miss the chance to make the questioning of Pokémon battling an important theme, which would have been great.

What happened to me while playing this game was that I was overwhelmed with the new Pokémon. The game didn't give you anything familiar until you beat it. They treated you like Ash, new region, new Pokémon, go. Perhaps if I was younger, I would have enjoyed it. But the fact that there were 151 new Pokémon, without any old ones included, made the game less nostalgic and less enjoyable. Plus I found a lot of the new Pokémon to appear quickly drawn and less likeable. 

So that's it! That's my ranking. Feel free to argue/agree in the comments, or let me know if I missed anything. For all Pokémon news keep up with GameSkinny.com.