Pokemon has been around for decades and has become a pillar of the games industry and wider culture. Over the years the series has evolved a lot and has tried to expand into a variety of genres and playstyles. No matter what type of game a Pokemon fan is interested in playing, there is very likely a game in the series that matches that genre.
However, just as Pokemon spin-off titles have covered a wide range of different genres and styles, it also has spanned a wide range of qualities from the truly special to the more unforgettable. There have been some very special spin-offs over the years and some that have been largely forgotten by the Pokemon community. Whether it be the surprise hit MOBA Pokemon Unite or the odd mobile toothbrushing game Pokemon Smile, here are the tiers of all Pokemon spin-offs.
S-Tier
- Pokemon Trading Card Game (Game Boy)
- Pokemon Trading Card Game Online (PC)
- Pokemon Puzzle Challenge (Game Boy Color)
- Pokemon Stadium (Nintendo 64)
- Pokemon Stadium 2 (Nintendo 64)
The very best Pokemon spin-offs mostly focus on keeping the core of the series intact but translating them to different settings. Games like the Nintendo 64's Pokemon Stadium and Pokemon Stadium 2 are beloved throughout the community for allowing fans to try different team compositions and showing battles in a way that had never been seen before and has barely been matched since. This is why many fans have called for Pokemon Stadium to receive a remaster on the Switch, and why it is one of the best spin-offs. Other S-tier spin-offs include two games that emulate the trading card game experience in Pokemon Trading Card Game on the Game Boy and the best way to play the game online, Pokemon Trading Card Game Online for the PC. Both of these titles offer a very faithful recreation of the physical card game, which is a real treat for fans.
A-Tier
- Pokemon Snap (Nintendo 64)
- New Pokemon Snap (Switch)
- Pokemon Pinball: Ruby and Sapphire (Game Boy Advance)
- Pokemon Puzzle League (Nintendo 64)
- Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia (Nintendo DS)
- Pokemon Trozei! (Nintendo DS)
- Pokken Tournament (Wii U, Switch)
- Pokemon Colosseum(GameCube)
- Pokemon Conquest (Nintendo DS)
- Pokemon GO (Mobile)
- Pokemon Picross (3DS)
Pokemon Snap was a cult classic among the Pokemon community for many years. It was for this reason that the announcement of New Pokemon Snap was met with such excitement, and thankfully, the sequel lived up to its predecessor. Both games are beloved for showing Pokemon in a new way in their natural habitats, and for bringing a new rail shooter style of gameplay to the series. This tier also includes Pokemon GO., which was a cultural phenomenon when it was first released and has managed to maintain a solid player base ever since. It has provided a way for fans to always be playing their favorite franchise and showcases plenty of Pokemon Go Community Days and events to keep them playing.
B-Tier
- PokePark 2: Wonders Beyond (Wii)
- Pokemon Pinball (Game Boy Advance)
- Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky (Nintendo DS)
- Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon (3DS)
- Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX (Switch)
- Pokemon Ranger (Nintendo DS)
- Pokemon Ranger: Guardian Signs (Nintendo DS)
- Pokemon Battle Trozei (3DS)
- Detective Pikachu (3DS)
- Pokemon Art Academy (3DS)
- Pokemon Cafe Mix (Mobile)
- Pokemon Duel (Mobile)
- Pokemon Masters EX (Mobile)
- Pokemon Project Studio (PC)
- Pokemon Quest (Switch)
- Pokemon Unite (Switch)
- Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness (GameCube)
This tier is home to many of the more experimental Pokemon titles that received a warm welcome but weren't as popular as some of the others in higher tiers. This includes free-to-play games like Pokemon Quest or the new MOBA Pokemon Unite. It also includes the game that inspired a Hollywood movie, Detective Pikachu, the multiplayer mini-game action of PokePark 2: Wonders Beyond, and the educational Pokemon Art Academy. While the games in this tier may not have found the biggest audience within the fanbase or have received the most critical praise, they were nevertheless welcome additions to the series that many fans choose to revisit to this day.
C-Tier
- PokePark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure (Wii)
- Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Blue/Red Rescue Team (Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS)
- Pokemon Rumble (Wii)
- Pokemon Rumble Blast (3DS)
- Pokemon Rumble World (3DS)
- Camp Pokemon (Mobile)
- Learn with Pokemon: Typing Adventure (Nintendo DS)
- Pokemon Battle Revolution (Wii)
- Pokemon Dash (Nintendo DS)
- Pokemon: Magikarp Jump (Mobile)
- The Band of Thieves & 1000 Pokemon (3DS)
- Hey You, Pikachu! (Nintendo 64)
Interestingly, the C-tier contains nearly all of the Pokemon Rumble series, except for Pokemon Rumble U and Pokemon Rumble Rush, which are coming up. The series saw players taking control of toy versions of their favorite Pokemon in a top-down beat 'em up that many critics found the gameplay to be too shallow and repetitive. The tier also includes some of the stranger Pokemon spin-offs like Pokemon Dash that was a racing game and The Band of Thieves & 1000 Pokemon which was a movie tie-in game presented as a stage play. This tier also includes one of the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games which has had a range of success with critics across the series. However, it still has many fans that are hoping for a new Pokemon Mystery Dungeon game all the same.
D-Tier
- Pokemon Channel (GameCube)
- Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates To Infinity (3DS)
- Pokemon Rumble U (Wii U)
- Pokemon Rumble Rush (Mobile)
- My Pokemon Ranch (Wii)
- Pokemon Dream Radar (3DS)
- Pokemon Playhouse (Mobile)
- Pokemon Shuffle (3DS, Mobile)
- Pokemon Smile (Mobile)
This tier is mostly comprised of the spin-offs that didn't have enough content or weren't fleshed out enough to keep players around. This includes the two missing Pokemon Rumble games, including the mobile Pokemon Rumble Rush that shut down one year after release. It also features some of the stranger spin-offs like Pokemon Smile that has players record themselves while they brush their teeth or Pokemon Dream Radar which is little more than an augmented reality tap game on the 3DS. It is really great that Pokemon has been willing to take risks and continue to try new things, so hopefully, the series continues to do so. Maybe just no more games that have to be played in the bathroom.