The 10 BEST Starter in Every Pokémon Game

Bulbasaur “Pokemon Red & Blue” (1996)

For many, Charmander will always be the best because of the time investment and potential Charizard has in the late game. But ultimately, Bulbasaur is the most effective and efficient just from simply being a Grass type Pokemon. This alone means you’ll be able to blast through Brock and Misty’s Gyms, and Giovanni will already be at a disadvantage. Plus, with its resistance to Electric and other Grass-type moves, Lt. Surge and Erika will not pose a threat to you compared to if you went with Squirtle. In other words, Bulbasaur forces all Gyms to falter to Easy Mode.

Cyndaquil “Pokemon Gold & Silver” (1998)

If you’re playing the remakes, Totodile might be the go-to option because of how much new stuff was added into the game. But sticking with the OG here to keep it simple, Cyndaquil is the powerhouse of “Gold, Silver, & Crystal”. Much like Bulbasaur, Cyndaquil can just dominate most of the Gyms at a reasonable pace, and it can annihilate enemies more easily once Sunny Day is learned. Pair that with Fire Blast or Flamethrower, and it’ll be hard for any Pokemon to survive more than two turns.

Mudkip “Pokemon Ruby & Sapphire” (2002)

Yeah, it doesn’t matter if you’re playing the OG or the 3DS remakes here. Regardless of which version you’re playing, Mudkip is always the top choice. Sure, you might have a tougher fight ahead with Kyogre later if you’re too dependent on Mudkip and its evolutions, but overall, Gyms and fights against Team Magma are a cinch. It can even pose a threat to Team Aqua despite being a Water-type like most of their Pokemon. Thanks to its Water and Ground dual-typing, you can easily switch from using Water Gun or Hydro Pulse to spamming Mud Slap or Mud Shot, both of which inflict damage and lower stats. Honestly, we have to wonder if Mudkip could be classified as an OP Starter.

Chimchar “Pokemon Diamond & Pearl” (2006)

For “Diamond, Pearl, & Platinum” players, it can be easy to swoon over Piplup and maybe even Turtwig, but ultimately, Chimchar is always the more dominant Starter of this trio. And for once, it isn’t just because of Gym match-ups. As it levels up and evolves, Chimchar can become an insane threat with high stats in Speed and Attack, and you can easily make things worse for your foes depending on how you utilize its vast pool of moves to teach it. You may even be able to make short work out of the Elite Four if you play your cards right.

Oshawatt “Pokemon Black & White” (2010)

While the other two starters are fine choices in their own ways, Oshawatt has the advantage despite what its cutesy appearance may indicate otherwise. The reason for this is because of how worthwhile the investment is to get its third and final evolution Samurott. Samurott is an absolute tank of a Pokemon, and thanks to its dual-typing in Water and Dark, it has an insane pool of moves it can learn including a few Ice-type moves and the typically Bug-type exclusive move Megahorn, which can inflict insane damage. Honestly, choosing Oshawatt means you’re saving yourself from some late game headaches.

Froakie “Pokemon X & Y” (2013)

Much like Oshawatt, the main reason anyone would choose Froakie is primarily to have late game advantages. In this case, your investment is going towards Greninja. Greninja can hold his own in battle and can often make “X & Y” comically easy to beat, but the reason why Froakie is the better starter is because of just how tough it can be getting through some of the Gyms with Fennekin and Chespin as your Starters. At least with Froakie, it’ll be Greninja before you hit some late game threats, and if you chose Charmander for your dual-Starter, you’ll have Charizard on your team by this point, too. Basically, you’ll be perfectly fine with this combo.

Popplio “Pokemon Sun & Moon” (2016)

“Sun & Moon” were interesting games because this was right when “Pokemon” introduced a new type to the franchise: Fairy. The introduction of this one type shook up the entire world of “Pokemon” as we knew it, and it wound up causing balance issues for “Sun & Moon” as folks scrambled to try and understand how Fairy types worked and relearn strengths and weaknesses. This is pretty much why Popplio is the best starter for these games. The balance for Fairy types was so out of whack that every Kahuna and most of the Fire Trials were a cakewalk for those who chose Popplio as their Starter.

Scorbunny “Pokemon Sword & Shield” (2019)

Now, “Sword & Shield” was an interesting game because all three Starter Pokemon were rather underwhelming in their stats and potential. Both Grookey and Sobble can make early Gyms be a bit of a slog to churn through. Scorbunny can at least hold his own in the first Gym and buy you time to get another party member before you reach Nessa. And in the late game, Scorbunny’s final evolution, Cinderace, proves your investment worthwhile with superior Attack and Speed compared to Sobble and Grookey’s final evolutions. In other words, the Starters for “Sword & Shield” was kind of a “Pick your poison” situation, and Scorbunny is really the most lethal for your opponents in the long run.

Quaxly “Pokemon Scarlet & Violet” (2022)

A flippin’ duck? That’s the best Starter for “Scarlet & Violet”? Yeah, Quaxly might seem underwhelming at first, but at the very start, you’ll have quite a pool of moves for it to learn. But like some of the other Starters, Quaxly’s final evolution is one of the biggest threats in “Scarlet & Violet”. When it evolves into Quaquaval, it becomes a Water and Fighting type Pokemon. Even though this dual typing makes it weak to Psychic, Flying, Grass, Electric, and Fairy, it makes it resistant against Fire, Bug, Steel, Rock, Ice, Water, and Dark moves. High risk, high reward, as they say.

Did you find any of these starters make their games easier or harder for you? Let us know down in the comments, and be sure to subscribe to MojoPlays for more great videos everyday!