Do you have any most or least favorite Pokemon generations?

[chocovelvetcake]

I don't really have any most or least favorite Pokemon gens, tbh. It's kinda hard for me to choose lol.

 

[Zexy]

Most favorite is a close call on 3-4-5, least favorite is unfortunately 8, discontinuing Megas and Z-Moves is the biggest reason (this annoyed me far more than Dexit, especially after Ash was allowed to stack them all in the anime).

 

[toastghost]

3 and 5 were pokemon at its peak tbh, 7 was really good too. least favorite has got to be this recent one

 

[Chidamari Sketch]

I'd say my range is

Favorite-> 3, 7, 5, 8=9, 2, 1=4 <-Least favorite

 

[AgedVeteranofShow]

Least favorite is 4, hands down, I think it was my low point with the Anime (I unlike most, didn't like the DP Series), games (though they were the worst to date, save graphics superior to RBY back then, only HGSS was good), and the English dub was really bad of said Anime to boot in terms of VA work & script writing to me so that put me off on top of all of that.

Favorite is Gen 1-2 for the Anime, all of Gen 3 for the Movies along with Entei/M03, but lastly Gen 5 + 7 for the video games, and Gen 6-8 for the TCG.

 

[R.O.B.]

Least: Generation 6 because it was the beginning of them tacking on half-formed ideas and not really fleshing them out. Also the Hoenn remakes sucked after all that hype, they had some cool features like soaring and Dexnav but it wasn't worth what was lost, most notably Battle Frontier. XY were a step down from Gen 5 in every aspect: gameplay, story, exploration and felt half-complete.

Favorite: Generation 3, FRLG were great RBY remakes, Emerald was the definitive Hoenn experience, and Colosseum/XD were the best spinoff games!

 

[Okido]

My favorite is Gen 3. Not just because it's what I grew up with of course, but also because it had fantastic new Pokémon, a lovely and memorable visual style throughout the games/TCG/movies, and some of the greatest spinoff titles even to this day. Gen 3 introduced so many things that ended up becoming staples of the franchise, ones that I now couldn't imagine it without! And FRLG + Colo/XD remain some of my favorite games of all time.

Least favorite? Gen 8, for the inverse of every reason above. Absolutely nothing about Gen 8 ever really interested nor left a lasting impression on me... other than Journeys and BDSP, which, not-so-coincidentally, hardly feel like part of Gen 8 at all. Other than that, there are a very small handful of Galar Pokémon that I like, and that's about it. Obviously no disrespect to those who did enjoy it, but playing through Sword and its postgame just left me with nothing but a bad taste in my mouth in so many ways.

My current ranking would be:
3 > 5 > 4 > 1 > 7 > 2 > 9 > 6 > 8

 

[Daren]

Gen 7 for the bottom place; I didn't like the Sun/Moon games and there were no spinoffs I was interested in, either.

Tops for me is probably 3.

(I unlike most, didn't like the DP Series)

I recall it was more controversial while it was airing; being hugely popular seemed to happen later.

 

[Pasio]

6 > [gap] > 7 > [gap] > 3 > [gap] > 5 > 2 > 1 > 4 >[gap][gap][gap] > 8 > 9

tl;dr (this isn't an explanation as for why the gens are in this order but what this order means)

I really love Gens 6 and 7. (Link: Rank the Pokemon Games)

Explanation behind why Gen 6 is a gap above Gen 7: Do you have any most or least favorite Pokemon generations?

I enjoy the Gen 3 games a lot and they revolutionized the series in so many ways that could only be recognized by later gens, but there just isn't as much you can do with them, and what you can do is overwhelmingly more tedious to pull off. I don't really care about the Battle Frontier and prefer facilities like the Battle Tree and Battle Agency. I tried the frontier at one point. Had plenty of the worst matches I've ever had in my life.

Gen 5 is alright. I have a lot of issues with the generation but I don't dislike it. For me, it was a definite step up from Gen 4 in most departments, and I respect that this generation defined who I became as a Pokemon fan, by showing me what I like and did not like in a Pokemon game and introducing me to the things I enjoy the most about Pokemon. Gens 6 and 7 somehow enhanced these things so much further while fixing just about every issue I had with Gen 5. I started with Gen 3 games, but this was the primary generation I grew up with. Also, Pokemon Conquest is the best spinoff ever don't @ me!

Gens 2 and 1 are alright. Outdated now but are great for a visit to explore how things were like back then. All they really matter for now is the casual single-player experience. I somehow enjoy the main adventure for these more than I do for Gens 4 and 5, but they're both very lacking aside from this. Aside from that, I don't have much else to say.

I kinda dislike Gen 4 for their severe mishandling of many things regarding the theme of the generation, the overall plots in the games and movies, as well as the gameplay of the Gen 4 games. It's not a huge gap from the generation I put above it though because I do appreciate how they exponentially improved on the battling mechanics and made what is probably my favorite new generation roster of Pokemon in the series.

I really hate Pokemon Sword, Shield, Scarlet, and Violet. Sword and Shield tampered with literally everything I enjoyed most about Pokemon to a degree so extreme it still leaves me baffled to this day and reminding myself is painful. Scarlet and Violet only doubled-down on this while making themselves quite the embarrassment for Pokemon. Scarlet and Violet make me feel bad about still being a Pokemon fan in this day and age, but I still cling on to the older generations. It's hard for me to determine whether or not I'll ever fully enjoy a future major mainline game ever again because of the many permanent changes they made to the series I cannot not vibe with and the precedent Gens 8 and 9 games have set for the series.
For clarification, major mainlines are what I consider games meant to define and run the course of an entire generation. Games like Sword/Shield, Scarlet/Violet, and every main series title before LGPE. LGPE, BDSP, and Legends Arceus are what I consider minor mainline titles, as they leave no real impact to how a generation functions and are more freely made as extra games. Minor mainline games are sorta like spinoffs.

I would go on for a century fully elaborating on reasons for why I put each generation in the order I did bar gens 1 and 2 if I did, but this should be enough.

Least: Generation 6 because it was the beginning of them tacking on half-formed ideas and not really fleshing them out. Also the Hoenn remakes sucked after all that hype, they had some cool features like soaring and Dexnav but it wasn't worth what was lost, most notably Battle Frontier. XY were a step down from Gen 5 in every aspect: gameplay, story, exploration and felt half-complete.

Favorite: Generation 3, FRLG were great RBY remakes, Emerald was the definitive Hoenn experience, and Colosseum/XD were the best spinoff games!

By the way, I disagree that Gen 6 started this process. Gen 5 was certainly (probably even a bigger) victim of this before Gen 6, and the Gen 4 ideas were so overwhelmingly botched in their execution to the point where many people never take Pokemon lore seriously because of Gen 4.

Edit: I sure do like editing posts 2000 times

 

[Aulos]

Gen V is my favorite. I enjoyed Black so much. It felt so refreshing. I'm a broken record here, but I loved how pre-post game you could only use brand new Pokemon, and Gen V had a lot of great new Pokemon. Now it's been a long time since I played any game from the generation, so I can't remember all of the ways it felt fresh to me at the time now, but I know there were other reasons.

Gen VII is probably my least favorite. I didn't really like the region (sorry, just not big on tropical locales), I didn't like the SOS wild Pokemon feature (it allowed for neat easter eggs, but in practice it made training frustrating and I gave up and turned on Exp Share All), I didn't like how weak my Pokemon felt in the game and how inconsistent the difficulty was, and I didn't like the fact that the National Dex was removed. Why do I not put Gen VIII below VII because of that last point (where Pokemon were actually removed), IDK. Sword/Shield had enough (including my very favorite Pokemon ever - Galarian Rapidash) to offset that, a little bit, I guess. But Gen VIII was certainly full of bad decisions, I'm just biased toward it for various reasons, I guess. (and Gen VIII also technically has Legends:Arceus going for it)

Also, Gen VII had LGP/E. I don't think anything else needs to be said, there.

Gen VII was such a blow to me, because I felt like the franchise had been really strong for the previous three generations (IV,V,VI - of course). It was just so disappointing. =(

 

[R.O.B.]

By the way, I disagree that Gen 6 started this process. Gen 5 was certainly (probably even a bigger) victim of this before Gen 6, and the Gen 4 ideas were so overwhelmingly botched in their execution to the point where many people never take Pokemon lore seriously because of Gen 4.

Edit: I sure do like editing posts 2000 times

Gen 5 was really when they started cutting features (like Vs Seeker) and it does have half formed ideas (like Wonder Launcher) but Mega Evolution seemed more tacked on than anything prior, probably because it was more substantial than most of the other half-assed ideas introduced prior.

 

[Ethan17961]

I don't like generation 7 and 8 because I got so attached to the old pokemon designs until generation 4 that I just accept that there are later generations

 

[Tactician Karina]

4=5 > 2 > 8=9 > 6 > 7 > 3 > 1

Generations IV and V were always going to be my favorites purely for the regions and most of the Pokemon and human characters. I don't really dislike any of the generations listed lower in my ranking, since I do like a lot of the Pokemon and human characters from them as well, but I'm mostly going by replay value (also counts for IV and V as well, tbf). Gens I and III are the hardest for me to try and replay nowadays, and VII is getting there too to be honest. I don't know, early game for those three are just a bit of a slog for me lately, whereas I can easily breeze through gens II and VI early games just fine.

 

[PinkIceFox]

Most --- Least

9, 8, 7, 2, 5, 3, 6, 4, 1.

(I am treating remakes as the generation the original game came from)
I like the fairy type so I prefer playing games with that addition. And since gen 7 I've actually beat every single game and become champion so.. I like them more than older games. Johto's still one of my faves so it's up higher. Unova's the generation I got back into pokemon so it's halfway in there. Hoenn is great too but... it's also the generation where I lost interest in pokemon until HGSS was announced so it's lower than Gen 5. I didn't know where to put Gen 6 but since I liked ORAS more than X and Y I shoved it after 3. I have never gotten far in Sinnoh, and sadly BDSP was a hideous looking upscale of diamond and pearl with a few new bits added so I am not touching it. And gen 1 was broken as fek. ANd even though the sevii islands are great, every time I start a FRLG nuzlocke I end up stopping at Misty because BOY DOES THE GAME SLOG FOR ME right in that moment between getting to Cerulean City and fighting Green at Nugget Bridge.

 

[Emmy]

Probably 5 as my least favourite. I would say the Sinnoh games were worse, but that Gen also had Hg/Ss which massively rescued it for me.

Gen 8 is probably my favourite.

 

[DigitalGen6]

I don’t really have a least favorite but my favorite would be either Gen 6, Gen 4, or Gen 8
The only reason Gen 8 would be a least would be one word: dexit
The only reason Gen 6 would be a least is in five words: bad character customization in XY (or no character customization in ORAS)

 

[SlowGinFizzzz]

Ranking from favourite to least favourite:

• 4 (Platinum, HG/SS, and Explorers of Sky are all pretty much flawless games)
• 3 (mostly due to Emerald and Mystery Dungeon, but FR/LG and Ranger were great too; overall I think Hoenn is the best region design-wise)
• 6 (the last really good generation in my opinion, X/Y were undercooked but I loved Kalos as a region as well as Mega-Evolution, and OR/AS and Super Mystery Dungeon were amazing games too)
• 5 (not a big fan of a lot of the Pokémon designs and the linearity of Unova, but B/W and B2/W2 are still fantastic)
• 2 (obviously there's not much of a reason to go back to these games with HG/SS existing, but in the context of their time they were revolutionary)
• 8 (Sw/Sh base game was awful, but the DLC fixed a lot for me, plus we got Legends Arceus, Rescue Team DX, and New Snap that generation)
• 7 (I really disliked the linearity and especially the short routes of Alola, plus the many cutscenes really took the fun out of it; and I still don't quite get why US/UM even exist)
• 1 (really zero reason to go back to those games, but I'm not gonna rank them last since they did start it all)
• 9 (glitchy mess that they honestly should be ashamed for even putting out, plus I don't care about raids and Tera-forms)

 

[Anomolicaris]

Favourite to least favourite
4 - every gen 4 game is great, favourite is probably Heartgold
3 - Emerald Mystery Dungeon and FRLG are all amazing, not top since I found completing the Dex way more annoying than the others
7 - no real reason
6 - Would be higher but games are somehow laggy on my 3Ds, and not much post game activities
2 - Introduced alot of my favourites, even more impressive than gen 1, just very slow and annoying to play through for me
1 - Can't hate on it since it was the game that started it all, and is a great first part of the series
5 - I'm not qualified to judge these since I've only played white, not bad, just the other games are better

Haven't played 8 and 9 yet, Joy-cons got terrible drift year ago, got it repaired but came back after a month, haven't bothered getting new ones since, will try soon tho

 

[DigitalGen6]

Welcome to Bulbagarden forums!
Favorite to least favorite (I don’t exactly hate any of them lol):
6 - several reasons
4 - has best (with ORAS) remakes, Platinum and just a bunch of things
8 - I really like the designs of all its games (save for BDSP, the chibis are fine I guess?? I’m not a big fan of those-)
7 - aside from LGPE (which are okay??), I like all the Alola games (especially USUM). In fact, I like them so much, I have a Rowlet plushie (I collect Pokémon plushes, no clue where I put my Totodile one).
2/5 - Starters, player characters, legendaries, so just a lot of reasons (plus, the storylines). Crystal is best game in Gen 2 and BW is best game in Gen 5 (I like B2W2 but in terms of PC and a lot of other things, BW is better, in my opinion). And also nostalgia.
9 - it’s fine. However, Dexit exists.
1 - it’s okay. I haven’t really played it before, I likely won’t get to, now that the eShop closed on the 3DS. I heard it’s also pretty glitchy. I like a few glitches, but I bet the ones here are not very good.

 

[colours]

i have the (apparently?) rare opinion these days that i enjoy most generations fairly equally. there are games that certainly provided a less enjoyable/were a weaker experience than others, but the difference between "generation i've enjoyed the most" and "generation that i've enjoyed the least" surprisingly isn't large considering the latter is more like "generation i've still found fun, just not as fun".

i dunno, i've never really... hated or had such low opinions about any particular generation. even gen 5, which was probably one i would consider my low point in the franchise, still had some good moments (namely the fact that it introduced some amazing pokemon, b2w2 rekindled said point). i've had lots of more positive memories with 3 and 4 though game-wise. so many memories with good spinoffs and the mainline games definitely didn't disappoint (and in fact were the source of some of the best childhood memories for me!).