Starter Pokémon. Look, we all have our personal preferences on who the best might be, but that’s all subjective, and there are a lot of starters out there. Some stand out in your childhood memories, while some you may have forgotten about, so allow us to refresh your memory as we look at the Pokémon starters by generation.
While the Starter Pokémon are limited to three types, with the exception of two who have a secondary type, there are many other categories that ‘mon can fall under. So to make sure you know how to handle them, take a look at our psychic Pokémon weakness, dark Pokémon weakness, and ghost Pokémon weakness guides – we have them for every type of Pokémon.
Here’s our guide to all of the starter Pokémon:
Gen 1 starter Pokémon
It’s fair to say that the first generation of starter Pokémon holds a special place in the hearts of trainers worldwide; Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle (maybe Pikachu if you play Pokémon Yellow) are the very first buddies you get, and that alone makes them special. The fact that they’re well-designed and make for the perfect grass, fire, and water ‘mon is just an added bonus. Regardless of who you choose, you have a strong creature on your hands.
Bulbasaur
The first ever grass Pokémon starter (and number one in the Pokédex), Bulbasaur, is admittedly the least popular of the three Kanto ‘mon, with many people showing a lot of love to Charmander and its third-stage evolution, Charizard. However, while I never choose Bulbasaur myself when I revisit the OG Pokémon Yellow, Red, and Blue, I can’t help but look at its stage three evolution Venasaur and think of it as one of the best grass-types in the first generation. It stands tall against the likes of Victreebell, Vileplume, and Exeggutor.
Charmander
Number four in the Pokédex, Charmander is my go-to starter any time I’m in Kanto. Well, most of the time, I’m known to embrace Squirtle on the odd occasion if I need a change of pace. Charmander and, ultimately, Charizard are a huge part of my childhood, bringing a wave of precious 90s and early 2000s nostalgia with them wherever they may go, and there’s good reason for that. You see, not only is Charmander one of the most adorable creatures in this world, Charmeleon is just as charming in a stroppy teenager way, while Charizard remains one of the best fire Pokémon even after nearly 30 years.
To this day, I’m still not over the 11th Pokémon episode in which Ash first finds his Charmander, a poor little guy who was abandoned, his tail nearly extinguishing. Oh, my heart hurts just thinking about it.
Squirtle
Okay, all Pokémon fans know about the Squirtle squad. That ragtag group of Squirtles (the leader of which joins Ash) made me fall in love with the water Pokémon. Then I look at Wartortle and Blastoise and realize this evolution line is one of the best water-types in Kanto, perhaps across the series as a whole. However, Blastoise has Gyarados, Lapras, and Poliwrath to compete with in generation one, and nobody can deny how powerful those three are, especially Gyarados. Still, Squirtle, the seventh entry in the Pokédex, is oozing with charm and badassery, making it a solid pick for your first-ever Pokémon.
Just like with Charmander, there’s a very popular episode of Pokémon featuring this beloved creature. Ah, the Squirtle Squad, may you forever live in my head rent-free.
Gen 2 starter Pokémon
Picking a second-generation starter is just as hard as it is with the gen 1 Pokémon. However, unlike in Kanto, this choice really comes down to just two, in my humble opinion, with one of the creatures not deserving a place in the Johto Pokédex.
Totodile
Look at this little crocodile Pokémon. Why would you not pick him for your team? Number 158 in the Pokédex, Totodile has some great base stats when you first start your journey in Johto, and the fact that it has a ferocious evolution line only adds to why you should consider the water starter in generation two. However, Johto is swimming with many great water Pokémon; some return from Kanto (Gyarados, Lapras, and Starmie, to name a few), while the likes of Kingdra and Slowking appear for the first time in this gen, both of which are more than capable of filling the water-type spot on your team. If you choose Totodile, you don’t lose, but if you opt for a different starter, you can still get a solid swimmer later.
Cyndaquil
How happy does the 155 entry in the Pokédex look? One look at it and your heart instantly melts. Honestly, I always select Cyndaquil as my second gen starter; I even chose it as my Pokémon Legends: Arceus starter Pokémon. Despite the fact it can win the cutest ‘mon ever contest, its stage three evolution, Typhlosion, is one of the best fire-types in Johto. If you play Gold, Silver, or Crystal, give this guy a chance, you won’t be disappointed.
Chikorita
Chicken Tikka. That’s all I hear when someone mentions this Pokémon’s name. I can safely say I’m not a fan of it all. Perhaps you like the grass-type joining you in Johto, but I’d sooner pass on taking a starter Pokémon if this is what I have to work with. It’s the leaf. Why? Chikorita, this isn’t a very good fashion statement, and evidently, your entire evolutionary line suffers from a wardrobe malfunction. Not only that, but
