The best Pokémon starters per generation

With nine generations making up the ever-expanding world of Pokémon, the series has given fans some of the most unique and stylistic monsters to raise and fight with. Among these Pokémon are the starters, three Pokémon that you get to pick from at the beginning of each game.

Every generation has a different set of three starters, allowing players to choose which Pokémon will stand by them from the start of the game.

So out of all the starter Pokémon within the series, which one from each generation is considered the best?

While every generation has a set of unique starters, there is usually only one that truly stands out amongst the rest. The series always gives us three specific Pokémon types when giving us starters to choose from: water-type, grass-type and fire-type.

Here is the best starter from each Pokémon generation.

When approaching some of the newer Pokémon generations, one must take a look at the type combinations. In the past, the series would stick to the main three types when creating the starters, but now the Pokémon you can start with have multiple types.

In Gen 9, while every starter is a solid contestant, the water-type, Quaxly, has to take the cake for the best starter within the generation. Not only is the duck Pokémon a water-type, but also an electric-type. While electric is usually superior to water, Quaxly is one of the first water-type Pokémon immune to electric attacks, making it one of the best starters in the whole series.

Its final evolution, Tempetral, is an absolute beast, making it a potent starter set.

Gen 8 goes back to the traditional Pokémon style, giving us the original three starter types. Of these three, though, only one is truly suggested to play the game with. Scorbunny, the game's fire starter, is easily the best Pokémon you can pick from the start.

Not only is Scorbunny's final evolution, Cinderace, an absolute beast when it comes to its fire moves but its agility and speed are like another other compared to the other starters. Do you want a Pokémon that is always going to get the first move in? Pick Scorbunny as your Gen 8 starter then.

Gen 7 carries a similar bond with Gen 9, as the starters' final evolutions all have two fighting types instead of one. While each starter from this generation has specific specialties that make them unique, the water-type starter, Popplio, is by far the best.

While Popplio doesn't necessarily have two types, its final evolution, Primarina, is water and fairy-type. While water-type is already quite strong, having fairy powers on your side is huge since fairy-type moves are strong against dragon-type Pokémon.

Gen 6 was the first set of games to give players a more 3D look, as it was the first Pokémon game to be released on the 3DS. There were a lot of expectations surrounding these games, especially with the starters.

Froakie, the frog water-type Pokémon, is an easy pick for the best Gen 6 starter. Its final evolution, Greninja, became a fan favorite almost immediately. Its fast speed and dark-type moves made it especially unique compared to all of the other starters.

Gen 5 is one of the harder sets of generations to choose which starter is the best. Each Pokémon provides players with a set of unique and balanced stats that make them both powerful and extremely useful in battle.

Tepig, though, has to be the best Gen 6 starter. Its strong fire abilities make it ideal for those starting the game, and its final evolution, Emboar, has much higher attack stats and HP than the other two starters.

Choosing the best Gen 4 Pokémon starter is tough, due to all three of them having some type of significant weakness and strength. All three of them are decently balanced in that regard, though, making it difficult when choosing the best one.

In the end, one has to be chosen though as the best, and it is Piplup. Piplup's water-type makes it exceptionally powerful at the start of the game. Its final evolution, though, is easily the top starter in the game. Empoleon, known for its water and steel type, is incredibly powerful when pitted against other Pokémon.

While every Pokémon generational has a historical significance within the series, it is no secret that Gen 1 through Gen 3 are the most popular. Gen 3 has some of the coolest starters that have ever been in Pokémon, making it difficult to choose the best one.

Torchic is hands down the best Gen 3 starter Pokémon. It may seem cute starting out, but its final evolution, Blaziken, is not a beast to mess around with. Its mixture of fire and fighting makes it ideal for taking on difficult enemies. The only downside is the fact that despite it being a bird, Blaziken cannot fly.

Gen 2 is arguably the best generation in Pokémon, as many would say. The games were massive, and few Pokémon titles have even gotten close to giving fans as much gameplay as Silver and Gold did. Alongside the game's size was some of the coolest starter Pokémon to ever be in the series.

Winning the best Gen 2 Pokémon debate though, is the infamous Cyndaquil. This small fire-type porcupine Pokémon is a beast from the beginning. Its final evolution, Typhlosion, is an absolute menace. Its strong fire attacks are not moves you want your team to be on the opposing side of.

While Gen 2 may be the best generation, Gen 1 will always be the most famous generation of Pokémon. Gen 1 helped pave the road for the series, making it as popular as it is today. But with some of the most famous starters deriving from Gen 1, it can be tough to choose which is the best.

I think it is safe to say, though, that Charmander takes the cake as the best starter in Gen 1. The fire-type Pokémon has a ferocious final evolution, Charizard. Charizard is also possibly the most famous Pokémon of all time, making it known around the world. Charmander is an easy pick for the best starter in Gen 1.

Which Pokémon starter is your favorite?

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